It’s no secret that younger age groups are driving the ad-blocking trend, but Global Web Index data makes clear that it’s primarily Millennials – not the younger Gen Zers – who are more inclined to take control of their online experiences using ad-blockers. But what’s most interesting is that while Millennials are the more determined ad-blockers, they are also the generation more susceptible to advertising more broadly – 45 percent say they tend to buy brands they see advertised, compared to 38 percent of Gen Zers.
We’ve already seen that Millennials are more ‘brand loyal’ and ‘brand conscious’ compared to Gen Zers. For this hard-to-reach younger generation, it’s clear that non-intrusive ad formats are the most effective. Not only does ad-frustration weigh in more heavily in their ad-blocking motivations compared to Millennials, but their brand interaction preferences paint a picture of a generation much more comfortable with approaching the brand themselves with the incentive of genuine experiences via branded games and videos.
