A survey by Superjob.ru published earlier this month found that the word Russians most associated with advertising was “annoying.” The survey was conducted in September 2013, with 1,000 economically active adult respondents from all regions of the country.
Eleven percent of respondents found advertising to be negative, while less than 2% evoked positive associations with advertising (either “information” or “promotion” of goods and services).
Many perceive that advertisement is first and foremost a profitable business and public relations tool. One in twenty respondents believe that advertisement is a way of cheating consumers, while another 5% are angered at advertising and 4% are tired of it. Two percent regard it as spam and 7% are already reconciled with its buzz. Finally, patriotic advertising caused the largest share of negative emotion among Russians.
Online advertising more accepted
Not all advertising is equally annoying, however, and this is good news for online advertisers. Thirty percent of respondents give online advertising the title of “least annoying.” In their view, the main advantage of online advertising, compared to television or radio ads, is that it can be eliminated or blocked. However, this advertising format has become more “annoying” since last year when 36% of Russians did not find it so.
An editor from Khimki responded that “[online advertising] is the least annoying to me. It is easier to simply ignore what you are not interested in and focus on the content of interest.”
A paramedic from St. Petersburg noted that “you can get rid of it”, while a department head enjoys the “freedom of choice: watch or do not watch! I decide myself.”
“Online advertising is unobtrusive,” “the focus of attention is on me,” and “it does not distract or take time,” were some other responses on why online advertising was least annoying.
One in five respondents find TV advertisements to be the least annoying, while advertising on radio is considered the least intrusive by only 18% of respondents. For the remaining 32% of respondents, it is difficult to choose the least annoying advertising.
