Decoding The Adblocking Consumer Digital Advertising’s P2P Moment

The 20,000 Foot View

This is the second report in the MIDiA Adblocking report series. Adblocking is gaining consumer momentum in terms of both awareness and adoption, which is in turn testing the effectiveness of publishers’ responses. Many of the tactics deployed help slow some of the short-term revenue loss, but do little to address the longer-term situation. Adblockers have already established too strong a presence to simply be eradicated by publishers, much in the same way that record labels and TV studios were never going to be able to wipe out piracy even though they hoped to do so. In fact, adblocking is the ad industry’s            moment. Uptake will only grow, driven by consumers’ natural affinity for free(er) content. Publishers must seek innovative ways to redefine their relationship with consumers, which includes reinventing added value for the ad content they currently serve.

Key Findings

• Only            of            are aware of adblocking
           of consumers block online ads on desktop and            on smartphones            of those who are aware of adblocking, block ads on desktop and            on smartphones            of desktop adblocker users and            of smartphone adblocker users state they will always block ads            of desktop adblocker users block ads to improve their browsing experience             of desktop adblocker users block ads to save data costs, improve loading times and/or protect privacy
• Mobile adblocking            is relatively even across mobile            with a slight lead of            users            compared to            for iOS
           of desktop and            of mobile adblocker users would switch to a mobile operator that blocks ads across its network             of desktop and            of mobile adblocking users would switch off their adblockers if a site would otherwise block their access
• However,            of            and            of mobile adblocker users            conversely stop visiting a site            blocked their access due to           
• Despite moral            it can make commercial sense            publishers to join adblockers’ monetization           
• Publishers and            must reinvent added value for            ads

Companies mentioned in this report: Android, Apple, Bild, Dicigel, Eyeo, Google, iOS, Opera, Shine Technologies, Taboola, Three Europe, Three Italy, Washington Post, Wired, YouTube