Ad Appeal Varies By Generation

New Nielsen Consumer Neuroscience research shows that highly successful ads score well on three dimensions: attention, conversion to long-term memory and emotional engagement.

In its latest Global Trust in Advertising Survey, Nielsen asked 30,000 online consumers which advertising themes are most impactful. The findings shine light on the types of messages they most enjoy—and not surprisingly, they often differ by region and generation.

Among creative approaches, ads depicting real-life situations score the highest in those three areas, with 44% of respondents citing it as most effective.   Sentiment can also be important; ads featuring pets, for example, are appealing to one-quarter of older consumers, compared to just 13% of young adults age 15-20 (Generation Z) and adults 21-34 (Millennials). Those younger demos are partial to commercials with high-energy and action, aspirational themes and celebrity endorsements.

Health- and value-oriented ads are also rated highly by all five generations.

“The importance of understanding your audience and catering to their tastes cannot be overestimated,” said  Randall Beard, president, Nielsen Expanded Verticals. “Regardless of the delivery format, the most successful ads are those that speak to the sentiment of the audience.”

Other findings from the recent Trust in Advertising report include:

• Self-reported action in response to advertising exceeds trust by more than double digits for ads served in search engine results, ads on social networks and magazines.
• More than eight-in-10 global respondents (83%) say they completely or somewhat trust the recommendations of friends and family, while two-thirds (66%) say they trust consumer opinions posted online.
• Millennials show the highest levels of trust in 18 of 19 advertising formats/channels, including TV, newspapers and magazines.