I hate ads but not the advertised brands: a qualitative study on Internet users' lived experiences with YouTube ads
ISSN: 1066-2243
Article publication date: 16 June 2022
Issue publication date: 28 March 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore Internet users' lived experiences with video ads, both skippable and nonskippable, while watching content on YouTube.
Design/methodology/approach
In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 participants.
Findings
The participants unanimously expressed dissatisfaction with YouTube ads. The dissatisfaction was directed to the platform but did not spill over to the advertised brand/product. Ethical concerns related to privacy also emerged. Specifically, with respect to nonskippable ads, the participants expressed dislike for forced viewing and explained how they would engage in extraneous activities during the ads. Nonetheless, they appreciated the flexibility offered by skippable ads. They also elaborated on how, why and when they would skip/not skip skippable ads.
Originality/value
The findings are discussed in light of the literature on not only online advertising but also platform switching versus continuance intention, spillover effect, privacy–personalization paradox and visual attention.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author Anjan Pal was with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore when the project started.
The authors are grateful to Liu Bo for his help with the data collection and analysis. A part of this research has been presented at the 2021 International Conference on Ubiquitous Information Management and Communication (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9377378).
Citation
Banerjee, S. and Pal, A. (2023), "I hate ads but not the advertised brands: a qualitative study on Internet users' lived experiences with YouTube ads", Internet Research, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 39-56. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-06-2021-0377
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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