Presented at the 2015 Corporate Researchers Conference with Hulu, This research explored attitudes towards ads as well as correlations between ad avoidance and viewing behaviors and show preferences. In addition, an ad avoidance segmentation was developed to better inform advertising strategies.

1. How do you really
feel?
VIEWER ATTITUDES
TOWARDS TV ADVERTISING

2. Watching TV is
no longer about schedule
but about choice

5. Placeholder
Ad Selector Example
Ad Selector

6. Branded Entertainment
Selector

8. Study Design & Methodology

9. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
What we wanted to measure
• Attitudes towards ads
• Sizing and profiling of ad-avoidance segments
• Intensity of ad avoidance attitudes/behaviors
• Correlation between ad avoidance behaviors, attitudes,
viewing situations, and types of shows

10. Methodology
• An online survey was fielded March 19-25, 2015 using a nationally
representative, general population research panel.
• The sample consisted of 1,510 respondents representative of the
general population and an oversample of 150 using Hulu Plus in
the past month.
• To qualify, all respondents had to:
• Be between the ages of 13-54
• Have no one in the household employed in research, TV, or
advertising
• Watch 4 or more hours of TV in the past 7 days
Total
Respondents
n=1,660
1,510
General
Population
150
Hulu Plus
Oversample
Total Hulu Plus
Users
338
150 oversample + 188 Hulu Plus
users in the gen pop sample = 338
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

11. Methodology
• Nested quotas were set for age and gender
within region to ensure a sample representative
of the 13-54 population according to the 2010
Census.
• Sample balancing weights are used to combine
the general population and Hulu Plus
oversample, resulting in a “Total Respondent”
distribution where Hulu usage is representative
of the actual proportions reported in the general
population.
Total Respondents
Weighted
(n=1,660)
Census
Distribution
Of 13-54’s
Male
Female
50%
50%
50%
50%
13-17
18-24
25-34
35-49
50-54
12%
17%
23%
35%
13%
12%
17%
23%
35%
13%
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
18%
22%
37%
23%
18%
22%
37%
23%
Used past
month:
Total Respondents
Weighted
(n=1,660)
Gen Pop
(1,510)
Hulu Plus
(paid
version)
13% 13%
Hulu (free
version)
14% 14%
Net – using
either
23% 23%
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

12. Research Design Challenge
How do you measure BOTH
attitudes and behaviors towards
ads
in one survey instrument?
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

13. Scandal
Situational Framing

14. Viewing Decomposition

15. Viewing
Decomposition
Continued

16. Viewing Decomposition Continued

17. Viewing Decomposition Continued

18. Landmark Anchoring

19. Landmark Anchoring

20. Detailed Findings:
Attitudes Toward Ads

21. AD ATTITUDES
Source: Leflein Associates, April 2015
3%
9%
12%
15%
15%
27%
29%
30%
33%
42%
50%
66%
INTERACTING WITH THE SHOW (E.G. VOTING, TWEETING…
LOOKING UP SOMETHING ABOUT THE SHOW
MUTING THE SOUND
DOING MY HOBBY (E.G. READING, CROSSWORD, KNITTING)
FLIPPING / SEARCHING AROUND TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS ON
MENTALLY ZONING OUT
ATTENDING TO OTHERS / CHORES (KIDS, PETS, CLEANING,…
HAVING A CONVERSATION / MAKING A CALL
TRYING TO FAST FORWARD THROUGH THE COMMERCIALS
SURFING THE INTERNET
CHECKING MESSAGES / EMAIL / SOCIAL MEDIA
LEAVING THE ROOM (E.G. FRIDGE, BATHROOM BREAK, ETC.)
What Viewers Do When They Skip Commercials
Reality Check: Everyone Avoids Ads Sometimes
Base: General population avoiding any commercials (n=1,444)

22. AD ATTITUDES
Viewers Have Varying Attitudes Towards Ads
But Just 7% of Viewers Actively Avoid Ads
Base: Total general population (n=1,660)
100% of the No Receptivity
segment agree they “always
avoid ads.”
High
Receptivity
35%
Medium
Receptivity
34%
Low
Receptivity
25%
No
Receptivity
7%
Source: Leflein Associates, April 2015

23. AD ATTITUDES
Attitudes – Not Demographics – Drive Ad
Receptivity
Source: Leflein Associates, April 2015
HIGH
RECEPTVIT
Y
MEDIUM
RECEPTVIT
Y
LOW
RECEPTVIT
Y
NO
RECEPTIVIT
Y
Male/Female 50/50 49/51 52/48 50/50
Avg. Age 35 34 32 34
Median HHI $62K $62K $62K $62K
Children in
HH 47% 47% 47%
42%

24. Summary Of The Four Ad Receptivity Segments
Attitudes Differentiating The Segments
(% Agree completely/very much, index vs. total)
High Receptivity
(n=575)
Medium Receptivity
(559)
Low Receptivity
(418)
No Receptivity
(108)
Commercials are sometimes more
fun to watch than the TV show
22%
INDEX 157
Commercials allow me to get up
and go to the fridge, bathroom, etc.
82%
INDEX 149
Commercials interfere with my
enjoyment of a TV show
62%
INDEX 182
Now that I can watch shows
without any commercials, there’s
no going back
77%
INDEX 248
I like to share commercials I like
with friends
25%
INDEX 147
Not all commercials are alike, I like
some and hate others
64%
INDEX 136
I prefer to see commercials all at
once at the beginning of a show
than during a show
39%
INDEX 144
I hate all commercials
59%
INDEX 328
I would rather wait to watch old
seasons of shows on a commercial-
free service than watch a show
when it first airs
55%
INDEX 275
Source: Leflein Associates, April 2015

25. AD ATTITUDES
Ads
Viewer’s
worldviews
drive their
attitudes
towards ads

26. AD ATTITUDES
Engaging Content, Both Programs and
Commercials, Keep Viewers Watching
Source: Leflein Associates, April 2015
Base: General population watching any commercials (n=1,515)
12%
14%
50%
57%
It makes me anxious to flip/search around to
see what else is on during commercials
I like to indulge in my show and doing other
things takes away from it
I keep watching so I don’t miss any of my show
Some commercials are interesting or
entertaining
Reasons Viewers Watch Commercials

27. AD ATTITUDES
Purposeful Viewing Has Positive Impact On Ads
Viewership of commercials
increases with favorability
toward the show. When the
show is not a favorite, viewers
will watch less than two-fifths
(37%) of the commercials.
But when watching their
favorite show, they’ll watch
more than half (54%) of the
commercials.
Base: watching a full hour of a show that’s not a favorite (n=277),
one of their favorites (959), number one favorite (424)
100
121
146
Not a favorite Among their favorites #1 favorite
Percent of commercials they'll watch
if show is a favorite or not
Source: Leflein Associates, April 2015
Index
Index
Index

28. AD ATTITUDES
Low & Medium Receptivity Segments Appreciate Ad Options
A majority (50%) of
viewers in the Low and
Medium Receptivity
segments (53%) would
like to be able to
control the types of
commercials they get.
And nearly two-fifths
(39%) of Low
Receptivity viewers
would prefer to see
commercials all at
once at the beginning
of their shows.
Base: total, High Receptivity (575), Medium Receptivity (559), Low Receptivity (418), No Receptivity (108)
15%
21%
28%
53%
39%
50%
30%
47%
I prefer to see commercials all at once at the beginning of a
show than during a show
I’d like to be able to control the types of commercials I get
Q19. Agree Completely / Very Much
No Receptivity Low Receptivity Medium Receptivity High Receptivity
Source: Leflein Associates, April 2015