Over third of public say older people ‘negatively stereotyped’ in ads
More than a third (35%) of the UK population believe older people tend to be negatively stereotyped in ads, according to new research by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The study, involving focus groups and a survey of more than 4,000 UK adults, finds almost half (48%) of those aged 65 and over believe older people are being negatively stereotyped. Women aged over 65 are more likely to share this opinion (53%) than men (42%) of the same age.
Advertising portraying older people as having no purpose in life (32%), being isolated or lonely (27%), powerless (22%) and generally dismissive of older people (22%) has the highest potential to cause harm, the research finds. Respondents believe such negative portrayals could reinforce fears about ageing and social isolation, especially for those aged 75 and over.
Source: Advertising Standards Authority
Creator content ‘outperforms’ industry norms for brand impact
Nearly two-thirds (62%) of creator content drives brand impact for both long-term brand equity and short-term sales likelihood, according to influencer agency Whaler’s Creator Effectiveness Meta-Analysis report, conducted in partnership with Kantar.
This outperforms industry norms, more than doubling the Kantar benchmark of 27%.
The study used Kantar’s Link AI software to analyse 101 creator videos across multiple verticals to assess the brand impact second by second.
Overall, creator content was found to perform better than 77% of ads in delivering new information and 72% of ads on credibility.
Source: Whaler/Kantar
B2B buyers consider ‘less than three suppliers’ in gen AI purchase decisions
Despite the hype and buzz around what generative AI can do for the marketing function – from cost efficiencies to rapid-fire creative – only 32% of B2B organisations have purchased a gen AI solution in the past three months. This drops to 28% for those that have bought a solution in the past three to six months. Some 22% haven’t shopped around for a gen AI product in the last six to 12 months.
The research, conducted by LinkedIn’s B2B Institute in partnership with Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, shows B2B buyers are considering just 2.4 brands on average before making their decision on gen AI.
Nearly 60% of the sample looked at only one or two different suppliers, with 22% not considering a single vendor other than the one they are already dealing with. Just 5% considered more than four potential suppliers. This essentially means that having a strong brand and being top of mind is crucial.
The study also finds 59% of those who have purchased a gen AI solution have already bought a different service with that provider before. Just over a third (37%) report the gen AI product was the first thing they had bought from that specific supplier.
Source: LinkedIn B2B Institute/Ehrenberg-Bass Institute
Investing early in brand drives ‘stronger sales and profit’ for startups
Investing in brand building alongside sales activation advertising is more effective at driving both profit and sales than solely focusing on the latter, according to analysis of more than 2,000 advertising case studies by the IPA and Tracksuit.
Brands in their early stages that generate strong brand effects with their advertising see 58% higher sales value and 55% more profit than peers who focus solely on performance marketing, the analysis finds.
The 60:40 rule, created by the ‘Long and Short of It’ authors Les Binet and Peter Field, suggests brands should aim to spend roughly 60% of their advertising budget on brand-building activity and 40% on sales activation.
Those in small brands often rail against this rule, suggesting the logic applies only to large brands. However, this research suggests striking a balance between brand building and performance marketing is as essential to startups as it is to big businesses.
Source: IPA/Tracksuit
Consumer confidence rises but remains ‘fragile’
Consumer confidence improved marginally in June, as positivity around the general economy increased, but inflation and the threat of rising petrol prices continues to weigh on people’s minds.
The overall index score on GfK’s latest Consumer Confidence Barometer is up two points to -18, with two of the five measures up and three unchanged compared to May.
People’s view of the general economic situation over the past year increased by three points to -43, while consumers’ outlook for the economy over the coming 12 months jumped five points to -28. But both scores are far below where they were in June 2024 (-32 and -11, respectively).
The only score in positive territory is people’s feelings about their personal financial situation over the next year, which is at 2 – the same score as last month.
Source: GfK
