Strong Growth In Awareness Of AdChoices

October 18th, 2017 | Matthew Chung, Manager, Communications and Content

Awareness of the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada’s AdChoices program is on the rise, a recent survey finds, with more Canadians becoming acquainted with its blue triangle icon.

The DAAC released this AdChoices educational video as part of its awareness campaign

Now in its third year, the program that gives consumers more control and knowledge of the online advertising they receive saw recognition increase in several key areas.

DAAC teamed up with Toronto research firm Synqrinus for a second straight year to survey 1,000 consumers on their understanding of the program. Julie Ford, Executive Director of DAAC, recently presented the study’s findings. Highlights from the report include:

  • Overall, 53% of Canadians surveyed recognize the text “AdChoices” and the blue icon, up from 38% in the 2016 report. This awareness is even higher among millennials, at 56%, up from 46% in 2016.
  • More than half of consumers (54%) are familiar with interest-based advertising (IBA) increasing from 45% in 2016. Meanwhile, seven in 10 millennials say they are familiar with IBA.
  • After reading a description of the AdChoices program, 50% of consumers said they have a more favourable impression of interest-based advertising.
  • Many consumers (52%) and especially millennials (56%) report having more trust in brands using the Canadian AdChoices program, when they know they can manage their privacy preferences through it.
  • Publishers also benefit from a 51% overall increase in trust when they feature the AdChoices program.
  • 86% of respondents prefer an ad-supported internet where most content is free, as opposed to a paid internet where consumers pay for what they wish to access but there is no advertising.
  • 82% of respondents indicated that free internet content such as news, weather, email, social media and blogs is important to them.

For more details, check out an infographic about the AdChoices program.