While we hear a constant drum beat that trust in the news media continues to drop, it’s not the same for advertising. In fact, more people think ads are more honest than they were three years ago, according to a YouGuv survey in March.
Trust but verify
Still, 64% of US adults think there should be stronger requirements for advertising in proving claims. That’s up from 58% in 2014.
Print, TV, Catalog, Radio ads top the trustworthy list
Legacy media predictably tops the list of ad trustworthiness.
The mediums have evolved over time and so have the advertising practices. Digital popups ranked the lowest on the scale (who likes them?).
We’ve all been burned by click bait articles, ads disguised as content, and pesky popups online. It’s no surprise that these practices taint the medium itself when it comes to advertising.
SOURCE: MarketingSherpa via eMarketer
Compare that a Gallup poll from September which showed trust levels in mass media dropping to its lowest level in history.
Only 32% of those surveyed said they had “a great deal or fair amount of trust” in the media. In 1976, that number was 72%. Ouch.
So, more people trust the ads in the news than trust the news itself.
Paul Dughi.com 