SE Asia consumers lead in online ad acceptance

Consumers in Southeast Asia are ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to being influenced by online advertising, especially if the content is aimed at specific audiences, according to the results of a global survey conducted by media research firm Nielsen.

At the same time, the study found that online ads tend to increase in effectiveness if friends of potential consumers have already engaged with the product or brand.

More importantly, the study found that Filipino consumers ranked second in the region, with 25 percent of them admitting to being “highly influenced” by online ads. At the top were Vietnamese consumers, 43 percent of whom classified themselves under the same category.

This was followed by Thailand (20 percent), Malaysia (12 percent), Indonesia (9 percent) and Singapore (6 percent).

The regional average for consumers being influenced by online ads stood at 19 percent, while the global average was at 14 percent.

According to Nielsen, 73 percent of consumers in Southeast Asia are “highly” or “somewhat” influenced by standard website advertisements on social media sites, with this number increasing to 80 percent if the advertisement has social context, where consumers are swayed by friends who have liked or followed an advertised brand.

When asked how they felt about online advertising, which was targeted at them based on previous purchases or websites visited, 74 percent of consumers in Southeast Asia said that this technique “makes their lives easier,” compared with the global figure of 58 percent.

This opinion is significantly higher among consumers in the Philippines and Vietnam, with 83 percent and 82 percent respectively agreeing or strongly agreeing with this statement.

“Southeast Asian consumers trust in … online advertisements,” said Nielsen’s managing director of advertising solutions David Webb in a statement. “Their positive sentiment towards targeted content, provides myriad opportunities for companies to engage with their target audience.”

Also, as social media increasingly becomes “a mainstream activity throughout the region, brands have been quick to get on board with the practice of better understanding and connecting with their consumers when it comes to advertising strategies, engagement and conversion,” Webb said.

The Nielsen report found that 69 percent of Southeast Asian consumers have “liked” or followed a brand or company.