Millennials Feel Social Media is the Most Effective Advertising Medium — But Don’t Count TV Ads Out Yet, New Horowitz Study Finds

Social Media AdvertisingNative & Programmatic Advertising

By PRNewswire On May 7, 2018

To Read Millennials and Gen Z, Think Outside the Facebook Box, Horowitz’s Survey Data Suggests

In today’s increasingly cluttered media environment, identifying the most effective media platforms for reaching target audiences is a critical concern for advertisers. Horowitz Research’s latest study, State of Advertising and Social Media, reveals half of the consumers still feel that TV ads during the “regular” (scheduled) airing of a show are the most effective way to reach them with information about new products, followed by sending emails (46%) and ads on websites visited (44%).

There are notable differences by age. Among 18-34 year-olds, social media unseats TV advertising as the most effective medium. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of 18-34 year-olds say that maintaining an active social media presence is an effective way to communicate with them about new products, higher than among 35-49 year-olds (47%) and 50+ year-olds (25%). However, despite their heavy social media orientation, 53% of 18-34-year-olds still feel that TV is effective for advertising. For 35-49 and 50+ consumers, TV advertising still tops the list of effective advertising tactics.

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So where should advertisers be focusing their energy and advertising dollars in the social space? The report reveals that while Facebook is still the most-used social media platform overall, for younger (18-24 and 13-17-year-old) consumers, Instagram and Snapchat are as popular as Facebook.

Adriana Waterston

“Social media is not just about reach, it’s about context,” notes Adriana Waterston, Horowitz’s SVP of Insights & Strategy. “While Facebook has the most users overall, it is not necessarily where young people are going to have fun, engage socially, and connect with brands. Instagram and Snapchat are much more about that kind of organic engagement, which is an ideal environment for brands looking to connect with the next generation of consumers.”