In what is sure to be a ground-breaking research study across the marketing and advertising industry, new data reveals consumers’ attitudes toward behavioral targeting are more complex than indictaed in previous research.

Many studies and pundits have pointed to consumers’ complete disdain for targeted ads due in part to privacy concerns.  However this research was based on straight-forward questions that did not put the actual situation in context to real-world scenarios.  If someone simply asked me if I would be willing to make an extra $20,000 a year, my answer would be a resounding yes.  However, if the question was followed by the fact that in order to do so, I would have to work nights and weekends, my answer would probably change.  This type of questioning has provided false views on consumers attitudes towards advertising.

Adhering to a more realistic and accurate methodology, PreferenceCentral, a consumer ad preference management solution, has discovered that Internet users are more likely to prefer targeted online ads when they are asked to make real-world, value-for-value trade-offs, such as free access to Internet content. The study also shows that attitudes and preferences significantly shift when consumers are provided with education about behavioral targeting or when they can control targeted ad exposure.

70% OF INTERNET USERS ARE INTERESTED IN USING A CONSUMER CONTROL SOLUTION, 33% STATING THAT THEY ARE VERY OR EXTREMELY INTERESTED

Certain factors do play a material role in consumers’ comfort level with online advertising. When educated about behavioral targeting, 29 percent of respondents became less comfortable with the trade-off of free content for targeted ads. However, when subsequently informed that behavioral targeting information is anonymous, non-personally identifiable, 35 percent of these Internet users became more comfortable, indicating a need for consumer education on this topic. The high-level results are very interesting and can be found on the PreferenceCentral Web site.

It is smart research like this that is going to help our industry grow and thrive.  Together, we need to educate consumers and continue to listen to what they have to say.