The news: A massive 93% of consumers skip or block ads, per a Clutch report—emphasizing the scale of the problem that brands face when combatting ad fatigue. Fifty-five percent stated they skip ads when they can, while 37% ignore ads entirely. But only 15% of consumers pay to avoid ads, while 78% stated that interactive, entertaining ads grab their attention.

The problem: The findings prove that a lack of ad exposure isn’t the issue causing brands to struggle to convert viewers into customers. Rather, a lack of a creative edge is driving disappointing results.

• Repetitiveness leads to disengagement. Two-thirds (66%) of consumers in Southeast Asia ignore repetitive ads when they’re shown on a single platform, per The Trade Desk.
• 6 in 10 US adults are less likely to buy products or services from companies that show the same ad repeatedly, while 88% say overly repetitive ads make them pay less attention and 76% say it makes them less favorable toward the brand.
• Marketers struggle from an unclear understanding of creativity in ads. While 83.5% of marketers state that creative drives advertising performance, only 58.5% say their teams have a clear definition of what constitutes great creative—leading to ads that fail to engage audiences effectively.
• Insufficient ad variations that match unique audience preferences contributes to fatigue. Marketers frequently fail to refresh creative assets, causing campaigns to underperform over time without multiple versions to test what works and what needs refreshing.

What brands can do: Avoiding the skipped ads trap requires brands to prioritize creativity and interactivity to encourage user engagement.

• Storytelling and narrative-driven ads will outperform. Utilizing storytelling techniques makes ads more engaging and memorable, boosting the chance of capturing limited audience attention.
• Interactive and shoppable ads, such as those with clickable elements and QR codes, can enhance ad effectiveness and bolster engagement. Experimenting with innovative formats, like 3D ads or pause ads on CTV, will also separate a brand’s creative from the pack.