For many streaming platforms, ads are a part of life. Often, however, it’s the same ad or collection of ads appearing at every break. Something unlikely to go unnoticed as most American streamers likely use ad-based streaming platforms.
So, what do streamers think is the acceptable amount of times to see an ad? CivicScience polled users of a variety of streaming platforms to gauge their opinions.
The prevailing feeling among U.S. adults is the less ad repetitiveness there is, the better. Almost half of U.S. adults who watch streaming content (47%) think they should see any given ad just once, while roughly one-third (32%) prefer to see an ad no more than twice.
Subscribers of Netflix’s new “Basic with Ads” ad-based service are most accepting of ad repetition. More than half (53%) say they’re okay with seeing an ad more than once — a small price to pay for those saving on the price of a traditional Netflix subscription. Netflix users overall, including those with the regular ad-free plan, have the second-highest percentage of reported users among streaming platforms tracked by CivicScience, with 49% reporting they only want to see an ad once.
The streaming platform least welcoming of repeating ads? Apple TV+, where over half of its users (51%) say once is enough. And while these users don’t currently encounter ads on Apple TV+, the potential for change could be on the horizon. Some industry executives think Apple is considering it.
Other insights from the data:
- Among U.S. men, half think ads should only appear once, while 43% of U.S. women think seeing an ad at least twice is acceptable.
- Gen Z adults are the most open to repeating ads, with one-fifth (20%) saying it’s acceptable to see an ad no more than three times.
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