Why a trillion TV ads matter

Television viewers are forecast to watch nearly a trillion ads in 2012, according to a report to be published by Deloitte on behalf of the Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, (23-25 August 2012). The average viewer watched 49 adverts per day in the first quarter of this year, a figure that does not include fast-forwarded commercials, adverts watched by under four year olds, or TV video-on-demand adverts watched on computers or mobile devices. TV advertising made the greatest impact in 2012 for the fourth year in a row, with 57% of viewers rating it highest, 58% in 2011, 56% in 2010, and 64% in 2009. In 2012 TV adverts are way ahead of newspaper adverts at 15% and magazine adverts at 13%. TV adverts continue to be regarded as having made more of an impression on viewers relative to online display media. Only 1% rated banner adverts within smartphone apps as having most impact, compared to 3% picking banner adverts on websites, a fall from 8% in 2009. Only 4% chose adverts or sponsored links in internet search engines and 3% selected video adverts on websites, the same as 2010 and 2011.