Brand recall for OTT ads jump in Indonesia, viewers most ad-tolerant in SEA

Brand recall of OTT ads has also improved significantly in Indonesia, with 35% of OTT viewers in the country recalling the brand that was advertised, compared to 23% in the prior year. This was according to the new Future of TV study by The Trade Desk which surveyed 6,700 about their media consumption habits across Southeast Asia last November. 

Overall, Indonesia was found to be the most ad-tolerant market in Southeast Asia, with 42% of Indonesians willing to watch four or more ads for each hour of free content on OTT platforms. Ad-supported viewership has also accelerated as Indonesians' hunger for on-demand content grew, representing a 25% increase in ad-supported viewership from the previous year. 

The study also found that viewers are turning to OTT rather than traditional TV for their favourite shows. In 2020, the gap between OTT and traditional TV for watching favourite shows was just 13%. However, this jumped to 22% in 2021 and Gen Z led the pack with a notable gap of 27%, demonstrating the growing disconnect that younger generations feel with traditional TV.

According to the study, 51% of OTT viewers are Gen Z or young Millennials between the ages of 16 to 34. These young audiences are likely to be heavy users, consuming more than four hours of OTT content per day. Such age groups are among the most coveted by advertisers because they are at a stage in life where they are starting to build long-term brand loyalties, and they tend to be trendsetters for all age groups.

Korean content is undoubtedly Indonesia’s most popular genre on OTT. While 57% of OTT viewers ranked Korean amongst their top two genres, its popularity amongst female viewers is undisputed. Three in four (75%) ranked Korean content as their top preference. Meanwhile, the number of OTT viewers watching Western content plummeted, dropping nine percentage points, compared to the prior year.

While Korean drama remains the favorite genre amongst female Gen Z and young Millennial viewers, male Gen Z viewers prefer comedy, action, and Japanese anime. Young male Millennials also prefer live sports.

“Consumers are aggressively moving towards a new model of content consumption, and this means marketers will have to develop new strategies for reaching them. OTT allows brands to reach their audience with more precision and accuracy because data can be applied to OTT campaigns in a way that’s not possible with linear TV," said The Trade Desk Indonesia's country manager, Florencia Eka. According to her, this incremental reach is an important element of a comprehensive TV ad campaign.

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Photo courtesy: 123RF

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