Survey: APAC lags behind in consumer receptiveness to ads

There are significant regional disparities in attitudes toward advertising and generative AI (GenAI), with global consumer receptiveness to ads averaging 57%, while the Asia-Pacific region lags at just 43%, survey finds.

Conducted annually by Kantar, the “Media reactions 2025” survey includes responses from 974 marketing professionals across advertisers, agencies, and media companies worldwide, as well as 21,300 consumers from 30 markets, including Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, the UK and the US.

The survey highlights key priorities, trends, and data points to assist CMOs and planners in making confident, evidence-based decisions for their 2026 media strategy.

Since 2020, receptivity to ads has steadily risen, with over half of consumers (57%) expressing a positive view in 2025. Consumers no longer differentiate between online and offline advertising; offline channels remain preferred, led by point-of-sale ads and in-person sponsored events. Notably, online sponsored events have reached seventh place, a record high for native online channels. The fragmented digital landscape is becoming normalised, and marketers are increasingly effective in executing ads and media plans.

Alongside ad receptivity, brands are also better at integrating the ads in their campaigns to ensure they are a coherent part of a whole. Consumer perceptions of integration have increased over the past decade, from 58% to 66%. However, marketers’ confidence has dropped. In 2017, 89% of marketers felt that they were getting integration right across the different screens. In 2025, only 64% are confident they are integrating across channels. 

Additionally, Kantar’s LIFT+ database reveals that nearly half of a campaign's impact on brand KPIs (45%) comes from the synergy of multiple channels. This highlights integration as a fundamental component of successful campaigns. To alleviate fears as more ad platforms come out, marketers need to continue testing and learning while planning integrated campaigns to maximise impact.

Regional variations in consumer receptiveness to ads and GenAI impact

While global consumer receptiveness to ads has increased, the picture varies by region. The global average stands at 57%, but the Asia-Pacific region lags behind at just 43%. More negative responses are driven by Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, while the other APAC markets, such as mainland China and the Philippines, are very positive towards ads.

In contrast, Africa and the Middle East lead at 71%, followed by North America at 58%, Latin America at 57%, and Europe at 55%.

This spectrum is true for preferred media brands as well. Ads on some platforms appeal to almost all groups, such as Amazon, which appears in the top three of all regions except, AME and leads across US. Pinterest, Prime Video and Google appear in the top three of two regions, and Disney+ is the leader in Europe. While marketers are negative towards X, consumers in North America and Europe favour it.

Another area where voices differ is the controversial generative AI (GenAI). General sentiment about GenAI is becoming more positive. However, excitement is accompanied by apprehension. 57% of consumers are concerned about fake ads due to GenAI. Trust is a key issue in all communications today, from ads to packaging, and a part of this concern stems from how AI is changing our world. 

Among marketers, who are more educated on the uses of GenAI in media, only 33% say they don’t have the right skills to use GenAI. In fact, 70% of marketers already use GenAI to work more efficiently. This means that the education of consumers in the media space falls onto marketer shoulders.

Top ranking media brands among consumers

Three of consumers’ top five preferred ad platforms are Amazon brands, with Amazon ranking first thanks to its relevant and useful ads. No single brand appears in the top five for both consumers and marketers. Snapchat’s ads are seen as fun, and consumers say they are less intrusive than they were in 2024. Meanwhile, consumers praise TikTok ads for being particularly attention-grabbing, fun, and entertaining. Twitch is seen as having the most trustworthy ads among global brands.

Marketers’ preferred platforms are also those platforms whose ads they trust the most. A part of that trust is correlated with perceptions of brand safety, where Netflix, YouTube and Disney+ lead.

According to Kantar's APAC head of media, Andy Gallagher, Netflix with ads is the first streaming service to top the list in APAC. "Almost two in five (37%) consumers believe Netflix delivers trustworthy ads and over one-third (35%) say they are of better quality. Notably, Netflix is the top-ranking media brand with highest ad equity in Korea and Japan. In particular, the Japanese say ads on Netflix are the most trustworthy and of the highest quality. This mirrors the Netflix's top global ranking too for better quality ads and being known for hosting immersive content."

However, marketers' dollars don’t only flow into platforms where consumers want to see advertising or where they themselves prefer to see ads. In 2026, nearly two-thirds of marketers (64%) globally are planning to increase their spend on TikTok, despite not ranking it among their favourites. YouTube and Instagram aren’t far behind, with over half of marketers planning to increase their investment. 

Meanwhile, one brand missing from all marketers’ top rankings is X (formerly known as Twitter). A net 15% of marketers were favourable towards ads on X in 2022: now that has slumped to a net -31% of marketers. 

Additionally, a net 29% of marketers plan to decrease their spend on X next year, and they have ranked X last among all global brands for trust for the third year in a row.

Implications for 2026 media planning

Marketers should select partners aligned with their objectives, as while ad preference is a key consideration in media mix decisions, it significantly influences a campaign’s brand impact, according to Kantar. The focus should be on evaluating each partner's strengths and weaknesses to choose those offering the right advertising propositions and formats for specific goals.

Moreover, as the media landscape continually evolves, marketers should continue to test and learn to build confidence in their media mix decisions, especially regarding new channels and formats, while also referencing best practices from established platforms. Meanwhile, media owners can differentiate themselves by finding new spaces to innovate.

Marketers should also continue to invest in media channels that consumers may not prefer, such as influencer content, online video, TV, and video streaming. This increased digital marketing spend could provide the experimentation needed to enhance understanding of these channels, which are still in their growth phase.

In terms of customisation, it is no longer what we understood a few years ago, such as a hero asset being created for a lead channel, then being edited to fit various platforms. Now, customisation should begin with one clear, connected brief, but start from each different platform’s capabilities. The development process needs to be connected across ads and campaigns. This customisation ideal also needs to apply to different audiences. In many markets, the preferred ad platforms are local media brands, and most regions’ preferences look different from the global rankings. 

As GenAI shows varying perspectives across regions, it's crucial to understand the local culture, as a one-size-fits-all approach won't be effective in 2026.

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