Nearly 80% of Consumers Favor Brand Transparency of Personal Data Use in Digital Advertising

GumGum's latest "Digital Advertising Pulse Check" highlights consumers feel "unnerved" by identity-based ads.

SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GumGum, the leader in contextual-first technology for digital advertising, today unveiled new findings from its Digital Advertising Pulse Check, an initiative tracking consumer sentiment around identity-based advertising. Based on a survey of over 1,500 North American consumers, the index provides insights into the growing discomfort regarding the invasive nature of data-heavy ad-targeting strategies.

"The new findings continue to drive home the point we already know: advertising strategies that track consumers across the internet are not the way forward," said Kerel Cooper, Chief Marketing Officer at GumGum. "Consumers are telling us they feel violated and unnerved by these practices, blocking these ads, and are considering no longer interacting with brands that try to reach them this way. What more does the industry need to hear to make a change? This is a wake-up call to implement respectful and transparent methods that protect personal online behaviors. If not, brands will get left behind."

Highlights from the second release of the Digital Advertising Pulse Check:

Support for Transparency in Advertising:

    --  The call for transparency in digital advertising resonates strongly with
        consumers, as nearly four out of five respondents (78%) reacted
        positively to the idea of a law mandating advertisers to fully disclose
        the personal and identity data used in targeting.

Consumers Feel Creeped Out:

    --  An overwhelming 62% of respondents reported feeling uneasy about the
        online tracking involved in identity-based advertising. Specifically,
        19% described this as feeling "completely violated," while 43% likened
        it to having "an unwanted shadow." Additionally, when asked, "Would you
        prefer a first date who knows as much about you as identity-based ads
        do?", 42% of participants said they found it "creepy."

Reactions to Over-Personalization:

    --  Encountering ads that seem to know too much about them elicited strong
        consumer reactions. Forty percent of respondents found it "unnerving"
        and 27% considered it a "violation." Conversely, only 14% considered
        these such ads as"helpful."

Threat to Brand Loyalty:

    --  Concerns over intrusive advertising have real consequences for brand
        loyalty. Approximately one-third (28%) of consumers determined that they
        would be "very likely" to stop using a brand if its advertising felt
        intrusive, while 44% indicated they were "somewhat likely" to do so.

Targeting Puts Consumers on the Defense:

    --  In response to invasive ads, 38% of respondents reported using ad
        blockers and 30% opted to reject cookies to avoid over-personalization.
        Meanwhile, only 22% said they were comfortable with personalized
        advertising.

About GumGum

GumGum is the contextual-first technology leader transforming digital advertising with AI-powered, non-invasive data and media solutions.

We champion effective advertising that uplifts and respects consumers. Our proprietary Contextual, Attention, and Creative solutions create the perfect match between a brand and a consumer in the right moment and mindset.

Founded in 2008, GumGum is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and operates in 19+ markets. For more information, please visit gumgum.com.

Media Contact

Kayla Smalls, GumGum, 1 9179994629, kayla.smalls@gumgum.com, GumGum

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SOURCE GumGum