Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Impact of COVID-19 on digital advertising
- Summary
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- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on digital advertising, December 2020
- Opportunities
- Video streaming and social media are appealing mediums
- Getting consumers to laugh
- Consumers are receptive to brands exhibiting noble acts during COVID-19
- Challenges
- Repeated ads can get annoying
- Viewers are being exposed to ads of no interest to them
- How the crisis will affect wellbeing and drive experiences
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- Figure 2: Mintel Trend Driver Technology
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- An evolving retail landscape and its effects on digital advertising
- Challenging times for news organizations
- Projected increase in immigration will help to drive growth
- The Canadian economy recovers slightly after a shaky spring
Market Factors
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- An evolving retail landscape and its effects on digital advertising
- Challenging times for news organizations
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- Figure 3: Rogers Media quarterly revenues, Q1 2018-Q4 2020
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- Figure 4: Postmedia quarterly total revenues, Q1 2019-Q4 2020
- Projected increase in immigration will help to drive growth
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- Figure 5: Immigrants as a proportion of Canadian population, 1871-2036
- The Canadian economy recovers slightly after a shaky spring
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- Figure 6: Canadian unemployment rate, November 2019-November 2020
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Addressing current social issues
- Food service brands highlight their delivery options
- Uniting during lockdown
- Opportunity to leverage zero-party data
Competitive Strategies
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- Addressing current social issues
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- Figure 7: Dove Instagram post, June 2020
- Figure 8: Nike Instagram post, June 2020
- Food service brands highlight their delivery options
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- Figure 9: McDonald’s acquisition email, December 2020
- Figure 10: Wherever You Live | McDonald’s, March 2020
- Uniting during lockdown
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- Figure 11: Heineken – The Balcony Orchestra, September 2020
- Figure 12: Heineken | UCL | Never Alone, October 2020
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- Figure 13: Heineken – Cheers to all, February 2020
- Figure 14: Heineken – Cheers to all, February 2020
- Opportunity to leverage zero-party data
- Digital voice assistants have room to expand into marketing
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- A third were exposed to social media ads
- Consumers need a laugh
- Consumers don’t want to see the same ads repeatedly
- Most realize ads come at the cost of free content
- Half are more likely to do business with brands that helped during COVID-19
Digital Ad Exposure
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- A third of consumers were exposed to social media ads
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- Figure 15: Exposure to online ads, August 2020
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- Figure 16: First Visitors, August 2020
- A third of consumers also came across video streaming ads
- Men more likely to be exposed to most forms of digital ads
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- Figure 17: Exposure to video streaming ads, by age and gender, August 2020
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- Figure 18: How to Shave: Tips for Getting the Best Shave from Dollar Shave Club, January 2021
- Podcasts and audio streams may be a great place to attract younger consumers
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- Figure 19: Exposure to audio-related ads, by age and gender, August 2020
- The effect of social media on younger women
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- Figure 20: Exposure to social media related ads, by age and gender, August 2020
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- Figure 21: Melissa Alatorre Instagram post, November 2020
- Email ads, banner ads, pop-up ads and sponsored search results still effective
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- Figure 22: Exposure to select digital ads, men vs women, August 2020
TV Advertising
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- Consumers are looking for a laugh
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- Figure 23: Attitudes toward TV commercials, August 2020
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- Figure 24: Celebrate 40 years of Disney and Make-A-Wish With New Short Film, November 2020
- Figure 25: The Greatest Gift is Family, December 2020
- Commercials can lead younger groups to research a product/service
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- Figure 26: Attitudes toward TV commercials, 18-44s vs over-45s, August 2020
- South Asian Canadians are receptive to TV ads
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- Figure 27: Attitudes toward TV commercials, South Asian Canadians* vs overall, August 2020
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- Figure 28: Rogers Instagram post, June 2020
- Signalling parents via relevant commercials
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- Figure 29: XC60 – The Parents, September 2020
- Figure 30: Attitudes toward TV commercials, parents of children under 18 vs non-parents, August 2020
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- Figure 31: Waze Ads – Bring More Customers to Your business!, May 2020
Online Ad Behaviours and Observations
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- Consumers don’t want to see the same ads repeatedly
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- Figure 32: Select online ad behaviours, August 2020
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- Figure 33: Digital ad success (select statements), August 2020
- Many notice ads following them
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- Figure 34: Select online ad observations, August 2020
- Discounts attract younger women
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- Figure 35: Select online ad behaviours and preferences, August 2020
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- Figure 36: Forge of Empires Instagram post, July 2020
- Stimulating engagement among new Canadians will lead to sales
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- Figure 37: Select online ad behaviours, New Canadians vs overall, August 2020
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- Figure 38: Digital ad success (select statements), New Canadians vs overall, August 2020
Attitudes toward Advertising
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- Consumers realize ads come at the cost of free content
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- Figure 39: Positive attitudes toward ads, August 2020
- Half are more likely to do business with brands that helped during COVID-19
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- Figure 40: Attitudes toward COVID-19 and ads, August 2020
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- Figure 41: Honda Canada Instagram post, June 2020
- Figure 42: Vans Canada Instagram post, April 2020
- Many prefer ads that promote sales/discounts over entertaining ads
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- Figure 43: Select attitudes toward ads, August 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Mintel Trend Drivers
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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