Factors Shaping Young People's Attitudes Toward Online Advertising

Abstract

Young people are consistently targeted by online advertisements, making it crucial to understand the factors that influence their attitudes towards such advertising. This systematic study aims to identify these principal factors and determine whether age and gender differences affect young people's responses to online ads. The study process involves a comprehensive scoping approach, which includes identifying relevant studies, screening and evaluating them, analyzing and synthesizing the findings, and presenting the final set of studies for review. The findings of this study reveal two main observations derived from a thematic content analysis of the appraised studies. The first relates to the key factors that influence young people's attitudes toward online advertising. These factors include informativeness, entertainment, irritation, credibility, personalization, and interactivity. Overall, studies suggest that positive attitudes towards online advertising are more likely when ads are perceived as informative, entertaining, credible, and interactive. In contrast, irritation with ads tends to foster a more negative attitude. Personalization of ads is a more complex factor, with studies showing divergent views on whether personalized ads have a positive or negative effect on young people’s attitudes. The second observation concerns the role of age and gender in shaping attitudes towards online advertising. The study highlights that age and gender differences do indeed play a role in how young people perceive and react to online advertisements. However, the findings regarding these differences are mixed, suggesting that age and gender may influence perceptions to varying degrees, depending on other contextual factors such as the type of product or service being advertised, the platform used, and the ad’s format. This study underscores the importance of understanding the multifaceted factors that shape young people's attitudes toward online advertising. Advertisers should consider the balance of informativeness, entertainment, and interactivity in their ads while being mindful of the potential negative effects of irritation. Additionally, the personalization of ads requires careful consideration, as its impact may vary. Gender and age differences also emerge as important considerations, though the effects are complex and context-dependent. Further research into these variables could provide deeper insights into how online advertising can be tailored to appeal to young people more effectively.