Seventy per cent of consumers surveyed were shown to agree that advertising stimulates economic growth; 68 per cent indicated that advertising helps raise the quality of products and drive down prices, while 80 per cent saw it as a factor in job creation.
A higher proportion of consumers in Asia-Pacific found advertising entertaining than in North America: 76 per cent as opposed to 59 per cent. Asia-Pacific respondents were also less sceptical than their European counterparts regarding advertising’s influence on purchase decisions, with 75 per cent agreeing that advertising helps simplify and improve decision-making, compared with just 50 per cent of Europeans.
The majority of respondents in all markets (86 per cent) demonstrated an understanding of advertising and sponsorship’s importance in funding exhibitions, cultural and sporting events.
Stephan Loerke, managing director of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), which commissioned the research, noted that while consumers were aware of advertising’s role in the economy, more needed to be done to educate governments.
“We still have more work to do so that governments too understand the important role [advertising] plays, and take this into account when formulating policy,” Loerke said in a statement.
The study canvassed a total of 25,420 people across 50 countries between March and April.
