ANALYSIS: Live issue - China showing early signs of advertising fatigue. A Zenith Media study finds China facing an early case of ad fatigue

China's advertising clutter quotient has shot up to such an extent that huge sectors of its population are showing classic symptoms of advertising fatigue. A Zenith Media study uncovered some startling truths about the Chinese consumer - 52 per cent of respondents in Beijing and Shanghai now pay little or no attention to television commercials in sharp contrast to attitudes 10 years ago when TVCs were seen as something new and novel. Few advertisers had expected to see the problem crop up this early in China. Advertising fatigue is an issue associated with more developed Western markets. However, the emergence of advertising fatigue in so short a period of time demonstrates that China's rapid economic development over the past 15 years has accelerated the rise of consumerism. And with it, a more sophisticated audience, who demand fresh and novel advertising. In a market suffering from over-capacity in just about every category, this latest insight will turn up the heat on marketers. They will now need to stay ahead in advertising and constantly refresh their brands. Against this backdrop, product placements within TV shows and programme sponsorships have gained in popularity as advertisers struggle to break out of the rut. The Zenith survey found that these new approaches increased brand awareness significantly, however it cautioned that their use should be considered in the context of the whole strategy. For instance, the research shows that product placement alone will not spark strong ad recall. The secret to success lies in striking the right combination of such options and the placement of conventional TVCs within certain programmes. Zoe Tan, Zenith China's director of strategic resources, says: "Product placement or title sponsorship exerts impact only when it is supported by regular commercial breaks, while the choice of the right programme for the right product is also a key to success." Product sponsorships are becoming increasingly popular to the point where some TV shows are cluttered with multiple brands jostling for audience attention. Depending on the popularity of a show and the number of TV stations it is syndicated to, title sponsorship can cost from three to 15 million Rmb for a weekly show. Despite its rising popularity and costs, little has been done, until now, to shed light on the effectiveness of sponsorship deals. While TV is still considered the most effective way of reaching the mass audience, TV station rates have rocketed in recent years, prompting advertisers to move into less measurable advertising areas. The Zenith Media research report makes a first attempt to examine how effective the new television advertising forms are and how clients can make best use of the tools. "Title sponsorship can very effectively increase brand recall, however research also shows that title sponsorship is most effective during the mid life cycle of a product and not at the beginning of a product life cycle unless it is supported by a TV commercial," explains Tan.

Sign In

Trouble signing in?

Reset Password: Click here

Contact Customer Support at

Customerservice@campaignasia.com