J. G. Navarro
Research expert covering advertising and marketing with a focus on South America
Advertising consumption and perception in the United States – statistics & facts
United, consumers stand. While divisions challenge predictions and consensuses across the United States, its market still presents patterns for advertisers looking for an avid audience. As of late 2024, over half of U.S. adults wanted brand messages that made them laugh, indicating an enduring trend of marketing as a source of escapism. Around the same time, another survey revealed the advertising medium Americans pay the most attention to: TV, selected by over one-quarter of respondents; online and social media ads were chosen by around one-fifth each. Consumers also sent a clear message about their favorite ways of discovering new brands. Yet again turning to classics, almost 40 percent of internet users polled that year picked word-of-mouth, closely followed by TV commercials.
Generative artificial intelligence, after years of gaining momentum, has done little to translate into an alluring marketing tactic. As of mid-2025, over half of consumers polled across the U.S. said AI-generated ads did not change their perception of a brand, whereas 30 percent said it made them like the brand less. The results suggest that reaching audiences and persuading them to shop requires more than a medium and a message; it takes creativity and, if possible, a good deal of humor.
Follow the money, but not only
During a 2024 study, roughly 30 percent of U.S. consumers reported making purchases from ads they saw online at least every few months, an average that climbed to 40 percent among participants aged 45 and older. Similarly, baby boomers demonstrated higher levels of brand loyalty compared to the national average, especially in categories like groceries and household goods and beauty and personal care. However, older generations' willingness – as well as relative purchasing power – to respond to ads finds limitations, too. Also in 2024, a survey showed that more Gen Xers and boomers said they bought products after seeing TV commercials than their younger peers. Meanwhile, Gen Z's response to social media ads far surpassed other age groups and channels: More than three in five reported shopping following an advertisement on social networks.Digital ad trends: privacy & AI
Four in 10 U.S. adults surveyed in 2025 stated feeling annoyed by online ads, while one-quarter reported using ad blockers. The data illustrates one of the current dilemmas in digital advertising, with a profusion of messages not always succeeding at seamlessly capturing internet users' attention or even silently building an online presence. That same year, a study disclosed the most invasive types of personalized ads for U.S. consumers, with nearly 60 percent citing browsing history-based ads. Almost half mentioned those based on their social media behavior.Generative artificial intelligence, after years of gaining momentum, has done little to translate into an alluring marketing tactic. As of mid-2025, over half of consumers polled across the U.S. said AI-generated ads did not change their perception of a brand, whereas 30 percent said it made them like the brand less. The results suggest that reaching audiences and persuading them to shop requires more than a medium and a message; it takes creativity and, if possible, a good deal of humor.
