UK TV audience know what they want to see in TV ads

UK television viewers do not want to see smoking, payday loans, prescription drug, gambling, cosmetic surgery or injury lawyer advertisements on their television screens during commercial breaks, a YouGov.co.uk survey has concluded.

The 1732 television audience sample rated what they do and don’t want to see on their TV screens:

–     79 percent say that cigarettes shouldn’t be allowed to be advertised on television
–     Payday loans – 75 percent said that they shouldn’t be allowed
–     Gambling – 73 percent against mostly originating from the 40 to 60+ age group
–     Personal injury lawyers – 65 percent against
–     Cosmetic surgery providers – 63 percent against
–     63 percent say that abortion providers should not be allowed to advertise on TV
–     While 54 percent apiece would ban TV adverts for prescription drugs and debt refinancing companies

Of the most accepted television advertisements 79 percent said yes to children’s toy advertisements, while 84 percent were happy to see Universities advertising on their sets.

Although results on tobacco, prescription drugs and gambling advertising are recognised and termed as “highly” regulated”, respondents were of the opinion that they should be banned outright, adding fuel to the fire of an ongoing debate worldwide of the perceived dangers of advertising these services on television.

Dr Eamonn Butler of the Adam Smith Institute pointed out however, that advertising is not the problem, because “people do not make decisions on the strength of an advertisement alone. The advertisement alerts them to the options, then they root out the information they need.”

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