Consumers are more open to advertising than ever, but Kantar Media Reactions 2025 study shows marketers and audiences remain divided on preferred platforms
Advertising has rarely had a more attentive audience. According to the Kantar Media Reactions 2025 study, 57 per cent of people worldwide now describe themselves as receptive to ads – a ten-point jump from last year. Yet while audiences are warming to commercial messages, marketers and consumers are not aligned on where those ads should appear.
Amazon brands dominate consumer preferences, with Amazon itself taking first place, followed by Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch and Prime Video. Marketers, however, continue to put their faith in YouTube, Instagram, Google, Netflix and Spotify – the same line-up as last year.
Top-ranking media brands by preference, global
This disconnect highlights a broader tension between where audiences feel engaged and where budgets are placed. As Gonca Bubani, global director of media at Kantar, explained: “Brands need to fight for people’s attention, but marketers are not always reflecting consumers’ ad preferences. Amazon’s ad properties buck the trend by offering a variety of different experiences. Twitch is a good example: consumers trust ads there more than anywhere else, but many marketers assume that gaming and live-streaming audiences are niche.”
The rise of creators and social commerce
Alongside shifting platform loyalties, the Kantar study shows marketers are preparing to put more weight behind creators and social commerce. A net 61 per cent intend to increase spend on influencer content in 2026, with 53 per cent planning more investment in social commerce.
Bubani noted that creator campaigns call for a different approach: “Creators aren’t actors doing a brand’s bidding, so the value exchange is very different. The most successful and authentic partnerships depend on flexibility within clear guardrails around a brand’s values, tone and assets.”
Streaming grows as linear TV contracts
Television remains an influential channel, but investment patterns are changing. More than half of marketers (54 per cent) plan to increase spend on streaming, and nearly one in five will put more into product placement. At the same time, a net 26 per cent expect to cut spend on linear TV.
“Consumers trust broadcast TV advertising, and it still delivers significant brand impact,” said Bubani. “But the cost of TV production makes it tempting to overinvest relative to its return. Rebalancing budgets is necessary, but creative planning should start with each platform’s strengths rather than adapting assets later.”
Trust, AI and the future of ad content
Trust remains a decisive factor in receptivity. Consumers ranked X last among global brands for the third year running, with 29 per cent of marketers saying they will scale back investment and nearly one in eight planning to pull out entirely.
Artificial intelligence presents a more complex picture. While 44 per cent of consumers say they are bothered by AI-generated ads and 57 per cent are worried about fake AI content, overall sentiment towards the technology is improving. Marketers are adopting it primarily for efficiency (70 per cent) but also increasingly for creativity (53 per cent).
“AI is most valuable when it’s embraced as a partner,” said Bubani. “It gives marketers new ways to explore ideas, test what resonates and make smarter decisions faster. The opportunity is huge, but it depends on curiosity rather than caution.”
Top-ranking media channels by preference
Beyond platforms, the study also examined preferred ad channels. Consumers continue to favour point-of-sale, in-person sponsored events and cinema ads, while marketers prioritise digital out-of-home, online video and events.
Implications for MENA
For advertisers in the Middle East, these findings underline both opportunity and challenge. Consumers in the region are part of the global shift towards greater receptivity, particularly across mobile-first platforms, streaming and social commerce. But the study also makes clear that trust is fragile, and that aligning budgets with where audiences genuinely engage is key.
As Bubani summed up: “Ad campaigns are seven times more impactful among more receptive audiences.” With audiences now more open than ever, marketers in MENA face a timely chance to recalibrate strategies to match platforms with people — and ensure investment choices follow attention rather than habit.
