Persuasion is no longer a viable marketing strategy. It’s not merely that consumers no longer want to see your advertising – it is that they are actively avoiding it.

Almost 70% of consumers say that they use one or more advertising avoidance strategies with double digit growth in those using ad blockers; switching to streaming services; or simply finding ways to avoid almost all ads. The result – only 14% of the brands in the Participation Brand Index succeed in being thought about regularly.

It turns out that people don’t really want companies and media telling them what to do.

In the broadcast era when all media was one way they didn’t have a choice. But as technology changes, people are seizing the opportunity to set their own agendas and decide whether and how they want to let brands into their lives.

We believe there are three big shifts that have contributed to this.

1. From consuming to interacting with media: Consumers don’t want, need or like advertising because fundamentally their relationship with media has shifted from passive consumption to active interaction. Passive, consumption-media like newspapers, film and TV is either flat or in decline. While interactive media engagement has increased profoundly: active social media users have now passed the 3.8 billion mark globally, spending a daily average of 2 hours and 16 minutes connected; and in 2020 video game revenue topped $160 billion – four times that of the movie industry. People no longer want to be told – they want to explore and see for themselves. Just do it? Already done it, mate.

2. From centralised to distributed power: People have realised their power to shape and influence the world around them rather than being shaped by it. Whether they are Reddit users upending the stock market, Tik-Tok teens skewering political rallies, or the mainstreaming of cryptocurrencies as an alternative to government-controlled fiat – we have entered a new hyperconnected world where information, ideas and influence spread in a radically democratized way that places the power in the people’s hands. Anyone can build an audience, anyone can monetise an idea and anyone can buy media space. This radically alters the balance of power away from brands. There are some things money can’t buy? Have you heard of bitcoin, mate.

3. From brand to customer centricity: Digital technology has created a reverse Copernican affect: the world now revolves around us, not vice versa. Media fragmentation means people see and hear only what they like or want, and the products and services they buy have been tailored to people’s needs and expectations. There is no “mass” market anymore. We live in the age of customer centricity – products, services and experiences are built for and around us as individuals. As such it is actively jarring to see an advertisement for a product or brand that is irrelevant to you.

Have it your way? Didn’t realise there was an alternative, mate.