Stagwell (STGW) releases second installation of News Advertising Study, this time fielded among more than 20,000 British adults

76% of the British population follows the news closely or very closely, including 25% who check the news an average of four times per day, revealing massive opportunity for advertisers

LONDON, Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) reveals a significant opportunity for brands to reach a valuable yet often overlooked audience: dedicated news followers. Building on Stagwell's 'Future of News' initiative first announced in May, Stagwell set out to further test brand safety concerns — the measures taken to ensure a brand's advertisements don't appear alongside content that could potentially harm that brand's reputation — this time in the U.K. market.

In line with the inaugural study, the new survey of 22,116 U.K. adults conducted by Stagwell research consultancy HarrisX, reveals ads placed adjacent to news topics such as politics, inflation and crime perform as effectively as those placed next to business, entertainment and sports stories.

"Our research continues to show brands should embrace advertising on news platforms rather than shy away from it," said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell. "Investing in news offers business leaders the ability to reach incredibly valuable audiences. According to our new study, 25% of Brits are news junkies — on average checking the news four times a day and reading nearly five news articles per day."

Additional findings include:

• 76% of the British population follows the news closely or very closely, including 25% who check the news an average of four times per day.

• Among Gen Z, a key demographic group for advertisers, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to high-quality news articles on the Middle East conflict was 61%, compared to 58% for inflation and 57% for crime—differences that are statistically insignificant. To compare, purchase intent was 59% for entertainment (widely considered a 'safe' news topic.

• Among mothers, another key target for advertisers, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to articles on crime (a potentially negative story), and sports (a more neutral story) were each 66%, showing no difference between the two.

Stagwell is committed to initiating data-driven discussions with advertisers about their investment in news. This topic and more will be discussed at tonight's Future of News summit which will be held at Stagwell's EMEA headquarters in London.