Sometimes, it’s downright scary. Even talking about a brand, not just looking it up on the Internet, seems to get ads from that brand to pursue you online. Little wonder, then, that a study finds that half of India’s connected consumers feel “constantly followed” by online advertising.

Kantar TNS’ Connected Life study says almost a quarter (23 per cent) consumers in Asia Pacific ‘actively ignore’ content from brands (21 per cent in India). Indian consumers, though, are fans of social media. The top five most popular social media platforms in India are Facebook (75 per cent), YouTube (64 per cent), Twitter (34 per cent), Instagram (25 per cent) and Snapchat (19 per cent).

The use of Instagram and Snapchat has doubled across Asia Pacific since 2014. Developments in mobile technology are a clear driver, with over a billion smartphone users across the region, and increasingly powerful smartphone cameras enabling them to take and share photos instantly.

Kantar TNS’ study found that as consumers reject traditional online advertising, influencers and celebrities on social channels hold the key to connecting with millennials. More than half (53 per cent) of the online 16-24-year-olds in India say they trust what people say online about brands more than ‘official’ sources, such as newspapers, brands’ own websites or TV adverts. Millennials are the more influencer-oriented group, trusting bloggers and peers rather than information from brands. The older generation’s ‘influencer network’ is still primarily friends and family.

Anusheel Shrivastava, Executive Director at Kantar TNS India, said: “Amidst positive signs where social media is becoming one of the most trusted sources for millennials, the menace of intrusive and uncontrolled online advertising is ruining the consumer experience in India.”

Connected Life surveyed 70,000 internet users across 57 countries.

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