Keeping up to date with changes on the internet, while also setting and sticking to their own trends which suit them, South Koreans in their 50s are digital consumers that must be paid individual attention. As the final installment in this series which has explored the behaviors and opinions of those in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, in relation to digital media, this article will outline different types of digital marketing in relation to effectiveness in gaining awareness, purchase influence, and personal opinions of individuals in their 50s in South Korea.
Beginning with display ads, the majority of respondents found main displays on portal sites and apps to be the most effective in grabbing their attention, followed up by in-app full page advertisements, and native advertisements. Similarly, in terms of video ads, main ads on portal sites garner the most attention, with in-stream pre-roll and mid-roll ads close behind.
Looking at short form, those in their 50s favor informational advertisements which allow them to intuitively understand the features and benefits of a product, with 51% identifying this caught their attention the most. This was followed by product placement (PPL), influencer, and vertical advertisements - all of which were more likely to gain the attention of men. Notably, in contrast to their younger counterparts, ads designed to seem fun such as challenges or entertainment rarely catch the attention of individuals in their 50s. Further, 48% of respondents answered that vertical video ads in the short form style attract more attention from them, than traditional horizontal orientation.
Young seniors' opinions and attitudes on Korean digital marketing through video ads
When it comes to video ads, 80% of individuals prefer for them to be over within 10 seconds, and felt they were most memorable when exposed to them 2-5 times. Additionally, they also felt that pre-roll ads were more memorable than mid-roll.
Questioning which ads make them feel uncomfortable, the ones which they felt the most negativity towards - in agreement with younger generations - were those which cannot be skipped (52%), followed up by mid-stream ads (33%) which interrupt seamless viewing of content. It was observed that 64% of respondents agreed that such ads which make them feel uncomfortable have a negative impact on their overall perception of the brand and product.
Considering which factors might make video advertisements less frustrating for viewers, 57% agreed that advertising content related to their own personal favorite content would help, alongside employing favorite celebrities or models. On the other hand 37% of respondents disagreed that pre-roll and mid-roll ads were less objectionable.
Whilst influencer content is extremely popular amongst their younger counterparts, for those in their 50s, they are mostly indifferent. Only 38% of respondents revealed that they checked whether content from influencers was sponsored, and 44% also felt that such content was fine if disclosed. However, if they separately recognized that content was advertisement almost half of respondents would stop watching or avoid it. When it comes to purchase interest after seeing sponsored influencer content, rates were also low with 38% specifying that they would not be interested at all, and 44% indifferent.
What digital marketing factors influence Koreans to purchase?
In contrast to all other younger age groups, those in their 50s simply do not seem as interested in influencers, however there are a variety of types of advertisement which are most impactful in driving purchase intent - with a more evenly spread distribution than other age groups. Overall, product placement (PPL) advertisements which are naturally exposed in content were shown to have the greatest influence on consumer purchase in their 50s, with 29% of men, and 32% of women agreeing. This was followed by keyword advertisement, then influencer reviews, as well as pre-roll and mid-roll advertisements around the same level of effectiveness - with keyword and influencer advertisements seeming to be more effective in swaying women. Alternatively, men seemed to find floating advertisements and image banner type more convincing.
With slightly different tastes and opinions to their younger counterparts, a nuanced approach, rather than one size fits all must be employed in order to reach and engage consumers in the domestic market - something which can be best achieved by a company that is positioned to both grasp the desires and preferences of Korean consumers, and stay attuned to market trends.
To get more information about the South Korean market and digital marketing strategies, find us at waterbecorp.com.