Two years ago, when ad-supported streaming was still finding its footing, we introduced Antenna’s Ad Choice segmentation to help the industry gain clarity around consumer choice related to ad-supported Premium SVOD and how these decisions change over time. We developed four different segment profiles: “Ad Avoiders,” “Ad Engagers,” “Ad Managers,” and “Ad Oblivious.”
Back then, about a third of consumers who signed up for subscription video plans were Ad Oblivious – meaning they were U.S. Premium SVOD users who had not yet signed-up for a service where they had to make a choice between an ad-supported or ad-free plan. Today, 3 in 4 individuals who face an Ad Choice choose ads, and the population of Ad Oblivious continues to dwindle, representing just 11% of Premium SVOD users.
Ad Managers – those Premium SVOD users who have faced multiple Ad Choices and have selected both ad-free and ad-supported tiers – have become the leading behavior, representing 46% of individuals who have faced Ad Choice. Ad Managers added 12.1M consumers to its ranks, growing 29.6% YoY.
Ad Takers – those who, when met with Ad Choice(s), have only selected ad-supported options – added 3.6M consumers to represent 30% of individuals, an increase of 11.4% YoY. Ad Avoiders – those who, when met with Ad Choice(s), have only selected ad-free options – represent 24% of individuals, with the segment contracting 3.8% YoY, shedding some 1.1M consumers.
Zeroing in a step further to users who have been confronted with two or more Ad Choices reveals an interesting consumer preference among this group.
Ad Managers comprise 68% of these users and Ad Takers 19%, meaning that 86% of individuals who have faced two or more Ad Choices are open to ads. In contrast, Ad Avoiders represent 14% of this population, displaying a consistent aversion to ads.
This post includes data excerpted from Antenna’s Q2’25 State of Subscriptions Report. If you’re interested in getting your own copy of the report, you can download it here. Antenna clients have exclusive access to a client-only expanded version of the Q2’25 State of Subscriptions report. Want to become an Antenna client? We want that for you, too! Drop us a line and let’s discuss.
For more detailed information on Antenna’s methodology and definitions of core metrics, please visit http://www.antenna.live/methodology.
