While 52% of global respondents cited TV ads as a top source of new product awareness — the second highest of the 20 sources reviewed — this has seen a decline of 11% since 2012. Similarly, seven of the nine paid media sources included in the survey (of 30,000 consumers in 60 countries) stayed flat or declined in the three-year period. The only paid advertising sources that saw an increase in importance (of 1%) were internet ads and video sharing websites.

Conversely, the influence of social media postings rose by 11% to 26% in the same three-year period, while active internet searching rose by 5% to 44%.

“Media fragmentation is largely the cause for the decline in the reliance on TV as a top source for new product awareness,” said Rob Wengel, senior vice president and managing director of Nielsen Innovation in the U.S.

“While TV offers the widest audience reach, a multi-media approach is necessary to connect with consumers at all touch points.”

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