As the OuiPub experiment comes to an end, half of the French people surveyed by Toluna / Harris Interactive on behalf of Pub Audit continue to favor this advertising channel, essential for brands at a time of crisis in purchasing power and the offensive of Chinese e-retailers.
For the third year in a row, Pub Audit commissioned Toluna / Harris Interactive to survey the French about their purchasing habits and their relationship to different advertising channels. Once again, letterbox advertising stands out as the most appreciated (for 47% of respondents), ahead of OOH/DOOH (46%), the press and television (44%) or even radio (37 %), online advertising (33%), in mobile apps (26%) and by SMS (24%).
It is also the one that arouses the most confidence (for 58% of respondents), in the same way as other historical channels (press, TV, radio, OOH / DOOH) among more than half of French people. This is the complete opposite of digital channels, which rather provoke distrust among the majority of them.
Unaddressed print deemed more useful in times of crisis
Furthermore, unaddressed printed matter is also the mode of advertising communication which generates the most attention, which is considered the most useful and to which respondents say they are most sensitive in more than one in two cases, far ahead of other advertising channels.
A situation which is all the more true in an inflationary context: more than 20% of French people surveyed indicate that they use catalogs and leaflets distributed by brands more than before to make their purchases.
Mailbox advertising is also the preferred medium of 40% of respondents when preparing their shopping, far ahead of other channels such as TV advertising (12%) or social networks (7%).
Two thirds of respondents indicate that they would miss this commercial information if the distribution of leaflets by mailboxes stopped.
26% equipped with OuiPub in the experimentation zones
A situation confirmed in the OuiPub experimentation zones where, anticipating distribution difficulties, many brands have simply stopped the distribution of their catalogs.
If 26% of respondents living in the areas concerned have affixed the OuiPub sticker to their mailbox, 54% of residents surveyed believe they are less aware of promotions and 44% of them have reduced the number of supermarket chains in which they do their shopping.
It must be said that catalogs and other prospectuses are considered an effective way to compare offers and to quickly have access to all the promotions practiced by brands in the sector.
Amazon, the second largest purchasing channel for the French
A decisive element as for the first time, the study carried out by Toluna / Harris Interactive sheds light on the purchasing criteria of the French people surveyed. Unsurprisingly, price is the No. 1 criterion for 85% of them, almost on par with quality (84%), but clearly ahead of country of origin (62%), or the environmental impact of the product. product purchased (55%).
Likewise, 65% of respondents shop at least once a month in shopping center stores, and 55% of them do so in city center stores. It is in these stores that the frequency of purchases is the highest, respectively 19 and 13% of respondents going there at least once a week.
Between the two, Amazon is positioned as the second purchasing channel favored by the French people surveyed, with 55% of them purchasing there every month. Less than one in two respondents buy from a brand’s website every month (44%), and almost a third of respondents already visit Chinese sites like Temu, Wish, AliExpress or Shein.
The risks of digitalization of advertising investments
In this context, the end of the distribution of unaddressed printed matter and the switch of these investments to digital appears risky according to Pub Audit, which warns of the danger of being confronted online with competition from pure-players, who have well more means to emerge among consumers, particularly those looking for very competitive prices. Scraping technology and generative AI make it even easier to find information and compare prices, to the detriment of physical commerce which will not be able to fight against this strategy of loss of value. The threats are very present. We see non-intermediated Chinese trade arriving directly and without any consideration for the environment and reasoned consumption.
Furthermore, the geomarketing specialist points out that the OuiPub experiment only concerns fourteen geographical sectors in France, and that StopPub therefore remains the rule, including in the experimental areas once it ends in May 2025. , and while waiting for the public authorities to decide on the follow-up to be given to it.
To find out more about the results of the 2024 annual barometer conducted with Toluna Harris Interactive, listen to our exclusive podcast with Arnaud Dubin and Loïc Verley.
Source: www.ecommercemag.fr
