Navigating the Interplay of Ad Avoidance, Government Messaging, and UN SDG 11: A Theoretical Review

Consumers increasingly turn to ad avoidance to actively avoid or block advertising (Dinana, 2022). Whilst researchers started examining ad avoidance half a century ago in the context of television and print ads (Li et al., 2002; Wells et al., 1971); with emerging online technologies and closed platforms like Facebook, Instagram (Youn & Kim, 2019; Yulita et al., 2022), the consumer has a number of ways to block ads from their computers, smartphones, or internet connected devices. 

Online ad blocking initially impacted advertisers on desktops but can impact government communications which has been promoting content online. Public service announcements (PSA) traditionally aired on television and print but were increasingly promoted on social media during the covid pandemic (Hyland-Wood et al., 2021). This has resulted in government communication offices not prepared to deal with ad blocking of their promoted content online.