Intentional ad-viewing to support video creators on digital video-sharing platforms

ABSTRACT

This study explored intentional ad-viewing on digital video-sharing platforms and focused on a novel type of ad-viewing behavior to support video creators. In-depth interviews with 20 YouTube users discovered the unique phenomenon of intentional ad-viewing to support creators, which seemed particularly prominent among younger consumers. A desire to express gratitude to the video creators, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic helping motives based upon empathy and reciprocity appeared to determine intentional ad-viewing largely. Perceptions of different video creators, parasocial relationships with them, and knowledge of the ad-revenue-sharing model were identified as factors that influenced the behavior examined.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital video advertising
• intentional ad-viewing
• ad-avoidance
• digital video-sharing platforms
• helping behavior

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eunah Kim

Eunah Kim (MA, Michigan State University) is a PhD Candidate at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota. Her research mainly addresses consumer engagement with digital advertising, particularly in the context of social media and personalized ads. Her research interest includes computational advertising research, media multitasking, and influencer marketing on social media.

Jisu Huh (PhD, University of Georgia) is Professor, Raymond O. Mithun Endowed Chair in Advertising at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota. Her research program covers a wide range of topics related to advertising and its effects especially in the digital and social media contexts. Specific areas of current research include computational advertising research, consumer trust and its role in viral advertising and information diffusion, viral advertising and consumer-brand engagement in social media, and direct-to-consumer advertising of healthcare products.