A new report from Hub Entertainment Research, TV Advertising: Facts vs. Fiction (June 2025), reveals a significant shift in consumer attitudes toward advertising in streaming environments. Long viewed as a challenging segment, so-called “ad-intolerant” viewers are increasingly embracing ad-supported models—not only to save money but also because they find the ads more useful and engaging than previously assumed.
In December 2022, just 26% of viewers who identified as ad-intolerant were open to using ad-supported tiers. Today, that number is approaching 40%. This change comes as ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) and free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms gain traction across the market, offering affordable access in exchange for ad exposure.
Despite watching less TV—an average of 17.5 hours per week compared to 20 hours for “content-first” viewers—ad-intolerants represent a younger demographic, with 39% aged between 18 and 34. Interestingly, while younger viewers generally gravitate toward FAST platforms, only 54% of ad-intolerants say they watch them, compared to 65% of “content-first” viewers and 62% of those moderately tolerant of ads. The reason is clear: platforms built around advertising are less attractive to those actively trying to avoid it.
Still, ad-intolerant viewers are nearly impossible to separate entirely from advertising. Close to 100% of them consume at least some ad-supported content, whether through sports, news, or hybrid SVOD platforms. Remarkably, nearly one-third of these viewers watch only ad-supported TV—a higher proportion than those who explicitly agree they are open to cheaper, ad-supported subscriptions.
This group is also the most critical of ad load and frequency, often reporting that ad breaks detract from their viewing experience. Yet paradoxically, they pay attention to ads at the same rate as other viewer segments. From an advertiser’s perspective, this presents a valuable tradeoff: even when ads are unwelcome, they are noticed—and that attention matters.
Even more surprising is how positively these viewers rate advertising content. Ad-intolerants, along with “content-first” viewers, are more likely than moderately ad-tolerant viewers to agree that ads represent high-quality brands, are interesting, and influence their purchasing decisions. In short, they may dislike the interruption, but they find value in the message.
When it comes to ad innovation, however, ad-intolerant viewers are harder to impress. Features like shorter ad breaks, personalized targeting, or interactive formats generally fail to improve their attention—and in some cases, even reduce it. These enhancements, while beneficial for ad-tolerant audiences, may signal “more ads to come” for those already sensitive to interruptions.
For streaming platforms, this trend has strategic implications. As subscription fees rise, more viewers—even ad-averse ones—are opting for ad-supported plans. The challenge lies in balancing the higher per-user revenue of premium subscriptions with the growing scale of the AVOD base. For advertisers, this group presents a counterintuitive but compelling opportunity: they may watch less and grumble more, but when they watch, they’re engaged—and they act.
In an increasingly fragmented attention economy, the most reluctant participants in the ad ecosystem may also be among the most valuable.
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