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The majority of Six Nations fans have reacted negatively to in-game adverts during the rugby tournament.
UK broadcaster ITV’s coverage has been broken up with adverts during scrum resets across the opening two weekends of the tournament, which involves England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy.
Samsung and Virgin Atlantic both saw an increase in engagement – 13 per cent and 18 per cent according to adtech firm Quantcast – but the majority of fans reacted negatively to the advertising campaigns.
Samsung’s in-game adverts generated a negative sentiment of 63 per cent, versus a positive sentiment of five per cent. Virgin Atlantic, on the other hand, saw a negative reaction of 80 per cent, with zero per cent positivity.
Six Nations ads
Nisha Ridout, marketing director at Quantcast said: “This data exposes a friction point between commercial objectives and long-standing fan tradition.
“While in-game advertising is a proven engine for engagement, it clashes with the sacred, uninterrupted rhythm of UK rugby. US style mid-action ad formats do not translate automatically and represent a cultural challenge. For brands, the key takeaway is that visibility works best when it respects the viewing experience and the moments fans value.”
It comes as planned water breaks during summer’s Fifa World Cup have been linked with potential in-game ad breaks for UK audiences watching the tournament across Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The three-minute “hydration breaks” across matches Stateside could allow broadcasters and sponsors to get value out of their agreements with Fifa.
Added Ridout: “By opting for an omnichannel, data-led approach, brands can better understand when audiences are genuinely receptive rather than just present, allowing brands to deliver impact without disrupting the flow of the match. The goal is not to interrupt the game but to become a welcomed part of it.”
The in-game Six Nations ad breaks are not broadcast across the matches shown on the BBC.
