As consumers prepare for the holiday season, concerns around data-heavy, identity-based ads are on the rise, with many worried that targeted ads could spoil their gift surprises. GumGum, the contextual-first technology leader transforming digital advertising, has released findings from a survey of over 1,500 North American consumers shedding light on how identity-based ads are impacting holiday shopping and gift-giving moments.
“This isn’t just about unethical and invasive advertising anymore—identity-based targeted ads are actively ruining meaningful holiday moments,” said Kerel Cooper, CMO of GumGum. “Advertisers who ignore these frustrations risk alienating consumers when it matters most.”
Identity-based advertising, also known as retargeting, uses personal data—like demographics, interests, and browsing history—to serve ads based on users' recent online activity. This approach can sometimes lead to awkward situations. For example, during the holidays, browsing for a surprise gift on a shared device might trigger ads for that item, unintentionally spoiling the surprise.
Key findings from GumGum’s survey:
- Holiday Gift Surprises Spoiled by Ads:
With holiday ads in full swing, one-third (33%) reported that targeted ads have spoiled gift surprises for them in the past. Of those affected, 19% said it has only happened “once or twice.” Meanwhile, 51% say they’ve been lucky enough to avoid this issue, and 16% avoid browsing holiday gifts online altogether to prevent potential spoilers. - High Frustration Over Spoiled Secrets:
If a holiday gift idea were unintentionally revealed through a retargeted, identity-based ad, 77% of respondents said they would be frustrated. Of these, 44% would be "extremely frustrated," while another 32% would feel "somewhat frustrated" but laugh it off. Only 17% said it wouldn’t bother them much, and 7% wouldn’t mind at all. - Interest in a “Holiday Mode” Feature to Keep Secrets Safe:
In response to potential ad-related mishaps, 32% of consumers said they would "definitely" prefer shopping with a brand that offered a “holiday mode” to keep retargeted ads from exposing gift ideas, while 36% thought it was a good idea but not essential. About 20% said this feature wouldn’t impact their shopping habits, and 12% don’t pay attention to retargeted ads. - Privacy Concerns Over Spoiling the Holidays:
With third-party cookies and identity-based ads under scrutiny, 62% said they were concerned about the risk of holiday surprises being spoiled by targeted ads. A confident 30% aren’t worried, and 9% avoid online shopping for gifts altogether.
