Ad impressions are worthless if the advertising is not trusted. A message can run as often as you like, if people do not trust the environment it appears in, it fizzles out. Television has long enjoyed an edge here, and that edge is now moving into streaming too.
For brands advertising on Connected TV, this is a tangible advantage. This article shows why television's trust carries over into streaming, where it comes from, and what it concretely means for your brand.
Television's trust advantage
That TV advertising enjoys more trust than advertising online is well documented. In the global Nielsen "Trust in Advertising" study, which surveyed over 40,000 people, more than 78% of respondents said they trust TV advertising. TV ranks among the most trusted advertising formats overall, while digital banner and mobile text ads sit at the bottom of the scale. How this advantage breaks down across individual channels in more detail is shown in the article TV as the most trusted advertising medium.
This gap is more than a footnote, because trust and action are connected. People respond noticeably less often to advertising they do not trust. An ad contact in a trustworthy environment is therefore not just more pleasant, it is more effective, for the same budget.
Why the trust moves along into streaming
Television increasingly runs via streaming, and the good news for brands is: the trust advantage comes along on that journey. It does not depend on the reception technology, but on the environment and the big screen in the living room. A premium streaming service with professional content offers the same credible setting as the classic broadcast, just delivered digitally.
Studies by sales houses like Seven.One Media on the impact of video support this: an ad spot does not perform the same on every platform. On television, in the relaxed lean-back mode and in a high-quality environment, it has more impact than the same video in the fast, often warily eyed social feed. Streaming advertising thereby inherits television's trust advantage and combines it with the benefits of digital targeting: precise audience selection and predictable reach.
Where this trust comes from
The advantage does not appear by chance, it comes from several factors that apply just as much in streaming as in classic television.
The environment rubs off. Your advertising runs alongside professionally produced content, often alongside journalistic offerings. Classic video environments continue to be seen as significantly more credible sources than social networks, and that credibility transfers to the advertising that appears within them.
The big screen signals credibility. Many people automatically associate a spot on television with an established company. Advertising there, the common perception goes, means the advertiser is serious, regardless of whether the spot is delivered classically or via streaming.
The contrast with the web is growing. The more disinformation, fake profiles and questionable advertising shape the feed, the more valuable an environment that is seen as safe becomes. Research by TV sales houses such as RTL Ad Alliance on brand safety shows that concern about questionable ad environments is rising and can rub off on the advertised brands. A trustworthy environment therefore also protects your brand's reputation.
What this means for your brand
For you as an advertiser, trust is not a soft topic, it is a lever for impact. The same message, the same creative, the same budget produce different results depending on whether they appear in a trustworthy or a questionable environment. On television, your brand stands in a setting that radiates credibility, and some of that credibility transfers to you.
This is especially valuable for smaller and mid-sized businesses that still need to build trust. Presence on the big screen sends a signal: this business is real, established, worth taking seriously. Through streaming, that signal is achievable today even with modest budgets.
Part of the bigger picture: how trust combines with other factors like media quality and viewing situation into the full premium effect of streaming advertising is shown in the article The Premium Quality of Streaming Advertising.
Want to bring your brand into a trustworthy environment? Book a free demo, we will show you in 30 minutes what that looks like. Or get started directly in the Ad Manager.
FAQ
Does TV advertising really get more trust than online advertising? Yes. The global Nielsen "Trust in Advertising" study shows that TV advertising ranks among the most trusted ad formats, while digital banner and mobile text ads sit at the bottom of the trust scale.
Why do people trust TV advertising more? Because the environment feels credible, advertising there runs alongside professional and journalistic content, and many people associate a TV spot with an established, serious business. That credibility carries over to the advertised brand.
Does this trust advantage also apply to streaming? Yes. The advantage depends on the high-quality environment and the big screen, not on the reception technology. Premium streaming services offer the same credible environment as classic television, just delivered digitally.
Why is trust so important for advertising? Because trust and action are connected. People respond noticeably less often to advertising they do not trust. An ad contact in a trustworthy environment is therefore more effective, for the same budget.
Is this worthwhile for small businesses too? Especially for them. Presence on the big screen signals credibility and helps build trust. Through streaming, that signal is achievable today even with modest budgets.