AI‑Built Video Ads Are Everywhere, but Do Viewers Trust Them?
Generative AI is cranking out video ads at a pace that would have stunned creative teams a year ago. According to the IAB’s 2025 Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy report, nearly nine in ten advertisers already use or plan to use the technology, and “GenAI creative will reach 40% of all ads by 2026.” The numbers are impressive, but they leave one big question unanswered: Do AI‑generated ads actually resonate with consumers?
That kind of understanding doesn’t come from performance metrics alone. It requires real conversations with real people. Savvy marketers don’t just want to know if someone watched the ad, they want to know how it made them feel, what they remembered, and whether it shaped their perception of the brand.
Source: Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)
To best understand consumer response to creative, we have a few favorite methods:
One‑on‑One Interviews
Show the ad, replay key moments, and probe for emotion, clarity, and brand fit. This format uncovers subtle reactions (joy, boredom, mistrust) that quantitative metrics miss entirely. Interviews are ideal for early cuts or products with complex claims.
Self-Paced Studies
A self-paced online study is the most flexible way to gather individual reactions – and there are no scheduling hurdles. Participants watch the video on their own time, pause when they want, and leave time-stamped comments or responses to targeted questions. Online research platforms make this easy to manage, with features like video markup tools that highlight which parts of the ad drew attention, caused confusion, or triggered an emotional response.
Small Focus Groups (Virtual or In‑Person)
Present the finished or near‑final spot to six to eight viewers at a time, then facilitate a discussion. What were the initial reactions? What comes up through further discussion? Do they want to watch it again? Focus groups help uncover how group dynamics shape perception, which can be critical when refining messaging ahead of a broader launch.
“Just because something is easy to produce doesn’t mean it works.”
As AI-generated video becomes more common, it’s easy to get caught up in what the technology can do. But just because something is easy to produce doesn’t mean it works. Creative testing will give you a clearer picture of how your customers will respond, and it can help avoid costly mistakes before scaling up. Having a research partner you trust can make the process faster, more focused, and a lot more useful. (Need one? Let’s talk.)
