Factors affecting young people’s avoidance of advertisements on social media platforms: A case study in the Mekong delta of Vietnam

Abstract

This study investigates the factors contributing to the avoidance of social media advertisements among young individuals in the Mekong delta region of Vietnam, employing reactance theory as the guiding theoretical framework. Data were collected from a sample of 232 young participants residing in Can Tho city, a pivotal urban centre within the Mekong delta. The analysis utilised descriptive statistics and a Chi-square test to evaluate the prevalence and behavioural patterns associated with social media advertising avoidance. To examine the influence of various determinants on ad avoidance, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted, focusing on five key constructs: goal impediment, ad clutter, negative experiences, privacy concerns, and perceived personalisation.
Additionally, an independent sample T-test was performed to compare ad avoidance behaviours across the platforms of YouTube and Facebook. The results indicate that goal impediment, ad clutter, and negative experiences positively correlate with the avoidance of social media advertisements, with negative experiences emerging as the most significant determinant. Conversely, perceived personalisation negatively influences the relationship between ad avoidance and social media platforms, while privacy concerns do not exhibit a significant effect on ad avoidance among the youth in the Mekong delta. Furthermore, the findings reveal that advertisements on YouTube are more frequently avoided than those on Facebook. This study provides key insights for crafting marketing strategies that effectively reduce ad avoidance behaviours among consumers on social media platforms.