Long-term research into the Czech public’s attitudes towards advertising
The communication process is inextricably linked to feedback. In marketing communication, this is provided by research, which enables us to understand how the public perceives advertising messages, how they react to them, and what role advertising actually plays in everyday life. The ‘Czechs and Advertising’ project, launched by the Czech Marketing Association back in 1993 thanks to the initiative of the survey’s founder, Jitka Vysekalová, represents a unique long-term research series in the Czech context, tracking changes in the public’s relationship with advertising.
It is precisely the ability to track attitudes over the long term that is the greatest value of this survey, which, thanks to its continuity and comparability, is gradually becoming a jewel in the crown of Czech marketing research. The results often do not reveal dramatic shifts, but rather gradual shifts and stability in opinions, which are no less important—and perhaps even more important—for understanding how marketing communication works than sudden changes. In an era of growing media fragmentation, digitalisation and public debate on the social responsibility of brands and their resilience, this feedback takes on even greater significance.
The research is carried out on the initiative of the Czech Marketing Association in collaboration with the Czech Association for Branded Products (ČSZV), POPAI CE and the agency ppm factum research, and builds on previous surveys conducted by the Marktest agency and other specialist institutions and partners.
The role of advertising in purchasing decisions
One of the long-term topics under observation is the influence of advertising on purchasing behaviour. The 2026 results confirm a trend of a gradual weakening of the direct, declared influence of advertising on purchases.
The proportion of people who state that advertising helps them at least partially in their purchasing decisions is stagnating and currently stands at 36% of the population. However, we see an even more pronounced change in the proportion of people admitting to making a purchase based on advertising. Whilst 38% of respondents reported such an experience last year, this figure has fallen to 29% this year, representing the lowest level since 2009.
As in the past, generational differences apply. Younger people are more likely to admit to making a purchase inspired by advertising, particularly on social media. Conversely, the middle-aged and older generations respond more to television advertising and leaflet campaigns. The most frequently mentioned advertisements that influenced a purchase promote food retailers or clothing and footwear brands.
The most frequently mentioned advertisements that influenced purchases primarily promote food retailers (19%) and clothing and footwear brands (16%), followed by categories related to leisure and the home (entertainment/gardening/sport/pets/travel – 11%) and online retail (online shops selling a variety of goods – 9%).
An interesting finding is that the influence of advertising on purchasing decisions has declined year-on-year across almost all advertising channels — the sole exception being social media, whose importance continues to grow. However, a surprising and historically most significant shift has occurred in television advertising: its reported influence on purchasing decisions has fallen by 36% year-on-year. In long-term research, it is true that individual waves may bring temporary fluctuations; however, this change is so significant that it deserves attention as a possible indication of a trend — namely, the question of whether television is gradually losing its role as a direct purchasing impulse in the eyes of part of the population in favour of digital channels, particularly social media. To some extent, this shift may also be due to how people retrospectively interpret their purchases: with television, the influence of advertising is more often lost within a broader media context, whereas with social media, it is easier for respondents to notice and acknowledge an immediate purchasing impulse. And that’s without even taking into account so-called shoppable posts (posts from which it is possible to make a purchase directly) and other social media features that minimise the distance between viewing a post and making a purchase.
Advertising saturation: a stable picture with a slight shift
The feeling of being oversaturated with advertising is one of the most stable indicators in the entire survey. Even 2026 brings no fundamental change to the overall picture.
Czechs have long been most bothered by advertising:
- on commercial TV channels,
- on the internet,
- and on social media.
Moreover, ad fatigue on social media is also rising slightly, reflecting their increasingly intensive use in marketing communications.
Conversely, point-of-sale advertising remains the most positively received form of communication. Approximately half of the population considers it appropriate, with tastings and product presentations receiving the highest ratings. This confirms the importance of personal contact with the brand and multisensory engagement in purchasing decisions. For example, 31.2% of respondents would like to see more tastings and other product presentations directly at the point of sale.
Controversial topics in advertising
Attitudes towards advertising regulation have remained stable over the long term. The greatest public opposition continues to be directed at cigarette advertising — more than two-fifths of respondents would support a ban on it. Stricter attitudes are traditionally held by older people and those with higher education.
By contrast, advertising for over-the-counter medicines, beer and wine is viewed relatively favourably. Around a third of the population would ban advertising for spirits, and more than a quarter of respondents would restrict advertising for energy drinks.
There is strong consensus regarding advertising aimed at children. More than 80% of Czechs believe that advertising has no place in children’s programmes. At the same time, nearly three-quarters of the population support the introduction of media education in schools, which would help children to critically interpret media messages, including advertising.
The social role of advertising: ambivalence persists
The results confirm the Czech public’s long-standing ambivalent relationship with advertising.
More than 80% of respondents agree with the statement that advertising manipulates people, and approximately 70% associate it with promoting consumerism. At the same time, however, the majority of the population recognises its practical and economic function — advertising is perceived as part of modern life, a prerequisite for the existence of the media and a natural part of the market economy.
A positive sign is the slight weakening of the belief in the manipulative nature of advertising in recent years.
Credibility and entertainment value of advertising messages
Trust in advertising remains relatively low — just under a quarter of respondents trust it fully. The proportion of people who strongly agree with the statement that most adverts cannot be trusted has been gradually declining in recent years.
From an emotional perspective, a critical attitude persists: approximately two-thirds of Czechs state that they do not find adverts entertaining. The involvement of well-known personalities increases the credibility of adverts according to less than half the population, which suggests a gradual weakening of the universal effectiveness of celebrity marketing.
Despite this, it is worth noting that there is certainly no lack of creativity in Czech marketing — particularly when we see it among the younger generation, who regularly demonstrate it in competitions such as Marketer of the Year Junior. This makes the question all the more interesting: why does this potential not translate more significantly into messages in everyday advertising practice that people would perceive as entertaining and imaginative? One explanation may be the caution of brands in uncertain times and the pressure for quickly measurable results, which sometimes leads to ‘safe’ communication rather than bolder creative solutions. This is precisely where the opportunity arises to strike a balance: how to combine effectiveness with originality so that advertising does not merely act as yet another piece of noise, but as a message worthy of attention.
Advertising as a stable yet evolving social phenomenon
The long-term research project ‘Czechs and Advertising’ once again shows that the public’s relationship with advertising is complex and multi-layered. Advertising is simultaneously criticised and accepted as an essential part of modern society.
The year 2026 did not bring dramatic changes, but rather a confirmation of gradual trends:
- a weakening of the claimed influence of advertising on purchasing decisions,
- the growing importance of social media,
- a consistent rejection of certain controversial topics,
- and the continuing ambivalence between criticism of manipulation and recognition of the economic role of advertising.
It is precisely the continuity of these findings that represents the greatest value of the research. It provides advertisers, agencies and institutions with a long-term compass enabling them to better understand public expectations and adapt their communication so that it is not only effective but also socially responsible.
Conclusion
From the perspective of current marketing practice, this long-term feedback is now complemented by a new dimension: artificial intelligence (AI). Not to replace research or human judgement, but to help better manage the complexity of data and the pace of change. Today, AI can streamline the sorting of open-ended responses, work with semantic meanings, uncover subtle patterns in the attitudes of different groups and, in combination with predictive approaches, suggest which communication strategies might work in the future — and where, conversely, there is a risk of advertising overload, mistrust or even outright rejection. It is precisely the combination of long-term time series with modern analytical tools that can strengthen what is most valuable: the ability to communicate with people respectfully, capture their attention and sensitively perceive what is important in society at any given time.
Source: cms-cma.cz