ad nation 2026
UNINTENDED BIAS may be weakening your media plan
Mind the (Media) Gap: Are Our Own Media Habits Shaping How We See the Audience?
New research from thinktv and Ipsos Canada reveals a persistent gap between the media habits and advertising perceptions of Canadian marketing professionals and those of the general public.
But there’s another, more consequential gap: the advertising industry doesn’t just use media differently, we also appear to vastly overestimate how much Canadians use certain media.
The fourth edition of the Ad Nation study provides a timely reminder that we are not the audience we plan for, and our own media habits can influence our assumptions about the broader Canadian audience.
We Use Media Differently. And We Misjudge How Canadians Use It.
The differences in media behaviour are significant. Industry professionals are more likely than the general public to own streaming devices, subscribe to streaming services and adopt emerging technologies.
But the more striking finding is what happens when industry professionals are asked to estimate the behaviour of the public.
Take TikTok. Industry professionals estimated monthly penetration to be 89%. The actual number? Only 30% of Canadians say they used TikTok in the past month – that’s a 59-point gap.
Similar disconnects appear across streaming services, digital platforms and emerging technologies.
So this isn’t simply a case of the industry having different media habits. Our own media experiences appear to be influencing what we assume is true of everyone else. And that matters when those assumptions inform media strategy and investment: if we overestimate the reach or relevance of certain platforms, we risk overvaluing them in the media mix — while underestimating the role of media that continues to reach Canadians at scale.
We Don’t Always See Advertising the Same Way, Either
The gap extends beyond media consumption to how advertising itself is perceived.
The Social Media Perception Gap Significant Disconnect on Social Media Advertising
Canadians and industry professionals broadly agree that social media advertising can be misleading, low quality and untrustworthy. Yet industry professionals are significantly more likely to say they like advertising on social media — and to say it captures their attention and makes them want to buy.
Canadians see it differently.
They rank TV #1 for both attention and purchase influence. That’s a meaningful difference between the people making media decisions and the people those decisions are intended to reach.
Television Plays a Bigger Role Than Industry Assumptions Suggest
Media consumption is undeniably more fragmented than it was a decade ago. But fragmentation doesn’t mean Canadians have moved away from television; live television continues to offer reach, attention and shared viewing experiences that remain highly relevant to Canadians (and the brands that want to reach them).
We are not the audience.
We in the industry use media differently from the average Canadian. And, importantly, we can be wrong about how Canadians use media — particularly when our own experiences become a proxy for theirs.
That creates an unintended bias in how we see the media landscape and potentially in where we put advertising dollars.
As Mark Ritson puts it, “you are not the customer.”
After four waves of Ad Nation research over the past 10+ years, the gap hasn’t closed. If anything, it reinforces the need to step outside our own media bubbles and make decisions based on evidence rather than assumption, and ensure our media plans reflect what Canadians actually do, think and value — not what we assume they do.
Dive into the complete Ad Nation 2026 report to discover more need-to-know information about Canadians’ media usage, advertising perceptions, and where we – the ad industry – get it wrong.
Methodology
The Ad Nation 2026 study comprises of two samples: 18-59-year-old Canadians that do not work in marketing and media industries (n=600) collected by an online Ipsos panel (surveyed from July 13-20); and 18-59-year-old members of the CMA (n=174), who qualify as advertisers/marketers, content publishers or working in media, creative or digital agencies (surveyed from July 6 – August 2).
| with thanks to: |  |
related research
power of TV |
optimizing vs minimizing media |
STEVE LEVY
Ipsos Canada
Early in his career Steve spent time in Sales at Xerox and Marketing at Mars foods in the UK. Since the late 80’s Steve worked with several research organizations in Asia and Canada before merging with Ipsos where he has had several leading roles both domestic and internationally. He is the author of (among other things) the Most Influential Brand Study (Globally). He is a Canadian Marketing Association lifetime achievement award recipient, a Fellow of CRIC (Canadian Research and Insights Council), a Young Lions Jury member and a frequent public speaker/commentator. Steve is also a very active member board member of the Earth Rangers charity and the St, Mikes Foundation. Passionate about the world of public speaking he frequently runs workshops on the subject for a broad range of organizations. His bio would not be complete without saying that he takes his eyewear very seriously.