TV commercials are beginning to lose their influence over Americans. Instead, consumers say online reviews or stories they discover in the news are what cause them to pay the most attention to new products, according to a recent survey by New York-based digital marketing agency Macias PR.

The survey, which sought to gauge consumers’ attitudes toward advertising and how advertising and the news influences their purchasing decisions, found that 70 percent of respondents said they don’t believe TV commercials motivate them to buy new products.

On the other hand, more than a third (35 percent) said positive online consumer reviews influence their belief that a product is good. Additionally, eight percent said reading a positive review from a journalist convinces them to pay for a new product or service. Only three percent said celebrity endorsements influence their purchasing decisions.

The findings add another dimension of paradox during a time when news consumption has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and yet, global ad revenues continue contracting. Indeed, 38 percent of the survey’s respondents admitted they’re consuming more news than ever in light of quarantines related to COVID-19.

The survey also discovered that online news is now most respondents’ primary source for daily news (42 percent), followed by local news (19 percent) and cable news (nine percent). Only 4.5 percent said a local newspaper is their first choice for news. Radio or podcasts rounded out the bottom, with only three percent of respondents claiming they get their information from these mediums.

On the other hand, an April Coronavirus Media Usage Study by the Television Bureau of Advertising, the non-profit trade group representing America's local broadcast television industry, found that broadcast TV still maintains the highest reach (81 percent) among U.S. adults compared to other platforms (cable TV, social media, radio, newspapers and news sites/apps, among other mediums).

Broadcast TV news also still ranks number-one for trust, according to the TVB study.

Finally, the Macias survey polled Americans regarding what they do when a TV program goes to commercial break. More than a third (36 percent) said they reach for their cell phones or laptops when a commercial comes on TV, while 17 percent said they fast-forward through the commercial and 10 percent said they leave the room to complete a task. Only 10 percent said they actually watch the commercial.

Finally, the survey polled Americans regarding what they do when a TV program goes to commercial break. More than a third (36 percent) said they reach for their cell phones or laptops when a commercial comes on TV, while 17 percent said they fast-forward through the commercial and 10 percent said they leave the room to complete a task. Only 10 percent said they actually watch the commercial.

The Macias survey “What Motivates Consumers to Buy,” polled more than 2,000 American adults online in July.