Delhi Polls: 87% People Say Political Ads Don’t Impact Their Voting Decision, Says Survey

New Delhi: Amid the rising heat of the campaign for the Delhi Assembly elections on February 5, no guesses which political party has been spending the most, if one goes by the visiblity of advertisements, hoardings, audio-visuals etc. Yes, it the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, which has been out of power in the state capital since 1998, despite getting a massive mandate to rule at the Centre.

 According to a iCubesWire, a global ad tech ‘influencer’ platform,  which surveyed 1,465 Delhiites on the impact of political advertisements during the upcoming Delhi elections 87% of respondents said political ads did not influence their opinions about any political party.

The survey, which aims to provide insights into voter behaviour, “shedding light on the effectiveness and reach of large-scale advertising campaigns”, found that political advertisements have a limited impact on voter behaviour, at least in Delhi. While 87% respondents said political ads don’t influence their voting decision, only 5% agreed that these influenced their opinions, said a iCubesWire release.

As per the survey, BJP had the highest visibility in terms of advertisements, with 41% of respondents saying they saw BJP’s ads the most. “This was significantly higher compared to Congress (35%) and AAP (24%)” said the survey.

Recall that in terms of political donations, BJP grabbed the lion’s share in financial year 2024,  with Rs 2,244 crore in its kitty, mainly from corporate donors.

The ruling BJP, therefore, saw a threefold increase compared with Rs 742 crore in 2022-23, according to a report in Business Standard, based on Elections Commission data. The figure excludes the funds got via electoral bonds, which have now been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“In contrast, the Congress received Rs 288.9 crore through similar channels during the period, up from Rs 79.9 crore the previous financial year,” said the BS report.

On voter view regarding the “trustworthiness of political ads,” the iCubesWire survey found that only 27% respondents found the ads “credible,” while 22% actively disgareed. The majority, 52% of participants, chose to remain neutral on their trustworthiness.

When asked about the “top priority for voters”, 69% of participants chose reliable electricity and water supply as their top priority. Improving roads and infrastructure came next with 20%, while only 5% selected better air quality as a key concern.

Regarding “influencer campaign reach”, 88% of respondents said they did not see any influencers promoting political parties during the elections.

Predictably, social media posts dominate the reach with 88% of participants saying that it was catching their attention the most during the ongoing Delhi election campaign. “Posters followed with 10%, while videos made up for just 2%,” said the release.

 The survey found “mixed” opinion on the performance of the incumbent AAP government in Delhi, with 49% of respondents “not happy”, and 26% expressing satisfaction.

Speaking about the survey findings, Sahil Chopra, Founder & CEO, iCubesWire, said:“These findings highlight a huge shift in the people’s mindset. Voters today are far more aware and give more importance to outcomes rather than marketing stories. Ad campaigns, political or otherwise, must evolve to address the real needs of the masses, focusing on transparency and credibility over aggressive promotion.”

The survey attempts to show a “crucial change” in how voters think, with political ads having little influence on their opinions, the release said, adding the need for election strategies that build trust and deliver real results.