The Advertiser’s Dilemma on YouTube: Balancing Ad Irritation with Informational and Entertainment Value

This study investigates the dual role of YouTube as a platform for both user gratification and commercial advertising, exploring the complex interplay between positive user experiences and disruptive ad encounters. To address this, the paper develops and empirically tests an integrated model that examines how social and entertainment gratifications, alongside perceived ad irritation, collectively influence advertising value and user intentions. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, gathering data from 359 active YouTube users. The relationships in the proposed model were tested using Pearson correlation analysis. The findings indicate that social gratifications positively enhance entertainment value and that both entertainment and informational content can increase advertising value, though through different mechanisms. Crucially, the study uncovered a counter-intuitive positive correlation between ad irritation and perceived advertising value, challenging the conventional view that annoyance universally destroys value. Theoretically, this research contributes a holistic framework that integrates Uses and Gratifications (U&G) theory with Psychological Reactance Theory (PRT) and Media Context Theory. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for advertisers, highlighting the need for context-aware strategies that balance ad intrusiveness with the user's primary motivation for viewing, whether it be for entertainment or information.