Advertising influences most consumers in their purchasing decisions, according to a survey of 1,030 U.S. consumers.

Americans are exposed to up to 10,000 advertisements every day, a number that is rapidly growing with the increase of advertising channels and new technology.

Businesses need to advertise in multiple mediums to reach consumers during their everyday activities, whether it’s watching TV, reading a magazine, or browsing on social media.

TV ads are the most effective because they inform consumers about a product more than other mediums. “TV powerfully combines visual and video elements to the message of an advertisement,” advertising executive Rob Albertson says.

Print, online, and social media advertisements also bring in many sales. But out-of-home advertising, such as that on billboard, posters, buses and trains or in radio programs or podcasts, is less effective; people are frequently distracted when they seem them.

TV ads are the most effective because they inform consumers about a product more than other mediums

“When you listen to the radio or see a billboard, you tend to be doing something else at the same time, whether you’re having a conversation or driving, and your attention span may be compromised,” says design agency director Julie Wierzbicki. “They’re great for awareness but generally require some sort of reinforcement elsewhere.”

The most influential advertising mediums – TV and print (magazines and newspapers) – are also considered the most trustworthy. Conversely, online and social media ads are generally distrusted. They are unregulated and easy for companies to create.

Baby boomers, who come from a time when truth in advertising was less scrutinised than now, tend to view ads with more caution. “For example, cigarettes used to be advertised as good for you, and then we found out that these ‘great’ brands were actually lying to us,” Julie Wierzbicki explains. 

“Millennials feel brands have to be honest because there’s so much more information out there; if you’re doing things in a fraudulent or misleading way, it’s going to eventually come out.”