Justifying advertisements in paid streaming subscriptions: the role of perceived fairness in shaping user intentions

As streaming platforms introduce ad-supported paid subscriptions, they risk undermining user expectations of ad-free experiences. This research examines how justification framing, defined as providing explanations for the inclusion of ads, affects consumer responses. Across three experimental studies, we find that providing a justification increases perceived fairness and subscription intentions, with no significant differences observed across the levels of justification depth examined, and similar effects emerging across different types of justifications. Even minimal justifications improve user acceptance, suggesting that the presence of an explanation, rather than its elaboration, plays a central role. These findings contribute to the advertising and digital marketing literature by highlighting the importance of fairness cues in experiential disruptions within paid subscription models. They also offer practical guidance for platforms navigating communication around ad integration.