Paying Attention to the Poor
Digital Advertising in Emerging Markets
Authors Caribou
With the support of
The digital advertising industry is growing rapidly, yet revenues and monetization potential in emerging markets are an order of magnitude lower than developed markets. Demand is limited in emerging markets because people are poor and difficult to reach. Limited monetization potential means businesses rely on developed markets for the bulk of their revenue.
This report explores how low-income individuals use financial services, manage risk, and make decisions over time. Drawing from detailed financial diaries, the study reveals that poor households are active financial managers—strategically juggling cash, savings, loans, and social networks to meet daily needs and plan for the future. The research challenges assumptions that low-income people are excluded from financial systems due to lack of access alone. Instead, it shows they engage with informal and formal tools in complex, adaptive ways. These insights call for more responsive, human-centered financial services that reflect how people actually live and make decisions.
Contributors Dr. Jonathan Donner, Chris Locke, Bryan Pon, Kishor Nagula
Date
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. 
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