Now more than ever, technology, mobility and connectivity offer us new options and have made us reconsider the type of entertainment content we want to view, as well as the place and way in which we decide to consume it. The most radical change was caused by use of the internet more than a decade ago. It means that a significant segment of the population no longer sits exclusively in front of a television to watch their favorite program (as our parents and grandparents did), but now also seeks another kind of experience.
Recently, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) published a study called “The Changing TV Experience: Attitudes and Usage Across Multiple Screens,” which highlighted the growth of multiscreening and Smart TV usage.
This study details the interesting changes in viewers’ habits and tastes. It states that 1 in 3 Americans over the age of 18 have a Smart TV or a video streaming player for their television. Of these, 2 in 5 spend at least 50% of their time streaming videos.
Half of Smart TV owners say they are more likely to watch traditional TV content in this way because there are fewer ads, while another 40% say the ads on these platforms are less invasive than regular television commercials. Furthermore, 76% say they are more satisfied with their new visual experience. They prefer streaming because it gives them greater control and a better selection of interesting content.
This report also found that more than a third (35%) of Smart TV owners watch more videos via streaming than a year ago. One in 4 smartphone and tablet users and 1 in 5 computer users agree with this.
The Death of Traditional TV?
Although it would seem the increase in streamed TV means the death of traditional TV, a report by Nielsen Company believes the opposite is true, stating that 65% of those polled around the world coincided that they still prefer to watch live programming at the normal times. However, it is worth highlighting that the frequency of real time conversations in social media networks are replacing physical gatherings to discuss last night’s episode of a favorite television show. This means that live TV has become a real time social event which goes beyond the confines of our living rooms.
According to the IAB study, 78% of US adults simultaneously use another device while watching traditional TV. Internet surfing was the most popular activity and smart telephones and other devices served as the predominant secondary screen.
An interesting fact is that a large portion of smartphone, computer and tablet users interact and carry out tasks related to television programming or advertisements they have seen:
• Text messaging friends about the movie or program they are watching (54 smart phones, 37 tablets, 38 computers).
• Internet searches on the movie, program or actor (49 smartphones, 43 tablets, 44 computers).
• Reading or posting information on social media about the movie, program or actor (42 smartphones, 31 tablets, 33 computers).
• Searching for comments about a product or service which was shown in an ad (37 smartphones, 40 tablets, 40 computers).
• Publishing in social media about an ad (34 smartphones, 28 tablets, 26 computers).
This study also shows that 40% of smartphone users have increased their multiscreening activities compared to last year.
TV Streaming or Traditional TV? A Great Opportunity for Advertisers
While the latest research tells us viewers have changed their entertainment habits, leaving monogamous content consumption (receiving a message) aside, multiscreening offers a broad range of interactive possibilities not only to users, but also to advertisers.
The increased use of Smart TVs and the use of other smart devices as traditional TV “companions,” means advertisers seek intelligent and innovative ways of reaching their viewers. Well designed experiences not only make viewing experiences more enjoyable, it also maximizes the time users spend interacting with brands.
At Cisneros, we are very clear about need to be at the forefront of these trends and this is why in recent years we have started to convert our traditional TV content into 360° formats, allowing us to offer our audiences truly complete experiences and our advertisers the full range of possibilities to impact on their audiences.