Study: Families shifting away from linear TV
September 1, 2022
Ad-supported streaming specialist Future Today has revealed findings from a study examining viewing and advertising preferences of families who stream kids and family-focused programming.
“More families have shifted away from traditional linear TV altogether,” advises Vikrant Mathur, Co-Founder, Future Today. “As that has occurred, it’s important to better understand how families are choosing to view content and what ad experiences they find worthwhile, especially as ad-supported video-on-demand viewership in the US surges.”
Key findings:
Over 60 per cent have cut the cord completely
According to Future Today’s research, as an audience, parents who stream kids and family-focused programming are unique, young, diverse, and more engaged than the average streamer.
Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) don’t have access to linear TV and 90 per cent say they rarely watch it. Additionally, of the families surveyed, 85 per cent of the parents fall in the 25-44 age range. Thirty-six per cent are also more likely to identify as Black, while 78 per cent are more likely to identify as Hispanic. Finally, 98 per cent of families polled say they love watching TV and 81 per cent agree that TV is their favourite form of entertainment, making it a key channel for advertisers.
“For advertisers trying to reach a diverse and engaged audience, buying kids and family-focused inventory presents a rich opportunity,” added Mathur.
Kids & parents are discussing the ads they see
Future Today found that ads featured in kids and family-oriented streaming programming are engaged with and evaluated across a household, with kids being a key decision maker over purchases and brands.
According to parents, 60 per cent of kids who see ads talk to them about the ads afterwards. This includes broader family-based ads in categories such as Travel, Restaurants, Food Products, Insurance and Auto that are non-kids-centric as parents say 88 per cent of kids who watch these ads are “engaged,” while more than half (52 per cent) ask them to buy what they saw.
“Kids are the CEO of the streaming household,” says Mathur. “If a message resonates with them, they are vocal about it to their parents, influencing purchases and brand equity. For brands that are trying to connect with millennial parents, having a presence on Kids & Family channels not only provides a conduit to the entire household but also sparks conversations that create lasting brand equity. ”