TV continues to reign as the most influential advertising platform, and online ads are considered influential by less than half of Americans.
TV continues to be king. Deloitte’s fifth edition “State of the Media Democracy” survey reveals that 71 percent of Americans still rate watching TV on any device among their favorite media activities. In addition, 86 percent of Americans stated that TV advertising still has the most impact on their buying decisions.
Phil Asmundson, Vice Chairman Deloitte LLP states that “Consumers are not only watching television, they are talking about it, and those conversations are frequently taking place in real-time online and via IM/texting. By embracing the Internet as a platform that encourages audiences to participate in discussions about their favorite programs, television is maintaining its hold on the American public. People want to be part of the real-time conversation and they are embracing both platforms in a complementary fashion.”
Asmundson adds, “And, because television has embraced the Internet and social media so effectively, the traditional television advertising model is alive and well”
Here are some of the highlights from Deloitte’s Media Survey:
TV Retains its Power
- Despite the continued growth of access to television content through other channels, with more than half of U.S. consumers preferring to watch their favorite shows on their home TV system
- Nearly three-quarters of consumers prefer to watch their favorite TV shows live — even given a variety of other options, including recording systems or online video services
- TV programming continues to be the most discussed content, ahead of social networking sites, music, Websites and movies
- Flat-panel TV ownership has increased dramatically, with 59% of households now owning at least one
Print magazines survive the digital tsunami
- Since 2007, a consistent 70+% of U.S. consumers continue to enjoy reading printed magazines — even though they know they can find the same content online
- Since 2007, 80+% of consumers who read a magazine in the past six months state that reading the printed copy is their favorite method
- 55% of households report subscribing to printed magazines
- 55% of U.S. consumers surveyed report that an important feature of printed magazine is the advertising that helps them learn about new things for themselves and their family
Rise of the smartphones
- This year, 17% of consumers who owned smartphones rated the smartphone as their most valued device, up from 6% in 2007 and 2008
- Smartphone ownership is strongest in the households of trailing millennials (51%), leading millennials (54%) and generation Xers (42%)
- 30% of smartphone owners have used their device to make a purchase over the past year, and more than half have used their smartphone or other mobile device as a replacement for their laptop’s functionality while away from home
Cloud computing may lead to universal content access
- Most U.S. consumers own a device that allows them to connect to the Web easily: 85% of households own a desktop computer, 68% of households own a laptop/ netbook; 44% of households subscribe to broadband cable Internet access, 39% of households subscribe to broadband DSL, and 41% of all mobile phone users access the Internet on their mobile phone
- 51% of U.S. consumers have experienced a computer or hard drive failure that caused them to lose digital content, and 32% expressed a desire for an online media storage service
- 43% of respondents would like to move content to any device and platform easily and effectively — indicating that cloud storage could provide consumers with an attractive option for greater access to content and greater portability
TV is complimented by social media
- 57% of U.S. consumers currently maintain a social networking site
- 26% of U.S. consumers are socializing online everyday/almost everyday (via social networking sites, chat rooms or message boards)
- 55% of U.S. consumers believe strongly/somewhat that online consumer reviews and ratings influence their buying decisions more than any type of online advertising
- 51% of U.S. consumers have purchased a product based on an online recommendation
- 65% of U.S. consumers frequently/occasionally visit web sites as a result of someone’s online recommendation
- 24% of U.S. consumers would find it extremely/very desirable to have an online service that recommends a product based on other consumers’ preferences
- 65% of U.S. consumers frequently/occasionally visit web sites as a result of someone’s online recommendation
- 55% of Americans believe strongly/somewhat that online consumer reviews and ratings influence their buying decisions more than any type of online advertising
The online survey polled nearly 2,000 consumers between the ages of 14 and 75 years old in the United States. Click on the following link to download a pdf of Deloitte’s State of Media Democracy Survey
