Our work within the kids, youth and family space means we have a deep understanding of kids viewing habits and the way in which content is consumed. Our long running study “Kids and the Screen” has enabled to us to see not just how kids aged 2-12 are viewing content and who they are viewing with, but also adverts that resonate most cross-platform and what this means for media budget allocation in order to maximise reach. Over the past 3 years, we have seen a very strong viewing ritual which exists amongst this audience. This means behaviours can be easily tracked and predicted, ensuring brands stay at the forefront of change. Live TV sits at the core of this ritual, satisfying key content/viewing needs and parental safety concerns. There is a lot of “buzz” surrounding the shifts towards digital and online. However, at this moment in time, Live TV is where 53% of all adverts are recalled and remains to be THE most effective channel in which to reach and engage younger audiences. With the launch of the new Disney+ package and the recent environmental impact, which is forcing families to self-isolate, we need to consider how this will impact the current viewing ritual and ultimately how we maintain reach and engagement for brands.
In the most recent wave of Kids and the Screen, we saw the first sign of SVOD (e.g. Netflix & Amazon Prime) cannibalising Live TV occasions, with Netflix nearly doubling its ownership of occasions over the past two years. This is being driven by a migration of viewers moving away from Live TV, channels towards pre-school content offered on platforms such as Netflix.
With families self-isolating, no longer able to participate in normal daily activities including school, this will no doubt mean the traditional routine which was entwined so strongly with linear TV viewing will evolve, with new behaviours emerging.
We know that SVOD satisfies very similar needs to Live TV, therefore expect this to be the main winner in the fight for viewers. Netflix has enjoyed the lion’s share of growth over the past two years. However, the new launch of Disney+, positioned perfectly to compete for those pre-school content moments could change the viewing landscape as we know it.
Tracking new behaviours, keeping brands at the forefront of change.
Never has it been more important to track changing behaviours, to understand how and where kids are viewing and how we can still maintain the reach and engagement for our brands. The next wave of Kids and the Screen will be running in April, the focus of which will be to understand where viewing traffic has shifted and what this means for advertising recall. Whilst COVID-19 we hope will be a temporary change to the environment, its effect on viewing and brand strategy will not. To find out more about how to ensure your brand stays at the forefront of change, get in touch.
Want to hear more about Kids and the Screen? Check out this video:
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