Television Viewing Preferences & Online Synergy 2011

There is little doubt that Canadians are spending more time than ever online, however contrary to some reports online is having little effect on TV viewing. In fact, the results of this study indicate that 40-50% of people surveyed under the age of 55 use the Internet while simultaneously watching Television, and, they pay attention to both alternatively. Rather than taking away from time spent with Television, people are using both TV and the Internet at the same time. And while viewers have several options available to choose from, they overwhelmingly choose to watch television on a TV set in the comfort of their home as opposed to a computer or mobile device screen.

Additionally, there is a symbiotic relationship for advertisers. More than half of those surveyed under the age of 55 have gone online based on something they saw in a television commercial. Of those people, most researched the product or service or requested information, but a significant proportion go on to make an online purchase.

This result highlights the unique role that Television and the Internet each have in the “purchase funnel”. Television at the top of the purchase funnel provides a very immersive environment which enables advertisers to create a need state among customers/viewers (see Innerscope Media Effectiveness Study). The Internet further down the purchase funnel provides advertisers with a very flexible environment which enables them to provide customers with the additional information they require before making a purchase, or in some cases facilitates the purchase.

David Poltrack of CBS Television and President of CBS Vision had the following to say in a July 2008 article in MediaWorks Viewpoint:

"The Consumer Adoption Process -- a progression of stages that bring the consumer to purchase a product or service. The four basic stages describe the consumer as first becoming aware of the product, then interested in it, then desirous, and finally a purchaser.

Traditionally, TV advertising has been viewed as having its greatest influence in the early stages of the model, making the consumer aware of the product, creating interest in the product and, to a lesser extent, creating a desire. As the consumer moves through this process, the role of TV is diminished and supplemented by other marketing forces.

The role of the internet is more pronounced in the latter stages of the process. The interested consumer goes to the web to learn more about the product. When the consumer finds more information about it, his or her desire for it increases, and the information leads to an actual purchase.

The internet has significantly increased the efficiency of this process. The consumer's interest can be more quickly addressed, and the conversion of that consumer from an interested party to a purchaser can be expedited.

This brings us back to the role of TV advertising.

If the internet has increased the efficiency of the process by which "aware" and "interested" consumers are converted to purchasers, then the value of each aware or interested consumer is that much greater. No other medium can rival TV in developing awareness of a product, service or product feature.

So, if the internet has increased the rate of conversion of aware and interested consumers into purchasers, then TV's ability to produce aware and interested consumers has an even greater value to the marketer."

The survey results on this page details consumer preference regarding how Television content is consumed in light of new technology which enables online and mobile viewing, and how television and online interact in the "purchase funnel".

2011 TV-Internet Synergy PowerPoint files:

Originally Posted: 9/21/2011 1:36:38 PM
Last Updated: 4/30/2013 11:15:38 AM