COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives. For example, with so many people now working from home, the morning and afternoon commute as we know it has ended – and with that comes a huge shift in advertising consumption.
Commuting has dropped by about 30% and it’s going to keep falling. Consider how that is affecting different media. About two-thirds of people listen to radio when they are driving. Less people driving obviously means less people are tuning into the radio. It also means viewing of outdoor advertising on arterial roads, train stations and bus stops is plummeting.
Cinemas are reporting a sharp drop in attendance. Sales of newspapers are strong at the moment, but that isn’t going to last: for many people, the only time they see a newspaper is in a public setting or a workplace, not at home.
When people are at home, they tend to gravitate to largest screen in the house – television.
Research from Nielsen shows that 63% of people think bigger is better when it comes to video content. Naturally, as more people stay home, viewing on the biggest screen in the household – the television takes priority over phones, tablets and desktops.
We are seeing that already. Viewing of commercial free-to-air TV is growing, across almost every hour of the day, not just when the networks are showing news bulletins.
Over the past week, viewing has increased 10% in prime time and 15% during the day. It’s growing even more in key advertising demographics. Among 25 to 54s, it’s up 13%. Among white collar professionals, it’s up 18%. Among people in the highest household income bracket (over $130,000), it’s up 16%. Among 16 to 39s, it’s up 20%.
When you layer this growth with the benefits of TV (y’know, mass reach, trusted, brand-safe), TV becomes a really important medium to effectively communicate your brand messages, especially during these uncertain times.
Reach out to your 10 rep for more information.
