Those smartphone loving millennials spend more time with TV than any other medium, according to a new study by the Video Advertising Bureau.
TV usage fuels millennials social-network activity and digital categories that advertise on TV get strong responses, according to the study.
“The avalanche of millennial research has hyped isolated characteristics that can be misleading, via proprietary studies that can’t be verified,” said Jason Wiese, VP/strategic insights at the VAB, a trade group representing broadcast and TV networks as well as cable operators. “We’re providing clarity on overall viewing – scale, time and impact – from audited, third-party, industry standard sources, so advertisers and agencies can see younger consumers from a more accurate perspective.”
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The report states that 65 million millennials watched TV during the first quarter of 2016, up from 61 million in the same quarter of 2002.
When millennials watch video, 88% of the time is spent watching on TV, compared to 4% on smartphones or tablets. The average audience per minute for TV is 9.1 million millennials compared to 4.9 million for smartphone and 1.1 million for tablet.
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Despite all the talk about binge watching, millennials was 90% of their TV live, making it better for them to tweet and use other social media about the programs they watch.
Millennials spent 89 hours per month watching TV compared to 43 hours per month on YouTube. YouTube viewing time is rising for 18 to 24-year olds, hitting 14 hours in May, but that still represent only 14 hours per month, compared to 47 hours per month for TV.
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“Marketers need to refocus on the big picture,” said Danielle DeLauro, senior VP, strategic sales insights at the VAB. “Millennials’ commitment to TV brands is greater than ever, as their engagement extends beyond TV to digital and social channels. Most importantly, millennials are persuaded by advertising on TV which is driving billion-dollar categories in mobile apps, gaming and fantasy sports.”
