In a world where the TV guide is becoming increasingly redundant, Australian television enthusiasts are moving increasingly to digital platforms and connected TVs (CTV), and a recent study from IAS has shown that most users prefer ad-free services.
The study found that 91 per cent of respondents watch streaming content on their TV, and of the people using CTVs a whopping 97 per cent subscribe to at least one ad-free service. There’s also a lot of demand for the YouTube platform, with 73 per cent of consumers using their connected TV to watch YouTube content with ads.
The biggest factor behind the decision to watch free video streaming content appears to be cost, with 47 per cent of consumers saying they watch free streaming services to save money and 36 per cent believing they already pay too much for other streaming services.
Another surprising statistic is the portion of users who prefer the advertising experience they recieve on CTVs versus linear TV, with 94 per cent of respondents saying they think there are features of the CTV ad experience that make it better than linear TV.
Nonetheless, the CTV ad experience can still be improved upon, with 39 per cent of respondents saying they always see the same ads, making ad repetition an issue, and 49 per cent saying they would skip viewing ads when given the chance to do so.
The consensus appears to be that shorter ads and shorter ad breaks would make the experience more enjoyable overall, and more relevant ads would be received better by most audiences, making the collection of anonymous demographic data a more acceptable option for these users.
“Australian consumers have been quick to embrace CTV and streaming platforms as the future of television. They have high expectations for ad relevance in these new digital environments,” said Jessica Miles, country manager ANZ, IAS. “The SVOD (Subscription streaming) market in Australia is at saturation point, and publishers are pivoting to offer AVOD (Advertiser supported streaming) to maintain profitability and retain audiences.”
“The demand from buyers for AVOD on CTV is also growing exponentially, fueled by increasing targeting options, increased measurement, and CTV’s ability to be bought programmatically. Combining transparency and programmatic efficiency will allow advertisers to reach wide audiences more efficiently and engagingly.”
