Multiscreen users in Australia now spend 46 percent of their video viewing time on digital screens, but remain less receptive to digital ads, according to a new global report from Millward Brown.
AdReaction: Video Creative in a Digital World examines video use and creative response across screens and the impact for marketers based on responses from more than 13,500 consumers across 42 countries.
Although slightly behind the 50 per cent global average for watching video on digital screens, Australia outpaces the global average for On Demand TV, consuming 51 minutes a day, a sizeable 14 minutes ahead of the global average of 37 minutes – contributing to the TV video viewing figure.
The report found that multi-screen users aged 16-45 in Australia watch nearly three hours 20 minutes(or 198 minutes) of video each day (vs. the global average of 204 minutes). The greatest amount of time spent daily was in Nigeria with 4.5 hours, with Hungarians reporting the least amount of time spent at 2.5 hours a day.
In Australia, multi-screen users watch 57 minutes of Live TV (global 66 minutes), with On Demand next at 51 minutes (global 37 minutes). Smartphones accounted for 36 minutes of viewing (global 45 minutes) with laptops at 31 minutes (global 37 minutes) and tablets ahead of the global average at 23 minutes (global 20 minutes). While digital presents a significant advertising opportunity for marketers, receptivity to digital video ads is much lower at 19 percent (global 19 percent favourable) than for Live TV ads at 24 percent favourable (global 29 percent favourable) and On Demand at 21 percent (global 21 percent favourable).
“Brands need to develop creative assets that suit the device and context that the ad will be viewed on to get the best out of video campaigns,”said Mark Henning, head of media and digital, Millward Brown AMAP. “Context is critical for success and it is no longer acceptable to apply TV thinking to digital channels. The consumer preferences and behaviours revealed by the AdReaction study provide a useful roadmap for marketers who are looking to maximise impact with their audience at scale across multiple devices.”
The study identified a number of opportunities for marketers to drive video creative effectiveness and success:
- People are receptive to targeting, but don’t want to be stalked. AdReaction Video found that consumers are most receptive to video ads targeted based on their interests (41 percent globally and 38 percent in Australia) or preferred brands (40 percent globally and 42 percent in Australia) and least receptive to ads based on their web browsing history (25 percent globally and 23 percent in Australia). Sensitive application of targeting is likely to work best.
- Context matters. With negativity toward video ads on smartphones at 49 percent globally and 50 percent in Australia, advertisers need to earn the right for attention. Twenty-nine per cent of consumers globally said they were less likely to skip, and pay more attention to, online video ads that offer rewards, and they were most receptive to skippable and click-to-play ad formats that provide control over what they see.
- Content is still king. AdReaction Video findings indicate the need to consider digital early in the creative process, with an eye toward optimisation across screens. And while skippable formats are a creative challenge, they are worth the focus; aim for early impact.
Additional findings from AdReaction Video include:
- Consumers feel that they have more control over digital ads than TV ads, with the majority believing the laptop gives them the most control (63 percent globally and 53 percent in Australia).
- Skippable pre-rolls (34 percent favourability globally and 34 percent in Australia) and skippable mobile pop-ups (31 percent globally and 37 percent in Australia) are viewed much more favourably than mobile app pop-ups (14 percent globally and 11 percent in Australia) and non-skippable pre-rolls (15 percent globally and 13 percent in Australia). The most popular ad format is mobile app reward videos (49 percent globally and 45 percent in Australia).
- Consumers are slightly more receptive to viewing video ads while at home (28 percent globally and 26 percent in Australia) vs. while at work (21 percent globally and 21 percent in Australia).
