TV viewing habits have shifted greatly in the last two years and the latest The Behind The Screens report from Samsung Ads reveals that opportunities remain for advertisers to shift budgets and reflect the new audience reality.
This week Samsung Ads revealed new data that finds advertisers who focus on linear-only audiences are missing out on almost one in five viewers. Linear and streaming both appeal to audiences and are necessary for reach, however, reaching these audiences becomes harder for advertisers through traditional channels.
The rise of ‘on demand’ across many aspects of our lives has had particular implications for the TV space. Consumers crave convenience—they want to be able to consume their favourite content in a way that fits into their lifestyle. This is why video streaming platforms have become so popular—they have tapped into our desire to be able to access quality content without the wait.
In this ‘Behind the Screens’ report, part of a global series, but the first of its kind in Australia it found that Australian households with a Samsung Smart TV spent on average 67 per cent of their viewing time in streaming environments, which is up 4 per cent compared to H2 in 2021 and watched a staggering 1.4 billion hours of streaming in the last 12 months.
Whilst SVOD (subscription video on demand) still remains the content that audiences are spending the most time with, the research also revealed that time spent in ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) is experiencing the fastest growth, and has seen viewing time now up to 51 minutes per day from June 2021 to June 2022. A trend that will likely continue to grow as streaming giants shift to hybrid models and new players enter the market.
The end of lockdown and challenging economic conditions has also driven viewers to explore free alternatives of streaming like FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV). This is supported by a recent study from IAS, which revealed that over three-quarters of television viewers (76 per cent) were willing to see ads in exchange for free quality content. The diversification of the streaming space towards more ad-funded and hybrid models make streaming an even more exciting prospect for advertisers.
Alex Spurzem, General Manager, Samsung Ads Australia, said:
“This new streaming report confirms what many in the industry have probably felt over recent years, is that total TV needs to be a more holistic ‘Total TV’ approach to drive effectiveness. Reaching streaming audiences is more important than ever for the modern marketer.
“The rise of AVOD and the entry of new ad-funded tiers from major SVOD players will create even more prospects for Australian brands to engage with their customers. The opportunities and tools to connect have never been better.”
Samsung used proprietary, deterministic Samsung TV device data from customers who had opted-in to receiving Customised Ads on their TV, powered by Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology to understand changes in linear viewership and OTT app usage across the Samsung Smart TV universe. According to the IAB, 8.58m people watch internet content on a TV screen daily, with CTV penetration hitting a new high in 2021 of 52.5 per cent.
