Study: 75% Of Aussies Prefer To Watch TV For Free With Ads

Three-quarters of Australians prefer to watch TV for free with ads rather than pay to watch ad-free, according to new research released today by video ad platform Unruly.

The new study (which you can read in full here) by the Tremor International company, which examines how consumers’ attitudes and habits around connected TV (CTV) have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, found the uncertain economic climate, the rising costs of cable and satellite TV and the emergence of free, ad-supported streaming services have resulted in a shift away from paying for TV content in Australia.

Around half of Australians (49 per cent) now have access to free, ad-supported streaming TV services, thanks largely to an acceleration in adoption since the start of the global pandemic. More than a quarter (27 per cnt) have tried new ad-supported devices in the last seven months alone, of which 78 per cent say the will continue to do so. This trend looks set to continue in 2021, with over half (51 per cent) of Australian TV viewers saying they plan to reduce the amount they pay for TV.

Previous research by Unruly — whose multi-format tech enables advertisers to seamlessly engage Australian consumers in premium, brand-safe environments across multiple screens — showed that 55 per cent of Australian consumers are spending more time watching TV online since the outbreak of the Coronavirus.

But as CTV usage, continues to accelerate — particularly among free, ad-supported services — marketers are still trailing behind with their media plans. As the pandemic has rapidly accelerated the growth of CTV, it’s more important than ever before that brands understand and embrace the medium.

Unruly’s study looks closer at the Australian CTV landscape seven months after the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other key findings include:

More than three-quarters (76%) of Australian consumers have access to CTV content through various devices and 47% own multiple CTV devices. Smart TVs are the most popular devices (59%);
More relevant targeting and greater personalisation mean CTV ads performs better than the Australian TV average across key indicators. Compared to the average TV viewer in Australia, after seeing an ad on TV, Australian ad-supported CTV users are:
22% more likely to tell a friend about a brand;
22% more likely to have an improved opinion of the brand;
19% more likely to search for a brand;
17% more likely to visit a store or website;
11% more likely to buy a product.

“Australian consumers’ pivot to CTV is an opportunity for brands to reach audiences at scale in a highly targeted, personalised way that has, until now, not been possible,” said David Haddad, ANZ MD at Unruly.

“Following our acquisition by Tremor International, Unruly has shifted from an outstream video specialist to become one of the biggest video platforms in the world. From this unique position, Unruly’s strong CTV capabilities can help advertisers seize on the opportunities CTV presents like never before.”

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