TWO NEW STUDIES FROM COUNCIL FOR RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
YIELD INSIGHTS ON CONSUMERS' ADOPTION OF NEW VIDEO
TECHNOLOGY, GROUP VIEWING BEHAVIOR, OTT AND OOH VIEWING
PREFERENCES
Introduction of New Streaming Device in the Household
Results in Significant Shifts in Viewing Patterns;
Initial Usage of OTT Service Leads to Increase
in Total TV Viewing Time
New York, NY, May 1, 2015 – The Council for Research Excellence (CRE) has released
the results of two new qualitative studies that yield numerous insights on consumers'
adoption of new video technology, group viewing behavior and over-the-top (OTT) and
out-of-home (OOH) viewing preferences.
Among the findings: the introduction of one or more streaming devices into a household
results in significant shifts in viewing patterns; smart TVs generate more group viewing;
and the initial usage of OTT services leads to an increase in total time spent watching
television. The studies were conducted for the CRE by GfK Media and User Experience
researchers with the objectives of better understanding the changing media landscape
and informing the development of strategies for audience measurement.
Brad Adgate, chair of CRE's Digital Research Committee and senior vice president,
research, Horizon Media, said, "With another upfront marketplace on the horizon the
release of these two studies could not be timed any better. There has been so much
discussion on how consumers are adopting new video tech products and their impact on
legacy media. These qualitative studies will help researchers, content providers and
advertisers better understand the seismic changes happening both inside and outside
the home."
A slide presentation with results from the two studies can be viewed at
www.researchexcellence.com
Study #1: Acceleration Extension Ethnography
The first of the two CRE studies -- an acceleration extension ethnography -- followed up
with 35 households in the Chicago area approximately one year after they were tracked
as part of an initial study conducted over a 15-week period from November 2013 to April
2014. The participants were pre-identified as intending to purchase one or more new
types of media technology and then were given funds to cover half the cost for these
devices, including smart TVs, tablets, streaming devices (such as a Roku box or Google
Chromecast device) and gaming consoles. The follow-up extension study, conducted
from October 2014 to January 2015, was designed to see if device usage and viewing
behavior observed in the first study had changed since that time.
The follow-up study found that:
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Smart TVs continued to stimulate more group viewing;
Streaming expanded to multiple rooms in the household;
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Those who purchased smart TVs in the first study tended to purchase or plan to
purchase additional smart TVs or upgrade gaming consoles;
Smart TVs remained the preferred viewing screen in households that also had a
streaming device;
The majority of households that purchased a new streaming device reported an
increase in the amount of streaming consumption, either as additional total
viewing time or as a replacement to live TV viewing;
Streaming played a role in tablet usage, but tablets were not used as primary
screens-- except by kids.
Moreover, the study found that viewing patterns are still dynamic and shifting as a result
of device/ecosystem churn.
Study #2: Longitudinal Ethnography
The second study, an ongoing longitudinal ethnography, began tracking a national
sample of 100 households in November 2013 and will continue until October 2015. The
100 participant households were selected to represent a balance of urban, suburban and
rural characteristics nationwide. The study is examining a number of topics, including
OTT viewing, group viewing and out-of-home (OOH) viewing.
OTT Viewing
The study indicates that unmeasured viewing is on the rise. It found that OTT viewing is
most commonly driven by a desire to access specific content, though it may also be
driven by a desire, or necessity, to use particular devices or services. Viewers often
prefer OTT viewing because it is a way to access a breadth of content on their own
schedules, and provides continuity among their connected devices. When individuals
start using an OTT service, it frequently increases their total viewing time. Over time, the
study suggests, OTT viewing could take the place of other viewing modes.
Group Viewing
Six different group viewing behavior scenarios were identified based on attention,
duration of presence and consistency of presence, from Peripheral Viewing (low level of
attention) to Dedicated Group Viewing (high level of attention). The study found:
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While group viewing affects attention, it does not do so in an exclusively positive
or negative way;
With multiple screens around to distract viewers, attention fluctuates and
bounces between devices unpredictably;
Because multiple people are in the room paying various degrees of attention to
the main screen, as well as to other devices, it can be difficult to gauge
exposure to content.
Out-of-Home Viewing
The study seeks to determine how viewers' approaches to OOH viewing may vary
depending on context and motivation.
Three types of OOH viewing were identified:
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Incidental Viewing: Reliance on whatever device is on hand, generally a
smartphone; typically involves short-form video commonly encountered via social
media or third party sites.
Planned Situational Viewing: Tendency to prepare by selecting a specific device
or ensuring access to content; common when travel or long waits are anticipated;
frequently involves long-form content.
Content Motivated Viewing: Dedication to viewing regardless of location; desire
to view time sensitive content; community of viewers is commonly sought for
sports or special events.
The constraints of Wi-Fi and data plans often influence viewers' service and content
choices when they are out of the home, according to the study. Those who do not
regularly watch out of the home do report watching when they are traveling or on
vacation, the study states.
Additional Methodology Notes
In-person ethnography was conducted by GfK Media and User Experience researchers
to observe viewing behaviors as they occurred, as well as to probe further into specific
behaviors. Digital ethnography allowed researchers to gain insight into viewing
behaviors over time; all households for both studies were given a personal smart-device
serving as a “participant toolkit” including a camera and co-discovery tool with studyspecific apps to enable self-reporting.
About the Council for Research Excellence
The Council for Research Excellence (CRE) is an independent research group created
in 2005 and funded by Nielsen. The CRE is dedicated to advancing the knowledge and
practice of audience measurement methodology and comprises senior-level industry
researchers representing advertisers, agencies, broadcast networks, cable, syndicators,
local stations and industry associations. CRE members represent advertising agencies,
media buying firms, media companies, advertisers, digital publishers, social media
companies and industry organizations including ABC, AMC Networks, Assembly, CBS,
Comcast, Cox Media Group, Discovery Communications, ESPN, Gannett Co., Greater
Media, GroupM, Havas Media, Horizon Media, Katz Media Group, Kimberly-Clark, LIN
Media, Magna Global, the Media Rating Council, MoffettNathanson LLC, the National
Association of Broadcasters, NBC Universal, Nielsen, Omnicom Media Group, Radio
Advertising Bureau, Raycom Media, Scripps Networks Interactive, Starcom MediaVest
Group, Tribune Co., Turner Broadcasting, 21st Century Fox, Twitter, Universal McCann,
Univision, Viacom Entertainment Group and Warner Bros. Television.
For more information about the Council for Research Excellence, please visit:
http://www.researchexcellence.com/
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CONTACTS
Mark Braff
Braff Communications LLC
201-612-0707
mbraff@braffcommunications.com
Tom Campo
Campo Communications, LLC
212-590-2464
tom@campocomm.com