A study found traditional TV viewing has dropped from 100 million households in 2014 to 74 million today.
The study also forecasts traditional TV viewing will further fall to 44 million households by 2025. Though it is not shocking to see that linear TV viewing is in steady decline, it is concerning to see that advertisers are poised to commit around $20 billion during the upfront season – a 7.6% increase from the previous year.
While the need for a digital-first approach is clear among brands, many are taking time to get there. It could be because of brands’ misperceptions about linear TV. These misconceptions stem from marketing mix modelling that suggests linear TV is more effective than alternatives or the idea that only TV drives mass reach or studio content is better than creator-product content. But, the new premium content is more about control and choice, not about production values.
73% of people describe good content as something personal and relevant. So, brands must take small steps towards a digital-first mindset. To tailor brand messages for different target audiences, they should create multiple creatives and introduce more specific digital-targeting and campaign-flighting options to the TV environment.
Combining linear TV and digital platforms like YouTube can help brands extend the campaign reach and effectiveness. To be relevant among audiences, brands should also design and update their media mixes based on evolving customer viewing habits.
[6 minute read]
