Report: Millennials Who See TV Promos on Their Social Feeds Will Most Likely Watch the Show

By Adam Flomenbaum 

Video ad tech company Unruly last week released a report which found that 80% of Millennials will tune into a TV show if someone on their social networks shares a clip or trailer of the show. This is compared to an also high 66% of average TV viewers.

While Millennials have a higher propensity to tune into a show, they are less likely (10% less than the average viewer) to be the ones sharing the clips in the first place.

“TV marketers are missing out on a huge opportunity to grow their audiences,” said Scott Button, CEO, Unruly. “We may be in a Golden Age of television content, but the way TV networks are currently promoting their shows to new viewers is missing the mark on digital and social media. Audience fragmentation, ad avoidance and social discovery are all powerful forces for disruption and we’re seeing a big increase in the number of TV networks reaching out to us to help them solve the strategic challenges that digital transformation poses to their business models and their bottom line.”

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Below, additional findings from the report:

 

  • Rate of TV promo sharing more closely correlates to Nielsen Ratings than number of promo views: The more shares a TV network generates for its promos, the more likely that will translate into ratings. The front runner, NBC, generated 39% share of shares and a 33% of overall Nielsen ratings;
  • NBC is winning on social reach and engagement: NBC is leading the way on social video, with 48% share of online promo views and 39% of promo shares. ABC follows in both categories, with 27% of promo views and 34% of promo shares;
  • Millennials are 39% more likely to watch online video content on their smartphones than the average TV viewer and 14% more likely to watch TV on their laptops, while less than half (42%) still watch online video in the living room through connected TVs;
  • Original promos are the most viral type of TV promo for US audiences: While low-cost TV clips are the most prevalent form of TV promotional content and represent the majority of TV content launched online, original promos are actually the most shareable form of promotional content, with an average share rate of 9%, compared to the average 2.1% of branded content;
  • TV Networks are missing out on brand recall: All of the promos tested in the Unruly TV Promo and Millennial study – for the top rated network shows – fell well below the US market norm for brand recall from online videos (at only 75%);
  • Jimmy Kimmel Show created the most shareable TV promo for a Millennial audience. From July 2015 to December 2014, the most intrinsically shareable piece of content for Millennials was the Jimmy Kimmel Live clip YouTube Challenge – I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy 2014, with a Millennial ShareRank score of 7.6. This video was polarizing, with the funniest triggers evoking shock and disgust among some Millennials.

 

 

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