Sunday, March 02, 2008

Report On Joint TV & Computer Usage

Are you reading this whilst watching TV? If so you would be in the majority, 78% U.S. adults go online while watching TV, and more than a third of them do so always or often. Out of these, "Double-dippers” (dumb name) are comprised of adults who enjoy surfing the Internet while watching television. Fully 62% of double-dippers surf the web while watching television for content that is not related to what they’re watching. And 25% of double-dippers go online for information specific to the programming they are currently viewing.

Most commonly, double-dippers who surf the web for related content are looking for more information or color about what they’re watching, be it profiles of the actors (51%), products/services that appeared in or were advertised during the program (40%), or related upcoming events (39%).

Here is an interesting report on the use of using the computer whilst watching TV. Throws up some interesting applications for not only program makers but advertisers - no and not just to go to the online shop or see the making of the ad.
On a related, but side note I saw this viral based on the Ogilvy London Ford TV ad where cars floated away in the sky. JWT Auckland, which has the Ford account in NZ took the release of the original ad one step further by producing this viral which then went onto become a traditional worldwide news story driving viewers back online and breaking records on YouTube, especially in the comments and responses, exactly where you want them.



Two hat tips to Damiano Vukotić.

5 comments:

john dodds said...

Did the report deal with how this behaviour impacts the brain chemistry? There's a number of people who've suggested to me that this is a problem waiting tobe discovered.

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm part of that 62%. Sometimes, I just turn the television on because my Internet connection is slow or when there really is a specific show I want to watch. I seldom watch a show and use the Internet for it. It sounds a little tedious and I don't really have the patience for it.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the TV companies need to improve their content ?

I am surprised by these stats. I like to switch off my computer, and switch off so to speak, and watch TV.

I wonder what stats would be for UK viewers.

Interesting / useful post.

"Technical" Terry said...

I think that this speaks more towards the content, rather than an opportunity. If I were in a movie theatre and someone were surfing or texting during the show, I would be distracted, even if I were involved too.
The content therefore, must not be as engaging. We should strive to maintain eyeballs to the content we are producing. If it sticks in the consumer's head long enough for them to seek it out at a later time, then I have done my job successfully.


MAA, LLC

Giles Rhys Jones said...

or infact so engaging that it promts you to interact at that point in time, exposure to multiple channels simultaneously to have a exponential effect...