European CTV viewers embrace ad-supported platforms

Connected television (CTV) viewers in six European countries – including France, Germany and the UK – use an average of 3.5 streaming platforms, with over a third utilizing ad-supported services.

These findings came from a survey by FreeWheel, an ad-focused unit of media giant Comcast, and Happydemics, the research firm, of connected TV audiences in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and UK.

Why it matters

Connected television – whether accessed via smart TV, step-top box or another device – is an increasingly relevant component of the media mix. With more of these platforms now rolling out ad products, brands have the chance to engage viewers in rich, interactive ways.

Consumers use multiple platforms

• On average, respondents utilized 3.5 different streaming platforms, suggesting that no one service dominates the battle for attention.
• A significant 59% of participants used at least one subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, such as Netflix or Amazon’s Prime Video.
• Thirty-eight percent of participants also used ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platforms, like Pluto.TV.

Access a key strength for ad-supported platforms

• Sixty percent of AVOD users agreed that free access was the greatest source of appeal for these services.
• A further 68% of use these services every week, and half of that group do so each day.
• Thirty-six percent pointed to the quality and variety of content on offer as a benefit of such platforms.
• AVOD services witnessed the strongest uptake for viewers who pay for numerous subscription-based services.

Opportunities exist for ad personalisation

• Sixty-four percent of interviewees agreed that TV advertising was the most effective.
• When it comes to identifying their preferred type of personalisation for TV commercials, some 37% of respondents preferred ads linked to their interests.
• Another 30% said the same for messages reflecting their lifestyle, and 23% mentioned brands that share their values.
• However, a 62% majority of respondents did not want their personal data to be used in achieving this personalisation.

Sourced from Digital Content Next