We Love TV, part 2

Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1187553

A few more reasons to support our view that TV is still the most important advertising medium:

First, a new study from The Futures Company (formerly Yankelovich) commissioned by the TVB on the purchase funnel. The study looked at 10 business categories, 13 media platforms, and how consumers used the information in the six phases of the purchase funnel that lead to a final purchase decision. The six phases are: Awareness, Interest, Consideration, “Want to Purchase”, Visit Store or Website, and ultimately Make a Purchase.

The study found that advertising is “the Prime Driver in awareness for 92% of in-market consumers, and the trigger for the actual purchase for 66% of in-market consumer”. And more importantly, television is the primary media driver for the final purchase decision. For example, of the +2,500 respondents, in the QSR category 48% attributed a TV ad to the purchase decision, and in the automotive category, 43% of car purchases were driven by a TV ad.

So why do so many industry pundits tend to minimize the impact of TV? Perhaps because the media habits of these pundits are so different than the average consumer. The Media Behavior Institute studied media pros and found that this population is much more likely to be heavy users of digital media — particularly mobile and social — and are much less likely to use traditional media such as TV and radio than average consumers.

Consider these stats of media pros vs. the general population:

• Email – consumed 53% of the waking day vs 20%
• Internet – consumed 28% of the day vs. 15%
• Mobile apps – used by 92% and consuming 11% of the day vs. 25% usage and 6% of time.
• Social Networks – used by 50% and consumed 19% of the day vs. 19% usage and 7% of time.

Not only does this make us ask when these pros are actually getting some work done, but it also reflects our belief that your media team needs to truly understand who your consumer is and how they use media.