Showing what the ad-supported streaming media provider says is a tipping point, a study from Future Today and the Variety Intelligence Platform (VIP+) has found more than half (50.6%) of US consumers prefer using ad-supported video (AVOD) services to reduce or eliminate subscription fees.
The Future Today x Variety Intelligence Platform Streaming Study took an in-depth look at the latest TV viewing behaviour and streaming preferences, polling US consumers to identify the emerging trends shaping OTT, advertising, and the broader TV industry. It compared FAST channels to AVOD to SVOD to traditional TV viewing in a statistically relevant sample of over 1,000 US consumers from 15-30 June.
Among the key findings was that the majority of consumers (67.89%) prefer choosing the individual programmes they’d like to watch on an on-demand basis, compared to just 12.5% who prefer pre-programmed, linear channels.
In addition, viewers found that ads shown while streaming were considerably more relevant to their interests compared to those shown on traditional cable or broadcast television. While 50.6% of US consumers preferred using ad-supported video services to reduce costs, streaming ads were twice as likely to be relevant to a viewers’ interests than ads seen on cable or broadcast TV. The study also found that consumers are tired of paying for too many subscriptions. Just over a third (35.5%) of consumers planned to decrease their number of paid subscriptions over the next 6-12 months.
Of those who have used a free trial in the last 12 months, 41.2% subscribed after the trial ended. On average less than 15%of consumers have stopped using a streaming service within the past year.
“Consumer viewing preferences continue to evolve. Streaming has become the de facto source for watching TV shows and movies, but not all services, platforms and models will thrive in this shifting media landscape,” commented Future Today CEO and co-founder Vikrant Mathur. “Despite some pundits’ expectations, we’re seeing AVOD adoption flourish, and expect this trend will continue to grow for years to come. Our research solidifies that with the right viewing experience, the ad-supported streaming model is ideal for content owners, brands and, most importantly, audiences.”
“The world of free streaming is in a state of metamorphosis. FAST in particular is very distinct from its first era, but as the findings from the Streaming Study show, the change is not complete,” added Gavin Bridge, senior media analyst, Variety Intelligence Platform. “Future trends to note will be the involvement of more big media brands as FAST becomes a new distribution strategy for getting content in front of viewers.”
Among the key findings was that the majority of consumers (67.89%) prefer choosing the individual programmes they’d like to watch on an on-demand basis, compared to just 12.5% who prefer pre-programmed, linear channels.
In addition, viewers found that ads shown while streaming were considerably more relevant to their interests compared to those shown on traditional cable or broadcast television. While 50.6% of US consumers preferred using ad-supported video services to reduce costs, streaming ads were twice as likely to be relevant to a viewers’ interests than ads seen on cable or broadcast TV. The study also found that consumers are tired of paying for too many subscriptions. Just over a third (35.5%) of consumers planned to decrease their number of paid subscriptions over the next 6-12 months.
Of those who have used a free trial in the last 12 months, 41.2% subscribed after the trial ended. On average less than 15%of consumers have stopped using a streaming service within the past year.
“Consumer viewing preferences continue to evolve. Streaming has become the de facto source for watching TV shows and movies, but not all services, platforms and models will thrive in this shifting media landscape,” commented Future Today CEO and co-founder Vikrant Mathur. “Despite some pundits’ expectations, we’re seeing AVOD adoption flourish, and expect this trend will continue to grow for years to come. Our research solidifies that with the right viewing experience, the ad-supported streaming model is ideal for content owners, brands and, most importantly, audiences.”
“The world of free streaming is in a state of metamorphosis. FAST in particular is very distinct from its first era, but as the findings from the Streaming Study show, the change is not complete,” added Gavin Bridge, senior media analyst, Variety Intelligence Platform. “Future trends to note will be the involvement of more big media brands as FAST becomes a new distribution strategy for getting content in front of viewers.”
