• by Daisy Whitney , Op-Ed Contributor, August 3, 2012

While plenty of consumers make purchases using smartphones and tablets, very few do so immediately after seeing a TV ad, says research firm Interpret LLC. This gap represents an opportunity for marketers, especially given the close links in consumer behavior surrounding tablets and TV.

Many TV viewers have their tablets with them while watching TV; research firm GfK Media says that nearly half of minutes spent on a tablet are simultaneous with TV viewing.

Interpret found that while nearly nine of ten consumers have made a mobile transaction in the last two months, neither TV advertising or programming were among the most popular influencers. Instead, factors such as word of mouth, online content and online advertising played bigger roles in driving purchasing decisions on mobile devices, although 53% of purchasers cited TV ads or programs as a driver. When a mobile purchase was made after seeing a spot on TV, only 12% of mobile buyers made a purchase immediately after seeing the TV ad, but 95% did so within the same week. This suggests that mobile buyers can be especially lucrative to marketers, Interpret said, and underscores that marketers have a golden opportunity in better connecting TV spots to mobile habits, especially on tablets.

“Advertisers must do a better job of harnessing the power of television advertising to drive consumers to make mobile  purchases. If the industry does not make significant investments now, it risks losing out on the tremendous momentum currently in the marketplace,” said Jason Lau, manager, strategy and analysis at Interpret and lead author of the report.

The key may lie in linking that buying tendency back to TV ads to foster a direct ROI from TV spots watched with a tablet in hand.