• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, December 24, 2018

 People are spending more time with media than ever before, says MarketingCharts’ newly-released 5th annual “US Media Audience Demographics” report, a data-driven resource that can aid marketers in their strategic decision-making. The study sizes up the media landscape, then delves into the age, income, and racial/ethnic composition of several media types across 3 sections: traditional; digital; and social media.

While that may present marketers with additional opportunities to reach people, says the report, it’s also true that media fragmentation, and shifting consumer behaviors, add layers of complexity for marketers to navigate when devising their strategies. 

Traditional Media

Traditional TV and radio continue to have the broadest reach among US adults, although digital is making inroads, and internet radio is becoming more popular with older adults.

The broadcast TV audience is slowly graying, but it’s the cable TV audience that may be getting there more quickly, says the report. Terrestrial radio stands apart from other traditional media in its appeal to middle-aged adults and to those in the mid-to-high income range.

 For the first time, fewer than half of US adults read a print newspaper on a weekly basis. The national newspaper audience skews most towards an affluent audience, and also has a more multicultural reader base than local newspapers.

Digital Media

• Almost half of online TV program viewers are ages 18-34, and close to 60% come from households with incomes of at least $75k.
• Although digital media types tend to attract younger audiences, people ages 55-64 are actually above the online average in visits to magazine and newspaper websites.
• Internet radio biggest differentiator from other digital media is in its strong appeal among Hispanics, says the report.

Social Media

• Snapchat may be thought of primarily as a youth-oriented platform, but its appeal with higher-income adults is also notable.
• Closely following Snapchat in a tilt towards youth, is Instagram, which has the most diverse representation (Hispanics and Black American) of the 6 platforms analyzed.

US Firms’ Data Spend to Grow by 17.5% This Year

By the time 2018 ends, US firms will have spent more than $19 billion on third-party audience data and data activation solutions supporting their advertising, marketing, media sales and associated efforts, according to the second annual IAB-led "State of Data" research effort, conducted by the Winterberry Group.

Loyalty is Fleeting, Consumers Say

Three-quarters of consumers, across 5 key global marketers, agree that they're loyal to certain brands, but will move on as soon as they have a bad experience with them, finds Acquia in a customer experience-themed report that finds tension between consumers' desire for personalization and their concerns about data usage.

Netflix Takes Top Global Ranking for the Simplest Brand Experience

55% of consumers around the world are willing to pay more for simpler experiences, according to Siegel+Gale's latest annual "Global Brand Simplicity Index" report. Willingness to pay for simpler experiences remains high, though it appears to be more subdued this year than last, says the report.

Consumers Say They’d Watch A Branded Video For A Reward

Reviews are a critical factor in consumers' purchase decisions, and it turns out that the vast majority of people would leave one in exchange for a reward, according to survey results from HelloWorld. The Merkle company examined what consumers would be most likely to do to win a reward, finding that 83% would review a brand or product for a reward or to enter a sweepstakes, concludes the report.