• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 22, 2019

Havas Group and Cannes Lions have teamed to produce a global study about the role that entertainment plays in the lives of consumers.

The study draws on the attitudes and behaviors of 17,411 people ages 13+ in 37 countries, with a focus on so-called “Prosumers,” the leading-edge influencers and first adapters that Havas has been tracking for more than 15 years.

Some 83% of those polled indicated that they consider entertainment a “vital need,” and no longer just a nice-to-have.

And 56% are willing to sacrifice sleep to binge-watch a show they like. Nearly 4 in 10 claim they couldn’t live without Netflix.

Nearly 80% agree that global entertainment platforms should include meaningful local content in their native language, and 81% say it’s important that artists promote their national cultures.

Havas will be hosting a panel at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on June 20 to discuss the study and its implications in depth.

The session will feature actor-director Jeff Goldblum and Stéphane Xiberras, President and CCO of BETC Paris and Head of the Havas Creative Council.

Commenting on the study, Yannick Bolloré, Chairman of the Vivendi Supervisory Board and CEO of Havas Group, said, “The digital era has revolutionized the field of entertainment. People have now placed entertainment at the center of their existence rather than relegating it to the fringes of their life. And this gives us, as entertainment leaders, a major responsibility.”