• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, over 1 hour ago

According to a new study, Americans increasingly have no favorite magazine, sports league or specific products.

Specifically, they don’t have favorite "brands." Does this apply increasingly to TV -- especially streaming platforms?

Data from predictive intelligence company Sooth says a “non-expressive majority” is now around 53.6% when it comes to brands. It recently analyzed 21.6 million primary household shoppers.

What about other shoppers? It says the other 46.4% include those who routinely reordered the same things, young shoppers who choose alternatives to establish a brand, and men who buy what connects to the sports they follow.

Sooth says it can decode the 93% of human decisions that are driven by emotional, practical, and situational needs.

This had TV Watch thinking more deeply about streaming and TV overall, and modern TV viewers who really focus on specific content -- for example, when another season of “The Pitt” will be released on HBO Max, or when Prime Video’s “The Boys” or “Reacher” is returning, or its spinoffs.

This may not be all that new, of course. It’s about the show, not the network.

In the recent past, consumers focused on shows such as “Friends” or “ER”, which aired on NBC.

Perhaps the same idea works today with viewers looking for a new season or iteration of “NCIS” on CBS or “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC, or “The Mask Singer” on Fox.

The fact that modern entertainment consumers can turn streaming platforms off and on during the month leans into more of this focus on specific content.

There is also the increasing configuration with many different streamers that now have exclusive (or non-exclusive) deals for shows’ library content from previous seasons.

This adds to systemic program discovery issues, as well as ongoing issues with “churn” as consumers periodically opt out of streaming platform apps.

Do consumers have a "favorite" streaming platform -- and not just a favorite TV show or movie they want to keep coming back to?

For some time, Netflix may be the only brand among consumers that is considered a "must have." We could add YouTube, which may not only be a favorite, but as a TV "utility" of sorts for all types of video.

Analysts' description of Netflix as a "must have" service spins off the now legendary 1990s NBC marketing brand theme, "must see TV."

The "must" reference has a sense of urgency. And some streamers understand this.

Streamers' shows -- especially on Netflix -- can have a very short lifespan. So there is more new stuff everywhere.

Is that what streamers should pursue -- and what consumers want -- to gain brand strength?