NEWS12 November 2014

Young adults no longer driving multiscreening

UK — The rise in smartphone ownership, now approaching two thirds of adults in many developed markets, has led to multiscreening becoming more common among older adults, according to research.

In the US, 49% of adults now claim to own a tablet and 61% a smartphone. In the UK and Spain, smartphone penetration is at 65% and 59% respectively; in China 68%, UAE 87% and in Australia 67%. This is according to the latest TGI studies from Kantar Media.

The research reveals that in the UK, 35-44 year olds are almost a third more likely than the average adult to say they usually listen to or watch TV while online ( 55% say they do this), while 51% of 18-24 year olds say the same. According to Kantar, the story in the US is similar amd there is now a “relatively flat profile for multiscreening across age groups”. In Germany, multiscreening behaviour is still skewed towards younger age groups.

“Anyone who still thinks that multiscreening is a niche behaviour in developed countries is well behind the curve,” said Geoff Wicken, head of TGI International at Kantar Media. “Our TGI insights show that all age groups in many markets now have the tools to consume content on multiple devices simultaneously.

“Brands need to understand this is now very much mainstream behaviour and re-think their digital marketing strategies accordingly to cater to a broad range of ages.”