Thinkbox to examine online TV
- Work Research commissioned to undertake study into how and why Online TV is used -
- Research to uncover online TV’s value as ad environment -
London, 5 August 2008: Thinkbox today announced that it has commissioned an in-depth research study into the rapidly expanding phenomenon of online TV. The research will reveal exactly how consumers are using online TV services and how attitudes towards online TV compare with those towards linear, broadcast TV. The research is designed to provide fresh insight into how the online TV environment is developing and how it can be used by advertisers.
As TV continues to expand onto new platforms, online TV has gained headline-grabbing popularity alongside established linear broadcast TV. Now that patterns of usage are beginning to emerge, Thinkbox has commissioned Work Research to undertake this new study, with preliminary results expected by autumn this year and full results in early 2009. The study will examine the following areas:
- Differences in viewing behaviours and patterns between linear broadcast TV and online TV
- How the context of watching TV online affects engagement
- Needs states served by watching TV online
- The role of ‘catch-up’ TV across different programme genres
- The relationship between broadcast and online content
- The contribution of broadcast brands in online TV
- Attitudes to online TV advertising and other economic models
- How the online TV advertising market is likely to develop
The study will include both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The qualitative research will study a group of current non-users as they start using online TV, to understand both the barriers and the benefits, alongside a group who use online TV primarily to catch-up with broadcast TV. It will also focus on a major TV programming event to explore usage patterns and attitudes in order to understand how a programme that is both broadcast and online is consumed, and whether attitudes to the programme are different in any way.
A quantitative online study will explore the key behaviours and motivations behind using online TV services and will analyse respondents' views of advertising around online TV content, testing different and innovative ad formats. Thinkbox will work closely with broadcasters and agencies to help develop this side of the study.
“It’s the right time to take our first look at how viewers are using online TV. I hope that this new research will give us greater insight into how online TV is being consumed as part of people’s overall TV diet, and help advertisers understand how it can be integrated effectively with their broadcast TV campaigns.”
David Brennan, Research and Strategy Director, Thinkbox
This latest Thinkbox research joins a succession of groundbreaking studies by the body designed to give the advertising industry greater understanding of the major issues and trends in TV. Other recent Thinkbox research subjects include: a joint study with the Internet Advertising Bureau looking at how TV and online advertising work together; an in-depth analysis of how TV sponsorship works; an Engagement Study which examined how consumers really engage with TV ads; a Payback Study with PricewaterhouseCoopers which, for the first time, revealed the impact of TV advertising on long term sales and brand equity; and a study into Generation Whatever, which focussed on the lives of young people to uncover the truth about their media consumption, as opposed to the hype and hysteria.
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For more information, please contact Simon Tunstill, Thinkbox’s PR Manager, at simon.tunstill@thinkbox.tv or on 020 7630 2326
About Thinkbox
Thinkbox is the television marketing body for the main UK commercial broadcasters - Channel 4, Five, GMTV, ITV, Sky Media, Turner Media Innovations and Viacom Brand Solutions. It works with the UK marketing community with a single ambition: to help customers get the best out of television. Thinkbox was launched in February 2005
TV today has more to offer advertisers than ever before, not least because this growing medium remains at the heart of popular culture and advertising effectiveness. From understanding how audiences engage with TV advertising, explaining innovative and affordable solutions, to providing the rigorous proof of effectiveness that advertisers need, Thinkbox is here to help customers meet their marketing objectives.
Thinkbox Research
Developing groundbreaking and robust new research to help advertisers understand exactly how advertising works is central to Thinkbox’s task. Thinkbox has undertaken a raft of major research initiatives with respected partners which cast new light on a range of unexplored areas. For more detail on the findings and downloadable presentations, please visit the Thinkbox website: www.thinkbox.tv.