CTV growth creates significant omnichannel opportunity for brands
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Joseph O'Halloran
| 08 November 2021
In an indication that media consumption patterns are swinging back to pre-pandemic times, a survey from Vericast has found that consumers want to stream TV “here, there and everywhere” outside of the home, including during long-distance travel on planes and trains.
Backseat vewd 07 22Oct2021
The marketing solutions company conducted the survey of more than 1,000 US adults in October 2021 to assess consumer behaviour towards connected TV (CTV). It said the results indicate opportunities for brands and marketers to better engage with consumers.

It found that while only 26% of respondents have streamed TV during a flight and 36% on long-distance road trips in the past, 50% for each category would do so if device availability and connectivity were not a barrier. The study also uncovered an interest among consumers to stream TV on public transportation and in taxis/rideshare and in autonomous vehicles.

Consumers said they were anticipating that streaming and self-driving vehicles would merge in the future, with many saying if they could stream TV anywhere inside a self-driving vehicle, they would consider doing it through the centre console (41%), on the windshield head-up display projection (24%) or other entertainment screens inside the vehicle (24%). Only 37% said they would not consider streaming TV inside a self-driving vehicle.
Another key finding was that consumers increasingly preferred CTV over traditional TV formats. Three-quarters of consumers currently streamed content at home via their television and 41% currently stream via a smartphone, a five percentage point increase over findings from a Vericast survey conducted in February 2021, when 70% of consumers reported that they were currently using streaming TV services and 68% said they were willing to share data with brands to improve their streaming TV ad experience.

A large majority (78%) of consumers wanted to receive restaurant recommendations and 70% want hotel recommendations via ads while traveling to a new destination. This said Vericast presented a big opportunity for brands to connect with consumers on-the-go through channels such as CTV, email and online advertising. Consumers who commute to work were those most interested in seeing personalised ads, and recommended restaurants and gas stations on their route.

“Technology advancements like 5G and broader accessibility in transportation like self-driving cars will continue to increase availability of streaming TV options among consumers,” said Michelle Engle, chief product officer at Vericast. “While CTV has been an important marketing channel in recent years, it’s becoming even more critical to omnichannel strategies. With consumers looking to stream more outside of their homes – and new types of connectivity coming into play – brands should evaluate how they’re incorporating CTV into their marketing mix to drive further engagement.”