Media Analysis - Giraffe Insights explains why Europe is at a digital online tipping point

MEDIA ANALYSIS Europe’s digital

online tipping point online tipping point

We are undeniably in a moment of rapid societal change - and kids and family viewing is no exception, says Giraffe Insights managing director Maxine Fox

Prior to Covid-19 we had been moving towards a digital future, with kids watching more and more content on digital rather than linear platforms. The pandemic accelerated this trend, and now we are at the tipping point. But what does this digitalisation of viewing actually mean for how brands, broadcasters and content creators distribute content and market to kids?

Our The Critical Media Point study indicates that across nine European markets, 56% of kids are watching content digitally on a regular basis - just 4% less than those regularly watching content on linear TV.

Even in more traditionally linear dominated markets such as Poland, Italy and Belgium, the gap between linear and digital viewing is narrowing. It looks like we are fast approaching an era of digital dominance across Europe, sooner than predicted.

Some European markets are already at the point of no return, with digital dominating kids viewing experiences. The UK has seen SVOD [Subscription Video On Demand] viewing fi gures rapidly overtake linear, with more than two-thirds of UK children regularly viewing SVOD content, compared with fewer than 50% engaging with linear.

The Netherlands and Germany are not far behind the UK. In fact, they are just peering over the precipice, with SVOD viewing nearing 60%, while linear is falling to 50%.

So, what has tipped so many European markets over the edge? Lockdown and restrictions

certainly had a signifi cant impact. “Across Europe kids have, of course, been spending more time at home, unable to follow their normal weekday routines. Instead of engaging with scheduled linear TV they are looking to SVOD and online content to immediately fulfi l their needs.

But does increased viewing equal increased impact? Although digital viewing reigns supreme in a selection of markets, TV shows and adverts are still kids’ main source of purchase/gift inspiration. Across Europe, 50% of children get their inspiration for gifts from TV shows and adverts, over and above more traditional sources such as shops (35%) and friends (29%). TV’s infl uence over gift/purchase inspiration is even more signifi cant when compared with the infl uence of digital, with just 25% getting inspiration from online searches and a third being motivated by YouTube ads and YouTube videos.

Linear TV has the most signifi cant infl uence in Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, despite some of these markets (particularly the UK and Germany) being well past the digital tipping point when it comes to viewing. This is because although we see linear viewing in decline, it is still the primary source of kids’ inspiration.

Understanding the balance between viewing and infl uence is important for brands looking to enter specifi c markets. As the fi ndings of The Critical Media Point study suggest, identifying the platform that has the most infl uence might be more fruitful than the platform that has the most eyeballs.

Identifying the platform that has the most infl uence might be more fruitful than the platform that has the

most eyeballs “

Prioritising quality viewing

But what makes linear TV currently more infl uential and impactful than digital? The answer is simple: time.

On average, kids across the nine markets covered by The Critical Media Point study spend double the time watching linear TV each day compared with SVOD or online videos. Although they are increasingly likely to watch content on SVOD or online, particularly in digital-fi rst markets like the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, they spend more of their time viewing linear TV.

So, although we are at the edge - or beyond the edge - of a digital tipping point in many markets, linear TV is still king when it comes to viewing time and impact.

It is a destination where many kids still start their journey with their favourite shows and in particular their adoration of funny cartoons. According to our Kids and the Screen study, shows on linear channels that remain fi rm favourites include established brands such as The Simpsons, Tom & Jerry and Mr. Bean.

Across digital we see different content needs being fulfi lled, with fi lms viewed as a family on SVOD platforms, and content that is more targeted to kids’ interests being most successful online.

Looking ahead, it’s likely that the time kids spend watching online content and SVOD will increase as we move closer and closer to a totally digital future. In the next couple of years, digital may become the primary source of quality viewing time.

And with many SVOD platforms currently uncommercialised, this will have a great impact for brands and where we will likely see the growth in AVOD [Advertising-Based Video on Demand] platforms continue. But for now, it’s vital for content makers, broadcasters and marketers to understand how close different markets are to reaching the digital tipping point, and the impact of these viewing occasions on kids purchase/gift inspiration. To fi nd out more about how you can access data from The Critical Media Point study, contact Giraffe Insights at info@giraffeinsights.co.uk.