1 in 3 Online Consumers Want to Interact With TV Shows Via a Second Screen

December 7, 2012

This article is included in these additional categories:

Digital | Media & Entertainment | Men | Mobile Phone | Retail & E-Commerce | Technology | Television | Women | Youth & Gen X

Verizon has released new data from its “Borderless Lifestyle Survey,” exploring consumer attitudes to an always-connected lifestyle. Of the many findings, attitudes towards real-time interaction with TV shows prove particularly interesting, as emerging technologies provide another potential activity for so-called “second screeners.” Specifically, 35% of respondents indicated an interest in real-time games and challenges with shows via a second screen, and 32% expressed an interest in the ability to control or influence a TV show’s plot via a mobile phone or tablet. Beyond TV programs, more than one-quarter also said they’d be interested in real-time interaction with TV commercials from a mobile device.

These figures rise among a subset of consumers dubbed “borderless consumers.” According to Verizon, these consumers “use several devices and require connectivity, flexibility and choice whenever and wherever possible. They are defined as consumers who own a laptop or desktop, own a smartphone or tablet, have an internet-enabled device at all times, are motivated to make technology and connectivity upgrades, and are interested in the benefits of a connected home.”

Among borderless consumers, interest in real-time games and challenges with TV shows via a phone or tablet reaches a majority 54%, while nearly half want the ability to control or influence TV shows from a second screen, and 4 in 10 would be keen to interact with TV ads from a phone or tablet.

Lest one think these borderless consumers represent just a small portion of society, Verizon refers to previous survey results indicating that they account for 39% of adults. They skew slightly female (53%), and have a higher-than-average incidence among Millennials (46%), and Generation Xers (47%).

Borderless consumers, unsurprisingly, are likely to engage in a number of connected activities at home. 95% access their personal email, an impressive 91% shop online, and 86% bank online. 63% also stream movies or TV shows (e.g., Netflix, Hulu, or FiOS Flex View), compared to 44% of their non-borderless counterparts. Still, that doesn’t lessen their love for TV, despite some indications that Netflix users spend less time with TV. In fact, borderless consumers are as likely as non-borderless consumers to say they still love watching live shows on the TV (89% and 90%, respectively). Apparently, they would just like the option of interacting with those shows, too.

About the Data: The data is based on 5 surveyed conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Verizon from among US adults aged 18 and older (Sep-Nov, 2012). Each survey had a minimum of 2,000 respondents but are not based on probability samples and therefore no estimates of theoretical sampling error are calculated.

Chart-Library-Ad-1

Explore More Articles.

Which Skills Are Important in RevOps?

Which Skills Are Important in RevOps?

9 in 10 RevOps professionals view data analysis skills as being important, a high percentage also don’t believe they need this skill for their job.

Marketing Charts Logo

Stay on the cutting edge of marketing.

Sign up for our free newsletter.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This