Consumers receptive to mobile ads while watching TV, before bed

Consumers are more receptive to mobile ads in front of the TV and in the moments before they fall asleep in bed, according to a survey from mobile ad platform Aki Technologies.

The company contracted audience marketplace Lucid to conduct an online survey of 1,000 U.S. adults in November 2018.

More than half of respondents (59 percent) said that they pay attention to mobile ads while at home watching the big screen and 51 percent said they were receptive to them in bed.

The survey also found that different generations pay attention in different ways. For example, Millennials are 7 percent more likely to be receptive to ads in front of the big screen, while Boomers were 6 percent less.

Consumers said they are receptive to mobile ads while watching television and in bed before sleeping. Source: Aki Technologies

Why you should care

Marketers are increasingly looking for ways to round out their customer view by analyzing metrics like consumer sentiment, intent and emotions. Though this survey provides only a small snapshot of user receptivity, it points to a metric that could be just as valuable.

“Understanding the various states or ‘moments’ is critical to delivering a message that the consumer will be receptive to,” said Richard Black, Aki’s CMO.

Even though consumers are using two devices at a time, they say they aren’t distracted away from mobile ads.

“TV advertisers need to realize that the second screen is equally important to the flatscreen,” Black said. “Brands must include mobile in their media mix—it’s not optional or experimental anymore. We all have these devices in our hands at all times. So marketers should be looking for unique ways to take advantage of that and get creative in how they appeal to us on these hand-held, always-on content-delivery platforms.”

Conor Ryan, CIO of ad automation platform StitcherAds, agreed.

“Advertisers are missing opportunities to transcend the big screen by encouraging interaction with branded content on their smartphones,” Ryan said.

Advertisers should also note that receptivity to mobile ads shifts between generations and plan placements accordingly.

More from the study

• More than half of the survey respondents said that brand familiarity (54 percent) and interesting creative (52 percent) captured their attention.
• The survey found that though the factors that motivate attention are consistent, they are less effective for customers who define themselves as being “on the go.”

About The Author

Robin Kurzer

Robin Kurzer started her career as a daily newspaper reporter in Milford, Connecticut. She then made her mark on the advertising and marketing world in Chicago at agencies such as Tribal DDB and Razorfish, creating award-winning work for many major brands. For the past seven years, she’s worked as a freelance writer and communications professional across a variety of business sectors.