by Tobi Elkin, Staff Writer @tobielkin, February 3, 2017

As millions of people across the U.S. prepare for Super Bowl VI this Sunday, so are advertisers, of course. Whether they’re finalizing cross-screen campaigns to supplement their television buys or looking for additional ways to interact with viewers, one thing they want to know is: Where will consumers’ eyes truly be during the game?

Probably all over the place. Glancing at massive TV screens, down at phones, scrolling through feeds, maybe on a tablet. Popping a few Snapchats. Taking selfies. Taking pictures of TV images. Running toward the food.

Ad-tech firm AdColony, formerly known as Opera Mediaworks, took a shot at the question of where consumers’ eyes will be. It surveyed over 900 consumers across its platform to understand their interest in the game and what they’ll be doing Sunday afternoon. Here are a few highlights AdColony shared:

— Both the majority of women and men stated that they plan to tune in to the game. In total, 72% of women and 88% of men surveyed will be watching.

Demographic Appeal:
— While a majority of each age group will be watching, Centennials were the least likely to tune in, followed by Millennials. The Millennial finding is a bit surprising. Baby Boomers and Generation X were the most likely to watch. This suggests that advertising on TV alone may not be the best tactic for brands looking to reach younger audiences. Duh.

Multi-Device Viewing:
— While the survey found there’s no doubt that TV will be the go-to device for watching the game despite the growing prominence of cord-cutting, it’s hardly the only device that viewers will be using to follow along. In fact, a majority will be watching on multiple devices, and 10% won’t use televisions at all. Interesting. RTBlog suspects that 10% is actually much higher.

Multitasking on Mobile:
— With multiple devices available, multitasking is inevitable. AdColony found only 40% of viewers plan to give the game their focused attention. That sounds about right, and maybe a little high. The majority of viewers admitted that they will likely be on their mobile devices, and that a majority of their time will go to playing mobile games, browsing social media, checking out news apps, and messaging their friends. That makes advertising in these app categories during the game a good opportunity for brands.

MediaPost.com: Search Marketing Daily

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