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WILDBRAIN SPARK LAUNCHES NEW RESEARCH REPORT ON THE DIGITAL INFLUENCE OF GENERATION ALPHA

“THE STREAMING GENERATION: Shaping the Future of Family Advertising” examines viewing habits and preferences of the first fully digital cohort of kids

London, UK – 15 July 2021 – WildBrain Spark, the premium kids and family AVOD network and digital studio, has published new research in partnership with Ipsos MORI that explores the influence of Generation Alpha – the first fully digital cohort of kids – and how their viewing habits and preferences impact purchasing decisions in US households. “THE STREAMING GENERATION: Shaping the Future of Family Advertising” report explores key family and kids’ viewing trends, looking closely at everything from what they watch and when, to how and why they do so, and how it shapes brand preferences and purchasing decisions. Gen As are the first generation to be born entirely in the 21st century with their birth years commonly recognized as between 2010 and 2025, with estimations that they could become two billion-strong worldwide in that time.

a collage of an ad, featuring a magazine with The Streaming Generation heading

The  research highlights how kids and families are going ‘back to the future’ by continuing to co-view long-form content on large-screen TVs, but increasingly switching to streamed content from SVOD and AVOD platforms. The results also highlight the growing importance of AVOD platforms for brands and IP owners looking to reach kids and families, and how Generation Alpha – and their parents – are navigating the practically unlimited amount of content available to them on demand.

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

  1. Smart TVs remain the top choice for families when watching children’s shows, films, videos and clips together, with nearly half (46%) of parents doing so.

  2. AVOD is holding strong when it comes to viewing choices. YouTube and YouTube Kids combined is in second place in the list of the most watched streaming services by children (66%), only just beaten by Netflix (69%).

  3. The COVID-19 pandemic has given adults more time to watch TV with their children and in general – 81% of US families watch kids’ content together several times a week or more – with 44% doing so daily.

  4. The ‘together’ trend is set to continue. 84% of parents say the time spent watching with their children is expected to be more, or the same, in the next 12 months.

  5. Approximately one quarter of parents say it’s not very, or not at all likely they’ll be watching linear TV services in the next 12 months, while around seven in 10 parents are expecting time spent watching both SVOD and AVOD services in the next 12 months to remain the same or increase.

  6. Advertising still plays an important role within children’s viewing. Three in five parents (58%) said their children’s viewing preferences have led them to research or buy a product very often, or occasionally, in the six months leading up to June 2021.

  7. A third (33%) of all parents admitted the extent to which their children ask for something always increases when they have seen an ad for it.


OTHER KEY CONTENT FINDINGS INCLUDE:

  1. Top-five content themes parents would like to see more of are: nature and animal conservation (45%), anti-bullying/cyber-bullying (37%), global cultures (e.g. stories about cultures around the world) (35%), race and cultural diversity (34%), and mental health (33%).

  2. The nostalgia factor is a clear driver, with nearly two thirds of parent respondants (64%) agreeing they choose content for their children that reminds them of their childhood, while 62% of parents agree they choose “shows that I used to watch as a child”.

  3. Other things topping the list of factors which influenced content choices were programmes that “make us laugh”, 83%, and “make us happy”, 82%, with 63% seeking out something to “help me forget about my everyday problems”.

Jon Gisby, EVP and Managing Director at WildBrain Spark, said: “These compelling findings not only show the dominance of streaming amongst kids and families particularly on AVOD platforms, but also highlight the ever growing influence of Generation Alpha in the digital home. It’s evident that co-viewing on a big TV screen is a trend that’s here to stay, with families demonstrating a clear leaning towards meaningful, educational and socially-driven content they can experience together. This data provides important insights relevant to brand owners, marketers, and advertisers who need to ensure they are reaching Gen A and their families via premium content on AVOD platforms. Being a positive part of their world through both the shows families watch and the ads they see, is going to be key to any family brand’s success.”

The research methodology

Research was conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of WildBrain Spark to measure family viewing and purchasing behavior, with a focus on streaming services and children’s content across the US and the UK. Interviews in the US were conducted online among 2,009 parents and guardians of children aged two to 12, and among 1,000 parents and guardians in the UK with children the same age.

Where parents had more than one qualifying child, they were asked about the viewing behavior of just one child. Quotas were set on the age of the child about whom the survey was asking, and data was weighted to available population profiles on the age profile of children, and by age, gender and region of the parent population in the US and the UK. Interviews were conducted online in the US from May 27 to June 7, 2021 and in the UK from May 27 to June 4, 2021.

All data in the report relates to US children and their families unless otherwise stated.

For more information, please contact:

Aimee Norman at The DDA Group aimee.norman@ddapr.com +44 (0) 7957 564 050

About WildBrain Spark

WildBrain Spark is an award-winning digital media company and one of the world’s most popular premium kids’ and family networks on AVOD. We offer a highly curated, brand-safe environment, where kids and families can enjoy broadcast-quality content, including TeletubbiesStrawberry ShortcakePeanuts, CaillouInspector GadgetYo Gabba Gabba!, Degrassi, Fireman Sam, SpookizPolly Pocket and more. With more than 173-million subscribers on YouTube and YouTube Kids, we have over 220,000 videos under management, across more than 800 kids’ channels. Our network generates billions of views per month and reaches 1-in-3 kids globally on YouTube every 90 days. WildBrain Spark provides a full service for IP owners looking to connect with global audiences through our expertise in the creation of original content, YouTube channel management and consumer-products synergies. Our advertising sales team provides brands and agencies access to our reserved network and bespoke ad solutions. Based in London, New York and Los Angeles, WildBrain Spark is part of WildBrain Ltd., a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment. Visit us at wildbrain-spark.com.


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