Study: Families are turning away from linear TV for kids and family content

According to a survey by Future Today, a provider of family-focused AVOD services, families — typically the target audience for primetime TV — are losing interest in linear children’s television and family content.

“More and more families have completely transitioned away from traditional linear television,” said Vikrant Mathur, co-founder of Future Today. “As this has happened, it’s important to better understand how families view content and what advertising experiences they find worthwhile, especially as ad-supported video-on-demand viewership soars in the US.”

Key findings from the Future Today study include:

More than 60% have completely severed the cable
According to Future Today research, parents who stream kid- and family-centric programming are unique, young, diverse, and more engaged audiences than the average streamer.

Almost two-thirds (62%) have no access to linear television and 90% say they rarely watch it. In addition, 85% of the parents of the families surveyed are between 25 and 44 years old. Thirty-six percent also tend to identify as Black, while 78 percent tend to identify as Hispanic. Finally, 98% of families surveyed say they enjoy watching TV, and 81% agree that television is their preferred form of entertainment, making it an important channel for advertisers.

“For advertisers trying to reach diverse and engaged audiences, buying child and family-centric inventory presents a great opportunity,” added Mathur.

Children and parents discuss the advertisements they see
Future Today found that ads shown on child- and family-focused streaming programs are targeted and valued across the household, with children being a key decision-maker for purchases and brands.

According to parents, 60% of children who see ads talk to them about the ad afterwards. This includes broader family-based ads in categories like travel, restaurants, groceries, insurance, and auto that aren’t targeted at children, as parents say 88% of kids who see these ads are “engaged,” while more than that Half (52%) ask them to buy what they see.

“Kids are the CEO of the streaming household,” Mathur said. “If a message resonates with them, they raise it with their parents, thereby influencing purchases and brand equity. For brands trying to connect with millennial parents, a presence on Kids & Family channels not only provides a connection to the entire household, but also sparks conversations that create lasting brand equity. ”

More than 300 families were interviewed for the study. Agata.Cat