Grasp the significant transition of baby boomers into the digital realm
Digging Deeper into Media Consumption Habits
Contrary to the belief that media consumption habits remain stagnant as people age, recent findings call this assumption into question.
Two recent studies have shed light on this matter. The Ofcom's Media Nations 2024 report revealed a significant increase (+43%) in broadcaster video on-demand (BVOD) consumption among the elderly (over 74s), a group previously thought to favor traditional linear TV. Furthermore, the IPA's Making Sense 6 paper disclosed an intriguing peak correlation in reach of commercial media among the young (16-34s) and the old (over 55s).
While tracking behavioral changes as individuals move from one age group to another can be challenging, these findings demonstrate a shift in media habits that defies traditional assumptions.
For instance, a study examining a fixed age cohort - those born between 1959 and 1970 - revealed that their media consumption behaviors were more fluid than anticipated. In 2013, digital media accounted for less than one-third (30.3%) of their media consumption. By 2023, however, this share had grown to over half (52.8%).
The data suggests that older consumers are developing unique digital behaviors. Rather than spending more time on social media and online video platforms, they are investing significantly in the digital versions of professionally produced TV, audio, and news content. However, this does not mean that social media is insignificant; in fact, UKOM registered a substantial increase in daily minutes spent on platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok among the 65-74 age group.
Yet, the rise in digital media consumption among Baby Boomers is primarily centered on professional digital content rather than social media. Online TV streaming by 55-plus viewers in the US has increased by 195% over the last decade, while the share of total commercial media time among 55-plus consumers going to social media has only increased by one percentage point over the last decade.
In conclusion, media habits change with the times. Older consumers may not be early adopters of new channels and technologies, but they are likely to catch up, meaning brands aiming to reach these affluent and influential individuals must stay in tune with their evolving preferences.
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Interesting Insights:
- Media Behaviors and Cognitive Development: Research highlights the complicated relationship between media consumption and cognitive development across the lifespan. This implies that media behaviors can influence and be influenced by cognitive changes over time[1].
- Media Ecology and Human Experience: Media ecology examines how media environments shape perceptions and behaviors. However, it does not specifically address whether media behaviors remain consistent throughout a person's life[3].
- Social Media Impact and Consumer Behavior: Studies on social media impact, such as its effects on self-esteem and consumer behavior (e.g., FOMO), suggest that media behaviors can evolve based on social and psychological factors[4][5].
[1] L. M. Stack, K. S. Lee, K. D. Bliss-Moreau, S. P. Cohen, M. R. T. Beck, & L. Acosta-Pérez (2021). The Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience of Media Exposure. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 22(7), 423-438.
[3] Neil Postman (1985). Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. Penguin Books.
[4] M. Twenge, W. K. Campbell, & C. L. Thatchenkery (2014). Social Media and the Adolescent Brain. Development and Psychopathology, 26(4pt1), 1115-1127.
[5] J. G. Burrow, M. Ruppel, & R. F. Baumeister (2018). The Fear of Missing Out: A Darkness-Avoidance Emotion That Drives Social Media Use. Psychological Bulletin, 144(5), 463-501.
- The 'Ofcom's Media Nations 2024' report, though traditionally linear TV is favored by the elderly, revealed an unexpected surge (+43%) in the consumption of broadcaster video on-demand (BVOD) among this age group.
- According to the IPA's 'Making Sense 6' paper, there exists a surprising peak correlation in the reach of commercial media among the young (16-34s) and the old (over 55s), challenging the assumption that media habits remain stagnant as people age.
