RTL AdConnect releases annual global TV trends report
Luxembourg, October 16th – TV is in great health as it continues to reinvent itself as part of the total video mix across linear TV, VOD and social media, according to the new TV Key Facts 2019* report from RTL AdConnect.
The TV Key Facts report is published annually, providing analysis of big international trends in TV and online video in terms of consumption, content, advertising effectiveness, spend levels, innovations and ad tech.
Four significant trends are among those to emerge from this year’s edition:
- TV is at the core of video consumption on a global scale.
- The race for ad dollars is at full throttle, leading to more alliances and collaboration
- Global formats continue to outperform others, and reach first place in audience rankings in most countries, while broadcasters and digital players reinforce their investments in local productions
- Broadcasters ally to address the main concerns of our industry: sustainability, brand safety and transparency
The power of quality TV content to engage audiences has boosted viewing around the world. Worldwide daily viewing time for linear TV in 2018 reached an average of 2 hours 55 minutes for all individuals globally, according to RTL AdConnect’s study. This rises to 3 hours 45 minutes in Europe, and 3 hours 54 minutes in North America. Even in Asia, a continent with relatively low TV consumption, people watch an average 2 hours 28 minutes of linear TV each day.
The figures represent a growth of 53 minutes over the last 25 years in Europe.
This rise is also sustaining growth in TV advertising, with more than 165 million TV spots broadcast in Europe in 2018 (an increase of 2,3 million against 2017). In addition, US TV spend grew by 3.7% in 2018.
The growth is largely being driven by the success of event TV across the world, with 187 million viewers watching the FIFA World Cup Final 2018, making it the biggest worldwide audience for a sports event, surpassing the Super Bowl as well as some 155 million viewers watching the 2018 CCTV Spring Festival in China.
Linear TV’s capacity to bring together large audiences for advertisers also continues – 258 million viewers watched TV during prime time in Europe (from a total population of 747 million), while 97 million viewers watched TV during prime time in the US (from a population of 327 million).
The report also shows that changing video consumption behaviour is opening new avenues for brands. TV provides the most efficient and brand-safe way to reach and engage audiences, according to the research, which is crucial in an era where brands have an increased need to invest in brand-safe environments and associate with premium content across all platforms.
2/ Television is thriving in the world of total video – RTL AdConnect releases annual global TV trends report
Despite the rise of mobile and online video, TV continues to account for the majority of people’s “video day”, whether watched live, recorded or online. For example, in Italy, live TV still takes more than 90% of the viewer’s attention. Viewers also remain committed to long-form content. In the UK, 80% of total video time is dedicated to long form content in the form of TV, SVOD, DVD and cinema.
Broadcasters are also betting heavily on VOD, investing more in original production, created specifically for their BVOD [1] platforms.
Stéphane Coruble, Managing Director of RTL AdConnect, said, “In the battle for attention, winners will be those offering great quality content combined with an understanding of the viewer’s tastes and personalised interface. They’re making the unprecedented step of collaborating to deliver content offerings that will fulfill increasing content demand to meet viewers’ expectations – while also addressing the advertisers’ need for more reach, brand safety, transparency and viewability.”
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About The TV Key Facts Report
The TV Key Facts database, now in its 26th year, features TV and digital insights, gathering data from institutes among which Eurodata TV Worldwide, IAB Europe, IHS Markit, Tubular Intelligence, local institutes, and RTL Group calculations. It covers 35 European countries as well as India, China, Japan and the United States. Written in collaboration with independent media consultants as well as experts from audience institutes and production companies, the report provides varied insights into today’s media world. TV Key Facts was first published in 1993.
About RTL AdConnect
RTL AdConnect is the international Total Video sales house of RTL Group and beyond. It provides international advertisers a simplified access to a global premium and brand-safe total video inventory ensuring that the right media decisions are made for pan-European campaigns.
Thanks to its media partners from RTL Group and beyond, RTL AdConnect reaches around 160 million potential consumers in Europe every day. RTL AdConnect offers exclusive solutions around high quality content across an extensive portfolio of media partners consisting of more than 100 TV channels, 300 digital platforms and 30 radio stations in 12 countries. With 360-degree solutions, RTL AdConnect supports brands on every step of the way, offering full support from start to finish, ensuring high reach, deep market insights and cross-screen solutions.
For further information, please contact:
- Carine Jean-Jean, Communications Director: cjean-jean@rtladconnect.com, +33 6 30 51 58 73
- To order a copy of TV Key Facts, please contact: tvkeyfacts@rtladconnect.com
[1] Broadcaster Video-On-Demand
