Consumer Media Consumption will Splinter by 2015: Report
By 2015, consumers will have morphed their media use into four scenarios that align with their attention spans, personal tastes, information needs and technological savvy, according to a new report commissioned by Unilever, Mindshare and ESPN.
This look into the future finds a splintering of media use and explores how marketers and agencies must evolve and redefine marketing strategies to meet these new segments and understand the role media could play in consumer’s lives five years from now.
“In an environment where connecting with consumers becomes the paramount challenge, it is more important than ever for us as a brand marketer to explore consumer behavior and media interaction,” Unilever’s North America media director Rob Master said in a release. “Even though the future may be unpredictable, it is not usually random or chaotic. In this way, scenario planning allows us to understand how media, and consumer reaction to it, might look in 2015 and what our strategy should be.”
The four scenarios are:
Tons of Twitter is a future where media access is unbridled and consumer attention is highly fragmented. Consumers frequently access information and entertainment, communicate with others and express themselves, and they do this across a wide range of sources and applications seamlessly from multiple locations. Because of the always-on nature of this scenario, there is an expectation that services, promotions and communications from brands will be tailored to time and place.
Portal of Me is a scenario in which media access always remains on, but consumer attention is narrowed and focused. While media is a constant companion for consumers, it is customized and filtered by third parties that tailor the information based on preferences stated and learned. Although privacy and control are trade-offs in this scenario, consumers know the value of their data, and trust and loyalty run strong. Brands are challenged by being on the outside of consumer media bubbles, but there is great opportunity for those that are permitted access.
Media Buffet is a future of highly fragmented consumer attention and restrained media access as consumers dip in and out of media, taking whatever catches their eye. They use multiple devices to sample multiple sources, but their appetites are limited, possibly due to a lack of trust in media and marketers. Though consumers are careful about whom they trust; they will draw on media industry and user-developed content even-handedly if it helps them get the information or entertainment they need. Brand marketers are challenged to deliver spot-on information via multiple channels.
Traditional New Media is the most passive of the scenarios in which consumer attention and media access are limited. Media consumption is habitual and linear, existing among few sources and in its designated time and place. Consumers care about utility and entertainment more than connectivity and engagement, and they expect brand messages to fit into their world.
The sponsors of the report, Media 2015: The Future of Media, plan to focus primarily on a course of action comprising four basic elements: create dynamic content; aggregate to meet demand; balance data with trust; and integrate media consumption early.
