Changing the face of TV: generation Y

In a recent post we looked at how nearly one-quarter of the UK population (23%) have access to four screens at home (TV, computer, smartphone and tablet) compared to only 11% six months ago.

This highlighted just how quickly consumers are changing the ways they take in information and communicate. Also from an agencies point of view we recognise that there is a need for greater volumes of ever more engaging content. One broadcasting show recently accepted this challenge and created a completely new format for interactive TV viewing.

And so, on Friday night as we settled in for a night of rubbish TV, a program caught our eye. Alan Carr’s The Singer Takes It All – dubbed ‘a show like no other’! With a cynical approach, we were expecting another X Factor type show; however, we were to be proven wrong.

The show brought a new TV viewing format to our screens. With the download of an app you could interact with the live show and choose whether or not the singer was a ‘hit’ or a ‘miss’, providing  user interaction like no other has before.

Unlike the voting system we are used to, through phone, text and in some cases social media, this brought a sense of power to the viewer, allowing them to engage and see in real-time how their votes affected the results. The new format appears to have been a success; proudly boasting that over two million viewers had interacted with it via the app. No small feat for a new show that relied heavily on viewer engagement.

The show itself in many ways is irrelevant. However, it does bring focus to a big change in consumer behaviour and how we are interacting. Generation Y has been a term that has been in the industry for a few years, and they are the generation that will fundamentally bring the largest change to the way we communicate.

With an innate familiarity with technology and the speed in which it develops they are leading the way in how we communicate, as well as affecting how other generations take in information.

Whether it is through an app or on a social media platform, they want to feel connected with a brand. They also reportedly comprise more than 50% of the online buying public, so it’s definitely not something that should be overlooked.

More examples of how Generation Y is changing the communications landscape are on the way and it’s important that brands spot these changes, and use them as an opportunity to develop their communication channels.

Pelican Communications are specialists in the environment, food and drink, outdoor and leisure and packaging sectors and offer a range of services such as media relations, brand management, event management and people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.