Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Xmas fails to improve consumers’ connection with Smart TV


Ownership of Smart TVs only increases by 1% from December to January 2012

  • A YouGov survey in November 2011 revealed that 1 in 10 people in the UK owned a Smart TV, but intention to purchase was very low - only 15% of UK consumers said they would own one within the next 12 months 
  • YouGov re-ran the survey in January to see if Xmas would provide a welcome boost – it didn’t. Ownership of Smart TVs in the UK only increased by 1% from Dec to Jan. In contrast HDTV ownership seems much more the rage with ownership increasing by 4% (from 55% - 59%).
  • Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their suitability as gifts and a lower price point, the Nintendo Wii and other games Consoles that can access TV content saw a big uplift in sales/ownership over this period. Wii ownership, for example, increased by 4% 
  • This strongly suggests that games consoles, rather than Smart TVs, will win the battle over which device people will use to access Internet content through their TV
  • For example, ownership of a games console that can access TV programmes in the 18-24 age group jumped from 7% before Christmas to 25% in January
  • The modest increase in Smart TV ownership was mostly driven by males – increasing from 10% to 13% over Christmas and Jan – and those aged 35-44 (also a 3% uplift) 
  • Most worryingly, for the Smart TV industry, there has been no practically no change (1%) in people’s intention to purchase a Smart TV within the next 12 months 
  • Dan Brilot, Media Consulting Director, YouGov, "However, some of the industry’s messaging does seem to be getting through as shown by a thawing in indifference towards Smart TV and a rise in purchase consideration. Prior to Christmas, 52% of the UK population said they definitely would not purchase one but this has dropped to 45%. Similarly, the % saying they are unsure about purchasing one has risen from 16% to 25%."

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