Do People Really Watching Video on a Mobile Phone?

Recently a client asked me, "Do people really watch video on a smartphone?  Maybe kids, but certainly not people the age of my clients."  

 

Sorry, but the answer is yes they do.

 

Below is information from an article on eMarketer.com on this topic.  It is dated Q2 2012, so I imagine the numbers have continued to grow.

Among other findings:

• “The growth of the mobile video audience is impressive. eMarketer expects the number of smartphone video viewers in 2014 to hit nearly 87 million, or more than one-quarter of the total US population.”
• “In Q2 2012, the average US mobile subscriber spent 5 hours and 20 minutes per month watching video on a mobile phone, according to Nielsen.”
•  “Mobile video advertising serves several potential objectives and offers a number of possible benefits for marketers, including: It cuts through the clutter.”
• “Multitasking is the enemy of branding. The requirements for branding include full-screen, immersive content,” said Ujjal Kohli, CEO at Rhythm NewMedia. “The stunning thing about tablets and smartphones is that somehow these systems have been designed to single-task when video is played. And it’s full-screen.”

As you can see in the chart below, the “average” consumer spends 5 hours and 20 minutes per month watching video on a mobile phone.  And while consumers ages 12-17 age lead the way with 7 hours 10 minutes per month, every age group admits to spending time watching video on a mobile device.  This research is one of the reasons we are streaming our newscasts online. 

 

“The very best marketing comes from observing consumer behavior and inserting your message into their behavior.”