WildBrain has launched the results of new research which highlights the evolving content-viewing habits of US families.
The new research – called The Connected Family: Screentime is Bonding Time – was commissioned by WildBrain and conducted by research company Savanta.
It explores the perceptions and preferences of US families around the content they watch and games they play, as well as the value for families of watching and gaming together as bonding activities, plus how families recognise and engage with the brands they see.
The research – which surveyed approximately 2,100 parents and children in the US – points to the shared experience of watching content with their children as an activity parents value as a key part of family life.
It shows that families rate watching content together to be their third-most important bonding activity after only mealtime and travelling together, and ahead of experiences like sports, arts and crafts, theme parks, concerts, museums and shopping.
Family viewing is especially important to younger parents, the majority of whom (71% Gen Z and 61% Millennials) watch content together with their kids at least once a day, while Gen X parents (49%) appreciate that it provides a low-effort way to bond with their children. The findings also show that family viewing goes beyond just having videos play in the background, with the majority of parents (89%) actively watching the same screen or device as their children.
Parents also expressed that nostalgia and familiarity are key drivers in decision making when choosing which content to watch.
In gaming, the research shows that Roblox is the top choice for families – it provides opportunities for bonding through interactive play and is entertaining while also offering educational value. It is also a game that benefits from character familiarity and brand crossover, leading to stronger affiliation. Roblox is the top platform for kids (69%), followed by Minecraft (63%) and Fortnite (55%). Kids aged 9-12 are the most active Roblox players (76% using the platform), while teens aged 13-15 are the most active users on Fortnite (65%).
Children aged 6-15 trust YouTube the most to tell them what video games to play, while YouTube is the primary destination for watching gaming-based content. More than 70% of children like to see their favorite video and gaming characters on YouTube.
The research further shows that brands looking to engage with parents and kids should adopt cross-platform brand-integration strategies that contemplate leveraging the reach of YouTube, gaming, FAST and AVOD.
“Building off our research from last year, it’s striking to see in our new research just how important content-viewing and gaming time have become to families,” commented Emma Witkowski, vp media solutions at WildBrain. “Screentime isn’t just for babysitting anymore – it has become an important bonding experience, and parents are just as engaged in what’s on the screen as their kids, presenting a unique opportunity for brands to engage audiences and generate interest.”
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