Jan 30, 2008
What do you do during commercials? 95% not watching
Just read this over at JaffeJuice and Joseph extrapolates that the chance basically only 5% of people with the TV on are actually paying attention to advertisements. Wow, I thought it was only half of advertising that was wasted, we just didn’t know which half 
41.2% are channel surfing, 33.5% talking to others (in the room or on the phone) and 30.2% mentally tune out.
Anyway, I’m not sure how representative I am but I can’t bare to watch television that is not time shifted in some way, in fact if I happen to channel surf and find something I want to watch i’ll pause it, and go an do something else for a while and come back so I can watch it with the option to fast forward. Interestingly I do find myself on occasions rewinding if I see a movie trailer or something I’m interested in.
Source: BigResearch
4 Comments, Comment or Ping
Daniel Riveong
That’s an amazing stat, Karl. I’m curious if the research went into people we were online at the same time they were watching TV. I’ve noticed - at least antidotally - that my friends typically watch TV while also browsing online on their laptops, using commercials as an opportunity to quickly check facebook or some triva re: the sitcom they’re watching.
Feb 8th, 2008
Norwegian clueless
Thats odd.
Coke ran a TV-campaign in Norway, and after a few weeks 95% of the target group knew of the new product. Either cokes research is wrong, or the above mentioned research is wrong. The liking of the campaign was really bad. 51% disliked it hugely. No one liked it.
Perhaps those 5% who “attends FULLY! and truly committed!” are on a rotating shift.
Or perhaps Norwegian are just more attentive to advertising.
Or perhaps this is a bull research.
Perhaps there is difference in what people think they do, and what they actually do.
There’s a lot of ifs here - or ors. Or perhaps perhaps.
Feb 8th, 2008
Samer Marzouq
interesting… commercial break is a good opportunity to things that might distract you from watching TV, like a phone call, or going to the bathroom, or grabbing something to drink, but 95% are wasted! Too much.
Advertisers… Go Online
Feb 9th, 2008
BizGiftGuru
I usually go to bathroom or turn down the sound (as the noise goes up once the commercials are on) …
It however still must be working otherwise there would not be those billions spent on TV ads every year …
Feb 11th, 2008
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