Insights: Disney identifies 4 audience types in streaming landscape

Why it is the topic trending:

• Insight into Streaming Consumer Behavior: Disney, a major player in the streaming industry, sharing its research on audience segments provides valuable insights into how consumers engage with streaming content.

• Segmentation for Advertisers: Identifying these audience types is specifically aimed at helping advertisers target their campaigns more effectively within the streaming environment.

• Global and EMEA Trends: The research covers a significant global sample, including specific trends emerging in the EMEA region, offering a broad perspective on streaming consumption.

• Emerging Viewing Habits: The identification of trends like "event streaming," "big bingeing," and interest in "niche" content highlights evolving viewing habits among streamers.

• The "Human-Tech Touch": The finding about the desire for recommendations from friends and family alongside algorithms emphasizes an important aspect of user experience in streaming.

Overview:

Disney Advertising has identified four key audience segments prevalent in the streaming landscape to aid advertisers in targeted campaigns: "social shapers," "reflective explorers," "empathetic escapists," and "comfort connectors." These segments were detailed in Disney's "Generation Stream: Global Edition" research presented at Advertising Week Europe. The study, which surveyed 15,000 respondents across 14 global markets (including five in EMEA), also highlighted emerging trends in EMEA viewership, such as event streaming, big bingeing, and interest in niche content, as well as the importance of the "human-tech touch" in content recommendations.

Detailed findings:

• Disney identified four audience segments in streaming: "social shapers," "reflective explorers," "empathetic escapists," and "comfort connectors."

• Social shapers (animation, reality TV): want to keep up with popular culture and share viewing on social media.

• Reflective explorers (nostalgia, documentaries, soaps): are engaged but more subdued, leaning into familiar content.

• Empathetic escapists (anime, sci-fi, fantasy, superhero): value alone time and watch content late at night, seeking empathy through characters.

• Comfort connectors (comedies, romantic dramas, crime, history): skew female and look for content to enhance their mood.

• The "Generation Stream: Global Edition" research covered 14 markets globally and surveyed 15,000 respondents.

• Event streaming is a rising trend in EMEA, with 65% streaming "big events" with friends and family.

• Big bingeing (watching three hours or more of the same content) is popular, with 23% self-identifying as big bingers and 69% bingeing weekly.

• 30% of participants like niche content, representing a "different kind of collective viewing" globally.

• There's a growing interest in audio content rendered visually, particularly video podcasts.

• 76% of participants want video recommendations incorporating shows and films watched by friends and family, highlighting the need for a "human-tech touch."

Key takeaway:

Disney's research provides valuable insights into the diverse motivations and viewing habits of streaming audiences globally and within EMEA, offering a framework for advertisers to better target their content and highlighting the evolving trends in how people consume streamed video.

Main trend:

The Granular Segmentation of Streaming Audiences

Description of the trend (please name it):

The Personalized Stream Spectrum: This trend describes the increasing sophistication in understanding and categorizing streaming audiences beyond basic demographics. Content providers and advertisers are moving towards more nuanced segmentations based on viewing motivations, content preferences by genre, engagement behaviors (like social sharing or solo viewing), and even contextual factors like time of day or social setting. This detailed understanding allows for more effective content curation, personalized recommendations, and targeted advertising within the diverse and expansive streaming landscape.

What is consumer motivation:

• Social Validation and Connection: "Social shapers" are motivated by a desire to stay current with trends and connect with their social circles through shared viewing experiences.

• Comfort and Familiarity: "Reflective explorers" seek comfort and engagement through familiar content that evokes nostalgia or provides informative depth.

• Emotional Resonance and Escapism: "Empathetic escapists" are motivated by finding emotional connections with characters and worlds that offer an escape from reality, often during solitary viewing times.

• Mood Enhancement and Positive Reinforcement: "Comfort connectors" use streaming content as a tool to improve their mood and seek genres that provide lightheartedness or positive emotional experiences.

• Shared Experiences and Community: The rise of event streaming reflects a motivation for shared viewing experiences with loved ones, mirroring traditional appointment viewing but in a more flexible format.

• Personal Interests and Identity: The popularity of niche content highlights a desire to see personal passions and interests reflected in their viewing choices, connecting with global communities around specific topics.

What is driving trend:

• Data Analytics and Research: Streaming platforms have access to vast amounts of data on user behavior, enabling detailed analysis and segmentation.

• Need for Targeted Advertising: As the streaming market becomes more competitive, advertisers are seeking more effective ways to reach specific audience segments.

• Content Personalization Efforts: Platforms aim to enhance user engagement and retention by providing personalized content recommendations.

• Understanding Evolving Viewing Habits: Research like Disney's helps the industry understand how and why people are watching streaming content.

• Technological Advancements: Tools for audience measurement and analysis are becoming more sophisticated, allowing for deeper insights.

What is motivation beyond the trend:

Beyond the immediate motivations for choosing specific types of content, this trend reflects a broader desire for personalization and relevance in all aspects of media consumption. Viewers want content that aligns with their individual needs, interests, and emotional states, and the streaming landscape is evolving to meet these demands with increasing precision.

Description of consumers article is referring to:

• Age: The study includes a broad age range, with specific mention of "big bingeing" being popular across generations. The "comfort connectors" segment skews towards female, but specific age demographics for each segment are not detailed.

• Gender: "Comfort connectors" skew female, but the gender breakdown of other segments is not provided.

• Income: The study participants are described as streaming consumers across 14 global markets, suggesting a wide range of income levels.

• Lifestyle: Individuals who actively engage with streaming platforms for entertainment and information, with diverse motivations ranging from social connection and escapism to seeking comfort and exploring personal interests.

Conclusions:

Disney's research provides a valuable framework for understanding the diverse audience segments within the streaming landscape and highlights key emerging trends in EMEA, emphasizing the importance of both data-driven insights and the "human touch" in shaping the future of content consumption and advertising in the streaming era.

Implications for brands:

• Tailored Advertising Strategies: Advertisers can use Disney's audience segments to develop more targeted and effective advertising campaigns on streaming platforms.

• Understanding Content Preferences: Knowing the content preferences of each segment can help advertisers align their brand messaging with relevant programming.

• Leveraging Emerging Trends: Brands can tap into trends like event streaming and niche content to reach specific audience groups in engaging ways.

• Incorporating the "Human-Tech Touch": Advertisers might consider how to integrate personalized recommendations or social endorsements into their streaming campaigns.

Implication for society:

• More Personalized Content Experiences: The increasing understanding of audience segments could lead to more personalized and relevant content recommendations on streaming platforms.

• Potential for Echo Chambers: Highly personalized content delivery could also contribute to filter bubbles and echo chambers if not carefully managed.

Implications for consumers:

• Potentially More Relevant Ads: Consumers might see more advertisements that align with their interests and viewing habits.

• Enhanced Content Discovery: A better understanding of audience segments could lead to improved algorithms for content discovery.

Consumer Trend (name, detailed description):

The Motivation-Based Viewing Experience: Consumers are increasingly curating their streaming experiences based on their specific motivations at any given time, whether it's to socialize, relax, escape, learn, or simply find comfort. This drives the demand for diverse content and personalized recommendations.

Consumer Sub Trend (name, detailed description):

The Blended Collective and Individual Viewing: Streaming consumers are engaging in both collective viewing experiences (like event streaming with friends and family) and highly individual, solitary viewing patterns, highlighting the flexible nature of on-demand content consumption.

Big Social Trend (name, detailed description):

The Data-Driven Personalization of Experiences: Various industries, including media and entertainment, are increasingly leveraging data analytics to personalize consumer experiences, tailoring content, products, and recommendations to individual preferences.

Worldwide Social Trend (name, detailed description):

The trends identified in Disney's research, such as binge-watching, interest in niche content, and the desire for personalized recommendations, are broadly consistent with global streaming consumption patterns.

Social Drive (name, detailed description):

The Pursuit of Relevant and Engaging Content: Consumers are driven by a desire to find content that resonates with their interests, needs, and emotional states, leading to the demand for personalized and diverse streaming options.

Learnings for brands to use in 2025 (bullets, detailed description):

• Audience Segmentation is Crucial: Understand the different types of streamers and their motivations for watching content.

• Content Alignment Matters: Match your advertising with content that is relevant to the specific audience segment you are trying to reach.

• Consider Contextual Advertising: Recognize that viewing habits can vary based on time of day, social setting, and individual mood.

• Don't Underestimate Social Recommendations: Explore ways to incorporate the "human touch" into your advertising strategies.

Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025 (bullets, detail description):

• Develop Audience-Specific Ad Creative: Tailor your advertisements to resonate with the motivations and content preferences of each of Disney's identified audience segments.

• Target Campaigns Based on Viewing Behavior: Utilize the data insights from streaming platforms to target your ads to users who engage with specific genres and types of content.

• Explore Partnerships with Content Creators: Collaborate with creators whose content aligns with specific audience segments to reach viewers more authentically.

• Investigate Social Endorsement Opportunities: Consider how to ethically and effectively incorporate recommendations from friends and family into your advertising strategies on streaming platforms.

Final sentence (key concept) describing main trend from article:

Disney's identification of distinct audience segments and emerging viewing trends in the streaming landscape underscores the increasing need for a nuanced and data-driven understanding of how consumers engage with on-demand video content.

What brands & companies should do in 2025 to benefit from trend and how to do it:

In 2025, advertisers and content creators should leverage the granular segmentation of streaming audiences by:

• Utilizing research like Disney's to understand the diverse motivations and preferences of streamers: This will enable more effective targeting and content creation.

• Tailoring advertising campaigns and content to specific audience segments: Recognizing that different groups have different needs and interests.

• Exploring innovative ways to incorporate social recommendations and personalized experiences into the streaming environment: Capitalizing on the desire for the "human-tech touch."

Final note:

• Core Trend:

  • Name: The Hyper-Segmentation of Streaming Consumption

  • Detailed Description: The increasing trend towards understanding streaming audiences through highly detailed and motivation-based segments, moving beyond simple demographics to enable more personalized and targeted experiences.

• Core Strategy:

  • Name: Data-Informed Audience Engagement

  • Detailed Description: Brands and content creators should adopt a strategy of leveraging data analytics and audience research to create content and advertising that is highly relevant and engaging for specific segments of the streaming audience.

• Core Industry Trend:

  • Name: The Maturation of the Streaming Advertising Ecosystem

  • Detailed Description: As the streaming market matures, there is a growing focus on developing more sophisticated and effective advertising strategies that move beyond traditional models.

• Core Consumer Motivation:

  • Name: Seeking Personally Relevant and Engaging Streaming Experiences

  • Detailed Description: Consumers are motivated by a desire for streaming content and advertising that is tailored to their individual interests, needs, and preferences, leading to a demand for personalized and relevant experiences.

• Final Conclusion: Disney's research highlights the increasing complexity and sophistication of the streaming landscape. By understanding the diverse motivations and behaviors of different audience segments, advertisers and content creators can develop more effective strategies to engage with viewers in a meaningful and relevant way in 2025 and beyond.

• Core Trend Detailed:

  • Name: The Hyper-Segmentation of Streaming Consumption

  • Detailed Summary: The core of this trend is the move towards a far more detailed and nuanced understanding of streaming audiences, going beyond basic demographic information to categorize viewers based on their specific motivations for watching content, their preferred genres, their engagement patterns (such as social sharing or solo viewing), and even the context of their viewing (time of day, social setting). This hyper-segmentation is being driven by the vast amounts of data available to streaming platforms, the increasing need for advertisers to effectively target their campaigns in a crowded marketplace, and the ongoing efforts of platforms to personalize content recommendations and enhance user engagement. The goal is to move away from broad generalizations about streaming consumers and towards a more precise and actionable understanding of the diverse needs and preferences that drive viewing behavior across the ever-expanding spectrum of streamed content. Disney's identification of specific audience segments like "social shapers" and "empathetic escapists" exemplifies this trend, highlighting the importance of understanding the "why" behind the "what" that people watch.

Source: https://uk.themedialeader.com/disney-identifies-4-audience-types-in-streaming-landscape/