Telecom Lead America: 40 percent of Olympics lovers will
access the world’s best sporting event on two or more devices, according to a
survey by Velti.
35 percent of U.S. adults will turn to their tablet for
news and coverage, while 27 percent will use their smartphone.
The study was commissioned by mobile marketing and
advertising technology provider Velti and conducted online by Harris
Interactive in June among 2,088 U.S. adults.
Among those turning to smartphones or tablets to track
the games, online browsers trump application usage on both devices. Of those
using a smartphone who will follow the Olympics, 77 percent will tune in using
a browser (reading articles/blogs, viewing video clips, streaming live coverage
or via social networking sites) while 63 percent will use an app (specifically
designed for Olympics coverage, general news app or social networking app) for
updates. Among tablet users, 80 percent will use a browser and only 58 percent
will utilize apps.
Of those using a smartphone to follow the games, 45
percent will access video clips and replays, while 41 percent plan to stream
live coverage via a browser. Fifty percent of tablet users will watch videos
and replays on their browser, while 45 percent will stream live coverage. This
is the first year the Olympic Games will stream all 32 sports live.
This survey reveals that a significant number of
Americans are choosing to consume Olympic content on the go, and while doing so
they’re overwhelmingly turning to mobile browsers,” said Krishna Subramanian,
chief marketing officer of Velti.
Further, the Olympic audience is becoming more
fragmented. For brands that want to reach Olympic viewers, this is an important
finding as it highlights the ability to look beyond TV and focus on secondary
devices such as smartphones and tablets,” Subramanian added.
Of those who plan to follow the games on two or more
devices, younger adults are more likely than their older counterpoints to do
so. Of those 18-44 years old, 44 percent plan to use two or more devices while
only 34 percent of those age 55+ plan to. Fourteen percent of U.S. adults who
will follow the Olympic games will do so by using 3 or more devices. Overall,
men are more likely than women to follow the games on three or more devices (18
percent vs. 11 percent, respectively).
According to the survey, 36 percent will follow the games
on a TV and a computer; 11 percent will use a TV and their smartphone; 10
percent will use a computer and their smartphone.
A significant amount (39 percent) of U.S. adults using
their smartphones to follow the games will also be doing so by communicating
with their peers via talk and/or text. Thirty-two percent plan to text with
others about the Olympics, and 21 percent will talk on the phone with others
about the Olympics.
Overall, among men between the ages of 18-34, 83 percent
plan to follow the Olympics at all, vs. only 71 percent of females in the same
age group.
