ACUMEN

YOUTH VIDEO DIET

R E P O R T

W H A T I S T H E

ACUMEN REPORT?The ACUMEN REPORT is DEFY Media’s annual research study

delivering insight on the youth audiences we connect with through our

brands and original content. DEFY’s programming strengths include

both Millennials and Gen Z but we focus our research on 13–24 year

olds. We feel teens are the best predictors of future trends, and young

adults are participating in what’s trending today.

DEFY Media’s previous Acumen Report, Constant Content,

reported how digital media attracts more youth for more hours

than TV and digital celebrities have greater appeal and relevance

for youth than traditional TV and movie stars. This year we wanted

to dig deeper and explore the complete “video diet” for today’s

youth. We sought to understand the role of video in youths’

everyday lives, how each source—be it digital, terrestrial, paid,

free, new or old—is used, and if advertising impacts use of any

particular sources.

We found video is not just entertainment. With its broad content

offerings and on-the-go accessibility, video is meeting needs

beyond amusement and passing the time. Video is educational,

stress-relieving, and—most importantly—keeps youth connected

and included among their peers.

We also learned that—while youth don’t like watching ads any

more than adults—not all advertising leaves an unpleasant

aftertaste. Advertising is onerous only when it’s a barrier to

fulfilling needs and, in the right context, today’s youth are quite

willing to consume the ads being served.

A C U M E N R E P O R T

YOUTH VIDEO DIET

“When you think of Vines, you think

of funny, hilarious… just humor that’s

from the 21st Century.“

- Madeline, 13

“Netflix would be the main

course, because that’s where

you can find more mainstream

videos that are directed and

professionally put together.”

- Anton, 19

YOUTUBE NETFLIX

CABLE/SATELLITE TVFACEBOOK

INSTAGRAMSNAPCHAT

BLU-RAY/DVDVINE

HULUDIGITAL BUY/RENT

AMAZONTWITTERTUMBLR

HBO NOW / SHO.COMTWITCH

SPORTS APPS SLING TV

85%66%62%53%37%33%33%27%25%22%19%19%14%12%10%9%2%

A C U M E N R E P O R T

DIGITAL DOMINATES THE MENU

#

! HOW WE DEFINED VIDEO “Movies, TV shows, shorts, clips, music videos, fails, pranks, etc. We do NOT mean videos showing your friends, family, or

other people you know personally. DO NOT include time reading posts or other activities that aren’t video watching.”

HOW WE DEFINED TV Paid cable/satellite TV – live, DVR, app (free with paid TV subscription)

A C U M E N R E P O R T

NOT JUST SNACKING ON SOCIAL

The average youth consumes 12.1 hours per

week of “free” digital video, and many consume

an additional 8.8 hours of subscription digital

video. TV garners just 8.2 hours weekly, with far

fewer youth watching it compared to digital.

Although social video is the new kid on the block, it’s more than a

snack at 5.9 hours weekly. These hours exclude videos made by

friends and family, but loved ones rarely make the cut. Most are

watching digital celebs (25%) or people they don’t know (25%), and

just 15% primarily view videos from friends and family on social.

SOCIAL Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter

FREE YouTube, Vine, Twitch

SUBSCRIPTION Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Sling, HBO/SHO, Sports apps

CABLE/SATELLITE TV Live, DVR, app

12.1

HOURS

91%

88%

76%

62%

5.9

6.2

8.8

8.2

USING

HOURS PER WEEK

VIDEOS USUALLY WATCHED ON SOCIAL

BRANDS 6%

TV/MOVIE CELEBS

12%

SPORT CELEBS

5%

DIGITAL CELEBS

25%

MUSICIANS 12%

FRIENDS & FAMILY

15%

PEOPLE NOT KNOWN PERSONALLY

25%

A C U M E N R E P O R T

ROUND-THE-CLOCK SATISFACTIONIt’s not too surprising that 93% of youth have access to

smartphones and 63% to tablets. But who doesn’t love

mobile? Maybe grandparents—but mobile is definitely

necessary for youths’ 24-hour video meal plan.

Mobile means youth no longer are constrained to the home

in order to satisfy their video hunger. Although watching

peaks in the traditional day-parts of after school/work and

after dinner, no small number of youth are sneaking some

video time at work or school.

65%

“First thing in the morning:

check my Facebook, check

my Instagram. During my

lunch break, I’ll do Netflix.

And then before bed I’ll

do Netflix.”

- Ileana, 22

BEFORE WORK/ SCHOOL

42%AT WORK/ SCHOOL

62%BREAKS/ LUNCH

81%AFTER WORK/

SCHOOL

52%DURING DINNER

83%AFTER DINNER

67%FALLING ASLEEP

PEAK DAY-PART

13-18 YEAR OLDS

88%

PEAK DAY-PART

19-24 YEAR OLDS

82%

Boredom killer / Time filler

Keep up with shows, sports, YouTubers, etc.

Stress relief / Wind down from day

Stay up-to-date on latest videos or events

Spend time with others / Family time

Mood lifter/changer

Learn how to do something

Fall asleep

Background noise

Power up / Get energized

77%

63%

61%

60%

58%

57%

47%

44%

33%

25%

With video accessible all day, every day, it’s proving itself

as more than a source of entertainment or distraction. It’s

a lifestyle tool connecting youth to friends and family and

helping them manage the ups-and-downs of everyday life.

Connection is key—because youth say keeping up with

the latest viral videos and digital celebs is necessary for

maintaining bonds with peers.

In most situations youth use a digital source to satisfy their

needs, but TV rose to the top for satisfying family time. It’s

not so much about watching the show, but about spending

time and connecting with others.

“I want to be distracted from

being bored. TV is always

there…it’s easy to use and I

don’t have to think too hard

about it.”

- Paige, 21

“I depend entirely on

tutorials…and if I got stuck

on my projects just because

I didn’t have the right

YouTube tutorials, I’d be

really mad.”

- Sadie, 17

A C U M E N R E P O R T

REASONS YOUTH WATCH VIDEOS

DEFY’s Constant Content study showed digital

is preferred by youth over TV because it better

suits their lifestyles and has more relatable

content. This year’s study continues to see

cable/satellite TV consumption decline with

age and an uptick in use of subscription and

free digital video.

A C U M E N R E P O R T

DIGITAL VIDEO TASTES BETTER

“For TV, you have channels

but you’re limited to that. On

YouTube I can just look up

what I’m interested in.”

- Leah, 16

“There’s nothing good on

TV these days, especially

when you can find much

better content on YouTube.”

- Sadie, 17

SOCIAL Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter

YOUTUBE

NETFLIX

CABLE/SATELLITE TV 13-15 Years 16-18 Years 19-21 Years 22-24 Years

Use of Top Video Sources as Youth Age

90%

86%

67%

59%

93%

82%

72%

64%

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Youth see more advantages to digital video than cable/

satellite TV—and cost isn’t the primary reason. Digital

sources are viewed as offering more bang for the buck

and content of greater interest.

Among subscription viewers as a whole 47% pay all or

some of the cost, compared to 37% of TV viewers putting

money toward the cable/satellite bill. Some youth avoid

paying altogether, and instead access subscriptions by

“borrowing” a friend’s password—a practice not frowned

upon by most youth.

HBO/SHO

HULU

AMAZON

NETFLIX

CABLE/SAT TV

56 % 55 %

50 % 41 % 37 %

39 % 37 %

45 % 48 % 63 %

YOUTH PAYS ALL OR SOME

SOMEONE ELSE PAYS

YOUTH “BORROWS”

5 % 8 %

5 % 11 %

<1 %

“My parents pay for Netflix and cable, and if

they stopped paying for them I wouldn’t pay

for cable, but I would pay for Netflix.“

- Jack, 18

Less expensive options available

Not interested in content/shows

Can’t afford

Free video available elsewhere

Can afford but cost not worthwhile

Can only watch at home

40%

24%

24%

19%

18%

12%

“When I get my own place, I

probably wouldn’t pay for TV.

I would just live off of Hulu

because it’s pretty cheap.”

- Jenna, 22

A C U M E N R E P O R T

GOOD TASTE WORTH THE PRICE

REASONS FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT YOUTH DON’T HAVE PAID TV

WHO PAYS FOR SUBSCRIPTION VIDEO AND TV?*

* based to users of source

YouTube is a vital video source for youth but the

phrase, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”

exists for a reason—advertising. So what’s youths’

take on advertising as a trade-off for free video?

A C U M E N R E P O R T

YOUTH WOULD STARVE WITHOUT VIDEO

YOUTUBE NETFLIX

SOCIAL MEDIA FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

SNAPCHAT

TUMBLR

TWITTER

Cable/Satellite TV

“I don’t think I can live without YouTube

because like, everything is on there!”

- Taylor, 16

67% 51%48%

27%

14%

15%

4%

4%

36%

Youth of ALL Ages Can’t Live Without

“I think of the ad as

traffic, and the video is

where I’m trying to get

to and it’s stopping me

from getting there.”

- Julia, 16

“Commercials,” on the other hand, are associated

with TV. They’re seen as facilitating needs—bathroom

breaks, checking social feeds, or chatting with fellow

watchers—rather than interrupting their needs. And

in some cases, commercials are even viewed as

entertainment rather than advertising.

“Commercials are the

Yankees and ads are the

Mudcats. The Mudcats are

our local team and nobody

really likes them.”

- Peyton, 13

“I like the Always

commercials. I don’t think

of them as commercials;

they’re more kind of little

videos…showing something

inspiring.“

- Ileana, 22

USE AD BLOCKERS

52%

A C U M E N R E P O R T

ADS AREN’T THEIR FAVORITE FOODFor Gen Z and late Millennials, “ads” are primarily associated

with digital and tend to have negative connotations. It’s

not that the content of the ads is objectionable, but they

get in the way of fulfilling needs like banishing boredom

and learning how to do something. Over half (52%) of youth

prevent such interruptions by installing ad blockers on their

video devices.

Youth have a strong affinity for digital celebrities

and are more receptive when they understand how

ads help celebs continue to create the videos youth

crave. But, caveat emptor, the digital celeb must be

in character and authentic—otherwise the promotion

might turn sour.

“If I’m on YouTube and I’m on a

channel that I like…I turn my ad

block off because a percentage

of that can actually go to them.”

- Johnny, 17

A C U M E N R E P O R T

HUNGER FOR DIGITAL CELEBS

“I haven’t really thought about it. I don’t

want people to be struggling financially.

I’m like: ‘You’re funny, you’re a good

person; you should get money.’”

- Amber, 17

AGREE DIGITAL CELEBS NEED ADS ON THEIR CHANNELS TO EARN A LIVING

SAY DON’T MIND WATCHING ADS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAVORITE DIGITAL CELEBS

“I think YouTubers can get

so caught up in making

money that they lose their

personality. When it strays

too far from that I wonder:

Are you just doing it because

you were paid to sponsor it?”

- Amanda, 19

63%

58%

5-second intro-screen showing brand sponsor

5-second end-screen advertising the product

Product placement in video

Digital celeb announces brand sponsor in video

Digital celeb demonstrates product in video

15-second preroll

Digital celeb uses product in an off-beat way

30-second preroll

1-minute preroll

89%

88%

87%

87%

87%

80%

78%

67%

53%

ADS THAT ARE “ALWAYS OR SOMETIMES OKAY”

“To even have a story

behind it like, ‘I bought this

pan because Jenna Marbles

dressed up like Rapunzel

and used it,’ that’s more

of a talking point too.”

- Aubrey, 20

A C U M E N R E P O R T

RECIPE FOR ADVERTISING SUCCESSWhile few would say, “I love watching ads,” not all

advertising leaves youth with a bitter aftertaste. They are

much more amenable to formats that don’t interfere with

their need fulfillment. A brief sponsorship announcement

or product integration is favored a lot more than the

traditional preroll.

We partnered with Hunter Qualitative

and Kelton Global to research the Youth

Video Diet. From greater Chicago,

Raleigh-Durham, and Seattle, we selected

54 youth ages 13-24 years to complete

14-day journals chronicling the videos

watched daily and supplying opinions and

information on their habits.

We interviewed 27 of these youth

in-person—eighteen ages 13-17 in “buddy

pairs” and nine ages 19-24 individually. We

followed with an online survey of 1,300

youth ages 13-24 representative of the U.S.

population by age, gender, ethnicity/race,

and parental education.

A C U M E N R E P O R T

METHODOLOGY

For additional insights on youth, please visit:

www.defymedia.com/acumen/acumen-insghts/

DEFY Media is the top digital producer and programmer for 13-34 year olds, as well as the largest owner of YouTube

channels and owned and operated media brands. Each month, DEFY-produced content generates 700 million

video views and reaches 125 million unique viewers across the most popular and relevant platforms.

DEFY Media brands include SMOSH, recently named by Variety as the top influencer for teens; Clevver, the number

one YouTube destination for entertainment news; ScreenJunkies, home of the popular Honest Trailers series;

AWE me, built to amaze, wow, and educate pop-culture super-fans; Made Man, helping men across the country

“Gentle-man Up”; and Break, known for its top program Prank It Forward. Over 90 million social followers have

proven that these brands are vital to audiences who want to connect with their content.

The world’s top brands partner with DEFY to build immersive advertising solutions that deliver unparalleled access

to this influential audience. With uniquely integrated capabilities in content development, studio production,

distribution and promotion, DEFY Media is built for content delivery in the digital age.

A C U M E N R E P O R T

ABOUT DEFY MEDIA

www.DEFYMedia.com

Please visit us at:

CONTACTS

Andy Tu, Executive Vice-President Marketing, atu@defymedia.com

Nichole Becker, Vice-President Research, nbecker@defymedia.com