Researchers estimate that 25-30% of total media time is spent multitasking, and the more media a person consumes, the more likely they will consume several channels at once. Why should marketers care? Because multitasking has a profound impact on consumers' ability to absorb and remember ad messages.
The Multitasking Consumers report explores how the 24-hour-day morphed into something much longer–and that means marketers are facing more complex communications challenges.
According to a 2006 study by Yahoo! and OMD, US consumers now live a 43-hour day filled with more than 16 hours of interaction with media and technology. MTV, meanwhile, in a 2005 study, says the "normal" day lasts 32 hours, with 6.5 hours devoted to various media.
However, as more media floods into consumers' lives, they are finding ways to make room for them. Multitasking is a necessity. As a result, for marketers, "breaking through" to consumers is more difficult than ever.
Key questions the "Multitasking Consumers" report answers:
- How often do teens and adults use two or more media simultaneously?
- Which media are most often consumed simultaneously?
- How is multitasking affecting TV networks and online video sites?
- Are consumers still engaged with media and advertising when they're multitasking?
- And many others...
eMarketer Reports—On-Target and Up-to-Date
The Multitasking Consumers report aggregates the latest data from a wide range of marketing and communications researchers with eMarketer numbers, projections and analysis to provide the information you need to make the right business decisions—right when you need to.
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Researchers estimate that 25-30% of total media time is spent multitasking, and the more media a person consumes, the more likely they will consume several channels at once. Why should marketers care? Because multitasking has a profound impact on consumers' ability to absorb and remember ad messages.
Executive Summary
US Adult Internet Users Who Use Other Media While Going Online, 2006 (millions)
Issues & Questions
The eMarketer View
Key eMarketer Numbers: Multitasking Consumers
US Adult Internet Users Who Use Other Media While Going Online, 2006 (millions)
US Teen* Internet Users Who Use Other Media While Going Online, 2006 (millions)
Time Spent with Media
US Adults
Daily Usage of Select Media by US Adults Ages 25-49, Q4 2004-Q1 2006 (hours:minutes)
Demographic Profile of US Male Adults, by Daily Time Spent with Major Media, January 2006 (minutes)
Demographic Profile of US Female Adults, by Daily Time Spent with Major Media, January 2006 (minutes)
Time Spent Using Select Media among Adult Internet Users Worldwide, July-August 2006 (hours per day)
Time Spent Using Select Technologies among Adult Internet Users Worldwide, July-August 2006 (hours per day)
US Children, Teens and Young Adults
Daily Usage* of Select Consumer Media among US Tween and Teen Consumers, by Age, 2005 (hrs:mins)
Time Spent per Week by US Teens on Select Media and Technology Activities, September 2006 (hours)
Time Spent per Average Weekend vs. School or Work Day by US Teens Watching TV, 2003 & 2006 (hours)
Time Spent Multitasking
Factors Affecting Multitasking Behavior
The Role of the Computer
Multitasking Consumers: Distracted or Connected?
Percent of Total Time Spent on Select Activities during which US Children and Teens Solely Focus on that Activity, 2004
Computers and Other Media
Frequency with which US Teen Consumers Engage in Select Simultaneous Activities While Online, July 2006 (% of respondents)
Frequency with which US Adult Consumers Engage in Select Simultaneous Activities While Online, July 2006 (% of respondents)
Offline Activities that US Teen Internet Users Engage in While Online, 2006 (% of respondents)
Activities that US Heavy* Internet Users Participate in While They Are Using the Internet, by Age, April 2006 (% of respondents)
US Teens and Adults Who Go Online While Simultaneously Engaging in Select Activities, July 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
Computer and Computer
Importance of Instant Messaging for Making It Easy to Stay in Touch with People While Doing Other Things according to US Teen vs. Adult Instant Messaging Users, November-December 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
TV and Multitasking
US Teen Internet Users Who Multitask vs. Focus While Watching TV, by Age and Gender, June-July 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
Multitasking Activities of US Teen Internet Users While Watching TV, by Age and Gender, June-July 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
US Young Adult Internet Users Who Multitask vs. Focus While Watching TV, by Age and Gender, June-July 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
US College Students Who Simultaneously Watch TV While Using a Computer, by Frequency, August 2006 (% of respondents*)
Activities of US Teen Internet Users Who Multitask While Watching TV, by Age and Gender, June-July 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
Activities of US Young Adult Internet Users Who Multitask While Watching TV, by Age and Gender, June-July 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
Multitasking Activities of US Teens While Watching TV, September 2006 (% of respondents)
Select Simultaneous Activities of US Teens and Adults While Watching TV, July 2006 (% of respondents)
How Multitasking Will Impact TV and Online Video
US Online Video Viewers As a Percent of Total Internet Users, 2003-2010
US Online Video Viewers, 2003-2010 (millions)
US Adult Internet Users Who Watch Less TV vs. Two Years Ago, by Age, 2006 (% of respondents in each group)
Multitasking and Advertising
Media Measurement in a Multitasking Environment
Can Advertisers Benefit from Multitasking?
Related Information and Links
Related Links
Suggested Keywords for eStat Database
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Researchers estimate that 25-30% of total media time is spent multitasking, and the more media a person consumes, the more likely they will consume several channels at once. Why should marketers care? Because multitasking has a profound impact on consumers' ability to absorb and remember ad messages.
America Online (AOL)
Associated Press (AP)
Ball State University's Center for Media Design
BIGresearch
Bloomberg News
Bridge Ratings
Burst Media
eMarketer
Harrison Group
HeadlightVision
InsightExpress
Kaiser Family Foundation
Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research, Inc. (KN/SRI)
Los Angeles Times
Myers Publishing LLC
Nielsen Media Research
OMD
Piper Jaffray & Co.
Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB)
Universal McCann
Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS)
VNU Business Media
Yahoo!