Vividata has released the Spring 2024 update of its Study of the Canadian Consumer (SCC) of the media and consumer habits in Canada. The study from the Canadian media and consumer research firm includes new consumer trends and opinions on targeted ads, autonomous driving and vehicles, gas prices, and children’s TV viewing. It also contains new statements on topics such as investing and banking, trust in social media, luxury products and brands, and travel.
The research involves more than 50,000 annual respondents, with more than 60,000 variables and 4,000-plus brands.
Let’s dig into the numbers.
Findings in the report indicate that the number of Canadians that only watch streaming TV has grown by 59% over the past three years, from 23% to 37%. Those that only watch linear TV has dropped from 32% in 2021 to 28% today. The number of Canadians watching both linear and streaming TV has also declined, from 45% to 35%.
The reasons for the increase in streaming TV viewing is partly because older Canadians are now more comfortable with it. The number of Boomers who only stream TV has risen by 93% since 2021. In fact, it has grown across all age groups, including pre-Boomers up by 91%, Gen X up 61%, Gen Y up 36% and Gen Z up by 47%. The time spent watching linear TV has decreased 21% among all Canadian adults since last year, notably Gen Z declined by 32% YoY.
Netflix continues to be the streamer most watched by Canadian adults at 15.4 million with 93% viewing on a large screen. The other popular streamers are Amazon Prime, YouTube, Disney+, Crave TV and Apple TV+. Canadians are watching streaming TV on both small and large screens, from 61% watching Apple TV on both platforms to 51% who watch Netflix on both large and small screens.
The top TV channels watched by Canadian Anglophone adults in an average week include CTV, Global, CBC, Sportsnet, CityTV, TSN, The Weather Network, CBC News Network, HGTV and the Food Network. In francophone Canada, TVA is the overwhelming favourite at 56%, followed by ICI Radio Canada, Noovo, LCN, Tele-Quebec, ICI Radio, MeteoMedia, Canal D and RDS.
Canadian adults spend an average of 25 hours a week online. Those living in Ontario are the most active at 26 hours on any device and 17 hours via mobile while also spending 12 hours weekly with social media. Quebecers spend less time online at 22 hours weekly on any device, 14 hours via mobile and 12 hours with social media.
Online activities vary by age group with Gen Z and Y most likely to participate in nearly all online activities, including social media, messaging, shopping, short-form video, gaming, music streaming, long-form video, podcasts and online radio. Gen Y is most likely to take part in online shopping than any age segment.
Gen Z and Y (41%) still turn to social media as their main source of news with 45% of Gen Z and 40% of Gen Y report that they seek news sources they trust on social media. Nearly half of Gen Z (49%) and 47% of Gen Y say it’s harder to find news they trust on social media today than a year ago.
Ads on streaming video and social media reach up to two in three younger Canadian adults, Gen Z, Y and X, followed by ads on social media, search, email, in an app, website, streaming audio and newspaper or magazine website/app.
Magazines in either print or digital form reach more than three in four Canadians across the country. In the past three months, 79% of adults in Ontario have read a magazine. Quebec follows at 78%, the Prairies 76%, British Columbia 74% and Atlantic Canada at 72%. Of those reader, 43% only read print while 14% say they do so in combination with more than one digital device. Food, travel and health magazines are the most popular areas of interest.
Daily newspapers, either print or digital, reach nearly two in three Canadian adults with 60% accessing newspaper content on a mobile device. Those that have read or accessed a daily newspaper in an average week range from 77% in Victoria BC, 72% in London, 71% in Hamilton, to 70% in Quebec and Ottawa/Gatineau. The lowest percentage of readers seem to live in Atlantic Canada, including 58% in Halifax and 55% in St. John’s. Readers are more active on digital devices on weekdays (45%) than on weekends (36%). Digital reading is most popular with younger adults.
Radio and audio listening is popular with Canadians as 24 million or 77% of adults listen to radio or audio content in an average week. Nearly three in five listen to streamed radio or audio content. While the number of Canadians that only stream radio/audio content increased by 49% over the past three years, conventional radio has stayed relatively stable. Conventional or satellite radio still reach the majority of older Canadians, but those choosing to stream radio is continuing to grow. In-vehicle listening remains the main source of radio or audio each week for 17.8 million Canadians.
Out-of-home advertising is seen by 18 million or 57% of Canadian adults in an average week. Older adults are most likely to notice static OOH while shopping or in roadside environments while younger adults are more likely to notice DOOH ads while in shopping, recreation or transit environments. Gen Z adults (49%) are most influenced by advertising in their purchasing decisions and how they see a brand (47%). Over one in four Zoomers that have seen OOH advertising in an average report making a purchase.
