Awards Shows Appeal to a More Diverse Audience

Most shows pushed back their dates in hopes of inperson events effectively spreading the season out compared to the typical year We39ll see if safety protocols and vaccination rates will allow for inperson ceremonies or if awards shows will opt for virtual events like last year39s Emmys I39m curious if awards show viewership will see the same boost general TV viewership has seen since the beginning of the pandemic and if we39ll see a change in who tunes inWith Nielsen claiming viewership of awards shows has been declining for decades especially among US adults aged 1849 I wanted to understand if awards shows have relevance for a broader audience beyond live viewers Social chatter and media coverage certainly suggest this to be the case While headlines tout the demise of awards shows there may be untapped potential for transformation here Is there more of an appetite with a virtual and digital experience now available What could the future of awards shows beTo find out I looked at YouGov Profiles data on the most watched award shows Golden Globe Awards Academy Awards Grammy Awards and Emmy AwardsPeople are three times as likely to express interest in awards shows than the number that actually watch them live That39s a big opportunity for advertisers to reimagine the experience extending reach and relevanceAwards show watchers are much older than the general population over half are 55 or older However the appeal of awards shows is broader than just those who watch the events themselves People interested in awards shows have an age spread closer to total adults although still slightly older By reframing the award show experience beyond the event itself there is an opportunity to engage the interest of a younger audienceThere is also an opportunity to be more genderbalanced when connecting with people interested in awards shows versus when targeting watchers of the show itself Awards show watchers skew just under twothirds female but the female skew is milder among adults who are interested in award showsAs awards shows and the larger entertainment industry work to increase diverse representation perhaps more of this interest can be converted to viewership Awards show watchers skew slightly more White than total US adults which is expected given their older age However people interested in awards shows are just as diverse arguably slightly more diverse than the racial makeup of the US populationData suggests that the broader appeal of awards shows is with an audience possessing a general appreciation for creativity and selfexpression Awards show watchers and those interested in awards shows are almost twice as interested in People ampamp Celebrities versus the general population and they are also more interested in topics such as Music Beauty Fashion ampamp Design and Interior Design Their predisposition to these topics is likely what leads them to be interested in and watchers of awards shows in the first placeLooking at media consumption audio and social channels could be important in how the impact of awards shows extends beyond the typical broadcast and live stream of the event itself We see that people are not going to be awards show watchers unless they tend to also watch live TV with 98 of awards show watchers saying they watch live TV during a typical week However people who are interested in awards shows overindex in their usage of audio channels radio and streaming and social media especially Twitter and InstagramRegardless of TV ratings the recognition of talent creativity and artistry at the heart of award shows continue to make them relevant to a broad and diverse audienceThe challenge for industry organizations and networks is to transform the experience beyond the traditional format and distribution strategy New ways to engage a broader audience must be explored Are there ways that people interested in television film and music could become a part of the nomination process or voting process How can fans be incorporated into the live event Does there even need to be a live event Radical changes might need to be on the table at least for consideration to grow the full potential of awards shows39 reach and relevanceThe speed of change continues to accelerate and the past year has thrown us some real curveballs The right data can empower marketers to more confidently navigate today and plan for tomorrow I love to strategize and help Contact me to see this data and more broken out for your target audienceImages at top courtesy of Tamara Alesi YouGovClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Awards Shows Appeal to a More Diverse Audience

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Tamara Alesi

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Awards Shows Appeal to a More Diverse Audience

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