We're well acquainted at this point with the fact that focusing on adults 18-49 annoys some people. It's not like we're doing it to annoy anyone though, and it's not our focus. It's what, at least in broad terms, the industry focuses on. That's because it's what the advertisers focus on, particularly with prime-time shows aimed at adults.
Certain shows focus on different demographic segments, some target women, some target younger adults, some target kids, etc., but the prevailing theme there is that it's the demographics and not total viewers that matter.
While there are philosophical arguments to be had about whether it should be that way, our goal is to gauge relative success based on the way things actually work. How some people wished things worked or think things should work is not an effective way to gauge success.
Don't believe us? Perhaps you'd rather hear it from Ted Linhart who is VP of Research for USA Network (and Sleuth). Ted's tweet captured at the top of this post was in response to someone who for some reason thought we (TV by the Numbers) had said Top Chef beat Psych last Wednesday. That was true with adults 18-49 where Top Chef had a 1.3 rating compared to Psych's 1.2 rating.
In this case we hadn't actually pitted Top Chef vs. Psych, but someone wanted to know how Top Chef beat Psych when Psych had more viewers. That prompted Ted's response above.
Ted also noted that it didn't really matter who was beating who in this case since both shows are doing well.
BTW, Ted Linhart is also VP of Sleuth, not Chiller TV.
BTW, Ted Linhart is also VP of Sleuth, not Chiller TV.
BTW, Ted Linhart is also VP of Sleuth, not Chiller TV.
Thank you! I’m not sure why I always get those two channels confused.
Thank you! I’m not sure why I always get those two channels confused.
Thank you! I’m not sure why I always get those two channels confused.
Nicely summarized – as usual
Nicely summarized – as usual
Nicely summarized – as usual
Oh and yes thanks for the clarification on my title – I didnt even notice that
Oh and yes thanks for the clarification on my title – I didnt even notice that
I will never be happy that advertisers choose one group as more important than another. And I’m well within the coveted demo. I just wish my entertainment could be based upon the art, and not the $$$. Hey, it’s my dream world, I’ll make of it what I will.
I will never be happy that advertisers choose one group as more important than another. And I’m well within the coveted demo. I just wish my entertainment could be based upon the art, and not the $$$. Hey, it’s my dream world, I’ll make of it what I will.
Thanks Ted, and sorry about the brief (though if not for Bryan, much longer!) confusion re: Sleuth.
Thanks Ted, and sorry about the brief (though if not for Bryan, much longer!) confusion re: Sleuth.
Thanks Ted, and sorry about the brief (though if not for Bryan, much longer!) confusion re: Sleuth.
The reason why us advertisers are so fixated on 18-49 is because this is when people start forming their buying habits. And to be precise, we’re actually most interested in males 18-49 [and it used to be males 18-35 but men are marrying later in life these days and the divorce rate is now over 60%] since they tend to be less indoctrinated into what to buy. Daughters tend to pay attention to their mothers and what they do and buy and thus they tend to buy what their mothers buy. The mom uses Cheer to do laundry, her daughter uses Cheer. Wrongly or rightly, the daughters do this because they think their mothers have already figured out what’s the best detergent (soap, toothpaste, canned beans, etc.) to buy … but the reality is more likely their mom simply copied her mother. The only things fathers teach their sons is what beer to drink and what football team to root for. [That's a joke, son.
]This is a general rule. Obviously, if what we’re trying to sell is a toy, we’ll want to market it to children. A new tampon, we aim for women. And, yes, we do automatically assume it is harder to sell to women. That’s just hard reality. Again, it isn’t because women are smarter (or, if you like, men are dumber), it is just because girls copy their moms (that’s what girls are doing when they “play house”) and moms tend to be the buyers in the household. Even in this day and age of dual-income households, wives tend to do the shopping. 95% of mall shoppers are women. The majority of men you see in malls are simply accompanying their wives or girlfriends and are merely pack mules for them. Same percentage goes for grocery shoppers. Who are the 5% of men who do shop? Bachelors. The ones us advertisers can most influence since they don’t have a clue and, unlike their sisters, they rarely call home to ask their moms what they buy for something.And what happens when a bachelor gets married? By and large, they turn all buying decisions over to their wives. So why do us advertisers still market to these guys? Because until they become married (or re-married), they still have to buy for themselves and they’ll listen to advertisements for help. Are bachelors dumb to listen to advertisements? No, they’re just lazy and don’t want to look like an idiot asking others what to buy. That latter point is the same reason why guys don’t stop and ask for directions when they’re lost. [That's another joke, son.]Am I over-generalizing above? Hell, yes. But that’s what advertisers have to do. We aim for “most” and not “all.” Ask ANY advertiser how they’d feel if they got a 1% increase in sales due to a TV ad campaign. The word they’ll use is “thrilled.” That 1% could easily represent three to four million buyers … and likely all bachelors.
The reason why us advertisers are so fixated on 18-49 is because this is when people start forming their buying habits. And to be precise, we’re actually most interested in males 18-49 [and it used to be males 18-35 but men are marrying later in life these days and the divorce rate is now over 60%] since they tend to be less indoctrinated into what to buy. Daughters tend to pay attention to their mothers and what they do and buy and thus they tend to buy what their mothers buy. The mom uses Cheer to do laundry, her daughter uses Cheer. Wrongly or rightly, the daughters do this because they think their mothers have already figured out what’s the best detergent (soap, toothpaste, canned beans, etc.) to buy … but the reality is more likely their mom simply copied her mother. The only things fathers teach their sons is what beer to drink and what football team to root for. [That's a joke, son.
]This is a general rule. Obviously, if what we’re trying to sell is a toy, we’ll want to market it to children. A new tampon, we aim for women. And, yes, we do automatically assume it is harder to sell to women. That’s just hard reality. Again, it isn’t because women are smarter (or, if you like, men are dumber), it is just because girls copy their moms (that’s what girls are doing when they “play house”) and moms tend to be the buyers in the household. Even in this day and age of dual-income households, wives tend to do the shopping. 95% of mall shoppers are women. The majority of men you see in malls are simply accompanying their wives or girlfriends and are merely pack mules for them. Same percentage goes for grocery shoppers. Who are the 5% of men who do shop? Bachelors. The ones us advertisers can most influence since they don’t have a clue and, unlike their sisters, they rarely call home to ask their moms what they buy for something.And what happens when a bachelor gets married? By and large, they turn all buying decisions over to their wives. So why do us advertisers still market to these guys? Because until they become married (or re-married), they still have to buy for themselves and they’ll listen to advertisements for help. Are bachelors dumb to listen to advertisements? No, they’re just lazy and don’t want to look like an idiot asking others what to buy. That latter point is the same reason why guys don’t stop and ask for directions when they’re lost. [That's another joke, son.]Am I over-generalizing above? Hell, yes. But that’s what advertisers have to do. We aim for “most” and not “all.” Ask ANY advertiser how they’d feel if they got a 1% increase in sales due to a TV ad campaign. The word they’ll use is “thrilled.” That 1% could easily represent three to four million buyers … and likely all bachelors.
The reason why us advertisers are so fixated on 18-49 is because this is when people start forming their buying habits. And to be precise, we’re actually most interested in males 18-49 [and it used to be males 18-35 but men are marrying later in life these days and the divorce rate is now over 60%] since they tend to be less indoctrinated into what to buy. Daughters tend to pay attention to their mothers and what they do and buy and thus they tend to buy what their mothers buy. The mom uses Cheer to do laundry, her daughter uses Cheer. Wrongly or rightly, the daughters do this because they think their mothers have already figured out what’s the best detergent (soap, toothpaste, canned beans, etc.) to buy … but the reality is more likely their mom simply copied her mother. The only things fathers teach their sons is what beer to drink and what football team to root for. [That's a joke, son.
]This is a general rule. Obviously, if what we’re trying to sell is a toy, we’ll want to market it to children. A new tampon, we aim for women. And, yes, we do automatically assume it is harder to sell to women. That’s just hard reality. Again, it isn’t because women are smarter (or, if you like, men are dumber), it is just because girls copy their moms (that’s what girls are doing when they “play house”) and moms tend to be the buyers in the household. Even in this day and age of dual-income households, wives tend to do the shopping. 95% of mall shoppers are women. The majority of men you see in malls are simply accompanying their wives or girlfriends and are merely pack mules for them. Same percentage goes for grocery shoppers. Who are the 5% of men who do shop? Bachelors. The ones us advertisers can most influence since they don’t have a clue and, unlike their sisters, they rarely call home to ask their moms what they buy for something.And what happens when a bachelor gets married? By and large, they turn all buying decisions over to their wives. So why do us advertisers still market to these guys? Because until they become married (or re-married), they still have to buy for themselves and they’ll listen to advertisements for help. Are bachelors dumb to listen to advertisements? No, they’re just lazy and don’t want to look like an idiot asking others what to buy. That latter point is the same reason why guys don’t stop and ask for directions when they’re lost. [That's another joke, son.]Am I over-generalizing above? Hell, yes. But that’s what advertisers have to do. We aim for “most” and not “all.” Ask ANY advertiser how they’d feel if they got a 1% increase in sales due to a TV ad campaign. The word they’ll use is “thrilled.” That 1% could easily represent three to four million buyers … and likely all bachelors.
Of course we are annoyed. We are taken for granted. We, for the most part, sit through the ads and watch them and more often than not buy the products. My son, who is in the sainted demos, stopped watching TV and those ads when he no longer watched television with me. He watches all his TV on his computer or on DVDs. They are never getting him back.