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Mood Matters When it Comes to Video Ad Performance: NewFronts '19

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People stream videos for a variety of reasons and in a variety of moods. Research presented today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) explored those motivations, then looked at how viewers' moods impacted their receptivity to ads.

The three top reasons people watch online video, the IAB's research found, was to relax at the end of the day, because they planned to watch video while alone, and to take a break during the day.

News 1After determining why people were watching, the IAB looked at the emotional state people were in when watching. For example, people watching video to relax at the end of the day were, naturally, in a relaxed mood. People who planned to watch a show with others were in an entertained mood, and those who watched to learn a new skill were in an informed mood.

Viewers' motivations for watching video correlated with how they watched. Those watching to relax usually streamed over  a connected TV, while escapist viewers were probably on a phone. People watching to get ready for the day or to catch up on popular videos likely used phones. Young people (age 13 to 17) were more likely to watch on their phones no matter their mindset. The only time computers were the most popular device was when viewers wanted to learn a skill or get help with a project.

The payoff to this research is the link between how people feel when watching and their ad receptivity. Viewers are most receptive to video ads whey they're getting ready for the day, when they need help with a project or task, and when they want to learn a new skill. They're least receptive when they're relaxing or taking a break during the day.

Overall, 37% say they're more receptive to ads when their preferred ad type is matched with their mood or motivation, and 56% like when ads are related to their video's content (such as a supermarket ad on a cooking video).

Educational videos earn especially high marks, as viewers who want to learn a skill or get help with a project pay strong attention to both the video and the ad content.

"Video viewing motivations/mindsets change throughout the day—as one would expect. And as consumers move between these states, their ad receptivity changes," the report says. "Overall, consumers are most attentive to content when they are preparing for the day, learning a new skill or working on a task/project."

The IAB surveyed an online panel of roughly 250,000 in March to get its findings. To view the full results of this study and the numbers behind them, download "A Day in the Life of Video Viewers" for free (registration required).

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