Precise TV, the contextual video company driving business outcomes for brands, has released its latest Precise Advertiser Report: Kids (PARK).

With the help of research agency Giraffe Insights, the report looks at US media consumption habits, buying journey behaviours and purchase decisions of parents and kids aged two to 12 years old (Generation Alpha).

Major Shift in Kids’ Media Consumption

There is a major shift in where kids report watching their favourite content, with a significant number of kids preferring YouTube over streaming or traditional TV platforms. Analysis of Precise TV’s year-over-year data shows YouTube seeing a 30 per cent increase in kids. Meanwhile, both paid and free VoD services saw significant declines – down 53 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively.

“Traditional media networks and their time-honoured franchises are winning attention in the non-TV arena, and winning Gen Alpha’s attention at record rates,” said Christian Dankl, Precise TV Co-Founder and Chairman. “Children and their parents are increasingly turning to social video to watch content traditionally accessed via streaming services. We’re noticing certain media networks rise above the pack with effective social-mobile strategies that are stoking attention in their kid-friendly content.”

Paramount’s (and Nickelodeon’s) Prowess: Dominating the Kid-Friendly Content Arena

Paramount is a key streaming player with its successful formula for resonating with younger audiences. A sampling of report findings includes:

• The evolution of Paramount’s kids programming shows a clear trend: Nickelodeon franchises such as SpongeBob, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol are now often streamed and consumed more on YouTube than on platforms like Netflix or Hulu. The Nickelodeon channel is being directly sought out on YouTube on mobile and tablet devices, and winning the attention battle with YouTube-native juggernauts such as Ryan’s Toys. 

• Paramount also ranks highly amongst its streaming provider peers, signaling its importance as a streaming service for parents and its success in capturing the family demographic. Nearly a third of all respondents have watched P+ recently, behind only Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video and YouTube. This is important as more families are scrutinising their subscriptions. They tend to prioritise content that will satisfy the needs of their children as much as themselves.

Gaming Reigns Supreme 

PARK also reveals insight into the growing trend of mobile and tablet gaming among Gen Alpha children. It highlights their preferences for game types such as building, fashion, and adventure games, and underscores how in-game advertising is becoming an increasingly important strategy for marketers. A sampling of report findings includes:

• Gaming is the third most popular media consumption platform for kids, behind only YouTube and VoD apps.

• Nearly 6 in 10 kids play mobile or tablet games, with 45 per cent playing video games.

• More than a fifth of kids remember seeing ads when they are mobile gaming, with Toy and game ads being the most recalled ad categories

• Puzzle, adventure and building games are the most popular mobile games.

“With the global kids digital advertising market expected to surpass a value of $21.1 billion by the end of 2031, there’s a significant opportunity for targeted, effective, and ethical advertising that speaks directly to young gamers and drives high engagement for brands,” said Denis Crushell, Chief Commercial Officer at Precise TV.

YouTube’s Purchasing Power vs Other Forms of Media

YouTube has established itself as a powerhouse in driving purchase power, surpassing other forms of media due to its high ad recall and influence on Gen Alpha consumer behaviour. A sampling of report findings includes:

• • YouTube’s high ad recall rates contribute to its unparalleled purchasing power among kids – YouTube delivers 2.3x greater ad recall compared to broadcast TV and 2.6x greater than VoD, making it a formidable platform for driving brand awareness and purchase decisions.

  • YouTube’s position as the leading platform for ad recall among children is unmatched, with 53 per cent of kids recalling ads on YouTube more than any other platform. This is a significant lead over TikTok, which comes in second at 24 per cent. Traditional broadcast TV, Facebook, and mobile gaming are also used, but lag behind at 23 per cent, 23 per cent, and 14 per cent respectively. Additionally, YouTube Shorts and commercial-based VoD services have ad recall rates of 21 per cent and 20 per cent.

• Nearly a third of kids think the best commercials air against their favourite YouTube content

• More than 20 per cent of parents are inspired by YouTube to buy things for their children.

• 60 per cent parents agree that they are more likely to purchase a product they saw advertised when co-viewing with their child.

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Research

Tags: Gen Alpha, Nickelodeon, paramount, Precise TV, youtube