Move Over, Prime-Time!

American Demographics, July 1, 2004 by Noan Rubin Brier

To understand the potential importance of the at-work market, however, look at Gen Y and its media consumption: 13- to 24-year-olds spend over three hours more with the Internet than they do any other medium. They spend an average of 16.7 hours per week online (not including e-mail) while they spend 13.6 hours per week on average watching television, according to Harris Interactive and Teenage Research Unlimited. The total of Gen Y, to an even greater extent than the current 18- to 34-year-old population, consumes less "traditional" media than previous generations.

For PHD's Coffey, this change in media consumption means that media buyers and marketers need to do more than reassess their media placement. He suggests that marketers ask themselves: "If these people are moving from television, a) What are they doing? and b) how do you best communicate with them through your message?" Eighteen- to 34-year-olds have been accustomed to controlling their media experience.

Flashing forward to the year 2012 again, Coffey's questions are still quite relevant. Generation Y is more in control of their media usage than ever before. PVRs have made serious headway in the marketplace and Internet video on demand is a reality. Those in the 18- to 34-year-old bracket are watching what they want, when they want, and traditional 30-second spots are all but dead. The best place to reach them is online at work, where they're still multitasking away and instant messaging their friends as they prepare spreadsheets and presentations. 2012 is closer than you think.

GETTING PERSONAL AT WORK

Younger staff members are using the Internet at work for personal activities more frequently than older ones because they have a much greater tolerance for what content and activities are appropriate at work. This extra time on various sites while at the office leaves the door open for marketers to catch the attention of the valuable young audience.

HOW ACCEPTABLE DO YOU FIND THE FOLLOWING PERSONAL INTERNET ACTIVITIES AT WORK?