Coal for Christmas: Americans Say Cable TV Holiday Ads Impacts Their Shopping—But Most Admit They Would Like to See More Scrooge-Like Themes in Ads

Coal for Christmas: Americans Say Cable TV Holiday Ads Impacts Their Shopping—But Most Admit They Would Like to See More Scrooge-Like Themes in Ads, New Viamedia Study Finds. Americans ranked their favorite Scroogey scenarios—from naughty kids getting coal to ditching the in-laws.

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SOURCE: Daily Dog, Bulldog Reporter, www.bulldogreporter.com

November 25, 2013 -- Viamedia, a cable industry-focused independent cable rep firm and provider of online advertising services, recently announced its 2013 Holiday Cable Advertising Study, which determined how advertisements on cable TV networks impacts the 89% of Americans who watch cable TV programming. The study examined the positive qualities that make holiday advertisements on cable TV networks most memorable and finally asked what "Scrooge-like" themes, if any, Americans would like to see in holiday advertisements.

A majority of Americans (54%) admitted advertisements on cable TV networks (e.g., ESPN, Lifetime, TNT, A&E, History Channel, CNN) impact their holiday shopping. The demographics most affected were students (75%), men 18–34 (66%) and women (69%) 18–34. The reasons included:  

•   38%—informs me about sales (which was particularly important to 60% students)

•   25%—gives me ideas on what to buy for hard to buy people

•   21%—prompts me to consider shopping at that store or buy products at that store

•   19%—makes me realize how many shopping days are left

•   15%—makes me realize what’s hot

•   8%—makes me shop for myself

An overwhelming majority of Americans (72%) agreed positive qualities make a holiday advertisement on cable TV networks most memorable—especially 82% of households with children. However when it came to what exactly Americans thought of as memorable, Americans were hard-pressed to agree with the number one choice being emotional appeal—with just 18% of Americans naming that trait. Emotional appeal was followed by portrayal of the family with 14%.  Only 13% of households with children said portrayal of family was important.  That was followed by holiday tie-in (14%), feature people like me (8%), play on words like “happy Holidays” (6%) and inclusion of veterans (5%).

A majority Americans (59%) admitted they wanted to see "Scrooge-like" themes in holiday advertisements on cable TV networks—which was especially popular with men (77%) 18-34 and women (75%) 18-34. Americans ranked their favorite Scroogey scenarios—from naughty kids getting coal to ditching the in-laws:

•   27%—how do you react to a present you don’t like

•   25%—the best way to return a bad gift

•   21%—the right way to re-gift

•   19%—naughty kids getting coal for Christmas (24% of households with children said yes – 17% said no)

•   16%—how to shop for people I don’t like

•   14%—what to do with carolers who can’t sing

•   14%—how to shop for myself guilt free

•   13%—how kids can be annoying

•   12%—how to ditch the in-laws

“Viamedia’s 2013 Holiday Cable Advertising Study proves how cable TV advertisements play a key role in how we celebrate the season,” said Becky Jones, vice president marketing and research at Viamedia, in a news release. “Cable TV advertising impacts a majority of Americans—giving gifts ideas and even alerting them to how many shopping days we have left. It’s a good feeling to know that consumers find holiday ads on cable TV to be a meaningful part of their holiday experience. And, just like with the cable TV programs themselves, their opinions of what makes a commercial’s magic ingredient are as broad as their own imaginations.

“We found it surprising that while Americans can’t agree on the magic ingredient that makes a good holiday commercial, they can agree on wanting to see Scrooge-like themes in advertisements.”