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For millennials ages 19-32, recommendations from their social media circle and online reviews now have more sway than TV advertising. Photo: DTTL

Media consumption habits continue to shift rapidly, with mobile devices, social media, streaming services, and binge-watching redefining the landscape. One thing is clear for marketers: They need to change their strategies to reach their audiences.

​As marketers already know, the age of the empowered consumer is upon us. Individuals can choose what content they’ll consume, along with when, how, and where they’ll do it. This trend has been several years in the making, and as Deloitte’s Digital Democracy Survey indicates, it’s likely to continue.

The survey, released earlier this year, assesses the media consumption and device usage habits of more than 2,000 U.S. consumers and brings several trends to light. Not surprisingly, smartphones are the most valued device across generations, followed by laptop computers. “Smartphones are the device that consumers can’t live without,” said Kevin Westcott, vice chairman, U.S. Media & Entertainment leader with Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Tablets, meanwhile, haven’t shown a significant gain in value over the last few years. “People have identified the tablet for a very specific set of functions, but it’s not replacing their smartphones or laptops in most cases,” he said.

Social media remains the top mobile app category, with 59 percent of respondents using social apps frequently on their smartphones and 40 percent using the apps frequently on their tablets. Weather apps also are popular, with 52 percent of respondents indicating use on smartphones and 25 percent on tablets.

The survey also explored various influences on buying decisions. For millennials ages 19-32, recommendations from their social media circle and online reviews now carry more weight than TV advertising. (See Figure 1.) Millennials and Gen Xers are also significantly swayed by social media ads, video game ads, and celebrity or online personality endorsements. More than 50 percent of millennials now rank social media ads as having a medium to high influence over their buying decisions.

Streaming, Bingeing, Multitasking

Consumers’ TV and video viewing habits also continue to shift, with the younger demographic leading the charge. Nearly half of TV show and movie viewing among millennials is on devices other than a television—primarily laptops or desktops, followed by smartphones and tablets.

Meanwhile, streaming video services continue to grow in popularity, with nearly half of U.S. consumers now subscribing to one. Of those subscribers, 61 percent value their streaming video service among their top three subscription services. Respondents indicated they like their streaming service because it allows them to watch content whenever they want and without commercials.

Binge-watching TV shows—watching three or more episodes of a TV series in one sitting—continues as a notable trend, with 70 percent of consumers and more than 80 percent of millennials indicating they do so (see Figure 2). Capturing the attention of TV viewers presumably is becoming more difficult, with 92 percent of respondents saying they multitask while watching. Millennials, on average, are juggling four—yes, four—additional activities while viewing.

With consumers increasingly distracted, marketers may begin to rethink the way they approach their campaigns. “With the increased ability to target, we’ll hopefully see more emphasis on the creative to make the advertising more interesting and to engage the audience,” said Scott Lippstreu, Customer & Commercial Strategy practice leader at Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Reaching consumers where they are—whether they’re checking the weather via a mobile app, binge-watching their favorite drama through a streaming service, or playing video games on a tablet—also will be essential to marketers’ success. More than ever before, it’s critical for brands to deliver the right message in the right place at the right time to connect with the target audience.