Media analysts may be calling it the first digital World Cup, but research by Nielsen suggests that live TV broadcasts will be the weapon of choice for football fans hunting the big game in South Africa this summer.

Half the people around the globe plan to follow the FIFA World Cup this summer, according to Nielsen’s Global Omnibus, conducted in March 2010. The potential of such an enormous audience makes the competition and its run-up as much of a marketing contest as a sporting event.

Nielsen Audience Measurement regional director Toni Petra says: “The most exciting thing for marketers about the World Cup is that there continues to be a very high involvement level. More than half the world wants to follow events in South Africa and close to 70% of all men.”

Most Brits will use TV to keep up with the tournament, with 83% of Britons planning to watch live matches on TV, while 68% will watch delayed broadcast TV or match highlights.

52% of Brits will also use newspapers, while 35% will rely on radio to get their sporting fix. Despite advances in technology and a wider range of media available than ever, watching on a TV screen in real-time still holds most sway with people.

Petra adds: “The average daily time spent in front of TV has been growing over the last five years; in 2009 it grew by another three minutes a day. Across all age groups, TV continues to be the primary delivery mechanism for a message, but you cannot ignore other media.”

The dominance of TV means that although it has been suggested this may be the first “digital World Cup”, just 26% of British consumers plan to follow the World Cup using online articles and reports.

Even real-time methods, such as online streaming, are tempting just 18% of Brits to log on, while 16% plan to watch online video clips and 6% say they will use blogs, chatrooms and forums to keep up to date with the tournament.

These low percentages may be a result of so many options being available to consumers in digital media, rather than a lack of interest. Taken together, the different strands of online use add up to a much higher level of interest.

Nielsen’s Petra notes that although 6% sounds a low figure for accessing mobile video from the World Cup, many people are already using their handsets to access online content. While the overall number of internet-enabled phones is still relatively small overall, it shows that people are keen to access the content.

She explains: “The actual audiences to these platforms are small but growing. There are sectors of the population that are going to be relying on the online world or their mobile phone for a substantial part of their information around this World Cup.”

It appears those people who are using internet channels are largely younger consumers – 30% of under 20-year-olds will use online streaming, compared with 10% of 40- to 44-year-olds. Likewise, 25% of 21- to 24-year-olds plan to view online video clips, compared with 0% of 40- to 44-year-olds.

Online articles and reports, however, draw a slightly older audience. Just 35% of under 20-year-olds plan to access them, compared with 48% of 50- to 54-year-olds.

Petra says: “The younger generation is more tech savvy and they have more access to the technology, but it’s not a space they own. There is an older generation that is spending a significant amount of time on new media.”

Interestingly, those who plan to travel to South Africa divide into two distinct age brackets. There are those consumers under the age of 29 (6% of under-20s, 10% of those aged 21 to 24 and 3% of 25 to 29-year-olds). And those consumers over the age of 60 (8% of 60- to 64-year-olds).

The younger consumers may be teenagers on a gap year, students, unemployed graduates or those at the start of their careers. In the meantime, the older people are likely to be retired with a pension and significant disposable income.

Whether marketers are targeting a particular demographic or the entire football-watching population, brands need to think very carefully about where to place their messages during the tournament. Choosing the right platform or combination of media to reach its goal is the only way to ensure a World Cup campaign is successful.

Source: Marketing Week UK

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