NextGen 2021 TV Marketing Campaign Drives Consumer Interest

WASHINGTON DC—New consumer research from Magid found that advertising promoting NextGen TV shows during the 2021 holiday season resonated strongly with consumers, boosting both consumer awareness of the new broadcast standard and intend to purchase new NextGen TV compatible televisions.

The campaign included Dolby advertisements from its first consumer-directed marketing campaign.

Pearl TV’s marketing campaign began in November 2021 and ran through the holiday season in 17 major U.S. TV markets covering 28.8 million households, with local TV stations airing spots declaring that “the future of television has arrived”.

New consumer research conducted by Magid, in conjunction with Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and trade group Pearl TV, tested the new marketing campaign in seven of the markets on the service streaming live TV.

The researchers found:

• Consumer awareness increased: 40% were aware of NextGen TV, up from 25% last year among those in markets where it is available;
• Purchase intent increased: 74% of people who viewed the ads were likely to buy a NextGen TV from the TV makers featured in the ad, up from 60% in 2021, and 30% of them subsequently bought a NextGen TV;
• Dolby added to the experience: 60% were more likely to purchase a NextGen TV after viewing Dolby advertising and perceived NextGen TVs to be more valuable, innovative and unique compared to other TV brands on the market due to Dolby audio technology;
• The main differentiator (70%) of NextGen TVs is that they are designed to be upgradeable with new technological advancements.

“This effort not only reveals the value and adoption of NextGen TV by broadcast stations, but also how increased consumer awareness and interest in NextGen TV is driving them to purchase, regardless of content configurations or already existing streaming platforms in the household,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. “We anticipate that with the additional participation of TV manufacturers and retailers in this brand campaign, consumer adoption will grow exponentially. With such compelling data, broadcasters currently have a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on the value that NextGen TV delivers to their viewers and their business.

The research also showed that the following stand out as strong differentiators for NextGen TV:

• Scalable as new services are rolled out over time;
• Consistent sound levels from channel to channel;
• Enhanced Internet content allowing viewers to get the most out of news, sports and events;
• Cinema-quality audio thanks to Dolby AC-4 technology found only on NextGen TVs;
• Stunning 4K high dynamic range (HDR) video.

“Our mission at Dolby is to immerse audiences in the stories they love while giving creatives the tools to do their best work,” said Mathias Bendull, vice president, Living Room, Dolby Laboratories. “In the case of NextGen TV, we have the opportunity to put our powerful sound technology in front of consumers in a new way – bringing value to the broadcast industry and improving the consumer experience when they watch television.”

The campaign included a comprehensive, user-friendly website that explains new technologies. It includes a list of cities now offering NextGen TV services or expected to launch later this year, and offers a list of TV products equipped to receive NextGen TV from manufacturers LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony and, later this year , Hisense.

A key element of the campaign, which will be extended through 2022 with a new creative, is the NextGen TV logo. Part of the CTA Compliance Program, the logo has become an emblem for consumers to look for when purchasing a NextGen TV to more easily distinguish it from other smart TVs.

Now streaming in nearly 50 markets, NextGen TV is expected to reach more than 80% of U.S. homes by the end of 2022.

“These results not only show NextGen TV adoption and interest growing steadily, they prove it is gaining by leaps and bounds,” said Bill Hague, executive vice president of Media Strategy Group at Magid. “This is underscored by the fact that consumers are increasingly turning to their local broadcast stations to provide NextGen TV services, they want televisions with NextGen TV capabilities and they want to be part of the future of television.