Where Should You Advertise? Follow Your Kids

It's a theme that's been reported on time and time again: Digital mediums are taking over; staging an uprising à la Planet of the Apes with sites like YouTube prepared to turn TV and radio into relics unrecognizable by society's future adults and children alike.

While of course it seems dramatic, it's easy to understand why the popularity of digital mediums is making headlines. It seems the rise of social media and digitalization is unavoidable. According to a study done by Common Sense Media, nearly half of all teenagers reported using social media everyday and 55 per cent reported using YouTube streaming services regularly. On top of that, according to eMarketer, 2.5 million Canadian children aged 0-11 were Internet users in 2016.

By following the interests of youth, advertisers can know whether they should be partnering more closely with YouTube Kids (a parent's iPad staple), or keeping an eye out for upcoming advertising opportunities with newly popular children's Netflix shows. By doing this, media buyers can ensure both targeting the best spots and staying hyper-aware of new opportunities.

So, Is Television Advertising Dead?

Despite the digital noise, TV ads remain still an effective medium. Namely, millennials are never static – just because they like YouTube doesn't mean they'll only watch YouTube. They may even be influenced to watch more TV after having kids. The proof is in the numbers:

· Canadians aged 65 and up report watching 42 hours of TV per week, according to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

· Young Canadians watch around 27.2 hours per week, which breaks down to nearly four hours per day, according to the CRTC.

· This trend is echoed around the world, with children aged 5-16 in the UK watching about three hours of TV per day, while Nickelodeon ranked as the third most popular television network in the US.

· Millennials with families watch nearly five hours of TV per week, higher than others in their age group who live at home or on their own without children.

In the end, success in the future is about striking a balance. By exploring digital options early and paying attention to where children are spending their viewing time, media buyers can ensure ads hit the right spot. And, by sticking to the tried-and-true TV ads, advertisers can ensure their spot is backed by reliable results.