Sports Mad Brits Follow 2012 Games on Multiple Devices
LONDON, August 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
- 52% of UK viewers followed 2012 Olympics on several devices simultaneously
- More than half of consumers used social networking sites during Games
British fans were so eager to keep up with the London 2012 Olympics action that more than half not only switched on TVs but also used radios, laptops, smartphones and iPads to follow events simultaneously, according to new research by international consumer research specialist Intersperience.
A group of 250 people around the UK participated in a special Intersperience research project in which they recorded how they followed the action during the middle weekend of the Olympic Games which resulted in a weekend gold rush for Team GB.
The research found that 52% of people who watched the action on television followed events simultaneously across two or more devices, frequently following several sports at a time on different screens. In fact, the research showed that 10% of participants used three or more devices to keep up with the sporting action.
Participants used several devices at once to get a mix of live action, replays and post-event interviews as well as to get more detail on events and athletes and to access social networking sites. Many people chatted on the phone about the Games, while also reading results online, watching live TV and sending emails.
Paul Hudson, Chief Executive of Intersperience said: "Our research shows that London 2012 was not just the world's first Digital Games, it was a major event for social media. We found that 45% of the people using social networking sites while watching the Games, were directly communicating about the Olympics. If these figures were replicated across the total population, it would mean that 16% of the total UK population used social networking sites to share the Olympics."
Facebook emerged as the dominant site, with 95% of participants using it to share Olympics facts and opinions compared to just 18% who used Twitter, although Twitter was more popular when people were away from home.
The project also showed the ways in which families used digital technology to share the Olympic experience. One woman participant said: "I was on Skype to my husband in Afghanistan and I pointed my laptop webcam at the TV so he could watch specific events with me and I was using Facetime on my iPad to talk to my daughters at Gatwick Airport at the same time so we had a four-way conversation."
A total of 46% of people watching the games on TV at home were also using their laptops at the same time while 31% were using smartphones. Ipads proved popular also, especially for using Facetime to connect with friends and family during major events.
Another participant described his experience of following the Olympic marathon: "I had my DAB radio on Radio Five Live, I had my TV switched on with the sound turned off and I used my laptop to get details of the marathon."
Paul Hudson said: "This research shows that ordinary families are becoming very sophisticated in the way they consume and share information across digital platforms. Digital is now mainstream in the UK - this is a wake-up call for organisations who have not yet mastered multi-channel digital contact."
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Intersperience:
Intersperience is an international consumer research specialist with expertise in consumer behaviour, experience and attitudes. The team, which is headquartered in Cumbria, has more than 25 years experience in analysing consumer behaviour. It employs a range of interpretative models and frameworks including a proprietary online research platform. Intersperience has significant global expertise and an international research hub at Lancaster University which conducts research in more than 60 languages as well as associates in major global markets. Intersperience is an expert in how technology impacts on consumer behaviour and multi-channel customer service strategy. Clients include: The British Council; General Motors; Iceland; Samsung; ScottishPower; and William Hill.
Share this article