Tablet Owners Multitask: Now What?

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By: Janet Kalandranis

It’s well known that consumers are multitasking when they interact with, see, or hear a media message. Brands are aware that they do not have the undivided attention of consumers, no matter how good their newest campaign might be. This phenomenon also applies to modern technology. Now that consumers are more connected and more accessible, their attention is even more divided — and many times this includes multiple devices. So how do brands win in a world where there are numerous influencers to be heard above the crowd.

Today’s devices are compact and portable, two characteristics that allow consumers to multitask. In fact, 90% of tablet owners multitask while using their device. This means divided attention across potentially multiple devices and definitely multiple messages. And much of this multitasking involves watching TV while using their tablets — 41% of tablet users' total TV watching time is done with their tablet in hand. This is a huge opportunity for certain brands to take advantage of multitasking. Driving customers to websites, specifically ecommerce ones, through TV campaigns can be a winning strategy.

Oh, and this multitasking tidbit has certain hours. The majority of tablet owners are multitasking between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. at their homes; a key insight for brands. This is the time when most people get home from their day and are doing work at home and/or relaxing. It's the perfect time for a brand to hit consumers with a message through TV that can ultimately be researched on the tablet with a couple of quick links. And not so shocking are the generations most likely to be multitasking with multiple devices; the younger set of Millennials and Gen X consumers head up this type of fragmented viewing and listening.

It’s not enough for brands to know what consumers want, but they need to understand how messages are viewed and heard by their core audience. If there is an opportunity to message consumers when they are more likely to research online, or simply buy, it could increase sales and brand engagement. So maybe multitasking isn’t so bad after all.