“Bad Blood” > The Big Bang Theory.
Vevo and Nielsen conducted a study to compare the audiences for online music videos versus traditional network television shows. Unless you’re a CBS loyalist, the numbers may not surprise you. In its first week of release, Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” was watched by over 18 million people. Only one show had a “greater unique reach” during that same time period: NCIS: Los Angeles.
Other findings, according to the Wrap:
-The week “Hotline Bling” was released (and a meme was born), Drake’s music videos would have been the third most-watched “show” in the key 18- to 49-year-old, behind only South Park and The League.
-Speaking of the only age group advertisers care about: thanks to “Bitch Better Have My Money,” Rihanna’s videos [were] twice as likely to reach [the 18- to 49-year-old demo] as TV’s most watched summer series, Big Brother.”
“Millions of millions and millions of views means you’re reaching a lot of people, and those videos stack up against television,” said Andrea Zapata, Vevo vice president of research, in an interview with TheWrap. “Digital [advertising] is looked at as a nice to have, I don’t want it to be seen that way anymore. We should now say we’re on an even playing field.”
The numbers are fun to measure, and it’s in Vevo’s best interest to claim that Justin Bieber, or whomever, is bigger than anything on NBC. But it’s not exactly a fair comparison. It’s easier to watch a three-minute music video the day it’s released, when everyone’s talking about it (which is exactly what happens when someone like Beyonce has a new single out), than it is an hour-long drama, one of four shows you’re probably watching that night.
Plus, music videos are self-contained, unlike episodes of Lucifer.
But for advertisers, who are desperate to peddle their goods during an event that isn’t sports or award shows (otherwise, most TV viewers are fast-forwarding through the ads), this is a big deal. Coke can reach more consumers with a Taylor Swift video than they can during an all-new Big Bang Theory. Bazinga?
(Via the Wrap)
