Written by A new study shows that affluent members of society are leading the charge in media multitasking, particularly when it comes to watching TV and using their tablets or smartphones.
The 2013 Mendelsohn Affluent Barometer from market research specialists Ipsos MediaCT reports that 58 percent of affluent smartphone owners regularly or almost constantly use their smartphones while watching television. An almost equal number of tablet users, 53 percent, admitted the same.
The study included 1,055 adults aged 18 or older who earn more than $100,000 a year. Within that group were 192 “ultra affluent”, those who earn more than $250,000 a year.
The barometer shows that affluent households are more optimistic about the economy, more excited about their future success and more confident about the state of the economy compared to only a couple months ago. They are also adept at integrating mobile technology into their lifestyles.
Media multitasking has moved from the workplace to the home, with more than half of respondents admitting that they have engaged with social media about a television program while watching that program. The study confirms the growing force of social TV, at least among the well-to-do.
Television is becoming a mobile activity, with posts and tweets focusing on everything from game scores to comments on the latest show. This means there is an opportunity for media producers and advertisers to connect with mobile users by providing additional content. Certain shows and networks have already taken advantage of the trend by incorporating real-time contests or providing exclusive content through mobile devices.
Affluent technology users are more lost without their smartphones than without their tablets, with 66 percent responding that it would be very difficult for them to live without their phones, but only 33 percent saying the same thing about their tablet.
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