According to a study by Nielsen, game consoles drive an increase in overall time spent in front of a TV set, helping to balance a slightly lopsided TV time scale in which women historically spend more time watching TV than their male counterparts.

In a blog post, the measurement and information specialist notes that in March 2012, women aged 18-34 watched an average of 4 hours 11 minutes of TV per day, while men in the same demographic logged 3 hours 34 minutes of TV time in homes with a seventh generation game console. “Factor in daily time spent using a seventh-generation game console; however, and the gender delta of more than 30 minutes daily is nearly neutralised as women 18-34 clocked 22 minutes of console time, while men 18-34 spent 48 minutes with their consoles,” advises Nielsen.

Women still spent more time in front of the screen, but seventh-generation game consoles bridged the gender gap by over two-thirds. “That’s screen time with value, giving advertisers increased opportunities to target consumers no matter how they’re using the consoles – whether it’s playing the latest first-person combat game, binging on an old sitcom, or streaming a movie,” says the firm.

What’s more, according to Nielsen, is that seventh generation game consoles, with their ability to provide different entertainment options, could be considered an electronic godsend for advertisers who now have increased advertising opportunities to reach their best consumers – the ones spending more time in front of a screen.

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Games, Research