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The rise of the silver streamer 55+ demographic reshapes video streaming

Tim Mulligan
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The 20,000 Foot View:  2020 brought video streaming into the mainstream, resulting in an aging consumer base as later adopters embraced the digital-first behaviour. With binge viewing typically occurring at the start of on-demand familiarisation, these new streaming subscribers are at risk of succumbing to accelerated churn rates, as savvy switching is likely to follow. Equally significantly, the ‘silver streamer’ influx will likely hinder streaming innovation, with these older consumers inclined towards more traditional video functionality. The            revolution will therefore be transformed by silver streamers into a            evolution.

Key insights

  • Lockdowns combined            the            ‘big-bang’ to make streaming           
  • This resulted            older demographics becoming a core            of the streaming consumer base
  • In            2020,            largest demographic for binge viewing            consumers age            who accounted for            all binge viewers
  • Binge viewing            closely correlated with early adoption            on-demand functionality and is followed            savvy switching
  • However, binge            among            year olds is as            replicating lean-back linear viewing as            is new adopter streaming behaviour 
  • Lean-in binge            is being replaced by lean-back            viewing
  • Savvy switching            strategic subscribing and unsubscribing to            video services will be the            behaviour next adopted by silver           
  • Silver streamers            inhibit innovation in            as they            to dominate streaming user bases            digital laggard behaviour
  • The arrival            the            streamers in            is set            be as disruptive to streaming            as cord-cutting by digital natives            been to traditional pay-TV

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Amazon, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Comcast, Disney, Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount, Paramount+, Peacock, Warner Bros., Warner Media