IAB Canada wrapped up a big year of events with the Report on Data event this week in Toronto. With a full house, the headlining presentation was the much-anticipated 2023 Canadian Media Usage Study (CMUST). Presented by Matt Devlin, Managing Director for Marketing Science at PHD, this year’s report included a new cohort that the industry would be well-served to understand – new Canadians. Here are some of the key highlights from this insightful session:
Canadians crave short and long-form videos, and TV is still the primary device for consuming video content.
Comparing the data from 2001 and 2021, TV remains the predominant medium for consuming video content, though slightly dropping from 96% to 89%. In the years leading up to 2023, the growth of smart TV usage can be attributed significantly to the growth of AVOD and SVOD. On the other hand, radio dropped sharply in the same 20-year period, from 94% to 65%. Print suffered the most decline, where usage nearly dropped to half its levels within the same timeframe.
While COVID has undoubtedly disrupted Canadians’ desire to participate in live events such as movies in the movie theatre, music concerts, and cultural, social, and sporting events, it is gradually recovering. Younger Canadians aged 30 and below and Newcomers to Canada are leading the charge for this recovery, participating mostly in cultural and sports events. However, levels are still below pre-pandemic periods.
E-commerce growth is back to pre-pandemic trends, with Canadians and Newcomers to spending 90 minutes on average shopping online weekly.
Canadians continue to seek news content actively. While there is a decrease in overall news consumption, the drop is not dramatic. Growth is seen through App and Mobile usage, and News Platforms are doing a great job of attracting audiences to their apps.
The CMUST study covered a wide breadth of insights that touched on virtually every hot topic being discussed in every media boardroom across the country, and we look forward to presenting the full report in other Canadian markets over the coming months.
The Report on Data event featured several valuable media studies and provided great insight into our shifting market. Panels covering off everything from CTV and measurement to the positive uses of AI left us feeling energized about things to come in the new year. Through its community of industry leaders, IAB Canada delivers relevant media and advertising insights to its members. To join the discussion, reach out to membership@iabcanada.com.