On Feb. 28, 1983, an estimated 106 million people in the U.S. watched the finale of one of the most beloved shows in television history, M.A.S.H. This made it the most-watched single television broadcast in American history at the time. The iconic military-themed show follows the staff of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War, using humor to cope with the stresses of combat.
The show also exemplified America’s interest and fascination with the brave men and women who serve our country. From Band of Brothers to The Pacific. From Seal Team to The Unit to J.A.G to the whimsical Hogan’s Heroes, military-themed television shows have been a staple for as long as the medium existed.
The storylines in military-themed shows have run the gamut from shining a light on incredible acts of bravery to humanizing moments of tragic loss. Today, content that centers military service ranges from creators across social media to best-selling video games. They have provided laughter and tears—and brought us closer to the people behind the uniform. Television has had the unique ability to bring the military into our living room, outside of the news, in a way that can change one’s perception of who they are and what they do. And most certainly, they have given us new appreciation of veterans.
There are approximately 16 million veterans in the U.S. They are our neighbors, our friends and our co-workers. But the unique cultures and connection points of veterans and military families are often overlooked when it comes to advertisers. This despite the fact that veterans possess tremendous buying power and are vociferous consumers of televised entertainment.
For example, according to Nielsen Scarborough, veterans are 19% more likely than the national average to subscribe to a live TV streaming service. The data also shows that 65% have viewed broadcast TV in the past week while 66% have viewed cable TV in the past week.
Es überrascht nicht, dass Veteranen auch viel Elektronik kaufen, um ihre Inhalte zu konsumieren. Nielsen-Daten zeigen, dass Veteranen in den letzten 12 Monaten 1,7 Milliarden Dollar für Fernsehgeräte und mehr als 2 Milliarden Dollar für andere Unterhaltungselektronik ausgegeben haben. Aber das ist noch nicht alles.
Die wichtigsten Ausgaben der Veteranen konzentrieren sich auf Bereiche, die mit der Schaffung langfristiger Stabilität zusammenhängen - Wohnung, Einrichtung und Technologie -, was ihre Investitionen in ihr ziviles Leben unterstreicht.
Werbetreibende sollten dies unbedingt zur Kenntnis nehmen. Das US Census Bureau berichtet, dass das mittlere Haushaltseinkommen im Jahr 2024 bei 83.730 Dollar liegt, während das durchschnittliche Haushaltseinkommen von Veteranen mit 115.139 Dollar deutlich höher ist.
Nielsen data further reveals that veterans spent $6.8 billion on purchases made on the internet in the last 12 months. Displaying their handiness around the house, veterans shelled out more than $10.7 billion on all home improvements in the past 12 months, and more than $2.1 billion was spent on furniture purchases.
Die Studie zeigt auch, dass Veteranen mit 22 % höherer Wahrscheinlichkeit zu Hause arbeiten und mit 19 % höherer Wahrscheinlichkeit Inhaber eines kleinen Unternehmens sind. Ihr ausgeprägtes Familienleben ist offensichtlich, da sie mit 23 % höherer Wahrscheinlichkeit einen Hund besitzen. Dies bedeutet, dass Vermarkter eine hervorragende Gelegenheit haben, diese Gruppe mit Produkten für kleine Büros/Heimbüros, Unternehmenssoftware und natürlich mit Tiernahrung und -dienstleistungen anzusprechen.
As television ratings can attest, we have collectively been fascinated with the military for generations. But when it comes to veterans, we often overlook marketing to them, despite their tremendous buying power and consumption of content. After all veterans have given, they are a population certainly worth serving.
Erfahren Sie mehr über Nielsen Scarborough, and explore our Berichte über verschiedene Zielgruppen available for purchase now.
