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 do The Pacific. From Seal Team do The Unit do 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.
Nic dziwnego, że weterani są również dużymi konsumentami elektroniki, która umożliwia im konsumpcję treści. Dane Nielsen pokazują, że weterani wydali 1,7 miliarda dolarów na telewizory w ciągu ostatnich 12 miesięcy i ponad 2 miliardy dolarów na inną elektronikę użytkową. Na tym jednak nie koniec.
Główne wydatki weteranów koncentrują się na obszarach związanych z zapewnieniem długoterminowej stabilności - mieszkalnictwie, wyposażeniu i technologii - podkreślając ich inwestycje w życie cywilne.
Reklamodawcy powinni bezwzględnie wziąć to pod uwagę. W końcu U.S. Census Bureau podało, że mediana dochodu gospodarstwa domowego w 2024 r. wyniosła 83 730 USD, podczas gdy średni dochód gospodarstwa domowego weteranów jest znacznie wyższy i wynosi 115 139 USD.
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.
Warto również zauważyć, że weterani o 22% częściej pracują w domu i o 19% częściej są właścicielami małych firm. Ich silne życie rodzinne jest oczywiste, ponieważ o 23% częściej posiadają psa. Oznacza to, że marketerzy mają doskonałą okazję, aby dotrzeć do tej grupy z produktami dla małych biur / biur domowych, oprogramowaniem biznesowym oraz, oczywiście, karmą dla zwierząt i usługami.
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.
Dowiedz się więcej o Nielsen Scarborough, and explore our Raporty dla zróżnicowanych odbiorców available for purchase now.
