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.
毫不奇怪，退伍军人也是电子产品的忠实消费者。尼尔森的数据显示，在过去的 12 个月里，退伍军人在电视机上花费了 17 亿美元，在其他消费电子产品上花费了 20 多亿美元。但这还不止于此。
退伍军人的主要支出集中在与建立长期稳定相关的领域--住房、家具和技术--这表明他们对平民生活的投资。
广告商绝对应该注意到这一点。毕竟，美国人口普查局报告称，2024 年的家庭收入中位数为 83730 美元，而退伍军人的平均家庭收入要高得多，达到 115139 美元。
尼尔森 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.
研究还发现，退伍军人在家工作的可能性要高出 22%，成为小企业主的可能性要高出 19%。他们强烈的家庭生活也很明显，因为他们养狗的可能性要高出 23%。这就意味着，营销人员有大好机会针对这一群体推出小型办公室/家庭办公产品、商业软件，当然还有宠物食品和服务。
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.
了解更多 Nielsen Scarborough, and explore our 多元化受众报告 available for purchase now.
