Personalization Helps Make Streaming Win Across Diverse Audiences, LG Ad Solution Study Finds

Streaming is gaining popularity across diverse audiences, according to a new Inclusive Screen Report from LG Ad Solutions.

The ability of CTV to deliver personalized viewing and advertising experiences contributed to Black, Hispanic, Asian and LGBTQ+ viewers preferring it to linear, LG said.

Many of the the preferences lined up for all of the groups studied. Among black audience 64% preferred streaming over traditional TV. The same percentage (64%) of Asian viewers preferred streaming, as did  63% of Hispanic viewers. Among LGBTQ+ viewers, 57% chose streaming.

Similarly, when asked if they preferred free ad-supported streaming to ad-free subscription services, each group preferred free and the percentages were closely grouped between 74% for LGBTQ+ and 68% for Hispanics.

The ability to deliver relevant ads is also pointed to as a strength of CTV. In the LG study, it was particularly to  72% of Black CTV viewers that the ads be relevant to what they’re watching. Among Hispanics, 70% said the prefer seeing ads relevant to their interests.

The increased relevance helps convince viewers to take action after seeing ads. Those actions including visiting websites, searching for product,s talking about ads with friends and family and making purchases.

Black viewers were 52% more likely than all viewers to purchase a product after seeing an ad and 22% more likely to visit a brand’s website.

While there was a lot of similarity among the groups, some differences emerged.

It took LGBTQ+ households the longest to choose what they wanted to watch (16 minutes and 4 second). And while LGBTQ+, Hispanic and Asian viewers relied most on recommendations from friends and family to pick programs, Black homes leaned on the home screen of the streaming service.

In terms of advertising, pharmaceutical brands were the biggest spender on Black-cultural TV networks, followed by health and beauty brands and restaurants. On Spanish-language TV, restaurants were the top spenders, health and beauty brands were No. 2, followed by pharmaceuticals.

As part of the report, LG Ad Solutions conducted online surveys, with 467 Asian American CTV viewers, 586 Black CTV viewers and 300 LBGTQ+ viewers in June and 603 Hispanic viewers in July. 

“As consumers face an ever-expanding array of content across apps and platforms, personalization has moved from preference to an expectation in TV viewing,” said Monica Longoria, head of marketing insights at LG Ad Solutions.

"Our latest Inclusive Screen study shows that diverse audiences want more control, easier discovery and advertising that reflects their interests and identities. CTV is the medium that delivers on all of these needs, combining flexible viewing options, expansive content libraries and advanced targeting to create tailored experiences for consumers,” Longoria said. “Advertisers who prioritize this will not only connect with these audiences but also drive deeper engagement and measurable results.”