Nickelodeon Elevates Two Senior Executives On Consumer Insights Team

Nickelodeon Elevates Two Senior Executives On Consumer Insights Team

Makeda Mays Green Named Senior Vice President, Cultural And Digital Consumer Insights

Andrea Strauss Named Senior Vice President, Content and Brand Insights

NEW YORK – Monday, October 17, 2022

Nickelodeon has named Makeda Mays Green Senior Vice President, Cultural and Consumer Insights. Andrea Strauss has been named Senior Vice President, Content and Brand Insights.  The announcement was made today by Ron Geraci, Executive Vice President, Research and Strategic Insights, Nickelodeon, to whom they will both continue to report.

“Andrea and Makeda are incredibly accomplished researchers, who have the remarkable ability to distill both quantitative and qualitative data into clear and concise insights, said Ron Geraci.  “The innovative research work they have both shepherded during their time at Nickelodeon has played a crucial role in informing strategic decisions made across the organization.  I personally look forward to our continued collaboration as their leadership and expertise continue to keep us in the forefront of research for kids and families.”

In her new role as Senior Vice President, Cultural and Consumer Insights, Mays Green will continue to lead large-scale thought leadership and landscape studies on relevant cultural topics for kids and families and conduct qualitative and quantitative research that informs Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and Noggin’s digital strategies.

During Mays Green’s 11-year tenure with Nickelodeon, she has played a critical role in innovating methodologies for pivotal studies, including  the creation of the landmark “Shades of Us” study, which she followed up with the “How Content Creators Can Empower Families to Talk about Race” study, which was created through a partnership with Nickelodeon, Noggin and OK Play. By employing a unique methodology of having kids and parents discuss real life scenarios to facilitate a discussion on race and racism, rich insights were gathered to help creators accurately and authentically portray diverse stories and characters.  Makeda has also been a key member of the Noggin Leadership team, helping to inform the educational and development agenda for the learning platform through the research that she and her team have conducted.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Mays Green served as the Director of Education & Research, Digital Media at Sesame Workshop, where she examined the potential of current and emerging digital media platforms to provide quality educational material to children and families.  She currently sits on the Advisory Board of Raising Good Gamers, an initiative developed to create positive change in the culture and climate of online video gaming for youth.

As Senior Vice President, Content and Brand Insights, Strauss will continue to lead the Brand, Consumer Insights and Content Insights teams.  She will also be adding oversight of the West Coast Insights group to her remit.  Under Strauss’ leadership,  insights across all demos and content genres will be created and delivered by a single unified team.

A Nickelodeon veteran, Strauss has spent more than two decades as a vital linchpin, informing the work of the brand’s Production, Consumer Products, Public Affairs, Marketing and Location Based Experiences groups.  Her extraordinary body of work includes revelatory studies like “Family GPS,” “Story of Me,” “Story of Us,” and one of Nick’s most topical studies “Shades of Us,” a two-year exploration on how race and ethnicity are impacting the current generation of kids, which was produced in partnership with May Green.  Strauss’ content-focused research has also played a key role in the development of some of Nick’s biggest franchises, including SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly, Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues.  Most recently, Strauss spearheaded “Bridging the Gap,” a deep examination of content that resonates with the four to seven-year-old audience.  Also, she served as the chief architect in the creation of several research trackers that provide crucial information, helping the organization understand and contextualize current events, insights about the kid and family audience, and viewing habits across the myriad of platforms available to consumers.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Strauss was a member of the Strategic Services group at Grey Advertising, where she worked on new business pitches and premium consumer packaged goods brands, including the Dannon Yogurt kids’ products.

Makeda Mays Green

Andrea Strauss

Nickelodeon, now in its 43rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon is a part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment brands.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Supercharges Its Franchise Strategy With Steady Stream of New Premium Content for 2022-23 Season | Nick Upfront!

Press release via WebWire.

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ViacomCBS Releases the Findings of Its Newest Global Insights project, 'Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen'

VIACOMCBS GLOBAL INSIGHTS:

ACCURATE, AUTHENTIC ON-SCREEN REPRESENTATION MATTERS TO GLOBAL AUDIENCES

Global Study of More than 15,000 People Worldwide Uncovers a Need for the Entertainment Industry to Commit to Increased Diversity On-Screen And Off-Screen

Nearly 9 in 10 People Globally Agree TV Shows and Movies Influence Perceptions, and More than Half Say they are Not Represented Accurately On-Screen

After Knowing Someone Personally, Media Representation is the #1 Way to Foster Empathy and Understanding of Differences

NEW YORK, NY — OCTOBER 28, 2021 –ViacomCBS, parent company of Paramount+, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, today released the findings of its newest Global Insights project, Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen, which uncovers that global audiences feel entertainment companies have a responsibility to increase authentic, accurate on-screen representation.

Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen is an expansive in-depth exploration of how television and entertainment teach people about themselves and others, with more than 15,000 people surveyed from across 15 countries worldwide. The study was commissioned by ViacomCBS Networks International’s Race and Equity Taskforce, as part of Content for Change, a global ViacomCBS initiative that aims to counteract racism, bias, stereotypes and hate through the company’s culture, creative supply chain, and ultimately the content it creates. 

Representation matters to audiences all around the world, with more than 80 percent calling for more to be done to improve representation both on and off screen. It is also widely recognized that representation has an impact on the real world by influencing people’s perceptions, with 85 percent of respondents in agreement. Those that feel poorly represented suggest that this is not only due to not seeing enough people like them on screen but also due to seeing inaccurate portrayals, with more than half (52 percent) of people who feel poorly represented saying accuracy is lacking.

“Representation in media is a critical component to authentically connecting with diverse audiences and communities,” said Colleen Fahey Rush, EVP, Chief Research Officer, ViacomCBS. “Along with launching our expanded Content for Change initiative, this study reflects how ViacomCBS is proactively taking steps to transform our entire creative ecosystem to better serve our audiences and create meaningful change now and for the future.”

Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen
Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen is an exploration of how people around the world feel about on screen representation, shedding light on various aspects of diversity, including ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, disability and more.

“Through this study, for the first time, we see evidence of the connection between representation on screen and mental health,” said Christian Kurz, Senior Vice President, Global Streaming and Corporate Insights. “We know representation done right can aid in improving the lives of people globally and have the responsibility not only to continue the changes within our industry but also serve as a catalyst for positive social change around the world.”

“From the early days after the formation of the VCNI Programming and Audience Task Force, we knew that in order to succeed, we had to understand the opinions behind the scenes -- those of our audience,” said one of ViacomCBS’ Race and Equity Task Force Leaders, Susan Nave. “Made up of an international team across all aspects of our business, we worked in close collaboration with the global insights team to identify key markets and individuals, giving us a truly international view around on-screen representation. We think it’s eye opening, thought provoking and an excellent road map for our business.” 

Additional key findings include:

The Importance of Representation

Representation matters to audiences all around the world. In fact, audiences are calling for more to be done to improve representation, both on and off screen.

-- More than 80 percent of people globally say it is important that TV shows and movies offer diverse representation of lots of different groups and identities

- This rises to 85 percent among people with mixed heritage, nearly 90 percent among marginalized ethnic groups, and more than 90 percent among Black people

 

The Complexity of Representation

Respondents agreed, effective representation is not just about seeing themselves reflected on screen, it’s also about how they’re represented.

-- Among those who feel poorly represented in TV shows and movies, nearly 6 in 10 feel that people like them are not represented enough

-- Among those who feel poorly represented in TV shows and movies, more than half feel that people like them are represented inaccurately

Around the world, the feeling of being poorly represented is due to a combination of factors, which vary somewhat country by country. Interestingly, in every country, the #1 issue with representation is either around race or ethnicity or economic status.

-- Top factors poorly represented in TV shows and movies:

- “Race and ethnicity” ranks #1 in Australia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, UK and USA

- “Economic status” ranks #1 in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland

However, how well represented you feel depends on who you are and where you are in the world.

-- For example, some country differences between the factors poorly represented in TV and movies are:

- “Race and ethnicity” is not in the top 5 for Argentina, Chile, Germany, Italy and Poland

- “Age” ranks #2 in Australia, Germany, Poland and the UK

- “Religion or beliefs” ranks #2 in Brazil, Malaysia and Singapore

Although appearance is very important, representation is not just about how people look – often the sorts of lives people see reflected on screen don’t look like theirs.

-- Those who feel poorly represented, also say they do not see enough people that:

- “Behave like me” (33%)

- “Are the same economic level as me” (29%)

- “Speak with the same accent or dialect as me” (22%)

- “Have a family like mine” (21%)

- “Live in a home like mine” (21%)

Reasons for Feeling Poorly Represented

Many who feel poorly represented do not see enough people like them on screen, based on aspects of their appearance.

-- Nearly 70 percent of people who feel poorly represented globally say they do not see enough people like them on screen, based on aspects of their appearance, such as their body type, and how they look and dress.

-- Colorism is also an issue that globally more than half of women agree, the impact of colorism means that women with lighter skin tones are often seen as more appealing – and equally are often more present on screen.

-- Conventions of appearance also negatively impact gender non-conforming and disabled people, and among those who feel poorly represented, nearly 40 percent of those with a physical disability say they don’t see people with their body type on-screen.

The Impact of Poor Representation

Perpetuating stereotypes and lazy portrayals of different groups are hugely damaging to audiences. Harmful stereotypes are especially apparent among certain ethnic groups, who feel they are portrayed in particularly negative ways. For example:

-- Middle Eastern and Arabic people (20%) and Black people (18%) feel they are portrayed as criminal

-- Middle Eastern and Arabic people (19%) and Indigenous people (10%) feel they are portrayed as angry

-- Middle Eastern and Arabic people (17%) and Black people (16%) feel they are portrayed as dangerous 

Poor representation has a negative impact on the way people feel. 

Nearly 60 percent of those who feel poorly represented say it makes them feel unimportant, ignored, or disappointed

-- Among those that feel poorly represented, the top three areas that a lack of representation impacts are:

- “Self-esteem and confidence” (41%)

- “Sense of belonging” (40%)

- “Opportunities” (34%)

-- Globally, nearly 60 percent of those who feel their gender identity is poorly represented say their self-esteem and confidence is affected

-- Among those who feel their disability is poorly represented on screen, more than 40 percent say this lack of representation has affected their mental health (more than twice as likely as others who feel poorly represented)

-- Nearly 40 percent of those who feel their race or ethnicity is poorly represented say their connection to their cultural heritage is affected (more than twice as high as the average among all people who feel poorly represented)

The Need for Change…

Globally, most people agree that change is needed.

-- Nearly 80 percent agree more diversity is needed in TV shows and movies.

-- This rises to more than 80 percent among people who consider themselves part of an under-represented group, and nearly 90 percent among Black people.

-- Only half of people globally are satisfied with the current level of representation that they see in TV shows and movies

Audiences give equal weight to the importance of authenticity and diversity when it comes to on screen representation.

-- More than half of people globally feel there needs to be more accurate representation of certain groups and identities in TV shows and movies.

There is widespread optimism for the future of representation on screen, even among those who feel poorly represented.

-- In the next five years, nearly half of people globally think representation in TV shows and movies will get better  

For more research detail from Reflecting Me: Global Representation On Screen, visit Insights.ViacomCBS.com.

*Research details: Global survey of 15,387 people aged 13-49 across 15 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, UK, USA), together with remote video interviews in 7 countries with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and identities.

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More Nick: ViacomCBS Expands BET’s Content for Change Into Companywide Initiative!

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Kidfluence 2.0: South African Children Lead Influence on Household Purchase Decisions

Official ViacomCBS Networks Africa press release:

Kidfluence 2.0: SA children lead influence on household purchase decisions

A ViacomCBS Networks Africa insights study shows advertisers need to pivot

Among the online population in SA, children have an allowance of about R65 a week to spend, according to ViacomCBS Networks Africa insights study, Kidfluence Global 2021. Picture: SUPPLIED

Children are proving to be a consumer group that cannot be ignored in SA households as their influence continues to rise, stretching beyond the purchase of just toys and sweets. Today’s children are front and centre as key decisionmakers in the purchase of both low and high-ticket items across SA households. 

A ViacomCBS Networks Africa insights study dubbed Kidfluence Global 2021 — The SA Edition has uncovered the growing influence of children in SA household purchase decisions. After connecting with more than 500 children aged between six and 12 and parents online, ViacomCBS highlights the fascinating and rising influence of children across a range of consumer categories, from everyday items to more expensive purchases. The result is children have emerged as a significant consumer group that shows no sign of slowing down. 

Beyond pester power, more than half of six to 12 year olds surveyed in SA are using their powers of persuasion and are employing all the tools at their disposal to pitch their requests to their parents to ensure that their voice is heard when it comes to household purchase decisions. Moreover, it is no longer the responsibility of only the parents to keep family households running smoothly: children have taken up part of the responsibility by helping around the household and doing tasks. Their contribution does not stop there, children want to be included on purchase decisions on small or even big items. 

This emerging consumer group also goes as far as researching brands to determine the best fit for the household. Using technology and mobile devices, ViacomCBS found that SA children look to a variety of sources for guidance before spending money. At least 48% of children in SA look at online sources, such as YouTube for information on brands before a purchase, citing the internet’s important role when it comes to children and their choices. This is aided by children having access to lots of devices.

Kidfluence Global 2021: The SA Edition. Picture: SUPPLIED/VIACOMCBS

Our research highlights that the percentage of children that own or use most of these devices increases with age. By age 12, all SA children (that form part of the online population) have access to a smartphone, and they are able to research products and brands accordingly to make informed decisions.

Interestingly, 89% of children in SA look to their parents for approval or opinion on brands. Parents in SA remain the trusted figures and the best source of guidance for children. Once more, we are seeing this ongoing collaborative approach to household purchases between children and parents highlighted further as the keystone of modern-day families. 

ViacomCBS also researched the levels of influence children have across 26 broad categories ranging from vacations & day trips to food & grocery shopping, electronics, restaurants, telecommunications, and entertainment. We found that SA children have an overwhelming influence on the decision-making process in about all 26 categories. However, their biggest influence is on the household’s choice of entertainment (99%), followed by food & grocery shopping (97%) then the choice of restaurants at 93%.

This presents an opportunity for brands to be more inclusive of children’ perspectives and opinions and pay attention to the dynamic of today’s families — collaborative and support of each other. Children are valued within today’s families and should not be underestimated. They can be experts and masters of persuasion when it comes to household purchases. 

SA children are also eagerly using their own money to purchase big and small ticket items. With money received for doing chores, doing well at school, birthdays, allowances, or selling toys, children are emerging with a lot of spending power. 

On average, and among the online population in SA, children have an allowance of about R65 a week to spend. Globally, children are receiving a total of $894m on average each week — which is a significant amount of spending money to purchase items. 

Whether children see products online, in-store or somewhere else, they understand and value specific brands. A staggering 85% of SA children told us that they only choose certain brands and 67% said it is worth paying more for a brand or product they prefer. 

This indicates that children are aware and up to date on brands in SA and beyond. In fact, in their formative years, they already form opinions about which brands they prefer, and they understand the value of premium brands. This emphasises just how important children are to brands and businesses, both as consumers in their own right but also as influencers of those around them.

Additionally, today’s children are very engaged and open to brand messaging. Most SA children say they enjoy watching adverts for products that they like, and they follow certain brands, especially on social media. Interestingly, SA children are more loyal to brands than their global counterparts.

What does this mean for SA brands? They need to be more inclusive of children’s perspectives and opinions. Children have a significant amount of influence in decisions around both small and big purchases in the household. Brands can leverage this path to purchase, in various categories. Our Nickelodeon content and marketing strategies have been inspired by the research we conduct to ensure as a channel we become more accurate in depicting the current family dynamics and the research indicates there is an opportunity for more brands to do the same. 

From the ViacomCBS Networks Africa perspective, co-viewership between children and parents for content is at its pinnacle, which is an open opportunity for advertisers. This is more evident on children’ channels where we see as much as 50% of the viewership on these channels driven by parents ages 25+. This is an ideal environment for advertisers to communicate with families as a unit (rather than children and parents separately) and leverage the collaborative process that we see in families in an uncluttered advertising environment.

There’s significant value to engaging both children and adults in the household. Times and culture have evolved. A new generation of children and parents has emerged, and these collaborative households are taking more than the household decision-making process. There is a definite opportunity to communicate with families collectively, rather than as separate individuals. 

About the author: Giuliana Dias is senior director: research & insights at ViacomCBS Networks Africa.

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To read more about Nickelodeon and ViacomCBS' research projects, visit https://insights.viacomcbs.com.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Africa Names Changemaker Lerai Rakoditsoe as Host of New 'NickMusic' Series!

Original source: BusinessLIVE.

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How Would Kids Cast Themselves? | Nickelodeon Shades of Us

New research from Nickelodeon and OK Play shows that kids often default to racial stereotypes when it comes to who should play lead roles, and producers can help change this.

By: Makeda Mays Green, Andrea Strauss & Colleen Russo Johnson. Article courtesy of Kidscreen.

Media content has the power to shape children’s perceptions of themselves and others. But if it acts as both a mirror and a window, then what exactly are kids seeing reflected in the shows they watch?

One way to find out what they’re internalizing is to ask them. In Nickelodeon’s “Shades of Us” study that was conducted between 2019 and 2020, kids ages nine to 12 were asked to reflect on the shows they watch and identify the roles they think characters of various gender and racial/ethnic groups are most likely to play.

In other words, if you hired a kid to cast your next show based on what they’re used to seeing, what would you get? The results are a reality check on the pervasiveness of character tropes based on race, ethnicity, and gender that children have been indirectly taught over the years.

When it comes to casting the “hero,” the clear choice is the white boy (selected by 52% of all kids), compared to just 19% who cast a Black boy in the role. Hispanic and Asian boys fared worse, with just 12% of kids picking them as the hero. Girls are likely to land roles as the dancer, the crush or the cheerleader, but very clearly not the hero. Just 34% of kids cast girls in that role.

Black children are more than twice as likely to be cast as poor compared to white kids. Meanwhile, white children are significantly more likely to be viewed as smart (59%, compared to 38% of Black kids) and nearly twice as likely to be cast as a crush/love interest (64%, compared to 33% of Black children).

Asian youth are strongly typecast as the smart kid or the nerd, with those roles coming in as the top two archetypes for both Asian girls and boys. Overall, Asian children are least likely to be cast as the crush/love interest (23% of Asian children, compared to 64% of white kids), and Asian boys are almost never cast as the jock (6%, compared to 59% of white boys).

The only group that received an “I don’t know” as one of the top four responses for how they would be cast is Hispanic kids, indicating a severe underrepresentation of Hispanic/Latinx characters on screen. Hispanic kids are also the least likely to be cast as the smart character.

When it came to casting their own race, ethnicity and gender, the same tropes appeared. For instance, just 16% of Black kids cast Black boys as the hero, and 8% of Black kids cast Black girls as the hero.

In Nickelodeon/OK Play’s qualitative racial justice project (an extension of the “Shades of Us” study), a five-year-old Black girl explained that she thought—based on what she had seen on TV—all robbers were Black, and white people never committed robberies. Her perspective represents the detrimental impact of stereotypes perpetuated by media.

But kids want and need to see themselves represented in media content. According to “Shades of Us,” about half of Hispanic and Asian kids and nearly three-quarters of Black kids think it’s important to see their own race/ethnicity on screen. (Just one-third of white children feel it is important.) Additionally, kids of color do not feel they are well portrayed—40% of Asian kids, 45% of Hispanic kids and 55% of Black kids disagree with how they’re shown on screen (compared to 30% of white kids).

So, let’s evaluate what it truly means to be “seen.” Within each race/ethnicity group, there are nuances in treatment and discrimination based on physical appearance. The color of your skin, your hairstyle and your “look” all have a unique place in race discrimination and privilege. Light-skin privilege is particularly evident in media—where even culturally diverse shows and movies tend to cast light-skinned actors.

To truly reflect underserved audiences, it is imperative to authentically depict diverse characters. Representation is not simply defined by casting a specific race/ethnicity and “checking the box.” True representation comes from a diverse range of skin tones, hair textures, body types, interests, family structures and genders across and within racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, the integration of those characters must be accompanied by culturally fluent storylines.

The most common place other than school where kids learn about stereotypes is in movies and on TV, indicating the responsibility the media bears. But the current portrayals that do exist of children of color too often reinforce stereotypes that kids then internalize about themselves and others.

So, what’s next? Media companies have launched a wide range of initiatives and programming to drive positive change in racial and gender representation, including Nickelodeon’s Town Hall—Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special. This type of programming underscores the importance of conversations that involve kids from diverse backgrounds.

To accelerate this progress, however, we recommend the following additional steps:

First, every media company should establish a DEI strategy to focus on three areas— content, talent and audience. If the creators do not represent the children they aim to serve, the content will not promote healthy social identity—especially among girls and people of color. Every media creator must embrace the imperative to expand their audiences to reach the growing minority of kids who will, in actuality, soon be the majority audience in the near future.

Second, truly placing kids in the casting chair begins with dialogue with the kids themselves! At Nick and OK Play, we are re- doubling our efforts to do formative research and mentoring programs that engage the real voices of the next generation of leaders. We need their voices in the room.

Third, our team will meet with academics and others to turn research into programming that fosters broader racial and gender representation. We hope to catalyze current actions into a sustainable movement towards broader racial and gender representation work within media firms—large and small. We encourage other media companies to do the same.

It is time to look with fresh eyes outside our windows. There is a beautiful tapestry of diverse young people who deserve a simple promise—tell all of their stories, their truth, with authenticity and care so that they know they can be the hero of their own stories, too.

At Nickelodeon, Makeda Mays Green is VP of digital consumer insights, and Andrea Strauss is VP of brand and consumer insights. Colleen Russo Johnson, PhD, is chief scientist and co-founder at interactive storytelling app maker OK Play. Insights were supported by Michael Levine, PhD, SVP of learning and impact at Noggin, and Ron Geraci, EVP, Nickelodeon Research.

To read more about Nickelodeon and ViacomCBS' research projects, visit https://insights.viacomcbs.com.

This article originally appeared on Kidscreen.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

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Noggin to Take Part in New America's 'Under-Connected' Event on June 24

Hear the perspectives of lower-income parents with children ages 3-13 who had to conduct learning at home without adequate devices and internet connections. Noggin and New America's Under-Connected event on June 24, 2021 will share phone survey results from 1,000 families. For more information, see below or click here for the event's webpage.

[ONLINE] - Learning at Home While Under-Connected

A Forum to Discuss New Survey Data and Lessons for the Next School Year

Getting children back to school in September provides an unprecedented opportunity to do better by lower-income families—those who have borne the brunt of the impact of school building closures for more than a year and have been hardest hit by the health and economic crises of the pandemic. A forthcoming report, Learning at Home While Under-Connected: Lower-Income Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic, follows up on 2016's Opportunity for All? Technology and Learning in Lower-Income Families, to uncover the perspectives of lower-income parents with children ages 3 to 13. The new report delves into their experiences learning at home, what they discovered about their children's learning needs, and their priorities for the future. It provides timely, pointed, and thought-provoking insights on the challenges of being under-connected when trying to support young students at home without adequate devices and internet connections. Based on a telephone survey of more than 1,000 parents, the report also includes quotes and links to briefs from discussions with nearly three dozen lower-income parents in Pittsburgh, Detroit, and in Santa Clara County, CA.

Join us for a national forum to unveil these findings and discuss how to act on this data to better support families, schools, and community-based organizations in the coming months. Conversation will include new ideas for applying funding from the American Rescue Plan and new initiatives such as the Emergency Broadband Benefit.

Follow the conversation @NewAmericaEd and via #underconnected on Twitter.

Agenda:

12:00 pm: Welcome & Framing

• Lisa Guernsey, Director of Teaching, Learning & Tech, New America

12:05 pm: Video Collage: Parents’ and Students’ Reflections

• Makeda Mays Green, Vice President, Nickelodeon

12:10 pm: Findings from the Report

• Vikki Katz, Professor, School of Communications and Information, Rutgers University
• Victoria Rideout, Founder and President, VJR Consulting

12:25 pm: Keynote

• Jessica Rosenworcel, Acting Chair of the Federal Communications Commission

12:35 pm: Panel: Implications of the Findings

• Sam Liccardo, Mayor of San Jose
• Christopher Rush, Sr. Advisor for Innovation & Director of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education
• Jean-Claude Brizard, President and CEO, Digital Promise 
• Amy Huffman, Director, Policy, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
• Anya Kamanetz, NPR (moderator)

1:05 pm: Panel: Insights from Parents, Families, and Local Initiatives 

• Yolie Flores, Founder, Parent Nation 
• Alejandro Gac-Artigas, Founder and CEO, Springboard Collaborative 
• Cindy Eggleton, Co-Founder and CEO, Brilliant Detroit 
• Janice Myers, Grandparent, Pittsburgh 
• Javeria Salman, Hechinger Report (moderator)

1:35 pm: Calls to Action

• Michael Levine, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon (Noggin)
• Michelle Sioson Hyman, Senior Vice President, Raising A Reader
• Amir Nasr, Policy Analyst, and Michael Calabrese, Director of the Wireless Future Project, Open Technology Institute, New America

1:45 pm: Conclude

The research study and event forum are generously supported by: Noggin, Overdeck Family Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Grable Foundation and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and by our partners Raising A Reader, Brilliant Detroit, Reading Ready Pittsburgh, Grail Family Services, and FIRST 5 Santa Clara County.

When: Jun. 24, 2021, 12:00 pm - 1:45 pm

Where: Online Only

WEBCAST LINK - RSVP

More Nick: Noggin Launches ‘Big Heart World’ Social Initiative for Preschoolers!

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ViacomCBS Africa to Discuss 'Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids' Study in Online Event on February 2

Africa - Financial Mail Redzone will be hosting a panel discussion with ViacomCBS Networks Africa to discus the results of ViacomCBS' recent global research study, Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids. Dubbed The Redzone in Discussion with..... ViacomCBS - Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids – Road to the Future Work, the panel will take place on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 between 09h00 – 10h00. To register to attend the online event, visit https://arenaevents.africa/webinar-registrations/todays-parents-tomorrows-kids-road-to-the-future-work/. Below is more information about the panel as well as a article about the study:

Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids – road to the future work

2 February 2021 | 09h00 – 10h00

The study dubbed ViacomCBS’s “Are We There Yet: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids” reflects that while parenting styles have changed over the years, the core of parenting has not. Kids’ lives today are still dominated by authority figures and parents still place high expectations on them. What has changed significantly over the years is the nature of the relationship between parents and their kids.

Join the Financial Mail Redzone, Arye Kellman and Giuliana Dias (Senior Director: Insights and Research at ViacomCBS Networks Africa) to hear in-depth insights into the latest developments in new age parenting styles and the evolving dynamics between parents and kids.

From BusinessLIVE:

What ViacomCBS’s parenting study means for brands and content creators

‘Are We There Yet?’ highlights changing parenting styles and their impact on the next generation

Helicopter, lawnmower, tiger and free-range parenting are all new terms and emerging parenting styles suggesting that today’s children have more protective and interfering parents than ever before. Over the past decades, the world has witnessed the evolution of parenting philosophies across the globe as new generations navigate myriad tensions and attempt to parent their children differently from previous generations.  

After connecting with more than 1.8-million children, teens, young adults and adults through consumer insights, covering 79 countries globally, from Sweden to SA and Argentina to Australia, ViacomCBS has gleaned insights into the latest developments in New-Age parenting styles and the evolving dynamics between parents and children.

The study dubbed ViacomCBS’s Are We There Yet: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Children reflects that while parenting styles have changed over the years, the core of parenting has not. Children’s lives today are still dominated by authority figures and parents still place high expectations on them. What has changed significantly over the years is the nature of the relationship between parents and their children.  

“In the past decades, the word parent has shifted from being a noun to a verb. Previously, when one had children, they were defined by the simple act of being a parent. Nowadays, ‘parent’ has become a verb: rather than focusing on what one is, it has become about what one does. Parenting is now viewed as a role that needs consistent work with a hands-on approach,” said Tasania Parsadh, director for Nickelodeon channel brands at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) and co-parent to a four and six year old.

Parents are becoming more involved and conscious in their style, often choosing to instil flexibility and independence in their children. Though parents still think it’s incredibly important to set rules and boundaries, there’s a more open, flexible approach to rules. More than half of parents in the study globally said they were more likely than their own parents to take the time to explain the reasons behind their rules to their children.

Parents themselves also recognise that sometimes it’s OK to bend or break the rules to get things done. Parents in the study say they are happier being more fluid with their approach than in the past.

Our insightful research shows that 97% of parents surveyed in SA believe that their children are the most important things in their lives. This is universally recognised, with more than nine in 10 parents in all of the countries surveyed agreeing with this sentiment.  

Giulana Dias, senior director for research & insights at VCNA, whose household comprises two teenagers and whose team led the SA research, says: “I believe what we are seeing right now is that children have become central in their parents’ lives. Family life revolves around children and they are the ones taking priority in their parents’ lives. The study aimed to explore what this means for brands and content makers.” 

These insights present an opportunity to tap into the bond that children and parents have and target both groups at the same time. Similarly, in the content space, there are opportunities for brands to create content that can be enjoyed by both children and parents together. More broadly, this is a space that allows for families to spend more time together. So why not be the brand known for creating experiences that help parents and their children spend more time together? 

To make an impact on the next generation effectively, brands need to start looking at ways of meeting their needs. The ViacomCBS-led study shows that the next generation is different, powerful and influential, therefore brands need to apply a new and disruptive way of thinking.  

Through showcasing an in-depth understanding of parents and their children’s needs, aspirations and values, brands can appeal to them effectively. Over the years, some brands have achieved this successfully, while others completely missed the mark.  

The reality is that today’s children are growing up in a world where parents are worried about a range of factors including their children’s futures, mental health, bullying, physical health and the growing impact of social media. These worries lead to a series of tensions, which all have an effect on families and children’s upbringing.    

For example, parents want their children to be independent without compromising their safety, which often leads to a proliferation of different schools of thinking around how to achieve this balancing act. The question becomes whether to expose children to the real world and prepare them for adult life, or shelter them so they can enjoy their childhood. In SA, most parents in the study believe children should understand the real world they’re growing up in, as they cannot be shielded from everything — another great example of the balancing act parents are faced with daily.  

For parents faced with these constant tensions, it is essential that the brands they support understand their plight and reflect it in their offerings. Brands and content makers should reflect the ups and downs of today’s families — it doesn’t have to be perfect all the time.  

The VCNA study also reveals that brands get it wrong in children’s content by portraying parents incorrectly or by completely excluding them — which fails to reflect the reality between children and their parents that we are seeing in the home.

VCNA’s intent is for brands to reflect the role of parents in content in a more real and accurate way by tapping into the challenges and tensions they experience in today’s world, as well as celebrate them and give reassurance that they’re doing a great job. After all, being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. A significant portion of parents in the study (88%) of parents from both low- and high-income groups agree that being a parent is one of the most challenging things one can do.  

At the heart of ViacomCBS is the constant dynamic of innovation, reimagining and reinventing, through world-class and insightful research that supports a better understanding of audiences at each stage of their lives. To understand the next generation of children, it’s important to explore the influences shaping their development.  

Join the FM Redzone, Arye Kellman and Giuliana Dias on February 2 for more insights into the changing role of parents.

Register here >>>

This article was paid for by ViacomCBS.

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For more research detail from Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids, visit https://insights.viacomcbs.com.

 

More Nick: 2021 on Nickelodeon | New Shows, Specials, Podcasts, Events, Movies, Episodes, and More!

Originally published: Thursday, January 21, 2021.

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New ViacomCBS Study Finds That Australians Love Their TV, But Want a Simpler Experience

Australians’ appetite for TV is hungrier than ever. And for the vast majority of viewers - 76% - as long as they can easily access what they want to watch, the device and service simply don’t matter.

Top of mind for programmers and advertisers alike should be that, in 2020, viewers think of TV as content, not the number and proliferation of the tools to get it, says Christian Kurz, Senior Vice President of Global Insights at ViacomCBS, parent company of Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, Comedy Central and now Network 10.

Kurz was in Australia to present ViacomCBS’ global research project, Today’s TV, at the Future of TV Advertising summit in Sydney.

“Today’s TV sampled 10,000 people in 10 countries (Argentina, Australia, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Spain, Thailand, UK and US) to explore what TV means to people around the world today,” Kurz told AdNews.

"It has demonstrated how TV (defined as 'TV shows and movies'), fulfils three primary needs: it indulges viewers, it brings the family together, and it opens our minds by raising the visibility of previously untold stories."

Kurz explained that the Australian sample was +1000 and there are some distinct differences between the local responses and global averages:

• More Australians feel TV is part of their daily lives (84% v 69% global),
• 83% say TV is an important source of entertainment (vs 70% global)
• 83% are excited by the options they have to watch TV today (vs 77% global)
• 76% feel that as long as they can access what they want to watch, the device and service don’t matter
• 88% find TV as a source of comfort (vs 66% global) but 79% wish it was easier to find TV shows and movies. And 85% also wish they could access all their TV content through just one service.

He says the survey findings sound a warning bell that, while consumers use TV to reduce stress, they find the amount of content available to them can be overwhelming.

"Nearly two-thirds say that there are so many great TV shows coming out, it’s difficult to keep up," according to Kurz.


"Searching for content is time-consuming and frustrating – especially on VOD services. Viewers yearn for simplicity, with 80% saying they wish they were able to access all their TV content through one service and 77% wishing it were easier to find the TV shows and movies they love.

"Viewers are also defaulting to content they know. They want TV to be easy, not another set of decisions to make. For some, this means watching something they’ve seen before. Others turn to linear TV as a way of simplifying their choices.

"In short, people love TV as much as ever, but with so much great content it’s stressful to decide what to watch. To improve their viewing experience, give them the ease and seamlessness they crave. This applies to advertising as much as programming."

Today's TV talked to 10,000 people in 10 countries via an online survey and in-home ethnographies with selected viewers. For some respondents, ViacomCBS affixed Go Pro cameras to their TV sets to get a front-seat view to their TV habits.

For more research detail from Today's TV, visit Insights.Viacom.com

More Nick: ViacomCBS Unveils Findings of 'Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids' Global Research Study!

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ViacomCBS Unveils Findings of 'Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids' Global Research Study

Official ViacomCBS Networks International Press Release:

ViacomCBS Study: Kids Come First Today in Households Globally,

Over 70 Percent Drive Household Decisions

60 percent of parents surveyed say their children control what’s on TV

58 percent of parents use screen time to reward good behavior,

nearly 90 percent believe children learn best through play

MIAMI—FEB. 12, 2020 –ViacomCBS, parent company of Nickelodeon, today released its newest global research study, Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids. The study finds that today’s kids come first in their households, and that the parent/kid relationship is closer than ever before: Almost all parents surveyed prioritize having a close relationship with their child, and want their child to feel they can tell them anything.

The study, which includes a global survey of over 8,000 parents of kids under age 12 across 16 countries, as well as a literature review and expert interviews,* found that 72 percent of kids globally play a role in household decisions, with 60 percent of parents surveyed saying that when watching TV together, their child usually chooses what to watch. In addition, nearly 60 percent of parents today use screen time to reward good behavior, which reinforces the importance of play—nearly 90 percent of parents surveyed believe their children learn best through play.

Global consensus revealed that for some, parental peer pressure can be a challenge; however, parents are concerned about many other things in relation to their kids’ lives. Children’s future, mental health and bullying ranked as the top three worries parents have globally regarding their kids.

Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids revealed five key areas that explore how kids are being raised today, how this will shape kids’ futures, and what it means for content makers looking to connect with the next generation.

Key findings include:

Kids are central in their households and in their parents’ lives.

· 96 percent of parents agree “My child is the most important thing in my life” (over 90 percent in every country surveyed)

· 48 percent of parents agree “I often compare myself to other parents”

· Parents’ top three worries regarding their kids are:

          o “Child’s future” (49 percent)

          o “Child’s mental health” (43 percent)

          o “Bullying (in person)” (42 percent)

The relationship between today’s kids and parents is different.

Kids have a much more open, closer relationship with their parents than in the past. Today’s kids are being given more guidance on how to navigate the real world, as well as greater responsibility.

o 72 percent of kids play a role in household decisions, according to parents

o 60 percent of parents agree “When we’re watching together, my child usually controls what is on the TV”

o 96 percent of parents agree “I want my child to feel that they can tell me anything”

o In the U.S., kids are ahead of the global average for playing a big role in household decision-making (US 29 percent vs. Global average 23 percent)

Parents’ worries are leading to household tensions in family life, where conflicting priorities require a balancing act.

Tensions include:

o Restricting Screen Time vs. Using Screen Time as a Reward

o 58 percent of parents agree “I use TV or screen time to reward good behavior from my child”

o 80 percent of parents agree “I limit screen time for my child as much as possible”

Parents’ attitudes towards screen time depend on the type of screen and what it’s used for:

o 84 percent of parents agree “Watching TV together is great for family bonding time”

o 65 percent of parents agree “Playing video games can be good for a child’s development”

Formal learning vs. Play

o 88 percent of parents agree “Children learn best through play”

o 77 percent of parents agree “Children learn best through structured classes”

Today’s parenting differs from parenting in the past.

The things that today’s parents tell us they are doing more than their own parents are:

o “Tell my child / children I love them”

o 59 percent of parents say “I do this more than my parents”

o “Play with my child / children”

o 55 percent of parents say “I do this more than my parents”

Parents today also have a more open, flexible approach to rules:

o 53 percent of parents told us that they “Take time to explain the reasons behind my rules” more than their parents did

o 84 percent of parents agree “Sometimes as a parent you have to bend your own rules to get things done”

‘Parent’ has turned from a noun into a verb.

’Parent’ has become something you do, rather than something you are. Today’s parents – both moms and dads – are heavily involved in all areas of their kids’ lives.

o Parents are involved “a lot” or “somewhat” in the following areas of their child’s life:

          o “Well-being and happiness” (96 percent) (Moms 98 percent, Dads 95 percent)

          o “Health” (95 percent) (Moms 97 percent, Dads 94 percent)

          o “Education” (94 percent) (Moms 95 percent, Dads 92 percent)

          o “Screen time” (84 percent) (Moms 87 percent, Dads 82 percent)

o 41 percent of parents strongly agree “I would do almost anything to help my child succeed." (A further 45 percent agree somewhat.)

o Parents are trying to instill a range of qualities in their kids, with the top three being:

          o “Respect” (47 percent chose this in their 5 most important qualities)

          o “Confidence” (47 percent)

          o “Kindness” (36 percent)

All of these factors are shaping parents’ hopes for their kids’ futures, and parents think their kids are going to turn out even better than previous generations.

Parents globally say the following are their most important hopes for their kids’ futures:

o “Healthy” (65 percent)

o “Happy” (64 percent)

o “Following their dreams” (45 percent)

o “Financial stability” (37 percent)

o “Good education” (36 percent)

          o For parents in the U.S., gaining a good education is a key hope for their kids; it ranks 3rd highest compared to 5th highest globally. Parents in the U.S. were also more likely to want their kids to be self-sufficient (27 percent of US parents said this was one of their top 5 hopes vs. 22 percent globally) and go to university (18 percent vs. 15 percent globally)

Parents predict that when their kids grow up, compared to previous generations, they will be more:

o “Tech-savvy” (65 percent)

o “Caring about the environment” (59 percent)

o “Curious about the world” (55 percent)

o “Intelligent” (54 percent)

o “Creative” (53 percent)

o “Independent” ranks in the top 5 for the U.S. (4th vs. 7th globally), just ahead of intelligent

For more research detail from Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids, visit Insights.Viacom.com.

* ”Parents” refers to survey respondents. Global survey respondents were 8,045 parents of kids aged 0-12 across 16 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, U.K., U.S.).

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More Nick: 2020 on Nickelodeon | New Shows, Specials, Events, Movies, Episodes, and More | Nick Upfront 2020!

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Power in Progress | A Viacom Velocity Study

Power in Progress | A Viacom Velocity Study



Viacom Velocity’s first global study defines what power means for Generation Z today. “Power in Progress” explores the social and cultural forces that contribute to shifting attitudes towards traditional sources of power—and brands need to pay attention.

Cast Featured:
Feliquan Charlemagne
Meredith Clark
Ellen Jones
Hauwa Ojeifo
Nadya Okamoto
Stephanie Patrick
Jen Sey

A film by: Viacom Velocity http://www.velocityviacom.com/
Produced by: VAM Studios

More Nick: Nickelodeon Embarks on New Direction with its Biggest, Most Wide-Ranging Content Slate Ever!

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New Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Insights Research Reveals Live Experiences Are More Popular Than Material Goods, Whilst Kids Are Increasingly Having Greater Roles in Household Decisions

Don’t worry, be happy (with experiences)

New research from Viacom shows experiences are trending stronger than material goods, while kids have an increased sway over household decisions.

Kids and families today are finding increased value in live experiences over material goods, a new Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Insights report reveals. Every Age, Every Aisle, Everywhere: Understanding Consumers Today connected with people ages six to 54 from more than 31 countries.

The key finding from the report was that when it comes to happiness, across all ages, it’s about time—not about having plenty of money. On Viacom’s rank of the top five sources of happiness, “spending time with family and friends” took the top slot, while “time for fun and relaxation” and “going away on holiday” were both growing. Ending the list were “being successful” and “having plenty of money.” This is a marked difference from 2012′s findings, which saw success and money ranking higher in the list.

The study found that there’s value in providing people the opportunity to participate in experiences, especially with friends and family. Facilitating shared experiences helped keep everyone in the household happy. Exclusive experiences were deemed the “ultimate status symbol,” making it a big deal for people to be the first to discover something. Kids are having an increasing sway over these decisions as well: 70% of children have a role in deciding where the family will go on vacation, while nearly eight in 10 kids have a say when it comes to deciding how to spend their free time. (And, echoing recent trends in the food aisle, 77% of kids have a say when it comes to mealtimes.) Nine in 10 parents, meanwhile, believe they should always listen their kids’ opinions before making decisions that affect them.

This data backs an ongoing trend toward live experiences in the kids industry. According to Expedia, 74% of Americans prioritize experiences over products these days, and 65% of brands say that live events and experiential programs are directly related to sales.

Nickelodeon has launched several live experiences in the last several years, including SLIMEFEST, NickFest, Nickelodeon x Carney, and a Slime City, an All That Good Burger Pop-up, and will soon be launching the SpongeBob SquarePants: The Bikini Bottom Experience pop-up in L.A. later this month. Tru Kids Brands, parent company of Toys “R” Us, is partnering with candy-themed experiential adventure company Candytopia on a new immersive pop-up that was made for Instagram, while toycos like Hasbro and Mattel continue to launch their own location-based efforts. Nickelodeon's sister network, Comedy Central, also has Comedy Central Presents Clusterfest.

Viacom’s data also revealed that “emotional resonance and release”—getting people to feel happy, sad, angry or sympathetic—helps people cope and allows families to bond.

Representing the diversity of today’s families and reflecting their realities was also found to be incredibly important. Inclusion and realness is increasingly valued by all age groups, with the report quoting a 30-year-old respondent saying “characters that look, think, dress, talk [or] walk like you, any of those little things can go a long way.”

For more studies from the Viacom Global Insights team, visit insights.viacom.com.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Embarks on New Direction with its Biggest, Most Wide-Ranging Content Slate Ever!

Original source: Kidscreen.

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New Viacom Study Finds That Gen Z Knows Exactly How Powerful It Is | Youth Culture: Power in Progress

A new Viacom study shows how today's global youth are embracing their collective power, and what brands can do about it.

Anyone who has seen an Instagram post go viral or a YouTube video rack up millions of views understands the enormous collective power of Generation Z. But a new study from Viacom Velocity and Viacom Global Consumer Insights shows just how much today’s youth embrace their abilities to evoke change in the media world and beyond, Kidscreen reports.

According to Power in Progress, which fielded 11,000 participants ages 13 to 25 across 10 countries, 61% of young people believe their generation is more powerful than any other before it. Gatekeeping, they believe, is a collective effort.

Gen Zers in the US, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Italy, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa and the UK believe power is increasingly seen as a collaborative exercise that is bolstered through the connected world. Seventy-two percent of participants believe they can have a successful career doing exactly what they want to do, and that same percentage encourages and supports others when they face challenges.

To that end, teens will band together to cancel people and views in which they don’t believe, and everyone is tasked with policing authenticity. More than half (57%) believe that power should belong to everyone, while 62% say that social media gives them a voice on important issues. While 63% believe social media has the greatest impact on their country, only 38% believe people like themselves are well represented in mass media.

In terms of interacting with brands, 50% of Gen Zers think that companies like Facebook, Amazon and Google are too big and powerful, and two-thirds believe brands should play a larger role in social issues. In fact, 70% say brands that do participate in social issues earn their respect.

According to Colleen Fahey Rush, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Research Officer at Viacom Media Networks, young people are energized and emboldened by their beliefs that they can achieve their goals and have an impact in the world. And in order to connect with today’s teens, brands should show a genuine commitment toward earning their trust.

Viacom presented the findings of their Youth Culture: Power in Progress study during a panel at VidCon USA 2019.

From Streaming Media:

Half of Young People See Major Tech Sites as Too Powerful, Finds Viacom

Companies such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google are too big and powerful, agree half of today’s young people. During a VidCon 2019 panel called “Youth Culture: Power in Progress,” two Viacom executives presented the results of global survey showing how young people view power in the world. According to “Power in Progress,” presented by Christian Kurz, senior vice president of global consumer insights for Viacom, and Maya Peterson, senior director of culture and insights for Viacom Velocity, “This generation’s relationship to structural power is still in beta. Many young people can’t yet vote, or even drive, yet their values are starting to drive changes within powerful systems and institutions.”

The study shows a system in flux, but where it’s headed is hard to predict. “Brands are in a new position of power and acceptance,” the study says, noting that young people are twice as likely to trust brands than traditional institutions, and four times more likely to trust brands than politicians. But that doesn’t mean feelings about brands are overwhelmingly positive. Transparency is important to young people, but thanks to platform failures and resulting brand apologies, young people are deeply skeptical about brand integrity. Surprisingly, two-thirds don’t see the system as a barrier to power, while one-third do.

Young people see new media as a way to gain power for themselves, and are collaborating to harness attention and use media in new ways. That includes using media to boost underrepresented voices. With no gatekeepers on new media, young people are free to police authenticity and tell personal stories from new points of view, but also “cancel” people and ideas that don’t agree with their beliefs. The report calls this the “effects of the swarm.”

“Youth Culture: Power in Progress” was created from qualitative discussions and quantitative surveys in several countries, focusing on consumers age 13 to 25.

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About Youth Culture: Power in Progress:

Power in Progress is an exploration into the new dynamics of power and how young people around the world are defining, developing, and using their power to create change in their lives and society. Young people are growing up at a time when change matters more than ever. With the convergence of technology and world events, young people have a voice, power, and a platform like never before. Youth culture’s shifting attitudes about power has changed the game when it comes to growing up and generational influence. The status quo of the patriarchy, white privilege and the 70-year-old CEO are getting challenged.

What you’ll learn: How all this impacts on youth culture today, how they play, how they engage on the political stage and how they activate for the movements that they believe in.

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For more studies from the Viacom Global Insights team, visit insights.viacom.com.

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Titkok és tabuk nélkül – meglepő tényt tükröz a Nickelodeon kutatása | Nickelodeon Hungary

Below is Nickelodeon Hungary's version of Viacom's latest global research study, Kids of the World, via BEOL. A English version of this article can be read here:

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ VIACOM 'ДЕТИ МИРА' ПОЧТИ 90 % ДЕТЕЙ В МИРЕ СЧИТАЮТ, ЧТО ИМ ВСЕ ПОД СИЛУ: ОНИ СПОСОБНЫ ОСТАНОВИТЬ ВОЙНУ, ИСКОРЕНИТЬ ГОЛОД И СДЕЛАТЬ ВСЕХ ЛЮДЕЙ СЧАСТЛИВЫМИ

Official Nickelodeon Russia (Россия) press release (an English version of this press release can be read here):

How Viacom Uses AI to Predict the Success of its Social Campaigns

To eliminate some of the guesswork from its social media campaigns, Viacom has turned to machines.

Over the past year, a seven-person data science team in Viacom’s ad sales group has been building a pipeline to collect near-real time information about how its social media posts perform. This way, the entertainment giant can predict how many social posts it will need to reach audience goals and what kinds of posts to use in each campaign.

Using the product, Viacom set performance benchmarks for different kinds of social media posts by platform and all its brands, which include Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central. Viacom evaluates everything from branded content campaigns to posts designed to drive tune-ins to tentpole shows like Nickelodeon's annual Kids' Choice Awards, Kids' Choice Sports and HALO Awards and MTV’s Video Music Awards with the benchmarks. The data pipeline, which pulls information from social platforms sometimes as frequently as every five minutes, is also designed to give Viacom’s departments easy access to the data.

“We see a lot of inefficiencies in the way things are done,” said Matthew Moocarme, a senior data scientist for Viacom, who gave a presentation on the effort at the Advertising Research Foundation’s Audience x Science event on June 12. “Right now, the goal of this is to report back on how well we’ve performed [on social].”

Viacom operates social handles for everything from its channels to its shows to the individual characters in them, including Nickelodeon and SpongeBob SquarePants. It runs over 400 YouTube channels, 430 Facebook pages, 60 Instagram handles and 100 Twitter handles. Viacom publishes hundreds of times per day on each platform, except for YouTube.

Viacom uses the posts for a variety of purposes, including driving traffic to its websites, social impressions for advertisers and awareness of its own programming. Internal brand marketing agency Viacom Velocity markets the content Viacom’s brands produce, and social media platforms are a key distribution channel.

Moocarme said that prior to the creation of its internal system, groups like Velocity and the ad sales group his team reports used third-party benchmarks to see if their social media content was working. But those third party solutions all had their own shortcomings; some third-party tools, for example, make it difficult to use third-party tools to determine how much paid promotion affects content performance.

The pipeline has already helped unearth insights that inform Viacom’s campaigns. For example, the company uses the technology to determine when to use influencers to drive content. The technology can tell within eight hours of a post’s publication whether it will perform well relative to its expected results.

“At all our tentpoles, we have these dedicated social war rooms,” Moocarme said. “If you know you have to produce another post, you want to know with as much time as possible.”

Although Moocarme and his group run analyses for different stakeholders inside Viacom, they can use it to conduct their own experiments and create their own models, too. That’s part of a broader push to make data more widely available across the organization. Several weeks ago, the company also launched a data marketplace that gives Viacom executives an ability to browse the data sets available across the organization, sample them and request them more efficiently.

“Our ethos within the data science team is innovation and automation,” Moocarme said. “That means automating the boring parts.”

Also, from BusinessCloud:

Viacom uses AI to predict social media future

Although social media has been around for years now, it can still feel like a bit of a stab in the dark for businesses who are trying to connect with their audience.

One company that’s shedding some light on the problem is US media company Viacom, which has been using AI to predict what’s going to do well across its platforms.

“We see a lot of inefficiencies in the way things are done,” said Matthew Moocarme, a senior data scientist for the company speaking at the Advertising Research Foundation’s Audience x Science event at the start of the week.

“Right now, the goal of this is to report back on how well we’ve performed [on social].”

Over the last year the company has let its data science team loose on social to gather near-real-time information on how its posts are performing.

Using the insights their system can predict how many social posts it will need to use to hit its targets and what kind will be best across different brands, which include Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central.

Before they went deep on their data the company was using third-party benchmarks to see how well posts were performing which, as anyone who’s tangoed behind the scenes of social knows, often don’t cut it.

The team has been using the insights to figure out key things like when to bring in influencers and whether a post will perform as well as expected, which it can tell within eight hours of publication.

It seems like they might be onto something too, with a recent report from MarketsandMarkets predicting that AI in the social media market will grow from $633.1m in 2018 to an incredible $2,197.1m by 2023.

--Ends--

More Nick: Viacom Unveils Viacom Digital Studios @ First-Ever Digital Content NewFront!

Original source: Digiday.

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