Valentine’s Day is all about bringing people together. It’s a celebration of friendship, commitment, and the pairing of individuals who are ready to take on the world together.
But before we get too emotional, it’s important to bring up our favorite kind of pairing. We’re talking about Derek and Meredith, Homer and Marge, Marshall and Lily, and Ross and Rachel (they were on a break, obviously). Those TV duos that really make your heart sing. So cozy up on the couch, activate your binge mode, and indulge in the most perfect pairing of all: Hulu and Valentine’s Day.
This year, Hulu is setting the mood for consumers and advertisers alike with Valentine’s Day related insights. To steal a line from The Bachelor, “Will you accept this rose [and keep reading]?” Awesome – let’s dive in!
Watching Hulu Is Better With A Plus-One
Co-viewing is prevalent, especially on Hulu, where 90% of Hulu viewers say they watch with others on a regular basis. But “regular basis” can vary by viewer, so let’s break this down a bit further.
20% say they co-view every day. That’s the kind of commitment that would make Leslie Knope proud. You know, because she’s so committed to the Pawnee Parks & Rec department…you get the picture. And these folks are co-viewing more on Hulu than other platforms. 64% say they watch Hulu with others at least once per week, which is 11% higher than their linear co-viewing habits.
Keeping us in the Valentine’s Day spirit, there is also the notion of relationship co-viewing. Think of this as sitting down and rewatching Bob’s Burgers for the 3rd time with that special someone. We found that 65% of our viewers watch Hulu with their partner or spouse. So while Hulu viewers are more likely to watch TV with their loved ones, we all know the rules – no skipping ahead!
Love Is in the Air & On the TV Screen in February
At Hulu, we love a good rom-com, and unless you are actually trying to Lose A Guy In 10 Days, chances are you do too. We checked in with our viewers, and 60% agree that they enjoy spending quality TV time with their significant other on Valentine’s Day.50% say that Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to indulge in a rom-com together (as if you ever really needed an excuse).
When looking at some of our most watched romance flicks last February, the following titles rose to the top:
Furthermore, we’re also seeing a spike in viewership of romantic movies. Last February, romantic films saw +33% higher consumption (minutes watched) and +20% higher viewership (active users) than the average of all other months.
What does this tell us? It highlights the fact that cultural moments have an impact on viewing behavior. At Hulu, we’re all about connecting consumers with the stories they love. We create breakthrough moments that tap into culture and spark conversation. And in this instance, Valentine’s Day helps drive that conversation, and also brings content that is contextually (and romantically) relevant to the forefront.
Advertisers Should Join the Watch Party
A PSA to all brands: don’t get left in the cold like Lloyd Dobler’s character from Say Anything. Turn that boombox on, blast some Peter Gabriel, and join the conversation! Aside from the fact that consumers routinely display higher awareness levels for contextually relevant advertising, over 1/4th of Hulu viewers say they have a positive opinion about Valentine’s Day-related ads.
And these ads are proven to have an impact on the choices our viewers are making after they wrap up their binge session. In fact, 21% of our viewers say they have been inspired to hit the town with their significant other for a romantic dinner date as a direct result of a Valentine’s Day ad.
But inspiration wasn’t enough for us – we wanted to break this down even further and see if Valentine’s Day ads had an impact on real-world purchase decisions. We found that outside of the standard flowers, cards, and candy care packages, viewers also felt influenced to purchase clothing and experiences – such as concerts, cooking classes, or sporting events.
In short, Valentine’s Day presents a huge opportunity for brands to reach consumers at a time where their purchase intent is higher than normal. So brands – don’t be Clueless, this isn’t Serendipity! Take a moment to let your target audience know that “They’ve” Got Mail, because if Harry (your brand) is ever going to meet Sally (your audience), Valentine’s Day is the time to make it happen!
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Source #1: ePoll – Audience Profile, January 2020.
Source #2: Hulu Internal Data, February 2019
Source #3: Hulu Internal Portal, Minutes Watched and Active Users, February 2019. Hulu Internal Portal, Content Segmentation, Rolling 12 months, Data as of 2/7/20
