2020 has caused many of us to revisit our typical behaviors. We’ve shifted from going to the gym to taking virtual yoga classes, said goodbye to our desk at the office and said hello to virtual meetings, and we’ve replaced our grocery store shopping with meal-kit delivery.
Given all this change and feelings of uncertainty, Hulu wondered if the upcoming holidays would also require a reassessment. We wanted to know:
To answer these questions, we surveyed Hulu viewers to figure out how they plan to celebrate the upcoming holidays. Here’s a look at what we uncovered:
The New Norm: Rethinking Holiday Traditions
We’re all navigating through these unprecedented times and establishing a “new normal.” But while things may be different this year, Hulu viewers are still planning on making the most of the upcoming holidays.
The holidays will look different, but Hulu viewers are still optimistic.
Hulu viewers agree that they plan on making the most of the holidays despite the current situation (95%) and that the holidays will be a good distraction from what’s going on (81%).
While the majority of viewers anticipate spending the holidays at home (75%), viewers will still celebrate by having small in-person gatherings with friends and family (61%) and plan on tuning into holiday shows and movies (59%). One viewer shared:
Hulu viewers anticipate watching more content this holiday season.
It’s no surprise that TV consumption has increased as people spend more time at home — and, this trend is expected to continue into the holiday season. The holidays and Hulu are a perfect pair, so it makes sense that we traditionally see an uptick in viewership during this time. We saw substantial year-over-year growth in content hours watched during the holidays between 2019 vs. 2018, including Thanksgiving Day (+41%), Christmas Day (+29%), and New Years Day (+29%).
And viewing over the holidays shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, one in three Hulu viewers anticipate that they’ll be watching more Hulu during this holiday season vs. previous holidays.
Holiday viewing also serves as a restorative experience – as both a way to bond with friends/family, or to catch up on “me-time.” For those who are co-viewing during the holidays, they tend to watch with a partner/spouse or children. We’ve heard from viewers that watching TV during the holidays provides entertainment (83%), a way to de-stress (63%), a chance to wind down (61%), and something that they can look forward to (44%).
Out of an abundance of caution, Hulu viewers are still evaluating their travel options and are considering virtual gatherings.
For the most part, viewers do not think that travel is worth the risk during the upcoming holiday season. In fact, two in three Hulu viewers would rather save their money for when it is safe to travel again, even if it means waiting until next year. However, for those viewers who are weighing their holiday travel options, the most favored method of travel is by car versus other modes of transportation. “If I’m going to travel, I would only travel by car to a place that is away from others – like camping.”
For those who do not plan on gathering in-person, they’ll lean into virtual gatherings. One person shared that they’ll be “zooming with out of town family/friends rather than getting together.”
Holiday Shopping: Shifting Online and Supporting Local
Aside from planning their holiday celebrations, Hulu viewers are also thinking ahead to their holiday shopping and spending. Our viewers consider themselves to be “right-on-schedule shoppers” or “advance shoppers,” so holiday shopping is currently top of mind for them.
Spend levels will remain consistent this holiday season, with viewers turning more to online shopping alternatives.
Over half of Hulu viewers anticipate that their holiday spending will remain the same as last year’s holidays. However, more of their shopping will shift online this holiday season as 49% of Hulu viewers plan to do their shopping exclusively online. For comparison purposes, only 25% shared that they did last year’s holiday shopping exclusively online.
Some plan to order online and have items delivered to their home (83%), and others plan to order online and pick up in-store or curbside (30%).
Many aim to support small and local businesses during the holidays.
What better way to spread the holiday cheer than by shopping small and local? 46% of Hulu viewers shared that they plan to shop at small businesses or local stores to support their communities. Our viewers find that shopping at small businesses is more enjoyable and they have access to more unique/quality products.
Holiday Advertising: Getting Inspired and Taking Action
Hulu viewers are finding inspiration for holiday gift purchases from family, friends and advertisements. And they’re more likely to take action after seeing advertisements around the holidays.
During this upcoming holiday season, Hulu viewers shared that free shipping (83%), convenience (66%), discounts (62%), and easy returns (52%) are all influences on their shopping decisions. Over ⅓ also shared that they consider contactless pickup options as an important factor in their upcoming holiday shopping.
In summary
- The holidays will look different this year (i.e. less travel and more virtual gatherings), but Hulu viewers are still optimistic.
- Hulu viewers anticipate watching more Hulu content this holiday season. They will lean on TV viewing for entertainment and to decompress.
- The majority of Hulu viewers plan to maintain the same level of holiday spending as last year. However, shopping will shift more online.
- When it comes to holiday advertisements, Hulu viewers find inspiration from ads and they take action after seeing those ads.