When entertainment is thoughtfully designed, it has the potential to bridge social divides and create overall better experiences for consumers according to a new report: The Role of Entertainment Technology in Creating Better Experiences. The report found that even though discussing TV or films with friends, family and in online forms provides people with a sense of community (45%), only 25% always or most of the time participate in entertainment activities with the primary goal of connecting with others.
Recent trends indicate a growing number of Americans feel lonelier and more isolated than ever. While there may be the perception that entertainment can perpetuate the issue, entertainment at its core is an inherently social activity. The entertainment industry has a duty to better understand what consumers desire from their entertainment experiences and help alleviate constraints.
The report explores the division between consumers’ desires to connect through entertainment and the actions they take to make those connections. This clash between consumers’ behaviors and aspirations provides the entertainment industry the opportunity to bridge the gap by offering higher-quality experiences that in turn create strong connections. To do this, the industry must look at how consumers view entertainment — whether that’s alone or with others — and see what factors are impacting experience.
Entertainment has always been more than something to watch to pass the time. It helps create bonds and strengthen relationships. As technology providers, it’s the industry’s responsibility to provide consumers access to simple, high-quality experiences so they can spend more time connecting over the experiences from the entertainment, rather than focusing on what’s missing.
Factors needed for a better experience:
- Building a community: Entertainment has the ability to create community, with a majority of Gen Z (55%) and millennials (52%) feeling a sense of community and belonging when participating in entertainment activities. Furthermore, over two in five (45%) feel a sense of community and belonging when discussing TV or movies with friends and family or participating in discussions online.
- Implementation of easy UX: The disconnect between consumer desire and action can be traced back to user experience (UX) and accessibility. Easy UX is something 85% of respondents noted was extremely or somewhat important to them in the survey, with over three-fifths of respondents preferring simple and intuitive user experiences over complex, in-depth user experiences.
- Personalized content reigns supreme: Three-quarters of respondents think it is somewhat or extremely important for entertainment content to be personalized to their individual preferences, with younger generations leading the march.
- High-quality technology: Technology is a high-ranking factor when it comes to consumers’ experience with entertainment. Many consumers cherish quality technology, some even note that specific technologies like phones and tablets are essential parts of their overall entertainment experience.
By focusing on simplicity, personalization and quality experience, the entertainment industry can create more elevated, unique and individualized entertainment experiences that help foster meaningful connections — overall enriching the lives of consumers around the world.
Find more information from The Role of Entertainment Technology in Creating Better Experiences report here.
