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With Canadian broadcasters set to take the stage for the annual Upfronts, Horizon Media Canada has unveiled new data showing the change in consumer streaming preferences, partly due to increasing costs and content quality.
Nearly half of Canadian viewers, spanning across all age demographics—Gen Z (42 per cent), Millennials (46 per cent), Gen X (51 per cent), and Boomers (49 per cent)—are poised to bid adieu to streaming platforms should ad-supported options surpass what they deem a fair price. Of those surveyed, 36 per cent were subscribed to an ad-supported platform, 39 per cent to an ad-free streaming service and 26 per cent were subscribed to both types.
This is Horizon Media Canada 2nd Related Research Study and some of the key learnings from the last study include:
- Canadians most prefer the Comedy & Drama Genres
- Social Media is a key content discovery platform
- Canadians feel that the ads targeted at them are irrelevant
- Cost & Content Selection are key to reducing churn.
- Price and Content choice are the top factors that will help keep customers happy
- Canadians are more tolerant towards ads during bigger sporting events.
Horizon's 'Finger on the Pulse' survey aimed to gain insight into Canadians' opinions on ad-tiers and streaming services, covering areas like perceived value, user satisfaction, platform image, and viewing choices.
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“Many Canadians facing financial pressures have switched over to ad-supported tiers to save money, but they’re ready to abandon streaming if prices continue to increase,” said Simon Ross, VP of Strategy & Insights at Horizon Media Canada. “And while some are seeking affordability, most still prefer ad-free options and are willing to pay extra for them. This highlights the need for streaming platforms to strike a balance between offering cost-saving options and catering to the demand for ad-free experiences.”
Why Relevance Should be Your Top Priority in Advertising
Canadians prefer ads tailored to their interests on video streaming platforms. The research underscores the value of relevance in advertising, as consumers favor targeted ads over untargeted ones. All age groups express frustration with irrelevant ads—Gen Z (62%), Millennials (71%), Gen X (78%), and Boomers (87%). 84% of respondents feel disappointed or uncertain about the ad variety on ad-supported streaming services. Moreover, 78% report never acting upon ads seen while streaming.
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Netflix is Still the Top Streaming Service
When Canadians tune into a streaming service, it’s usually Netflix unless you live in Atlantic Canada where Prime Video by Amazon leads. Of those surveyed, 73 per cent are subscribed to Netflix, 61 per cent to Prime, 35 per cent to Disney-plus, 22 per cent to Crave and 14 per cent to Apple.
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