London, UK. 9 May 2023 – Teenagers and those in their early twenties are leading the way when it comes to excitement about this weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest and are keen to further enhance their Eurovision experience by using technology, according to research by Amdocs, a provider of software and services to communications and media companies.
The survey of 1,000 UK consumers found that Generation Z consumers (those aged 16-24) are the most enthusiastic about Saturday’s grand final, with 67% planning to watch in some capacity, either at home with friends and family, in a pub or at a public screening, or by going to the live show in Liverpool. In contrast, just 35% of those aged 55 and over plan to watch.
Three quarters (76%) of 16-24-year-olds would be interested in watching Eurovision in the metaverse, compared to 48% across the entire population. A third of Gen-Z consumers (34%) would pay more to watch in the metaverse, nearly double the proportion (18%) of the average across all age groups.
A majority (53%) of 16-24-year-olds a much higher proportion than any other age group said augmented reality (AR) experiences would enhance their in-home Eurovision viewing experience, for example by making pyrotechnics, glitter and other effects appear to pop out of a screen by pointing a smartphone at the TV during a performance.
Meanwhile, when attending live entertainment events like Eurovision, 53% of Gen-Zs believe it’s important to have good mobile connectivity in the venue so they can still make calls, send messages and share photos and videos during the event, while 30% would pay more for a ticket in exchange for a guarantee of fast, reliable 5G mobile connectivity. This puts 16-24-year-olds way ahead of other age groups in terms of their desire for reliable in-show connectivity at a live event.
“Eurovision fever is alive and well amongst younger viewers, and there is a strong appetite within this age group to harness the power of technology to take their experience to the next level,” says Gil Rosen, chief marketing officer at Amdocs. “For providers of technology and connectivity, our findings demonstrate the scale of the opportunity around major entertainment events, whether consumers are enjoying them in the home or live at the venue. In the era of 5G and immersive technologies, providers that meet consumers’ demands and expectations around technology-led entertainment will reap the rewards.”
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