• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, July 24, 2023

A new survey shows significant differences in video format preferences by age — even within the Millennial demographic.

InMobi’s survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers between the ages of 18 and 44 found 61% of those in Gen Z (18 to 24) heavily favoring user-generated content (UGC).

Music/products videos come in second with Gen Zs, followed by gaming videos. TV/streaming is in fourth place.

Younger Millennials (ages 25-34) do not have a clear content preference. While UGC and TV/streaming come in on top, those formats and gaming are all closely ranked.

The story is quite different among older Millennials (ages 35-44).

More than two-thirds (67%) of these viewers chose TV/streaming as their top form of digital entertainment.

UGC came in second, with 48% citing it as their favorite format.

“The clear generational divide shows how the content vehicle of the time creates lasting habits and familiarity,” notes Justin Sparks, director of vertical strategy, North America at InMobi. “To win over Gen Z as they come into purchasing power and boardroom and political influence, UGC will be the critical lever across the content ecosystem.”

Although National Football League coverage can hardly be described as UGC, the NFL’s decision to end its longstanding “Sunday Ticket” partnership with Dish TV in favor of a streaming deal with YouTube — the go-to app for Gen Z and other relatively young viewers, in particular — is clearly intended to help turn more of these consumers into committed NFL fans.