The five changes that will define the entertainment of the future

define new strategies for the future .

'Industry Micro-Shifts' study in partnership with Kantar Profiles with the aim of investigating the impact of the pandemic on the entertainment habits of Spanish consumers. The research shows five changes that define the new figure of the Spanish entertainment consumer and that will be very useful in giving companies new ideas to define future strategies.

The behavior of streaming service subscribers has been modified by the current situation, they are consuming more audiovisual content . Of the users who have contracted new services or have resumed them, 60% are "bringing forward" the viewing of content that they were putting off for later. On the other hand, 40% have started watching content that they had never thought of watching if it hadn't been for the pandemic.

This data can help entertainment companies to renew and diversify their user databases , since it is expected that their tastes may change. That is, viewers are becoming interested in new franchises and new genres , so they will need content suggestions that fit their new interests.

The cancellation of mass gatherings and live events has had a direct impact on consumers, especially younger ones , who have seen platforms as the best resource to continue enjoying them virtually. According to the study, 21% of Spanish millennials have watched a live broadcast of a concert or play in the last four weeks. In addition, 64% of Internet users in Spain say they do not plan to visit large closed spaces immediately after these types of events are held again.

Companies in the sector must find new ways to profit from hosting live digital events, as consumers are still hesitant to attend mass live events. For artists and event organizers, technology will be the perfect ally to create a much more immersive digital audiovisual experience .

Movie theaters are adapting to safety measures and regulations, but fear of being in closed spaces has caused the distribution of movie premieres to turn to new channels such as streaming platforms and drive-in theaters are new distribution channels for movie premieres. 30% of consumers in Spain admit that they will visit theaters less frequently when the outbreak is over. In addition, 52% of Spanish consumers confirm that they are watching more movies and TV shows at home on streaming services due to the pandemic.

Given this declining interest in going to the cinema , film studios will have to resort to other distribution channels such as premium video on demand (PVOD), now that users are more accustomed to subscribing to this type of service.

Families want to continue strengthening their bond outside the digital world as well , as shown by the study, which shows that 41% of parents choose to spend time with their family playing board games, while 19% dedicate their family leisure time to crafts and 16% choose to exercise their minds with a puzzle . The study also shows that this return to analogue activities and games is much more used by consumers who have children.

With more hours spent at home, parents are constantly looking for new ways to keep children busy and break away from the usual routine, so there is an opportunity for brands to offer ideas for new crafts and games that foster family bonding.

“Our way of enjoying leisure is changing. The current situation, in which we spend more time at home, is evidencing a change in the way users consume audiovisual content. Therefore, the entertainment sector has to look for new ways to satisfy the needs of consumers. With the 'Industry Micro-Shifts' study, which reflects the new trends of the target audience, at Facebook we want to help companies redirect and adapt their business strategies successfully,” explains Elena Álvarez, director of Entertainment Industries at Facebook Spain and Portugal.