Super Bowl 2012, an American phenomenon, has come and gone with the New York Giants winning the New England Patriots. This year, Super Bowl XLVI went down as the most watched TV program in history with an audience, according to The Nielsen Company, of 111 million viewers. The game was exciting and the commercials had highs and lows. Madonna performed the half time show. What viewers were unaware of was they were breaking other records.

According to an article posted by Peter Farago on Wed, February 8, 2012 recorded what was breaking new ground...the second screen. Watching TV is the first screen and the second screen being smartphones and tablets. Television marketers are increasingly challenged with finding new ways to keep viewers watching their television sets.

This brings the question of whether the second screen is disruptive or complimentary to first screen viewing. The next question that seems to come is whether a consumer is paying attention to the television program in front of them, or are they using a mobile APP to post social updates and play games. The final question then becomes a marketing challenge. Can one gauge a commercial or television program by a consumers APP interaction? This years Super Bowl began answering this question with surprising statistics.

Flurry Analytics monitored APP usage during the Super Bowl in hopes of better understanding the relationship between the first and second screens. They track US APP usage, per second, mapping application session starts with each Super Bowl commercial spot aired, halftime show and various game segments. To add a further depth Flurry also studied the differences between males vs. females.

Flurry Analytics resides in over 160,000 mobile APPs, allowing the company to detect APP usage on more than 90% of all iOS and Android devices per day. This tells us that their statistics are reliable and accurate. Let us see how the APP world faired when compared to Super Bowl 2012.

According to Flurry Analytics:

The Formula Flurry Analytics used:

Launched applications in the United States between the hours of 3:15 and 7:15 PM PST on Sunday, February 5.

The Results from Flurry Analytics:

∙ During this four-hour window, that nearly one-third of the U.S. population used an application.

∙ Compared to Nielsen’s estimate that 111 million people watched the Super Bowl this year, the two audiences are similar in size.

∙ APP usage increased steadily over the first three quarters of the game, showing the challenge in holding peoples’ attention over several hours.

∙ Noticeably, APP usage declined significantly during the last part of the fourth quarter.

∙ The most clearly visible change in APP usage occurred during Madonna’s half time show, where APP usage remained consistently low for the longest, sustained period of time.

∙ Key moments like the coin toss and kick off were paired with decreases in APP usage.

∙ Additionally, Flurry Analytics found that Super Bowl ads popularity could be gauged from the rising or declining APP usage. If APP usage increased it was concluded that it did not hold the consumer’s attention. You can see a chart with these statistics on their website.

∙ 62% of overall APP usage was driven by women.

∙ Women, on average, paid more attention to advertisements, and drove spikes in APP usage upon return to the game after commercial breaks.

∙ Viewers paid far less attention to the first screen vs the second screen as the game played suggesting when buying ads you would want to concentrate on Q1 and Q2.

∙ Pre-game ads, as early as 20 minutes before game time, held consumer attention.

∙ Half-time, outside of Madonna’s half time show fared worst for holding consumer attention.

Mobile APPs are changing the way consumers watch television. Mobile APPs will continue to play a key role and businesses will need to continue innovative with their marketing approach. APP creators will also need to learn and guide their customers down the correct path.

Does your business have their mobile strategy started and implemented? Do not get left behind.