It is a known fact that students are increasing their overall media consumption. This blog continues to explore the growth of multi-screen advertising which we referencedpreviously, as this world of screens, offline and online are join forces.

Multitasking has increased overall media usage, presenting advertisers with more opportunities than ever to reach consumers. College students, in particular, are instantly posting what they view on TV programs to internet sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. This trend explodes during big TV events like the Oscars and the Super Bowl. In fact, the NPD Group reports that a whopping 87% of people in the United States are using at least one mobile or second-screen device while watching TV.

This is known as the “second screen effect”, and advertisers are trying to figure out how to leverage this new behavior to increase engagement with their audiences. However, in order to grab people’s attention as they switch from screen to screen, advertisers will be forced to work harder.  For example, USA, AMC and HBO are making complementary apps a standard part of the release of new shows to help drive audience engagement and loyalty via the second screen.

However Brain Rule’s author Dr. John Medina suggests, consumers can pay attention to only one medium at a time, due to short attention spans. Therefore, it is crucial that brands have an engaging presence that will capture consumers’ attention on whichever screen their current focus is on.

Multi-tasking is a new way of life for the large percentage of people who have embraced the technological revolution of today’s evolving world. A large proportion of these people are students and this trend is a reason for integrated media planning, which combines both offline and online advertising. Creating an effective communication strategy means reaching the consumer when and where they will be most receptive. Surveys on the effectiveness of cross-media marketing campaigns have shown that the combination of online advertising and offline media advertising results in more positive consumer responses than when you only use one medium.

OnCampus Advertising understands the importance of the “second screen advertising” trend, particularly as it relates to the college demographic. We provide several digital marketing services directed at solely college students, targeting them where they are regardless of their screen usage habits.