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It might surprise some people that the most popular shows for females 12-49 to watch are also some of the most violent.
Not marketers, who have capitalized on cable shows “American Horror Story: Coven,” “The Walking Dead,” the NFL and “Pretty Little Liars” that sometimes skew female. Sports brands like the NFL have actively adapted to its growing female fanbase. Other shows like “The Walking Dead” have answered fans’ enthusiasm with more strong female characters in their storylines. Adweek took a closer look at these female-friendly TV brands by examining which shows see more female viewers and which networks can benefit.
“Coven,” according to Adweek, was the most-watched series on cable for 2013 in female demographics 18-49 with purchasing power and 12-34 who are more digital- than TV-friendly. The almost all-female cast of “Coven” certainly doesn’t hurt, but even shows with few female characters are showing upticks in women watching. “Sons of Anarchy” is largely male except for matriarch Katey Sagal, and other dramas are seeing increasing female fanbases for strong characters like her. Included in this list is “Scandal, “Veep” and “Doctor Who.”
That 18-49 demographic is more important than ever, according to a study by Boston Consulting Group that says women influence 73 percent of all household purchases. The female group with the most buying power is also the most targeted. And that’s no longer limited to advertiser-friendly female-skewed networks like Lifetime, TLC or Bravo, who are increasingly expanding their programming to recognize genres women are watching more and more. For example, Lifetime is betting on a more powerful movies brand and recently gave the go ahead to sci-fi series “The Lottery.”
And when it comes to the younger demos, networks like ABC Family dominate. Programming directly to its favorite group, 12-34 females, ABC Family has managed to capture five of the top 10 shows among women in this demographic (“Pretty Little Liars” skews 88 percent female), a group that tends to avoid live television altogether. The cabler’s promotion answers this obvious audience preference, with fashion-based campaigns and even more high school drama.
Read more at Adweek.
Brief Take: The coveted demographics of female 12-34 and 18-49 are sought after because of their buying power and elusiveness in the live TV landscape. Some networks are learning to program directly to these groups, while others are surprised at their female-skewing audiences, but either way, marketers have the opportunity to engage even further with these groups to ensure TV brands deliver on ratings and ad loyalty.
[Image courtesy of FX]
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