Consumer behavior has changed drastically over the many weeks of isolation due to the coronavirus crisis. 

Millions have made Zoom and other video conferencing services a critical part of their everyday life. Others have begun to prioritize self-care to protect their mental health by live-streaming yoga and meditation sessions, as well as making use of teletherapy services. And, online shopping for essential and non-essential items has surged. 

Combining research from the ViacomCBS Global Consumer Insights team, our portfolio of brands and industry partners, and trusted third party research firms, here’s a cheat sheet of some major consumer trends.

Trend: Content Consumption is Up, Up, Up

It seems that people are finding ways to cope—seeking information and escape—through entertainment. There’s been a marked increase in the consumption of TV, podcasts, video games, and social media. 

87% of U.S. consumers are consuming more content as a result of the pandemic. (Global Web Index)

More TV, More Often, In New Ways

Adults are returning to appointment television, especially when it comes to news.

• Same-day viewing was up by about 600,000 viewers in adults 18-49 across the four major U.S. networks during the three weeks ending April 5.  (The Hollywood Reporter)
• Between March 16 and April 7, about 31 million people—a jump of 42% from the same period a year ago—tuned in to evening news shows from one of the three major broadcast networks: CBS, ABC, and NBC. (Nielsen)
• CBS Evening News was up +40% in viewers and up +55% with adults 25-54 for the week ending April 3 compared to the same week a year ago. (CBS)

Screen time for children is also on the rise.

• Nickelodeon and Disney ratings are both up by more than 30% (as of April 15) among core viewers in the past four weeks, compared to the month before. (The Hollywood Reporter)
• CBS All Access, has seen a more than 30% month-over-month increase in both daily average streams and time spent watching children’s programming in March. (Variety)
• Nickelodeon’s Noggin app saw 11% month-over-month growth in paid subscribers in March and a 40% jump in free trial sign-ups. (Variety)

Consumers are leaning in to streaming.

• 59% of those spending more time watching linear television are also streaming TV online. (Global Web Index)
• "With the lifestyle changes created by stay-at-home order, streaming video from 1pm-4pm increased more than 50% between the weeks beginning March 2 and March 23—and doubled compared to the same week last year. (Nielsen)
• Pluto TV—ViacomCBS’ ad-supported streaming platform—has seen a 74% lift in viewership across its news category as well as double-digit lifts on its Binge-Watch channels, entertainment and movie channels, kids programming, and VOD. (Pluto TV)
• 58% of consumers want to learn more about premium options that would offer programming ad-free, and provide premium movies or entire series. (Influencer Central)

Gen Z Turns the Volume Up

Younger consumers are making the most of audio entertainment and gaming.

• Despite commutes to work halting to a standstill, more adults in the U.S. are listening to podcasts than ever before. 18% of U.S. adults are listening to podcasts more than they were prior to social distancing, with Gen Z increasing their listening the most at 31%. (Morning Consult)
• Young people are streaming more music than ever before. There’s been a 23% percent increase in streaming music between pre and post-Coronavirus weeks among consumers age 13 to 39. (YPulse)
• Of the 73% of the 13-36-year-olds who play video games, 45% say they’re playing more because of COVID-19. (YPulse)

Trend: Mental Wellness Takes Precedence

In the midst of all the change, there’s growing concern among consumers about their mental well-being. Isolation measures and social distancing have contributed to anxiety, depression, feelings of loneliness, high levels of stress, and low levels of productivity for people worldwide.

• 55% of Americans say their mental health has been “very” or “somewhat” significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. (ViacomCBS E&Y Strategic Insights/Navigate Research)
• 31% of Americans say they’re sleeping less because of coronavirus-related anxiety. To be exact: 30% of American men and 32% of American women. (PiplSay)
• One in three Americans, age 13 to 59, have adopted new practices due to COVID-19. (ViacomCBS E&Y Strategic Insights/Navigate Research)

Trend: Online Shopping Surges

As stay-at-home orders remain in effect due to the coronavirus outbreak, online shopping has surged as a replacement for an old-fashioned trip to the store. In addition to the overall boom in e-commerce spending, sales data reveals that following an initial stockpiling of goods, many online shoppers have shifted their focus to entertainment products such as books and games as they adjust to the new normal of life in quarantine.

• E-commerce spending in the U.S. was up more than 30% from the beginning of March through mid-April, compared with the same period last year. (Rakuten Intelligence).
• 85% of American consumers expect to change their purchase behavior because of the virus. Over the next few weeks, consumers said they plan to spend more on “essentials” such as cleaning products, canned goods, and bottled water and less on apparel, toys, and other “optional” items. (GfK)
• 72% of consumers plan to do more online shopping to ship directly to their homes. (Influencer Central)
• Some of the items most in-demand: non-digital games, hair dye, and alcohol. There’s been a 370% increase in puzzle sales in North America and a 750% increase in sales of at-home hair coloring kits. A third of quarantined 21-39-year-olds say that they have been drinking more. (YPulse)

Trend: Better Business Through Community-Building

When shopping, consumers look for brands that show empathy. During the current crisis, consumers are also rewarding brands that are supporting communities.

• 56% of consumers are pleased to hear about brands taking actions to help out communities, like making donations of goods and services to charities. (4A’s Research)
• More than 9 in 10 Americans have improved opinions of companies that aid in coronavirus-related relief efforts. Efforts include donating money, supplies or employees’ time, as well as shifting production to make equipment or supplies necessary to fight the pandemic. (HarrisPolls)
• 75% of consumers believe brands have a responsibility to help out during the pandemic (Ace Metrix)
• 55% consumers believe brands are responding more quickly and effectively to the coronavirus pandemic than governments. (Edelman)
• 84% have improved opinions of company executives who forgo salaries, bonuses or other compensation. (HarrisPolls)

Trend: The Zoom Boom

One of the biggest changes that’s stemmed from the coronavirus crisis is the shift to video conferencing apps for work, socializing, dating, cabinet meetings, book clubs, and weddings. It may become a more permanent habit.

• Daily meeting participants on Zoom soared from 10 million last December to 200 million in March. (Zoom)
• 67% of consumers say that when the pandemic ends, they would still be more likely to have virtual happy hours with friends over going to a bar for happy hours. (HarrisPolls)
• More than 90,000 schools across 20 countries are taking advantage of the higher-tiered accounts for K-12 schools, being offered for free by Zoom. (Zoom)
• 70% more people worldwide are participating in group video calls via Facebook Messenger, and the time spent on group video calls has doubled. (Facebook)
• Newly launched dating site OkZoomer, named partly for the platform it uses and for the Gen Z students it is intended for, boasts more than 6,000 sign ups from students at more than 200 schools. (OkZoomer)