Second screens: Consuming content using two screens simultaneously

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• April 3, 2023

The trend towards using multiple devices, such as a phone and a tablet, simultaneously or in quick succession, opens new opportunities for advertisers. This trend allows them to reach consumers in different contexts and potentially increase the effectiveness of their advertising. It also provides new possibilities for targeting and personalization, as advertisers can use data from multiple devices to better understand consumer behavior and preferences.

Second screen context

This trend of dual or second screening behavior, where users are consuming content from two screens simultaneously, is becoming increasingly common and has significant implications for the advertising industry. Second screening entails using the devices on two screens, like watching a show on TV and engaging on social media on the phone almost simultaneously. This behavior became more pronounced during the 2020 lockdowns when many had to find ways to entertain themselves at home and keep themselves informed. 

Having two screens lets an individual divert their attention to the other when content on one of them becomes uninteresting. For example, repetitive TV commercials encourage viewers to scroll through their phones. In the case of live gaming on smartphones, the TV becomes the second screen during game breaks. According to a 2019 survey by intelligence company Aki Technologies, individuals' receptivity to advertisements increased by 59 percent when using two screens, as it allows them to swiftly search for the product they see being advertised on television. 

This study suggests that consumers are more likely to engage with and take action on an advertisement when they can immediately research the product or service on a second device. As a result, businesses are starting to take notice and are working on designing ads that complement each other across both devices. This technique includes creating consistent branding, messaging, and call-to-actions across both screens and ensuring that the second-screen experience is tailored to the first-screen content being viewed, such as providing more detailed information, interactive features, or exclusive offers. 

Disruptive impact 

Marketers will increasingly take trends in viewer behavior into account as they design and execute advertising campaigns. As dual-screening behavior becomes more prevalent, marketers will take advantage of the story-telling aspect of television ads and combine it with the fast action-enabling power of mobile devices. This method could lead to more engaging and interactive advertisements that can drive higher consumer engagement and conversion levels.

However, this approach needs to be executed effectively to be successful. Poorly designed or irrelevant advertisements not tailored to the consumer's interests or needs may result in user irritation and even be counterproductive. Large businesses with the resources to buy TV ad slots will likely benefit from this approach and may dominate smaller companies that cannot afford to invest in this type of advertising. This trend might also increase instances of impulsive buying and credit card debt.

Another potential downside of the increasing adoption of second screening is more multitasking, which has been shown to decrease productivity and increase stress levels. Additionally, it may lead to increased distractions and reduced ability to focus on a single task. It can also adversely affect social interactions and relationships due to people's inability to focus on conversations.

Implications of second screens

The broader implications of the second-screening behavior may include: 

• Viewers gaining better information about live events as users use both screens to find facts and details. 


• The constant use of screens before bed disrupting melatonin production, leading to difficulty falling asleep, insomnia, and other sleep-related issues, which could have negative population-scale implications for overall health and well-being.


• Constant multitasking and switching between devices making it harder to focus on a single task, leading to decreased productivity and longer task completion times.


• The constant stream of notifications and the pressure to respond immediately resulting in increased population-scale stress and anxiety levels.


• The constant stimulation of notifications and the rewarding feeling of receiving a response leading to more addiction and compulsive use of devices.


• Second screening may disproportionately affect certain groups, such as children and teenagers, who may be more susceptible to the harmful effects of technology use.


• More intensive data collection to make ads more personalized resulting in worsening data privacy issues.

Questions to consider

• How often do you engage in second or dual screening?


• How do you think second or dual screening affects your productivity and attention span?