Try as they may, most people on vacation this summer will fail to truly get away from it all. That’s the conclusion of a study conducted by Intel Security called “Digital Detox: Unplugging on Summer Vacation.” In fact, more than half of travelers (55%) who try to put their smartphones, laptops, and tablets away while on vacation fail to do so.
This Intel Security study is a global one, so it’s a chance to see how the entire world unplugs. And it’s no surprise that Americans are the least likely people to put away their phones, ignore those free Wi-Fi connections, and truly relax – especially when it comes to checking email. We have that fear that we just can’t miss anything.
Interestingly, women feel the need to be more connected more than men. While nearly half (47%) of the males in the Intel Security study say they could leave their phones behind, only 37% of women follow suit.
And it’s noteworthy that Millennials are more disciplined than Boomers and Xers when it comes to putting away all that gadgetry while on vacation.
These nifty graphics (courtesy of Phys.Org and Intel) also reveal something very interesting about media habits and the fear of being disconnected, even while on vacation.
Even though many have a need to be reachable or use their smartphones for navigation and trip planning while away from home, there’s a desire to hear music while on the beach, at the pool, on the road, and wherever travels take us.
And that’s where radio can play a role in providing the soundtrack of summer. Reminding your audience they can take your station (your morning show, your “10 @ 10” feature, your sports coverage, your podcasts, etc.) with them wherever they go by just downloading your app is a way to tap into the summertime mindset. It’s like being able to take a friend from home – your radio station – with them on vacation.
The audience’s growing inability to unplug can provide benefits to a 24/7 medium that already provides companionship, mood elevation, and escape (remember the “Why Radio?” Techsurvey12 pyramid). They don’t have to leave your radio station behind when they leave town. And they can always stay connected to home and their radio listening routine even though they may be thousands of miles away.
That’s part of the thinking behind jācapps’ App Everywhere approach, where your station or company app is accessible on smartphones, tablets, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Ford’s SmartDeviceLink, and even gadgets like the Apple Watch.
The digital tool kit provides broadcast radio with benefits that simply weren’t possible 10 years ago. Today, your radio station can truly be “the vacation station” where you can authentically promote, “Don’t leave home without us.”
It occurs to me that some of you may be reading this post while sitting on a beach or hanging out by the pool.
My advice? Unplug as soon as possible.
But thanks for reading our blog.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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