NEW YORK—“Pass the turkey.” “Pass the stuffing.” “Pass the cranberry sauce.” All are common requests of Americans celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.

This year—like most in recent memory—another familiar plea was surely heard around millions of TVs across the country: “Pass the football!”

Nielsen is out today with its ratings for the week of Nov. 24-30, which includes Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day, and NFL broadcast coverage put up big viewing numbers.

CBS coverage of the Kansas City Chiefs-Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game was the most-watched NFL regular-season telecast in league history with 57.23 million viewers, Nielsen said.

Fox’s coverage of the early Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions game, simulcast on Tubi, garnered 47.7 million viewers, making it Fox’s most-watched regular-season game ever, it said.

NBC’s Thanksgiving Cincinnati Bengals-Baltimore Ravens game, simulcast on Peacock and Telemundo, saw 28.4 million viewers tune in, making it the most-watched Thanksgiving-night NFL game in league history, Nielsen said.

The following day, an average of 16.33 million viewers streamed the Chicago Bears-Philadelphia Eagles game on Prime Video, making it the most-watched Black Friday Football game to date, Nielsen said.

In all, NFL games secured eight of the top 12 slots across networks and distributors, including Fox, NBC, CBS, Prime Video, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.

College sports also proved to be popular, with Fox’s Ohio State-Michigan game telecast averaging 18.42 million viewers, the biggest college football audience this season, it said.

College hoops broke viewing records on Thanksgiving Day as well. Duke-Arkansas on CBS was the most-watched regular-season college basketball game on any network since the 1992-93, season with 6.8 million viewers.

Michigan-North Carolina was the most-watched college basketball game in Fox history, with 6.5 million viewers, it said.

Overall, college football occupied 12 of the top 25 slots across five different networks, including three games with more than 10 million viewers, Nielsen said.

ESPN coverage of the Minnesota Timberwolves-Oklahoma City Thunder NBA game placed No. 24 in the top 25, and the 2025 National Dog Show on NBC and Peacock averaged 12.8 million viewers to take the No. 11 slot.

 NEW YORK—Retailers and advertisers are in for some good news this week according to a new Deloitte survey showing that holiday spending during the Thanksgiving week is expected to reach new highs.

The Deloitte survey found that consumers plan to spend an average of $567 during the Black Friday-Cyber Monday (BFCM) shopping events (Thursday, Nov. 23 – Monday, Nov. 27), up 13% from last year.

Deloitte's "2023 Black Friday-Cyber Monday Survey" examines what retailers can expect from shoppers between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. It found that as consumers tackle their holiday gift lists, some shopping behaviors that accelerated through the pandemic are here to stay, while some new traditions also begin to emerge.

"Millennials have taken over as the largest share of Black Friday-Cyber Monday spending," explained Stephen Rogers, managing director, Deloitte Insights Consumer Industry Center, Deloitte Services. "This year, retailers have an opportunity to better connect with millennials, who grew up heading to midnight doorbuster deal events. Millennials are also more likely to self-gift, so retailers have any opportunity to entice these shoppers to throw a couple of extra gifts in their baskets."

As consumers ring in the height of the holiday shopping season, 84% are confident in their original budgets and plan to spend the same or more from what they initially projected in September. Much of that spending is planned to take place during the BFCM period, as shoppers leverage promotions to make the most of every festive dollar spent this season.

The survey also found that BFCM is back as a major event with participation on par with pre-pandemic levels. Eighty percent of consumers plan to shop during the Thanksgiving week, with an expected spend of $567, up 13% year-over-year.

Among those expecting to spend more, 51% of respondents say it's because they're buying more gifts, 44% are updating non-gift clothing, and 40% attribute it to higher prices.

Some consumers see the BFCM events as holiday traditions, and over half (57%) of shoppers plan to take advantage of as many deals as possible during this period. Four-in-10 plan to complete all their holiday shopping during the Black Friday-Cyber Monday timeframe.

Peak days will be Friday and Monday, with 65% and 58% of shoppers participating, respectively, the survey found. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of shoppers say they could be tempted to make a BFCM purchase while at work.

The study also found that digital preferences brought on by the pandemic are here to stay with 61% of the budget to be spent online, while 39% will still be in-store.

Despite consumers increasing their Black Friday spending online, younger shoppers are likely to line up for those doorbuster deals. This shift could offer an opportunity for brick-and-mortar retailers seeking an in with a new generation of consumers, the researchers said. 

Black Friday spending online continues to grow: Shoppers expect to spend $169 online this Black Friday versus $121 in 2019 (+9% CAGR).

While in-store shopping on Black Friday remains significant, planned spending is down slightly year-over-year ($138 in 2023 vs. $145 in 2022), but still above 2019 levels. The majority of consumers noted doorbusters are less appealing (58%) or are hoping to avoid crowds (55%).

Millennials will drive a significant share of spend during the BFCM period (43%), compared to Gen X (23%), Boomers (20%) and Gen Z (13%). They also are more likely to embrace the Black Friday doorbuster traditions — 50% surveyed are likely to go to stores between midnight and 7 a.m. (versus 31% of other shoppers).

Millennial shoppers intend to increase their average BFCM spending by 38% year-over-year and prioritize self-gifting: 68% plan to buy gifts for themselves during this period.

The survey also found that BFCM has competition as 4 in 10 respondents took advantage of October promotions, purchasing gifts (28%) as well as other items that had prices that were too good to pass up (29%).

Earlier promotional events are making an impact: 41% of respondents said they shopped for holiday gifts during October promotional events; those who did are likely to spend 25% less than others during BFCM.

While mass merchants continue to draw the most traffic during the Black Friday-Cyber Monday period (60%), online-only retailers are quickly closing the gap (57%, up from 54% last year).

During the holiday week, consumers surveyed plan to focus on categories where they expect the best deals, including clothing and accessories (70%), electronics and accessories (53%), and toys and hobbies (53%). Less-discounted categories like gift cards (29%) and food and beverage (27%) are expected to see less purchases during BFCM.

"As consumers tackle their gift lists, we see Black Friday-Cyber Monday as an omnichannel opportunity this year — to attract both consumers who have come to embrace online shopping for its convenience, as well as those who are excited to head to stores to capture the best deals without potential delivery fees," explained Brian McCarthy, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP. "Retailers who understand shifting consumer preferences could reshape the way shoppers make the most of holiday deals."

NEW YORK—While holiday shoppers are worried about the overall economy, three in four consumers say they plan to maintain or increase their own Holiday spending, which will average about $948 this year, according to a new study from television and streaming measurement company Samba TV and global research firm HarrisX. 

The study also found that Black Friday and Cyber Monday take on new significance this year as people are delaying holiday shopping, making the crucial weeks after Thanksgiving even more important. 

One highlight of the Black Friday and holiday shopping data is that millennials have emerged as a crucial consumer group. 

About 83% of millennials say they will maintain or increase their holiday spending and they will be the biggest holiday spenders, exceeding any other age group by $600 and more than doubling baby boomers' spending, according to the researchers. 

The study found that millennials are planning to spend on average $1,474 versus $626 for boomers. Of millennials planning to spend more than last year, 40% say it’s because they’re in a better financial situation.

The survey found that 54% of people plan to wait until after Thanksgiving to begin their shopping. Millennials are the exception to the rule, however, with less than half waiting until November to begin shopping. 

The study also found that 70% of people plan to do holiday shopping on Black Friday this year. Half of U.S. adults plan to do an equal mix of in-store and online shopping this holiday season. Black Friday has younger generations hooked on brick-and-mortar, with 48% of Gen Z planning to in-store shop on retail’s most significant day of the year. About one third (34%) plan to shop in-store on Black Friday this year, while 58% plan to shop online on Cyber Monday.

"Most shoppers are planning to delay their holiday shopping until after Thanksgiving, making Black Friday and Cyber Monday crucial days for brands to capture attention and drive conversions this year,” Ashwin Navin, co-Founder and CEO of Samba TV. “And don’t forget about your deal shopper. With the bulk of this year’s dollars spent planned for purchases for oneself, consumers are using these holiday sales to get in on deals for themselves."

This survey was conducted online within the United States from August 22-30, 2023 among 2,507 adults and 2,171 holiday shoppers in the United States by HarrisX.

On one of the biggest shopping days of the year, a new analysis from EDO finds that the inaugural Black Friday NFL game on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service is set to be a smash hit for advertisers.

Based on Thanksgiving NFL viewership projections and historical NFL ad engagement, the EDO analysis reported that “we estimate that the average ad during the game will deliver over $1.3 million in media value for participating brands.”

EDO defines engagement as the lift in consumer intent behaviors, such as searching for a brand online, in the minutes after an ad airs. These engagement behaviors indicate that a consumer has moved from merely being aware of a brand to actively considering a purchase — and research has consistently linked these behaviors to increased sales and market share, the company said. 

Given that even the most expensive regular-season sports ads cost significantly less than $1 million, it’s likely that advertisers will reap a powerful return on investment from the Black Friday contest between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, EDO reported. 

The strength of the ads builds on “the overwhelming popularity of the NFL, the highly engaged audiences we’ve seen during holiday sports programming, and a streaming environment that makes consumers more likely to engage with the brands they see,” the analysis found. 

EDO also noted that its research has found that “holiday sports events are highly effective at generating consumer engagement” and that the games are “far from serving as background noise at family gatherings…Last year, consumers were 12% more likely to engage with brands advertised during live sports on Black Friday than the rest of the day’s programming on a per-person, per-second basis — and 32% more likely to engage with these Black Friday matchups than the rest of last winter’s programming through December. 

EDO also reported that “retail brands that advertised during Thanksgiving week NFL games last year saw a whopping 314% increase in total TV-driven engagements from their NFL advertising the previous week.”

“The streaming environment on Amazon’s Prime Video further amplifies impact for brands,” the company reported. “Because changing apps on TV takes more time and intent than changing channels, consumers are more likely to watch and engage with ads. During the 2022-23 NFL season — Amazon’s first year airing Thursday Night Football — NFL games on Prime Video were 116% more effective at driving consumer engagement than the primetime average.”

ARLINGTON, Va.—The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has released new Black Friday Week-focused research showing that 66% (two in three) of U.S. adults started their holiday shopping this year prior to November, signaling people are bargain hunting earlier than usual in the face of potential supply chain disruptions. 

Just 34% (nearly one-third) of shoppers reported having not started their holiday shopping yet. The survey showed that 73% (nearly 3 in 4) are either unaffected or more likely to purchase tech this year following the pandemic.  

The CTA reported that brick-and-mortar stores remain the preferred channel for tech shopping during Thanksgiving week (Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday), with 95% of consumers reporting they plan to do their shopping directly in a store. 

However, 93% plan to shop online, meaning most consumers will do a mix of online and in-person shopping this year. Overall, 95% of Thanksgiving week shoppers plan to use some type of technology to assist with their shopping. 

“To compensate for potential supply chain challenges, shoppers and retailers alike [are] pulling their shopping and deals forward in the season,” said Lesley Rohrbaugh, director of market research at the Consumer Technology Association. “The increased popularity of tech shopping this Thanksgiving season demonstrates that it has become a gift of practicality. Following the pandemic, people have found more value in items that keep us on the go and connected. Non-physical content such as gifting streaming video, audio, gaming and fitness services are very popular among holiday shoppers, particularly as potential product delays affect holiday shopping this year.” 

The report also revealed the most popular overall product categories for Thanksgiving week shopping this year, with clothing (89%) narrowly edging out tech products and services (86%) as the top selection.

In terms of the type of tech consumers are favoring, 81% plan to buy physical tech products and accessories and 54% plan to purchase streaming content.  

Top planned purchases were: 

• Clothing and accessories – 89% 
• Technology products/accessories and streaming/download services – 86% 
• Gift cards or gift certificates – 83% 
• Personal care or beauty products – 78%  
• Toys – 69% 
• Home décor or furnishings – 62% 
• Digital media including physical video games and DVDs – 60% 
• Physical media including books – 59%  
• Jewelry – 56% 
• Appliances – 45% 

The CTA recently released a holiday shopping trends report showing spending on tech products and services during the 2021 holiday season (October-December) is projected to reach $142.5 billion – a 0.5% increase from 2020. 

This report presents the findings of an online survey conducted by Engine, a collaborative research partner, among a total sample of 2024 U.S. adults between October 29 and 31, 2021. After data collection was completed, the dataset was weighted by six variables to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population age 18 and older: age, sex, geographic region, race and education. The margin of sampling error at 95% confidence for aggregate results is +/- 2.18%. Sampling error is larger for subgroups of the data.  

ARLINGTON, VA–The latest in high tech gadgets may get the most ink as we head into the holiday season but according to a survey by the Consumer Technology Association, it’s the venerable TV set that is at the top of their Christmas wish lists.

The CTA’s 25th Annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns Study predicts that technology spending during the 2018 holiday season (October–December) will reach a record-setting $96.1 billion in revenue in the U.S.–a year-over-year increase of 3.4 percent. The CTA says 164 million U.S. adults (66 percent) plan to purchase a tech product as a gift this year–on par with 2017.

“2018 has shown us that consumers are willing to spend a premium on technology that is essential to their everyday lives – such as smartphones, laptops and TVs – and we expect that dynamic to continue through the season, driving overall holiday consumer tech sales to a new high this year,” said Ben Arnold, senior director of innovation and trends, CTA. “In addition to those core devices, key emerging categories to watch this holiday season are smart home devices – powered by voice technology – smartwatches and wireless earbuds.”

This season, consumers will spend a record amount on emerging tech such as smart speakers, smart home devices and smartwatches.

• Smart Speakers: CTA projects smart speakers such as Amazon's Echo and Google Home, will have another strong holiday season, selling an expected 22 million units (up 44 percent over 2017). New for 2018 is the emergence of smart speakers with displays – six percent of overall shoppers plan to purchase a smart speaker with a screen and 12 percent plan to purchase a smart speaker without a screen.

• Smart Home Devices: Fueled by the popularity of voice technology, 36 percent of respondents plan to purchase a smart home product in 2018 – including smart speakers, security cameras, smart lightbulbs and video door bells.

• Smartwatches: Jumping up from last year, nearly one in five of U.S. adults plan to buy a smartwatch this year. CTA expects over seven million smartwatches will sell this holiday season – a 26 percent increase.

• Wireless Earbuds: Wireless earbuds are now a key holiday tech gift, with 5.3 million units expected to sell – a 60 percent increase over 2017. Forty percent of the U.S. adults planning to purchase a gift within the headphones/earbuds category say they’re likely to buy wireless earbuds this season.

• Drones: With expected sales of 1.5 million units this holiday season (up eight percent over 2017), drones continue to be a popular tech gift.

Top Five Most Wanted Tech Gifts Consumers Want to Receive

Once again, televisions are consumers’ most wanted tech gift, continuing the trend of bigger-ticket hub devices topping wish lists.

1. TV
2. Laptop
3. Smartphone and Tablet (tied)
4. Smartwatch
5. Desktop computer and Any Type of Camera (tied)

2018 Holiday Retail Tech Trends

Some key retail trends CTA expects to emerge this holiday season include:

• Spotlight on Voice: Last year marked the debut of voice as a fourth sales channel joining brick-and-mortar, online and mobile as methods of holiday shopping. In 2018, almost a quarter of respondents plan to research products and sales via a digital assistant and 16 percent plan to make a purchase using voice technology.

• Emerging Retail Channels: In addition to over half of Americans planning to shop online for tech this holiday season (52 percent) and 77 percent planning to shop in brick-and-mortar locations, retail channels will diversify and multiply in 2018. The number of shoppers who plan to shop using mobile devices will rise to 58 percent – surpassing online for the second year in a row. Further, about 33 percent plan to take advantage of same-day delivery, 31 percent in-home delivery (such as Amazon Key or Walmart Delivery), and nine percent plan to use in-app features like camera search.

• Holiday Season Expands: Just as Black Friday was pulled forward into Thanksgiving Day and extended to Cyber Monday, the full holiday shopping season is getting longer. With retailer-specific holidays in July, events such as Singles Day and heavy promotions earlier in the season, 27 percent of respondents indicate they plan to start their holiday shopping in October or earlier. At the same time, 83 percent of respondents don’t plan to purchase their gifts until November or December – likely due to the growing popularity of two- and same-day shipping programs.