New research commissioned by Adwave shows that reaching for a phone while watching streaming TV is no longer a sign of a lost commercial break. More often, it is when a viewer decides to look something up, save it, and come back to it later.
A national survey of 500 U.S. consumers, split evenly across four generations, found that this habit, which we call mobile bookmarking, is now the norm. It also tends to favor businesses viewers have never heard of before.
Key findings
Second-screen use is mainstream. 80% of viewers use a phone, tablet, or laptop while watching streaming TV at least "sometimes." Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z and Millennial viewers do it "always" or "most of the time."
Third-screening is established. About 1 in 7 people regularly watch CTV while using two other devices, rising to about 1 in 5 among Gen Z.
Mobile bookmarking is a majority behavior. 71.5% of respondents have opened a browser tab or saved something on their phone while watching CTV, specifically to revisit later.
Local beats national in post-ad search. When people search for a business after a CTV ad, they are more likely to look up a smaller or local business (39.5%) than a well-known national brand (30.75%).
Unfamiliarity drives the search. The top reason for searching after a CTV ad was "I hadn't heard of the brand before and wanted to know more" (42.5%).
Younger viewers use bookmarking for local discovery. 52% of Gen Z respondents have bookmarked a local business or restaurant, compared with 39% of Millennials, 35% of Gen X, and 23% of Boomers.
Second and third screens are part of watching TV
Only 11.5% of respondents said they never use a second screen while watching streaming TV. 80% do it "always," "most of the time," or "sometimes."
The habit tracks closely with age. Gen Z and Millennial viewers use a second screen "always" or "most of the time" at 66% and 63%. That falls to 43% of Gen X and 32% of Boomers, a steady decline across every generation.
What people do on that second screen tells its own story. Texting or messaging (70%) and scrolling social media (69%) lead the list, but many viewers are also checking email or news (52%), playing mobile games (51%), and shopping online (43%).
Third-screen use is also common. 14% of respondents watch CTV while using two other devices "always" or "most of the time," and 29% do it at least "sometimes." Gen Z leads at 18%, followed by Millennials at 17%, Gen X at 11%, and Boomers at 6%.
The phone comes out early. 37% of viewers reach for their phone within 15 minutes of starting a show, and 59% do so within 30 minutes.
Mobile bookmarking: a to-do list on the second screen
71.5% of respondents have opened a browser tab or saved something on their phone while watching CTV so they could come back to it later. 30.5% say they do it regularly, and another 41% say they have done it multiple times.
Gen Z (84%) and Millennials (82%) bookmark regularly or occasionally, compared with 70% of Gen X and 50% of Boomers. Even at the oldest end of the range, half of respondents do it. Mobile bookmarking is not limited to younger viewers.
What viewers save for later
What people bookmark matters as much as how often. Over the previous two months, the most common thing saved for later was a product or item to buy (54.75% of respondents). Next came a show, film, or song to check out (40.75%), a restaurant or local business to visit (37.25%), and a brand or company to research (29.5%).
Restaurants and local businesses show the clearest generational split. 52% of Gen Z respondents have bookmarked one, compared with 39% of Millennials, 35% of Gen X, and 23% of Boomers. Younger viewers are especially likely to use the habit for local discovery.
TV ads trigger search, and smaller businesses benefit
Searching after an ad is mainstream. Nearly 58% of all respondents have searched for a business or product after seeing it on CTV. That rises to 69% of Gen Z and Millennial viewers, compared with 60% of Gen X and 33% of Boomers.
The more useful question is what they search for. Thinking about the last time they searched for a business after a CTV ad, more respondents named a smaller or local business they were not familiar with (39.5%) than a well-known national brand (30.75%).
That runs against the assumption that TV advertising mainly reinforces brands people already know. Millennials (44% local vs. 35% national), Gen X (40% vs. 22%), and Boomers (41% vs. 18%) all lean toward the unfamiliar business. Gen Z is the exception, at 48% national vs. 33% local.
What prompts the search
The reasons behind the search support the discovery story. Across all respondents, the top reason was "I hadn't heard of the brand before and wanted to know more" (42.5%). It finished just ahead of "curious but not necessarily ready to buy" (41.5%) and checking reviews before considering a purchase (40.5%).
Finding a deal or discount ranked lower. Recognizing a familiar brand and wanting to buy right away was the least common reason, at 12.5%.
TV's traditional strength is introducing people to something new and earning enough trust that they look further. These results show that strength working for businesses without existing brand recognition, not only for the ones viewers already know.
What it means
"People assume a phone coming out during a commercial break means an advertiser has lost that viewer's attention. What this data shows is closer to the opposite. For a huge share of viewers, that phone isn't a distraction, it's a notebook. They're not tuning out an ad; they're queuing it up to look into later, and more often than not, it's a business they've never heard of before that they're curious enough to go find. That's a real opportunity for smaller, lesser-known advertisers, not just the brands people already recognize."
David Naffis, CEO and Co-Founder, Adwave
What a local advertiser can do with this
The survey describes what viewers do after an ad. It does not tell you what any single campaign will return. A practical reading for a small business:
Expect the search, and be findable. Viewers who have never heard of you are the ones most likely to look you up. Your business name, site, and listings should be easy to find on a phone.
Have reviews ready. 40.5% searched to check reviews before considering a purchase. Recent reviews do some of the work the ad started.
Plan for the later visit. Bookmarking means the visit can come hours or days after the ad. Measure site visits over the whole flight, not only during airtime. Our CTV measurement guide covers how.
Pair TV with search and social. The second screen is where the follow-up happens. Running TV alongside search and social reaches the same people where they go next. See multi-channel advertising for small business.
Adwave runs paid media on Meta, Google, TikTok, Reddit, web, and TV from one prepaid daily budget starting at $30/day, with local radius or ZIP targeting and a first-party site tracker. Reddit and Google Search typically need a higher daily budget before they switch on. You approve ads before you spend.
Methodology
This survey was commissioned by Adwave. It reflects 500 completed responses from U.S. consumers, with quotas of 125 respondents in each of four generational cohorts: Gen Z (ages 18 to 29), Millennials (ages 30 to 45), Gen X (ages 46 to 61), and Baby Boomers (ages 62 to 80). The survey was fielded in October 2026.
FAQ
What is mobile bookmarking?
Mobile bookmarking is opening a browser tab or saving something on your phone while watching TV so you can come back to it later. In this survey, 71.5% of respondents have done it while watching CTV, and 30.5% do it regularly.
How many people use a second screen while watching TV?
80% of respondents use a phone, tablet, or laptop while watching streaming TV at least "sometimes." Only 11.5% never do. Regular use ("always" or "most of the time") ranges from 66% of Gen Z to 32% of Boomers.
Do people search for businesses after seeing a TV ad?
Yes. Nearly 58% of respondents have searched for a business or product after seeing it on CTV, including 69% of Gen Z and Millennial viewers. The last business they searched for was more often a smaller or local business they did not know (39.5%) than a well-known national brand (30.75%).
Why do viewers search after a TV ad?
The most common reason was not having heard of the brand and wanting to know more (42.5%), followed by curiosity without being ready to buy (41.5%) and checking reviews (40.5%). Recognizing a brand and buying right away was the least common reason, at 12.5%.
