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Friday, May 27, 2011

Asia Tops Confidence Charts

Asia tops confidence charts

NEW DELHI: Consumer confidence levels are highest in Asian markets such as India, Indonesia and China, a new global study has found.

Research firm The Nielsen Company surveyed 28,000 web users in 51 countries, and reported that its barometer of popular sentiment stood at 92 points overall, a two point jump quarter on quarter.

Asia Pacific experienced a ten point uptick, hitting 107 points, as totals reached 131 points in India, 116 points among Indonesians, 110 across Australia and the Philippines, and 109 points when discussing Singapore.

China registered 108 points, while Hong Kong provided 107 points, meaning Asia Pacific contributed seven of the top ten on this metric.

"The good news is that income is rising faster than inflation, particularly in rural areas, and living standards continue to improve," said Karthik Rao, managing director, Nielsen Greater China.

"As a result, we continue to see strong growth in marketplace demand, even in discretionary categories."

Despite political instability in several nations, the Middle East and Africa enjoyed a 17 point surge, achieving 106 points, incorporating 118 points from Saudi Arabia and 108 points for the United Arab Emirates.

Switzerland was the most positive European country assessed, logging 110 points, but the regional average dipped by five points, to 73 points.

Nine of the ten areas yielding the lowest figures were from the same continent, as Portugal posted 39 points, Hungary delivered 41 points and Greece generated 45 points.

Romania, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Ukraine and France also all came in well below the international norm, The Nielsen Company said.

More broadly, 48% of respondents asserted the recession had not yet come to an end, measured against 24% believing the financial crisis was over.

The latter perception proved strongest in Asia Pacific, recording 63%, and 48% of shoppers in this region expected to spend discretionary funds on holidays during the next six months.

A further 44% supported such a statement concerning apparel, as did 41% with reference to entertainment and 38% for new technology.

However, 62% intended to put any spare money into savings, and just 37% took the view now is a "good" or "excellent" time to "buy things you want and need".

Although Canadian participants supplied a three point lift on a quarterly basis, securing 102 points, and their US counterparts saw a two point gain, attaining 83 points, various coping strategies remain widespread in North America.

Indeed, 60% of interviewees had cut expenditure on entertainment and out-of-home dining, 60% followed the parallel approach relating to clothes, and 56% opted to trade down when making grocery purchases.

Moreover, 62% perceived the current climate as a bad moment to consider acquiring goods, the study showed.

"Planning of shopping trips is very evident as 60% of US shoppers are using shopping lists on most trips, 52% are comparing unit prices, 47% are using store circulars and 41% are using coupons," continued Todd Hale, svp, consumer and shopper insights, for Nielsen's US arm.

Similar attitudes pervaded in Europe, where 62% of those polled had trimmed their outlay on apparel, and 57% both switched to low-cost grocery lines and reduced out-of-home entertainment expenses.

Latin America's regional score contracted by ten points, to 90 points, not least due to a 13 point slide in Brazil, alongside declines from Colombia, Mexico and Argentina.

Data sourced from The Nielsen Company; additional content by Warc staff, 24 May 2011

http://www.warc.com/Content/News/Asia_tops_confidence_charts.content?ID=797bb255-7a5b-4153-aa06-d6a70ef8a46a&q=

Smartphones Surging in Southeast Asia

Smartphones Surging in Southeast Asia

May 24, 2011

Almost half of online consumers in Southeast Asian countries  who say they do not own a smartphone, say they plan on buying a smartphone in 2011 according to a recent global online survey from The Nielsen Company.  About a quarter (24%) of survey respondents said they already own a smartphone, up from 21 percent at the start of 2010. Singapore led the region, with 46 percent of those surveyed saying they owned a smartphone, while Thailand and Malaysia posted the most aggressive growth in the sector, 47 percent and 35 percent, respectively.

Of those who claim they do not have a smartphone yet, Indonesian netizens appear to be the most likely to buy a smartphone, with 51 percent indicating that they “definitely/probably will purchase” the device in the next 12 months.  In Singapore, where the penetration of smartphones is highest amongst netizens in the region, the number is about 38 percent.  Male netizens across the region are more likely to buy a smartphone, with 50 percent indicating an intention of buying, compared to 41 percent of female netizens.  On the same count, half of online consumers aged 25-34 planned on buying the device.

smartphone-purchase-intent

“Mobile devices will continue to see solid growth in the near future, although that growth will not be even across the region.  The more sophisticated markets like Singapore will drive growth, while developing markets like Vietnam will grow more slowly,” said Suresh Ramalingam, Managing Director, Telecom Practice, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa at The Nielsen Company.

While text messaging continues to be the most popular activity on a mobile phone (92% of respondents claimed to have texted in the past 30 days), accessing the Internet on the devices is now the second-most popular activity (50%), and that number is set to increase as 62 percent of netizens in Southeast Asian planned on doing so in the next 12 months. Reading email, playing games and instant messaging rounded out the top five activities done on a mobile phone.

“Mobile Internet usage is destined to grow dramatically.  As the region’s consumers continue to become more affluent, smartphone penetration will rise and the number of people access the Internet via mobiles will increase, especially with greater flexibility and affordability in data plans,” said Ramalingam.

When it comes to choosing smartphone operating systems, 58 percent of survey respondents preferred Nokia OS (the preferred OS in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines) and 37 percent preferred Apple OS (the favorite in Singapore).  One in five said they used BlackBerry, followed by Microsoft (18%) and Android (16%).  About 20 percent of online survey respondents said they had downloaded a mobile app in the past 30 days.

 http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/smartphones-surging-in-southeast-asia

Social Media in Asia [Infographic]

Social Media in Asia [Infographic]

100317140954_Chineseonline_466x262_nocredit

Endelman Digital shares with us this neat Infographic that maps out the social media habits of internet users all across Asia.
It’s pretty evident that Facebook continues to dominate the region with a strong presence in 9 out of the 13 countries featured in the map, while in countries like China, South Korea and Taiwan, it’s dominated by a local social networking service. It can also be concluded that video viewing eats up the majority of Asia’s time online, while blogging falls a close second in most countries.

As Penn-Olson points out, the data used is gathered by ComScore, which only represents PC-based internet users only, leaving out the very substantial chunk of Asians staring at the internet through their phone or at an internet cafe.
This explains the low percentage of social network usage in China as one of its top Social Networks, Sina Weibo, is said to be accessed via mobile by 50% of its users.
Despite this flaw, the Infographic still proves to be a pretty good overview of social media activity in the region.

Click on the image to zoom.



 
http://thenextweb.com/asia/2011/05/25/social-media-in-asia-infographic/

Social Networking & the Power of Social Media in Indonesia – we ain’t seen nothing yet!!!

Social Networking & the Power of Social Media in Indonesia – we ain’t seen nothing yet!!!

James Fergusson, Managing Director, TNS Global Technology Sector James.Fergusson@tnsglobal.com

I’m in Indonesia this week – a fascinating rapidly urbanizing and huge growth market characterized by a fast emerging middle class. Mobile phones are playing a key role in this transition. Like many rapid growth markets Indonesia is characterized by leap frogging behavior when it comes to technology and digital usage.

Indonesia is already the world’s 2nd biggest Facebook and Twitter market in terms of number of members. However research by TNS reveals that this huge penetration is not translating to heavy usage with only 14% of Indonesia’s online population accessing Social Networking Sites on a daily basis compared to the Global average of 46%.

Currently many Indonesians rely on either ICafes or older generation smart phones to access the Internet. The inconvenience of getting to an ICafe and the cluttered operating systems of older phones compromise the user experience and frequency of Internet access and Social Networking usage.
I expect this situation to change rapidly! Over the coming months we will see an increase in Chinese manufactured new generation smart phones using the extremely user friendly and intuitive Android operating system in the market at a relatively lower price point – around USD$100. As is happing elsewhere in rapid growth markets we will see this drive a flood of more frequent Internet access.
The subsequent increase in Social Networking usage represents a huge opportunity for businesses operating in Indonesia, where 30% of online consumers would welcome online brand content and online Indonesians already have an average of seven brand friends – well above the global average of four. As such now is the time for marketers targeting Indonesian consumers to be planning their mobile digital strategies. The future of Digital in Indonesia is very much mobile!

James

http://blogs.tnsglobal.com/tns_technology_blog/

Monday, May 16, 2011

One Size Does Not Fit All: Asia’s Multi-Channel Opportunity

One Size Does Not Fit All: Asia’s Multi-Channel Opportunity
May 13, 2011

Peter Gale, Managing Director, Retailer Services Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, The Nielsen Company

Fifteen years ago, the retail scene in Asia was, in most countries, dominated by traditional open food or “wet markets” and independent stores run by the nice couple down the street. These outlets provided just about everything the typical shopper needed. Fast forward to today, where increasingly affluent consumers have become more discerning about where they spend their money and have expanded the types of goods they buy. In short, “one size” shopping no longer works for many consumers, and retailers are adapting to win a bigger share of wallet.

Today’s consumers have multiple shopping needs and different shopping missions. They are willing to take the time to visit a number of retail outlets to fulfill those needs. One way retailers are addressing this need is by moving beyond their core retail outlet concept. For example, Tesco, a major retailer in Thailand has created smaller venues in the value, supermarkets and convenience channels. 7-Eleven, a major convenience store chain has expanded into books and bakeries. All of these moves are aimed at driving growth, increasing customer relevance and gaining share of wallet.

Where are consumers going to meet their shopping needs? The wet market remains the destination of choice when it comes to fresh foods. In many cases, visits to the market are part of a daily routine. Hypermarkets are typically a monthly destination, where consumers stock up on essentials, while visits to supermarkets tend to occur weekly. Convenience stores are impulse destinations, places to buy a beverage or food to go. Mini-marts tend to be the places where consumers shop to “top up” groceries, while shoppers visit personal care stores to meet their increasingly sophisticated needs for health & beauty products

Meeting the changing needs of shoppers doesn’t stop simply at multiple formats. The increasingly connected consumer is connected to the world, is seeking value, wants choice in terms of the product as well as where they can buy those products. What’s more, traditional retailers are facing increasingly intense competition from agile start-ups who are launching though non-traditional channels such as online, catalogues and TV shopping.

Changing lifestyles is one factor driving consumers’ migration to multiple and non-traditional formats. As time becomes more precious, people put a premium on convenient solutions that make life easier. At the same time, technology – particularly mobile – has enabled consumers to hit the Internet for a range of activities such as entertainment, socializing and information gathering. It is only natural that they would like to indulge in one of their favorite hobbies – shopping – online as well.


A Look at the Online Asian Shopper

According to recent Nielsen research, more than 80 percent of the online population claims to have made an online purchase, with three in five saying they have done so in the past month. In the more developed markets of North Asia, shoppers are the most likely to have made online purchase and the Chinese are fast catching up, as evidenced by the tremendous growth of online shopping site Taobao. Books and clothing are the most popular goods bought online, followed by electronics and travel. Groceries come in at 19 percent.

asia-online-shopping
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/one-size-does-not-fit-all-asias-multi-channel-opportunity/

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Indonesia Social Media Landscape Q1 2011 - 2nd SalingSilang.com Report


We are the internet - SXSWi 2011


How The Love of Music has changed our Business World


BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2011


They Are Not Just Shoppers, They Are Students

They Are Not Just Shoppers, They Are Students
Grey Group Asia Pacific


You could have been the boring front-bencher, the popular one or the one who lives by the phrase ‘It’s all Greek to me’. However, no matter what kind of a student you once were, you never stop being one, even when you grow up. It comes through in little ways and this is especially so, when you are out shopping.

You must have gone grocery shopping at one point of time in your life, so just reflect on what you do when you are inside a store. If you take a walk down a shopping aisle, you will read the back-panels, compare prices, talk to the staff and ask about promotions for that new brand that caught your eye.

You want to know more about this fantastic world of products that is spread out for you to choose from. You are educating yourself, gathering all the facts, so that you can make an informed decision. And that is what shoppers do and Grey and G2’s Eye on Asia – Retail study gives us a peek into what goes on in the minds of these shoppers.

Overall, Asian consumers like to test, taste and find out more about the various options available to them. They are in this fascinating world which they believe is an experiential journey. They look forward to trials and demonstrations – anything that will enable them to experience a product and take brand introduction one step ahead.

In fact, it is not just about the shopping experience but a journey of new learning. When in-store, shoppers are feeding their psychological need to feel smarter. They take their time to read the information provided by brands before deciding on what they want to buy.

An insight from Grey and G2’s Eye on Asia – Retail study shows that over 60% of Asian shoppers compare products before making a final purchase decision. They compare prices, product specifics, packaging and smile in satisfaction when they pick up the best product at the best price. And the reward is like a perfect score-card on their shopping list.

However, not all Asians are the same though. For instance, India is a youthful country where the young want to look good and that is why Indians tend to spend more time comparing and obtaining information about beauty products as the usage level in this category is high. On the other hand, Chinese shoppers dedicate shopping time to obtaining information about health supplements and medical products, a category which is important to them.

The famous philosopher Plato once said that ‘knowledge is food for the soul’ and he cannot have been more right when it comes to the Asian shopper. Asian consumers look for knowledge via demonstrations, posters or new products – they absorb anything that brands want to tell them.

In effect then, the store acts as the media channel for information. This then poses an opportunity for marketers to make information available to consumers who will use what they read to help them in their purchase decision. This is a flip from conventional above the line marketing where brands are trying to grab attention, whilst in-store, the consumers are willing to give brands all the attention they want.

So, no matter what kind of a student you are, if the subject was fascinating you would have wanted to study it. You would not have bunked the lecture, but instead you paid additional attention during class. The subject of brands is particularly fascinating to shoppers as they are more than happy to learn anything that brands want to tell them.

Hence, in summary, it is just up to retailers and brands to make the most of this given opportunity to ensure that their products end up in the shopper’s basket.

Contributed by Shweta Khosla, Planning Director, Grey India

This article was originally published on Warc (www.warc.com) in April 2011

http://www.wpp.com/wpp/marketing/consumerinsights/they-are-not-just-shoppers-they-are-students.htm

Monday, May 9, 2011

Frandship: The emotional relationship between a consumer and a brand

Frandship
The emotional relationship between a consumer and a brand

TNS Research International


Frandship image The ultimate goal for many brands is to achieve an emotional connection with a consumer. Online, brands do this through accumulating followers and creating communities, with the hope of building brand loyalty. However, to become friends with a consumer, there are ten rules that brands must follow to ensure their ‘Frandship’ is successful...

First impressions count

Make sure all communications at all touch-points represent your core brand values

31% of consumers browse online daily for products or services to buy or to help them with their purchase decisions, and they use a variety of touchpoints to do this.

Of all those who purchased in the last 12 months,
  • 21% consulted retailer websites
  • 15% price comparison websites
  • 15% checked manufacturer/service provider sites
  • 9% consulted a user review and comments on a blog/forum
  • 8% checked a user review on a review site or professional online review
  • 3% read comments in a social network
Buy us presents

We like to be treated with gifts i.e. vouchers, coupons and freebies

  • 19% of consumers have brands as friends, but they want presents in exchange for entering a ‘frandship’.
  • 70% of people will enter a ‘frandship’ for personal benefit through offers and promotions, but only 56% do so because we actually like you.
  • Don’t forget you need to remind us why we like you – we are in five other ‘frandships’ and over 160 real people to keep in touch with!
Remember the important things

Like our birthdays, where we like to eat, our hobbies, where we shop and what we buy

  • 74% of people in ‘frandships’ prefer websites that can be personalised to their own requirements.
  • 73% admire imaginative and unique communication platforms.
  • By utilising new and engaging social media sites brands can target specific individuals. e.g. Four Square, where freebies and discounts can be awarded for loyal customers, and ads can be sent to people who have ‘checked-in’ nearby.
Hold our hands in troubled times

During times of hardship we may need your support, even if we aren’t spending as much with you

  • In this tough economic climate where consumers are time poor but not cash rich – brands should recognise that in addition to good value they need to provide added value in terms of their product offer and point of purchase.
  • This includes an intuitive online offering which understands their needs as an individual. Tesco is a great example, it adapted its cost structures and ranges to help customers save money when they need to and treat themselves when they want to through their rewards scheme, recognising that ‘every little helps’. Tesco is now amongst the top 5 visited shopping sites in the UK.
Don’t talk about yourself all the time

We don’t want to always hear how good you are, listen to us occasionally

  • As a brand you need to give them something to talk about or engage in a two-way conversation rather than just talking about yourself all the time.
  • 33% of the UK digital population publish messages on their social network account daily.
  • 30% comment or respond to other people on their social network account.
  • 17% find brand messages intrusive when browsing the internet for leisure.
  • When talking at or to consumers, remember that resistance to brand interaction is highest within email 27%.
  • Closely followed by multi-media and entertainment (24%) and knowledge & educational (23%) content.
Frandships are for life not just for Christmas

So engage with us all year round

  • 87% of people online access the internet daily; more so than any other media touchpoint.
  • Daily use of social media and email via mobile (46% and 52% respectively) demonstrates a need to be, and stay connected.
  • 35% of people join a brand community because they enjoy supporting brands, and 31% join a brand community to get more information about a brand.
  • So brands need to ensure fan pages are available, build dialogue, and engage all year round.
Keep in touch, but not too often

Don’t overdo the contact as we have busy lives and no-one likes a needy ‘frand’

17% find brands in social media intrusive and 27% find them intrusive in an email setting – showing that brands can overdo it.

We will talk about you behind your back

We love a gossip so be prepared, treat us badly and we will tell our friends & their friends

  • UK social networkers read as well as write comments on brands.
  • 26% of online users have written a positive or negative comment about a brand.
  • And even those who don’t ‘spread gossip’ will happily listen to it – 25% of social networkers have taken other people’s comments into account when making a purchase decision.
Don’t embarrass us in public

If you make a mistake we may not stand by you, particularly if you don’t own up and say your sorry

  • 87% people engage in some form digital activity daily and at least a quarter generate or listening to brand related comments on social media, reputation is everything.
  • When the iPhone 4 launch was hampered by reports of signal issues, its delay in responding sent ripples of frustration across the internet.
  • Speedy responses and good crisis management planning is essential for brands to maintain good online reputation.
Don’t cross the boundaries

We are friends not lovers, our loyalty has boundaries and we don’t want to feel used

  • 65% of consumers get into ‘frandships’ on social networks because they have an attraction to a particular brand.
  • But loyalty can be tested, 69% of people in ‘frandships’ saying the ethics of websites strongly affects whether or not they will consider using them.
Want to know more? Email: raja.halabi@tns-ri.co.uk

http://www.wpp.com/wpp/marketing/consumerinsights/frandship.htm?utm_medium=RSS 

Confident but Cautious: Asia Pacific Consumers Spend, but Seek Value

Confident but Cautious: Asia Pacific Consumers Spend, but Seek Value

February 4, 2011
Consumer confidence in the Asia Pacific region gained six points year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2010 to an index level of 97, according to the latest edition of The Nielsen Company’s Global Consumer Confidence Index. With this jump, Asia Pacific became the second-most confident region in the world at the end of 2010, just behind Latin America.
Consumers in Asia Pacific were generally more optimistic about their job prospects and outlook on the economy compared with their counterparts elsewhere in the world. Despite this confidence, they are becoming more cautious and value-conscious when it comes to spending.
“The good news is that consumers in Asia Pacific are still spending even though they are more cautious in the face of inflationary pressures. Accordingly, we see more value-seeking behavior as consumers look to stretch their money, particularly when it comes to paying for household essentials,” said Karthik Rao, Managing Director, Consumer Research and Innovation for Nielsen in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.

More value-conscious consumers
“With inflation already on the rise in most parts of Asia Pacific, consumers will naturally look to alternatives for both essentials and discretionary spending, and this trend presents opportunities for retailers and manufacturers alike,” added Rao.
asia-pac-cci-spending
In Q4 2010, 79 percent of consumers surveyed in Asia Pacific said they saved on household expenses by changing spending habits (up from 61% quarter-on-quarter). The top three areas targeted were out-of-home entertainment, new clothes and utility bills.
Consumers also appeared to be slightly more cautious when it comes to spending, with 34 percent indicating that the next twelve months would be an excellent or good time to buy the things they want and need (down from 38% quarter-on-quarter).

asia-pac-good-bad-time-to-buy

Saving remains a top priority for those with spare cash in Asia Pacific
After paying for essential living expenses, Asia Pacific consumers are the least cash-strapped in the world. While the number of consumers with no spare cash grew in most parts of the world during the fourth quarter (currently 31% in North America, 20% in Europe and 15% in Latin America), there was no change in Asia Pacific, where just 5 percent or respondents said they had no spare cash.
Putting aside spare cash for savings remains the top priority for Asia Pacific consumers (59% indicated they would do so). After savings, Asia Pacific consumers are most likely to spend spare cash on holidays/vacations (40% from 41% in Q3 2010), new clothes (38% vs. 40% in Q3 2010), investing in stocks and mutual funds (38% vs. 37% in Q3 2010) and out-of-home entertainment (37% vs. 39% in Q3 2010).

“Although the proportion of consumers who put spare cash into savings has declined slightly, the high levels of savers in Asia is an indication that consumers in the region are still generally cautious when it comes to spending their cash,” Rao said.


Consumers in Asia Pacific more upbeat about economic recovery and job prospects
Reflecting uncertainties about inflation in the region as well as the continuing global concerns about unemployment and the economic recovery, consumers in Asia Pacific turned slightly less optimistic about the economy and their job prospects. Compared to consumers in North America and Europe, however, they were much more upbeat.
  • Fewer than half (41%) of consumers in Asia Pacific believe their countries are still in recession compared to 84 percent  in North America and 69 percent in Europe. When it comes to the next twelve months, Asia Pacific consumers’ outlook is not much different than their peers in North America and Europe: 47 percent of Asia Pacific consumers believe the recession will last for another year (up from 42% in Q3 2010), while 54 percent North America and 56 percent Europe believe the same.
  • More than half (55%) of Asia Pacific consumers believe that their job prospects in the next twelve months would be excellent or good. Consumers in North America and Europe are far less optimistic – only 29 percent and 28 percent respectively were as positive.
To compile its quarterly consumer confidence index, Nielsen polled approximately 29,000 consumers (more than 10,000 in Asia Pacific) in 52 countries about their outlook on jobs, the economy and readiness to spend.

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/confident-but-cautious-asia-pacific-consumers-spend-but-seek-value/

Friday, May 6, 2011

Consumer Buying Habits Change as Indonesia Welcomes a New Era

Consumer Buying Habits Change as Indonesia Welcomes a New Era

April 21, 2011
Venu Madhav, Executive Director of Client Leadership, Nielsen Indonesia

It’s a new era in Indonesia: global capital markets have recovered significantly since the financial crisis of 2008, and in 2010 the GDP grew 6.1 percent and GDP per capita hit US$3,000, according to the IMF World Fact Book. If the experiences of China and South Korea are any indication, that income level marks the start of accelerated growth, with strong demand across a range of commercial sectors such as automotive, health, insurance and travel. Manufacturers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) can also expect to experience stronger growth this year; a new retail audit conducted by The Nielsen Company found that industry to be growing at twice the pace of the economy in 2010.
As consumers saw economic conditions improve, they tended to adjust their purchasing habits, increasing their willingness to spend money or becoming more adventurous by buying in categories they had never before considered. Some consumers used products more frequently or “traded up” to more premium versions of products they use.


Upper class consumers seek premium products

Consuming “regular” products is no longer enough for upper-class shoppers, and they are now seeking products that provide them with greater benefit and added value. Nielsen’s home panel reported that household spending for health and lifestyle categories has increased since 2009. As time is also a concern for these consumers, products that provide them with convenience will see growth.
Nielsen observed three categories that experienced growth by answering the needs of the upper class: lifestyle, health and convenience.
  1. Hair conditioners: By offering convenience with their leave-on product, manufacturers of hair conditioners saw value sales grow 68 percent in 2010. The “Leave On” variant offers practicality, though the price is more than twice of regular hair conditioner.
  2. Liquid Milk: Sales grew 18 percent, with brands promoting health-related benefits such as low/non-fat, added calcium, probiotic qualities and kids nutrition.
  3. Toothpaste: Although it is already purchased by nearly all households in Indonesia, the sales value for this category still recorded 10 percent growth, driven mainly by medicated segments which grew 17 percent in 2010. The new variants promise stronger teeth, sensitivity reduction, calcium, anti-bacterial, natural and herbal.

Middle and lower class consumers buy products that are considered premium

As the upper class is seeking more benefits, the middle and lower class consumers are starting to buy products that they used to consider premium. Nielsen observed three categories (Cheese, Frozen Meats and Baby Diapers) that experienced increases in the number of household purchases.
  1. Smaller packages of cheese have opened to the mid-lower income segment. The category experienced 13 percent growth in sales value in 2010, with the annual sales value of smaller pack size doubling in 2010.
  2. Household spending for frozen fish/meat experienced a 23 percent increase in 2010 among the middle class and 32 percent among the lower class.
  3. Diaper single packs posted 93 percent growth in sales in 2010, with the variant providing affordability and convenience to middle-lower consumers.
The growth in these categories was also influenced by other factors, such as driving availability in more outlets and spending more in advertising to increase awareness and drive purchases. Nielsen’s retail audit found that both cheese and baby diapers have increased their availability by expanding the number of outlets in which they could be bought by 17 percent and 9 percent, respectively. Advertising spending in all six of these categories grew at rates higher than 2010 total advertising growth: Hair Conditioner (+22%), Liquid Milk (+52%), Toothpaste (+35%), Cheese (+32%), Frozen Food (+39%) and Diapers (+70%).

To grow in this new era, FMCG manufacturers need to adapt to these changes in consumer behavior by driving:
  1. Innovation, by understanding the need-gaps of upper class consumers, especially in area of convenience, health and lifestyle.
  2. Accessibility, by understanding purchase behavior of middle to lower class consumers and ensure availability of smaller pack sizes at the right price.
  3. Portfolio management, by having the right product portfolio to meet different consumer purchase motivations and providing the right level of support.

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/consumer-buying-habits-change-as-indonesia-welcomes-a-new-era/

Media Raih Iklan Rp15,6 T

Media Raih Iklan Rp15,6 T    
Wednesday, 04 May 2011
JAKARTA– Berdasarkan Advertising Information Services Nielsen, industri periklanan Indonesia pada kuartal I/2011 tumbuh dengan nilai belanja iklan mencapai lebih dari Rp15,6 triliun.

Menurut Nielsen,nilai belanja iklanselamatigabulanpertama 2011 itu meningkat sebesar 20% dibandingkan periode sama 2010 yang hanya Rp13,04 triliun. Peningkatan pendapatan per kapita Indonesia juga ikut memengaruhi pengiklan dalam membelanjakan dananya.

Pengiklan tidak ingin melewatkan momentum tersebut. “Melalui televisi,pengiklan akan menarik minat dan perilaku belanja konsumen,kemudian memperkuat kesadaran konsumen dengan beriklan di media cetak,” kata Senior Manager of Media Client Services Nielsen Tri Susanti Simangunsong dalam penjelasan survei Nielsen tentang belanja iklan Indonesia kuartal I/2011 di Jakarta kemarin. Dari total belanja iklan selama kuartal I/2011,media televisi menikmati porsi terbesar hingga 62%, disusul koran (surat kabar) 35%, serta majalah dan tabloid sekitar 3%.Belanja iklan di televisi meningkat 21% dibandingkan periode sama 2010, sedangkan melalui koran naik 20%, serta majalah dan tabloid tumbuh 10%.

Sebanyak 10 kategori pengiklan terbesar di kuartal I/2011 diungguli oleh sektor telekomunikasi sebesar Rp1,21 triliun. “Sebanyak 10 kategori pengiklan terbesar di kuartal ini variatif. Mobil pribadi dan produk perawatan masuk dalam kelompok ini. Bahkan, belanja iklan kategori susu pertumbuhannya melonjak 98%,” jelas Tri. Sementara itu, sebanyak 10 kategori pengiklan terbesar di televisi masih didominasi sektor telekomunikasi. Di koran, pengiklan terbesar juga dipimpin oleh kategori telekomunikasi.“ Kondisi berbeda di majalah dan tabloid.Yang memimpin 10 kategori pengiklan terbesar adalah media dan rumah produk, sebesar Rp48,72 miliar,” paparnya.

Data-data Nielsen berdasarkan pantauan terhadap 24 stasiun TV, 95 merek koran, serta 163 majalah dan tabloid. Berdasarkan gross rate card, tanpa memperhitungkan diskon dan promo. Dihubungi terpisah, Ketua Umum Pengurus Pusat Persatuan Perusahaan Periklanan Indonesia (PPPI) Harris Thajeb mengatakan,tren belanja iklan ke depan akan terus mengalami kenaikan. Walaupun pertumbuhan pada 2011 tidak akan sebesar pada 2010 yang didorong oleh momen-momen tertentu seperti Piala Dunia.Pada tahun ini belanja iklan bisa mencapai Rp65 triliun, atau naik 10% dibandingkan 2010 yang sekitar Rp60 triliun. Survei Nielsen juga mencatat, pada kuartal I/2011 konsumsi program serial di televisi bertambah.

Dibandingkan periode yang sama tahun lalu, pemirsa menghabiskan lebih banyak waktu menonton program serial/sinetron dari total 42 jam menjadi 64 jam (sekitar 27% dari total jam menonton). Sinetron terbanyak ditonton adalah Putri yang Ditukar yang ditayangkan RCTIdengan ratarata jumlah penonton mencapai lebih dari 1 juta orang. sandra karina  
 
http://www.seputar-indonesia.com/edisicetak/content/view/396442/

Music, Money & Mobile: A Global Music Outlook

Music, Money & Mobile: A Global Music Outlook

April 8, 2011
Digital redefined, and now dominates, the music business landscape. Whether downloaded, streamed or watched on a computer or mobile phone, the hyper-fragmented world of music offers unprecedented opportunities and challenges where both the consumer and the industry need to find their way. A recent Nielsen global survey of 26,644 online consumers across 53 countries explored the music industry’s toughest questions: how to optimize marketing and how maximize revenue in a digital and increasingly mobile world.
You can download all of the reports at Nielsen.com
Putting a price on music’s value

With more music available than ever from an unprecedented number of sources, we have seen that customers do use (and therefore value) music and the different channels. For content providers, understanding consumers’ willingness to pay for content and via what channel(s) will be essential to the industry’s future.
The most popular form of digital music consumption was the “watch” habit with 57 percent of respondents having watched music videos on computers in the last three months. Other popular forms of consumption were streaming music on a computer (26%), streaming music on a mobile phone (21%), watching music video on mobile phones (23%) and downloading or using music apps (20%).

global-music-consumption

The sources for consuming music are as diverse as consumers’ willingness to pay. The industry is continuing to investigate alternate revenue streams and the broad approach makes sense as consumers diversify their digital music sources.

global-music-willingness-to-pay

Music goes mobile
Mobile phone technology and increasing popularity of smartphones are providing a new and potentially lucrative revenue opportunity for the music industry. Especially among digital music’s early adopter 20-24yr segment, the mobile phone is fast becoming the mainstay of how they stay connected to the world (via internet) and how they listen to and increasingly buy music. More promisingly, nearly one in four (24%) of the 20-24yr old segment globally indicated they would be prepared to pay to download music videos on their mobile phone. According to the Nielsen survey, males aged between 20-24yr are the global early adopters for digital music consumption and industry marketers need to understand and anticipate the changing habits of this segment to develop viable revenue models. Generating the most interest to those looking for mobile music apps were music discovery tools and streaming apps.

global-music-mobile-apps

On a regional level, consumers in Asia Pac by far showed the highest activity for music downloads on mobile devices.

regional-paid-download

For more regional and demographic insights on consumers’ willingness to pay for music and more, download The Hyper-Fragmented World of Music, a series of reports released in conjunction with MIDEM at Nielsen.com.

 http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/music-money-mobile-a-global-music-outlook/

The New Asian Shoppers

The New Asian Shoppers
By Charu Harish, Grey Group Asia Pacific


Grey GroupToday, budgets are defined as rough ceilings based on the amount spent on regular shopping trips. Shoppers are no longer evaluating what constitutes a premium price in terms of individual product spends. For example, in China, the average basket spend is around RMB100 to 200 ($15-30) and shoppers are willing to experiment and possibly pick up premium products as long as they can stay within that ceiling.

This has implications on how brands and retailers structure their promotions. It is all about creating a basket for the shopper with the right balance of goods perceived as necessary with new offerings and giving them options or offers that bring in a variety of premium and value goods within their basket spend.

Secondly, most buyers' need for authenticity overrides the attraction of promotions. "I avoid brands that give me free gifts of their cheaper stuff--no sincerity," explained a Malaysian shopper.

Promotions are the oldest trick in the book, however in Asia, almost half of the promotions done in-store are wasted.

That's because over 57% of shoppers in fast emerging economies like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and Malaysia do not look for promotions because they buy the same brand every time. What's more, at least 45% agree that "if a well-known brand is often on promotion, I tend to doubt its quality."

Although the great recession is now behind us, the lessons learned by shoppers during that time are redefining their shopping habits. Shoppers are more cautious in their brand choice. And their need for authenticity--in terms of brand credentials and quality--shifts the balance of value, especially in countries which do not have very stringent quality checks.

In India, promotions that offer free packs make consumers feel as if they are over-indulging, while in Hong Kong such promotions are considered wasteful.

For the new Asian shopper, promotions are no longer about delivering monetary value but targeting the psychological need of consumers to feel that they are making smart choices. It needs to go beyond the notion of rewarding shoppers to look at the triggers that will possibly deliver authenticity and satisfy their need for variety.

Thirdly, companies should transform sales staff into personal advisors. "I don't ask for advice, but when I see people giving demonstrations, I do ask questions to know more," said an Indonesian shopper.

The common perception is that Asian shoppers do not like to be bothered by salespeople. However, Grey and G2 found that over 77% of Asian shoppers generally seek information at some level, even if not actively. And if approached at the right moment, the same shoppers are quite open to advice and recommendations.

Shoppers seek advice when choosing between products as well as when evaluating promotions. The combination increases the complexity of choice, instigating even non-advice seekers to ask advice. Overall, shoppers feel assured only if the advice is non-intrusive and not a hard-sell.

The study found that 56% of Asian shoppers actively look for demonstrations in-store before making a purchase. This showcases the need to touch and feel the product before buying. Beyond this, certain categories need a greater projection of professionalism in giving advice. For example, 24% of shoppers in India are active advice-seekers, encouraged to seek information from staff in white uniforms.

The need for information highlights that the methodology of training and placing salespeople in various channels needs to undergo transformation. Shifting the role of salespeople from navigators or hard-sellers to brand advocates or advisors would go a long way in guiding shoppers.

As Asian shopper behavior evolves, there is a need for brands to understand the change and create effective conversations to win the in-store battle.

Charu Harish is Grey Group Asia Pacific's Regional Communications Planning Director, and summarizes the latest Grey and G2 consumer study, Eye on Asia.

This article first appeared on Forbes.com, July 2010

http://www.wpp.com/wpp/marketing/consumerinsights/the-new-asian-shopper.htm


A world without Twitter [infographic]

A world without Twitter [infographic]

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The fog of blogs - Change Agent

The fog of blogs - Change Agent

The 3rd age of market research

The 3rd age of market research




I’ve been reading a lot about new ways of doing consumer research. There’s a constant buzz about the latest methodology breakthrough or innovation. In fact, that’s all I seem to hear lately and I don’t think I’m alone.

More and more a wide variety of categories are going through an avalanche of ideas and fads in the modus operandi these days. But I can assure you few of them are as affected as my industry: market research. No hint of provincialism intended.

I hear phrases on both extremes, from “market research is dead” to “this is going to be the biggest breakthrough in market research” on a daily basis (along with the routine “good morning” and “can I get a discount on this proposal?”).

In my view, market research is continually undergoing changes. Looking back in time, I see three primary eras of our industry.


The Discovery Age:
During the first age of market research everything was about ad-hoc research. Marketers and researchers were designers and artists. Data collection methodologies were created. Graphics and analysis were done by hand and in the end 3,000 slides were delivered. Very poetic indeed!

The Age of Models:
Next came the time for modeling, which I nominate as the second age.  At this point, during late 90’s and early 2000’s, every company was pursuing the best model for advertising evaluation, pricing, shopper engagement, etc. The mantra was “no matter the briefing, my model will work!”

The Social Age:
Now we’ve evolved to the third age, one of innovative & fast paced market research. This new era (wow!) is nothing but:
  1. An ad-hoc view of the client’s issue (back to Discovery Age!),
  2. Searching for the best model in our library (nothing new so far),
  3. Gathered with the most itinerant or logical way for the target (online, mobile, offline, Community Panels, etc).
  4. To provide fast results and quickly consumable insights (in one week I want two insights)
Therefore, models or methodological knowledge is of little importance if we refuse to accept this new social model. Everything is faster, but can it be put into action? That is arguable. We have tons of information, but which is THE piece of information that must be analyzed and considered? I can still recall a statement made by an advisor during a major client executive presentation:
“Thank you for the information you didn’t share with me”
Some say that the new methodologies are the real breakthrough in this sense. But what do you think is more relevant: web, tablet, online, mobile, ROI model, community panel research, etc. OR the understanding that research is now evolving as quickly as the world around us?

I believe a success researcher must not ignore the innovations happening in our industry; it’s our mission to continuously bring in and land new ideas. But from my point of view, a good researcher needs to stay focused on the 4 key insights (outlined above) that can actually make a difference and add value to every material produced (from proposals to summary reports). We are the scientists, the experts, and the core group responsible for the future of customer based research.

I’ll end with a timeless quote from Mr. Albert Einstein:
“A mind, once stretched by a great idea, never returns to its former limitations.”
I have two questions for you: Are we in the third era? And, are you doing our part?

http://www.synovate.com/blog/2011/04/05/the-3rd-age-of-market-research/

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

How To Poll Consumers On Facebook

How To Poll Consumers On Facebook
How To Poll Consumers On Facebook
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May 03, 2011 -

We've all seen those Facebook polls asking you what Disney Princess you most resemble. However, you can turn those inane surveys into something valuable for your business or brand.
Facebook polls and surveys can be a great way to engage your fans with questions that build loyalty or provide you with valuable feedback. Facebook is often touted for its ability to create a community, but too often brands let those online communities lie fallow on their fan pages. It's not enough to send a stream of updates without listening to what your fans (your invaluable evangelists and consumers) have to say.
To help, we collected some simple ways to poll your consumers on Facebook, as well as a mini-list of best practices. Once you start polling, let us know what worked for you in the comments below.
Tools and resources


Facebook Questions is the in-house poll service from Facebook. Located at the top of your wall and below your profile pic, Questions lets you customize polls in a manner of ways. You can submit an open-ended question or click on the "Add Poll Options" tab to create a custom multiple-choice poll. You can add up to three options. Pro tip: You can link those responses to groups or individuals on Facebook by tagging the name with an "@" when you start typing. This is handy if you want to drive people to your various options.
While you can't limit your question to a specific demographic (i.e., the question is broadcast to the entire Facebook community to answer), individual Facebook Pages can ask Page-specific questions. To do this, simply click on the "Questions" tab at the top of the Page's wall. Still stuck? Check out Facebook's official FAQ.

Poll is an app, meaning you'll have to allow it access to your account. Poll operates a lot like Facebook Questions (above), but it has some extra options for tracking your respondents, purchasing premium features like ad blocking, and the ability to hide header tabs. It also allows you to add more than three options to your customized questions. That may not seem like much, but Poll has attracted more than 2 million active users so far, and corporations such as ABC, 20th Century Fox, Nintendo, Pepsi and Wimbledon have used the app.

Poll for Facebook is a free service with a slew of options including the ability to include a poll title, introduction text and advanced features such as creating a custom URL and privacy options. You can specify if you want answers as multiple choice, text or a comment thread. You can modify the appearance further by using HTML tags or adding a tab to your YouTube page. Premium users can add images, too. Poll for Facebook is the most customizable and easiest to use of the available options, attracting major corporate users like the Food Network, the Baltimore Ravens and Clarins Paris to the service.

Poll Daddy Polls offer another take on customization. From the "Create a Poll Tab" you can add an image, customize multiple answers, and select where you want the poll to be posted. It's simple and to the point, even if it has just 300,000 active users, making it relatively small when compared to its brethren.

Status Updates can be used in place of the more feature-rich polling apps discussed above. If you're just after some quick, informal engagement with your fans, consider simply asking a question via your page status.


Basic tips
Once you set up your poll using one of the options above, here are some simple best practices for deciding how and what to ask.
  • Ask a real question. People on the Internet are great at sniffing out when you really are interested in their response and just asking a question because it's been a while. Don't ask questions that are just self-promotional. Something like "What product of ours do you love the most!?" isn't going to go over well.
  • Ask question you actually want answers to. In the same vein, if you're going to ask questions, come up with something that will help your business. Try to get constructive feedback about your products or ask what your customer would like to see more of. If you're a musician for example, try asking what kind of bonuses your fans prefer (backstage pass, free tickets, advanced orders, etc.) and then offer the highest-voted perk.
  • Ask questions that are topical or relevant. This is a tricky one. Try to find memes and keywords that are both in the news and relevant to your brand. It's one thing to poll your audience on what they think of Charlie Sheen, but they could be turned off if that has nothing to do with your business or products. Kenneth Cole gave us a pretty good example of what not to do.
  • Be clear why you're polling. Decide what you want out of your poll: Are you looking for more loyalty, honest feedback, brand exposure? Having this in mind will give you focus and make your polls more useful for your business. If you're looking for exposure, ask yourself if your poll is something that your fans would share with their own friends. Facebook is great for spreading your message—but only if it's a message worth spreading.

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/technology/article/how-to-poll-consumers-on-facebook 

Top 10 Market Research Companies Perceived to be Innovative (GRIT 2010 Sneak Peek)

Top 10 Market Research Companies Perceived to be Innovative (GRIT 2010 Sneak Peek)