GfK Surveys.com Blog

Four times as many portable satellite navigation units were sold in Germany in 2006 than in the year before. In Western Europe, total sales for 2006 amounted to around 7.6 million units and in 2007, this figure is anticipated to rise to 11.8 million, making this a mass market product segment and one of the major sources of revenue of the electronic entertainment sector. These are the findings of GfK Marketing Services Deutschland, who surveyed sales of portable satnav units in 13 West European countries.

Last year, two million portable satellite navigation units were sold, which is four times as many as in 2005. This puts Germany at the top of the league table for units sold, although in terms of growth, with a 300% increase, it is in third place behind Spain and Austria.

Sales of portable satnav units impacted positively on the in-car-electronics sector, which includes car radios, amplifiers, speakers, multimedia and navigation units, resulting in a 40+% growth rate in 2006 compared with 2005. The 7.6 million units sold generated a total sales volume worth EUR 2.8 billion. This year, sales are anticipated to rise to 11.8 million units.
There were two seasonal peaks in satnav sales last year, one being the summer period from June to August, during which holiday-makers use the equipment to find their way as they drive South and the other being in the months towards the end of the year. Satellite navigation equipment, which comes under the general heading of entertainment electronics, accounts for around 8% of seasonal Christmas business, making it one of the major sources of retail sales revenue.
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The GfK Group is continually consolidating its strength in global TV research with new and extended contracts and constant improvements to its metering technology. Wilhelm Wessels, the GfK Management Board member responsible for the Media division commented: “We are delighted to be consolidating and expanding our strength in international television research with new contracts. The associated success of our Telecontrol metering technology proves that the GfK Group responds to the requirements of country-specific markets with technology of the highest standard. Our unique combination of research expertise in local media markets and state-of-the-art hardware and software has been and will remain the basis of our success.”

It has just been announced taht GfK Romania will be measuring official TV ratings in Romania for four years initially, starting from January 2008. In Bulgaria, GfK Audience Research Bulgaria has already been measuring ratings since the end of 2006. The TV research contract of Intomart GfK in the Netherlands has been extended by a further three years and the contract of GfK Ukraine until 2012. Beyond this, the GfK Group has equipped viewer panels in India, Pakistan and Cyprus with additional and also new metering instruments.

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Hate the name, love the trend. TRYSUMERS are transient, experienced consumers who are becoming more daring in how and what they consume, thanks to a wide range of societal and technological changes. They are the latest trend identified by Trendwatcher’s at www.trendwatching.com

Here’s Trendwatcher’s stab at defining the phenomenon:

TRYSUMERS: “Freed from the shackles of convention and scarcity, immune to most advertising, and enjoying full access to information, reviews, and navigation, experienced consumers are trying out new appliances, new services, new flavours, new authors, new destinations, new artists, new outfits, new relationships, new *anything* with post mass-market gusto.”

As all things digital and virtual are so much easier to sample, TRYSUMERS and the online space are a match made in heaven. Expect a renewed interest in lifelike avatars, which can try out and try on anything on behalf of their real world alter-egos. Companies like My Virtual Model (which already partners with Sears, Land's End, H&M, Speedo and Adidas), and Gizmoz, a Flash-based 3D avatar product made from a single picture of a person plus their recorded voice. The company calls it 'bringing Pixar to the people'. (Source: Techcrunch.):
For more information: www.trendwatching.com/trends/trysumers.htm

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MAYBE IT’S YOUR DINING ROOM; maybe it’s a formal living room. Many Americans have spaces in their homes that they rarely use, which become a repository for boxes of old papers, unused exercise equipment, and dust. Much idle space in homes is supposedly dedicated to formal entertaining – but Americans do very little of that. How to make these spaces come to life? The best way to re-imagine little-used space may be to put a TV or computer in it.

The rooms we live in are also home to the media that enliven our lives, whether we are entertaining others or wanting to be entertained. Common living spaces host all types of entertainment equipment, led by TVs. Virtually everyone (98% of adults) has a TV in a living room, family room, or den, finds a November 2006 Roper Reports survey. Stationary music players such as radios or CD players are nearly as common in these types of rooms, at 86%. Even computers are more often found in these rooms than elsewhere in a home; more than half of those who own computers have them in a common living space, compared with fewer than half who have them in offices or studies.

Home is a refuge, too, and bedrooms often serve this purpose. Media are part of the experience of home as a private retreat. Three in four adults say their homes have TVs and music players in one or more bedrooms. The same is true for kids; 71% of 8-17 year olds have a TV in their bedroom, and 46%
have a stereo, according to the 2006 Roper Youth study.

The Kitchen Niche: The hearth is often a center of home life. Older adults are more likely than average to have TVs and stereos in their kitchens, making them a key market for under-cabinet radios and the like.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Young people like their privacy, whether they’re teens at home with Mom and Dad or young adults sharing a dorm or apartment with roommates. This often means taking the media into the bedroom. Parents with kids age 12 to 17 and young adults are more likely than average to say that TVs, stereos, and computers reside in bedrooms in their homes. Compactness is key in these smaller spaces.

Design Matters: 82% of adults agree they have made a “real effort” to decorate their home, 78% feel their home is fashionable, and 87% say look and design is important in their furniture purchases, according to a May 2006 Roper Reports survey. In other words, people care about how their homes look. To the extent that people think of media equipment as a furnishing, they will appreciate design that suits their décor. Hence the use of flat-screen TVs as wall art.

On the flip side, a stark modern style can be jarring in a traditional room. As MSN shopping editor Peyton Mays puts it, “now that it’s possible to have a cinematic experience in your living room, must it also resemble a multiplex? What happens when your Mission-style theme goes head-to-head with NASA-mission-style?” Good question, and one that designers should address. People can get skins to customize their cell phones; ever-larger TVs that take up serious space should be style-conscious, too.

Multipurpose: Home entertaining nearly always includes two activities: consuming food/drink and consuming media. Two-thirds of Americans’ most recent stints as hosts involved watching TV or movies; 60% listened to music. It’s not only guests who multitask this way; 76% of adults eat while watching TV, and 14% use the Internet. The solution here may be as simple as good-looking tray tables for use as portable eating and laptop surfaces.

Two-thirds of adults say that “efficient use of space” is an important element of how they furnish and decorate their home. Having a room that you use twice a year might be prestigious, but it sure isn’t practical. Renowned “not so big” architect Sarah Susanka recommends rooms that serve as everyday space most of the time but can double as formal space when need be. This could mean a computer desk or entertainment centre in a dining area that closes so it can be out of sight when the occasion demands. Marketers who help consumers be creative about how media fit into their homes can help enhance Americans’ quality of life.
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Consumers want brands that provide consistent quality. This is evident from the way they rank a list of factors related to brand purchase decisions. Past experience with a brand tops the list as most important in deciding whether to buy it or not, according to a recent GfK Roper Reports survey. In addition, other people’s experience as conveyed by personal recommendations is more important than it’s been since the late 1980s. And quality is getting more important, too. Taken together, the message is: “I will buy something that’s worked for me before, but if it stops working, I’ll notice.”

Past experience remains the top-ranked factor, as it has been in all ten readings taken since 1975. It lost ground during the experimental early years of the late 1990s and early 2000s but has returned to a level more typical of earlier years, with 83% saying it’s among the most important factors in their brand decisions.

Quality compared with other brands has become more important than price for the first time since quality was first measured in 1995, now at 63% versus 56% for “reasonably priced.” A manufacturer’s reputation for quality does not rate as highly, but it has hovered near the halfway mark in most years, currently at 46%. And word of mouth has become slowly but steadily more important in the 2000s after dipping during the more self-reliant 1990s – the current level of 48% just edges out the previous high of 47% measured in 1989.

Understanding how people choose brands is critical to any marketer, but certain elements have special relevance for specific consumer segments:

􀂃 Past experience is especially critical for Northeasterners; 95% cite it compared with 79% of Midwesterners. This pattern emerged in 2004 and remains strong.

􀂃 Reputation counts more with men and Baby Boomers. These two groups place more emphasis than average on a manufacturer’s reputation for quality. In fact, it just about ties with price for third place for both groups of shoppers, while ranking a decided fifth for women and younger adults.

Other GfK Roper Reports data suggest that Americans may be less experimental than they were a few years ago and more likely to stick with the familiar. This is less true for young adults, but it means that new brands hoping to appeal to a broader/older audience face a substantial challenge in getting that first experience under consumers’ belts. The second, and perpetual, challenge is to ‘nail’ it.

This analysis is largely based on a GfK Roper Reports® US in-person survey of 2,002 adult Americans conducted in August/September 2006. For more information go to www.gfkamerica.com.

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How often do you check the mirror? If you're like the average American, you pay at least some attention to how you look, but maybe not as much as you used to. New data show that adults are less likely to feel it's important to always or usually look one's best.
Americans’ attitude toward the importance of physical appearance does not fluctuate as wildly as, say, the stock market, but it has changed in recent years. Currently, the 26% who feel it is “always important to look one’s best” has dropped 5 points since 2001 and now ties for the record low across ten readings over nearly twenty years.

The largest group remains people who say it’s “usually important to look one’s best,” at 47%, but this has dropped as well (see chart). In turn, one in five adults now thinks about his or her appearance “only on special occasions,” up 8 percentage points in the past five years.

The recent shift looks similar to what happened in the early 1990s, when people jumped ship from both the “always” and “usually” groups. But the “special occasion” segment is much larger this time around, and the “always” group is smaller. This means there are almost as many Americans not thinking much at all about how they look when they walk out the door as there are appearance- conscious people checking the mirror as they head out.

Aging Boomers to Blame?

The first thought that might occur is to blame the Baby Boom. After all, the oldest members of this generation are entering their 60s. Do people this age still care how they look? Yet Boomers cannot be the scapegoats for two reasons. First, the generation currently fills the 45 to 59 age group, not the 60-plus. Second, there is hardly any difference in appearance attitudes by age.

So who is to blame for Americans’ drop in devotion to their looks? It looks as if men might be the culprits. While women have become marginally less appearance-conscious since 2001, men have become much less concerned than they were five years ago (see chart). All told, nearly four in ten men either think about their appearance only on special occasions or hardly at all.

This might be a scary thought to businesses that provide consumers with the means to look their best, from clothing and accessories to personal care and beauty products and services. But all is not lost. Even with the recent shifts, a majority of men and most women pay a reasonable amount of attention to their appearance. Other GfK Roper research indicates that Americans equate looking good with feeling good and self-respect. These inner-driven motivations are powerful.

Although it is unlikely that Americans will completely abandon grooming, they are in a less attentive mode these days. Maybe this means that marketers have been successful to some degree in offering products that allow people to adopt a more carefree approach – such as wrinkle-resistant fabrics and long-lasting personal-care products. Maybe it means they need to keep moving in this direction to continue to meet the needs of the increasingly laissez-faire line that men, and some women, are taking with their everyday look.

This analysis is based on GfK’s Roper Reports® US in-person surveys of adult Americans conducted between May 1987 and May-June 2006. For more information go to www.gfkamerica.com.

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Big Breakthrough or Big Brother?

GfK Roper Consulting research indicates that for all companies, responsible consumer information collection and handling are key issues and may be key differentiators. For tech companies developing new products, built-in security features that offer info-sharing options yet keep control in users’hands should be a priority.

Did you know that :

69% of the American public thinks lack of privacy will be a serious problem in the future (+14 % points from 1980)

63% are very concerned about the privacy of personal information such as financial information or identity (+6 % points from 2005)

GfK asks “WHEN DO MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES OR INFORMATION-SHARING opportunities become the tools for privacy invasion?” In the minds of many consumers, the examples below could be considered friend or foe.

Face Prints as Search Tools

Polar Rose AB is a Swedish startup company that will launch a visual search engine this year to facilitate image searches of people conducted online. The company’s software can reconstruct a 3-D shape of a face to create a searchable “face print,”more accurate than a Google keyword search and more sophisticated than Riya’slike.com(an American-run site that searches for inanimate objects.)

Trial Homeland Security Measure Sees All

The “Backscatter”machine, a new x-ray system that can detect nonmetallic weapons, is finally going into testing phase at the Phoenix International Airport this year. The machine’s use has been protested by groups such as the ACLU, which call the technology a “virtual strip search”because the machine temporarily displays graphic images of nudebodies. The Transportation Security Administration says it does not store, print, or transmit images.

FacebookChanges Prompt Big ResponseI

In 2006, Facebook introduced a new RSS-type news feed feature to its site, allowing users to view updates of any and all changes made on friends’ pages. Users could view by-the-minute changes to accepted or deleted friends, alterations to personal information, and any group updates. The changes met harsh criticism –a boycott, a “Students Against Facebook News Feed” group, and the creation of hate sites. The CEO of Facebook has since responded personally and new privacy controls have been incorporated into the site.

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INTERACTIVE WEB SHAKES UP MARKETING. New online communities are enabling consumers to connect more deeply with brands, and each other.
43% of consumers have ever visited online communities such as MySpace.com and this rses to 78% among 18 – 24 year olds

The Implication: As online communities reach critical mass, marketers have a unique opportunity to join the conversation—and make their own statement.
These are great examples of marketers joining the conversation.


Consumers Talk Back to Ads. Launched in late September, “After These Messages”is a Web-based forum for rating, discussing, and critiquing various media from both creative and social perspectives. Users can post commercials, packaging, and even political speeches, and rate the items on a set of criteria for others to view and respond to.

Pontiac Establishes Virtual Dealership. General Motors’ Pontiac division has opened a dealership on the virtual reality game Second Life. The dealership’s Pontiac Solstice GXP can be purchased and fully customized within the game. Pontiac’s agency commented, “We want to connect with the people there.” Scion opened its own dealership in November

Viral Video Advances Dove Campaign. Dove’s Web-based “Evolution”spot fuses viral media, cause marketing, and DTC advertising into a 60 second spot. Viewed over 2 million times on YouTube, the clip shows the painstaking process of creating a commercial-ready woman. Consumers can discuss the video and share their own story on Dove’s Website.

T-Post Recasts T-Shirt as Alternative Media. A new take on an old form of self-expression, T-Post re-imagines the T-shirt as an international news service. In a unique twist on self-branding, the Swedish apparel company delivers a silk-screened T-shirt every six weeks featuring a news item outside traditional media you may not have heard about, but “should have.”

Source: Roper Reports Telephone Survey, 07-07-06

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ADVERTISING IS A NUISANCE. It’s also useful, entertaining, and helpful. Americans are exposed to advertising continually in their daily lives, and their eyes are wide open to its benefits and disadvantages. How can advertising play to its strengths while minimizing its weaknesses when both are so evident to the average consumer?

Be Sensitive

Acknowledge the Pushback: Fully three in four adults agree that advertising provides useful information, but only about half agree that it specifically helps them decide what to buy. This may mean that people don’t want to admit advertising influences them, although they may be willing to admit it influences other people. In addition, large majorities of adults feel that advertising encourages people to buy things they don’t need or that are bad for them.

Given that word of mouth is often the single most trusted source of information, one approach here is to openly encourage people to talk with others about marketing messages. Indeed, some marketers are already taking this approach to interactive dialogue by mixing and matching traditional advertising with newer forms and building consumers into the process.

Reduce Clutter: Older adults are particularly sensitive to the nuisance factor. For Baby Boomers, this includes online clutter; fully 75% of Boomers who use the Internet agree that ads interfere with their Internet use, compared with 65% of younger and older Internet users. But adults of all ages are about equally likely to agree that advertising is shown in too many places.

Niche media have a clear advantage in minimizing the clutter factor that so many consumers find irritating, with the obvious drawback that they have smaller audiences. Some newer forms of marketing, such as product placement in video games, operate by default in a niche environment, at least for now. Even advertisers who favour mass media “blitz” campaigns can do some level of targeting by offering different versions of a message in broadcast, print, and online ads.

Streamline: Along the same lines, it may also be advantageous to ‘streamline’ a multimedia campaign by offering different elements at different steps along the way. Rather than offer all of the detail in every venue, one can provide the basics in traditional media (perhaps in the form of a “teaser”), access to more detailed information via online ads or web sites, and follow this up with nitty-gritty details at point of purchase, whether that be a physical or virtual store.


Be Sensible

Make It Authentic: A GfK NOP Roper Reports online bulletin board conducted this summer3 found that product placement in TV programs or movies can be acceptable to consumers when it fits in naturally and subtly with what’s going on. After all, real people shop and eat and wear clothing, so visible brands are a part of everyday life. This notion follows for other types of advertising, too, as well as cause-related marketing efforts. If the message suits its surroundings, it stands a better chance among today’s pragmatic consumers. This can backfire, of course, if it’s too obvious or strikes an artificial tone.

Rated “E” for Entertaining – Everyone: Generation Y young adults are most likely to find advertising “often fun or interesting,” perhaps because advertisers make a concerted effort to entertain them. People’s eyesight and hearing may dim with age, but this isn’t necessarily true for their sense of humour. Marketers might think about making more of an effort to entertain and engage older adults as well.


This analysis is largely based on a GfK NOP Roper Reports US in-person survey August/September 2006. For more information GfK www.gfkamerica.com.


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MEN OF THE WORLD are busting a long held gender myth. They are doing more of the shopping. This doesn’t mean they are loving it, though. Most of the gain is among married men who are taking some of the burden off their wives, and who may well be feeling less than empowered about the experience.

Between 2002 and 2006, the share of men worldwide who reported shopping for groceries at least weekly rose 7 percentage points, while the share of women who did so dropped 3 points, thereby narrowing the gender gap by 10 points. Both men and women are more likely than in 2002 to say they shop for things other than groceries at least monthly, but that share has grown more for men, 7 points compared with 4 points for women.

The increases have occurred in most regions of the world and for most age groups. They have occurred across income groups and regardless of parental status. One particular group of men has led the charge, however – namely, husbands. Men who are married or living with a partner are shopping for groceries and other items more frequently than they did four years ago. Singles are shopping a little more, but so are single women. And formerly partnered men – i.e., those who are divorced or widowed – are not shopping for food more than they did and shopping for other things just a little more often.

This analysis is largely based on GfK’s Roper Reports® Worldwide’s 2006 in-person survey of 31,00
consumers age 13 and older in 25 countries. For more information go to www.gfkamerica.com.

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What makes a dream home? A South Beach villa? Stick-style Victorian? The oneBarbie had? Images of fantasy mansions might come to mind, but for 25- to40-year-olds, the amenities that a house offers can make it a dream home. A recent study conducted by GFK Roper, a global research organization, found that for post-baby boomer generations, the ideal home is a reflection of values and aspirations.

For Generation X, the group born between 1965 and 1977, and their younger counterparts born after 1978 - often called Generation Y or echo boomers - a dream house isn't always extra acreage or a cul-de-sac. To this group - more than 81 million Americans - a dream house is one that provides comfort, security, style and technology.

Each year, about a third of generations X and Y move into larger or betterhomes, according to 2003 U.S. census data. Perhaps they are acquiring some ofthe comforts that the 1,000 respondents to the gfK survey said make a dreamhouse. Among the findings: Whirlpool baths are the most desired amenity fortwenty somethings, while gourmet kitchens are the highlight for those in their 30s.

"Dream houses are usually a reaction to a life stage, and it is interesting tosee how that translates to behavior," says Kathy Sheehan, the senior vice president of GFK Roper. "Gen X-ers are at childbearing age. That means that Gen-X homes are about the family center. They are looking for things that help them organize and eradicateclutter and chaos," she says. In addition to state-of-the-art kitchens, Gen X-ers said, a dream house had to have well-appointed, walk-in closets and serene outdoor spaces.

The survey found that echo boomers, who include young people who grew up usingthe Internet, are more likely to regard a dream home as a high-tech,entertainment venue. "The Gen-Ys are just starting to emerge socially," Ms. Sheehan said. "Technology and things that enhance life are heavy influences on that group." Because the home is considered a social hub, game rooms and fitness areas wereamong the most desired spaces for Gen-Ys. As the post-boomer generations age, their aspirations for their dream housesmirror their parents'. Both the baby boomers and Gen-Xers chose gourmet kitchens as the most important aspect of a dream house.

"Boomers waited much later to buy their dream houses, and now, they think of their homes as status symbols," Ms Sheehan says. Generations X and Y, however, are more likely to choose houses that suit theirindividual styles and needs, Ms. Sheehan says. "They have looked at enoughmagazines and other homes to know exactly what they want."
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SCROOGE WOULDN’T HEAR OF IT before the Christmas spirits visited him, but the holidays are indubitably a charitable time. Not only do people make donations on their own behalf during this season, 21% of adults plan to make a charitable donation in the name of at least one of their holiday gift recipients this year, according to a recent GfK Roper Reports survey.

Giving to charity in someone’s name is not the most popular gift choice – it ranks below material items such as clothing, music, toys, jewellery, electronics, and so on. But the gift of charity finds resonance especially among older and higher-income consumers, who may have decided that it is time to give their friends something more meaningful than socks or a tie this holiday season.

It is true that many consumers make charitable donations in their own names, and the holiday season is a big time to do so, both for personal satisfaction and for end-of -year tax breaks: According to Giving USA Foundation, individuals contributed $199 billion to charity in 2005.
Giving to a charity of one’s choice is a fulfilling activity, and giving in someone else’s name can be twice as soul satisfying.

The problem for givers, however, may be to decide what charitable cause the “giftee” would feel comfortable giving to if he or she was actually doing the donating first hand. Here are some ideas to cater to Americans’ charitable gift-giving impulses:

Make It Local: People who plan to give charity as a holiday gift are more likely than average to shop at locally owned neighborhood stores (61%, compared with 54% on average). Their interest in supporting the local economy could extend to charitable donations to local food banks, religious institutions, or homeless shelters on behalf of their friends who may share their local community spirit.
Make It Cultural: It is also possible that gift givers may contribute in honor of a friend or relative to a cause associated with music or the arts —and the inspiration to do so may come from suggestions made at music or bookstores, a venue in which 70% of people who plan to give charity as a gift expect to do at least some of their holiday shopping this year, compared with 59% of adults in general.
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Fifty years ago next week, Hungarians mindful of their nation’s former glory took to the streets in protest against Russian domination. That effort bore fruit more than three decades years later, when the Soviet Union broke up. But breaking away has proved more difficult than expected. Late last month, Hungarians took to the streets again — this time, to protest the current crop of leaders, who, despite time’s passage and the Soviets’ demise, found themselves likened to the Reds of old. The symmetry of the protests suggests that for Hungary, escaping Russia’s influence may be a long-term affair. That Hungary’s neighbours and fellow newcomers to the European Union are having their own problems amid the transformation to a market democracy — both Poland and the Czech Republic are mired in bureaucratic muck reminiscent of their Russian counterpart’s — indicates that its predicament is not unique. For Central Europe — as for Russia itself — 50 years of membership in the Soviet bloc has left a legacy that may be hard to shake.

Few in the post-Communist universe may want to go back to the guns-and margarine days before the Soviet Union broke apart, but our research suggests that, compared with the Western world, those who experienced first-hand the highs and lows of the immediate post perestroika period are ambivalent, if not a bit sceptical, about freedom. Central Europeans ascribe less importance to “having freedom of one’s life.
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Eating light has been the mainstay of Americans’ ideas of health for
several decades now. While consumers complain that what’s healthy one
day is declared by experts to be unhealthy the next, and vice versa, much
basic nutritional advice has remained consistent: eat little or no red meat,
fried foods, and sweets; eat fruits, vegetables, grains; watch your calorie
intake. Okay, that’s easy, right? Actually, it isn’t. Talk about “trying to
eat healthy” means that healthy foods are often more on people’s minds
than their lips.
The drive to healthy eating is motivated by the desires to live longer and
healthier, look better and, to some extent, economics. While shifts in
consumption are now an established part of some consumers’ lifestyles,
others face an ongoing struggle to do what they think is right. Yet others
do whatever they feel like doing – happily or guiltily, as the case may be.
Convenience, temptation, economics and, most of all, the belief that
good-for-you tastes bad and bad-for-you tastes good are the most
common reasons – or excuses – for continuing old habits. On a deeper
level, some consumers also feel that self-esteem issues are an obstacle to
eating right.
Looking ahead, consumers seem likely to continue to tread both sides of
the eating-healthy path. Even as they want or even demand purveyors of
less-than-healthy food to clean up their act, they are likely to protest
anyone or anything that aims to limit their right to eat whatever they choose.

HOW THE STUDY WAS DONE
GfK NOP Qualitative Practice conducted a special TrendWhys study among consumers
to explore food and eating. Two online bulletin boards lasting three days were
conducted with men and women around the country, divided by age, 18-34 and 35-60
years old. Respondents were asked to log on twice a day to answer posted questions,
and to read one another's answers. The boards were conducted on September 11-13,
2006.GfK NOP Qualitative Practice, is headed by Judith Langer, and conducts qualitative studies on a widerange of marketing and lifestyle subjects.
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When a federal judge ruled in August that the Bush administration must halt its warrantless-wiretapping program, she aroused the ire of those who said the taps were needed to root out terrorists. But our research reveals that she also tapped into a strain of anti-snooping sentiment among the public that persists nearly five years after the 9/11 attacks. Those who do business online should pay heed. As plumbing the Internet for personal information grows, so does the need for those who operate in cyberspace — not least, businesspeople — to consider consumers’
privacy concerns.

Americans have strong reservations about those who find and use Web-based personal information without their knowledge. A June 2006 telephone survey finds that, thinking of the Internet, 62% of Americans with home Web access are “very concerned” with the privacy of personal information. That is up 5 points from a year ago, with the biggest increase registering among Web-savvy young adults.

People’s concern is not with digital technology per se; for more than a decade, Americans have told us that computers help them save time and increase the control over, quality of, and simplicity with which they live their lives. Rather, people’s concern is with the intentional misuse of technology; seven in ten think such misuse will be a “serious problem” in 25 to50 years. And among the ways that Americans, on balance, feel that technology can be misused is in “targeting advertising to individuals’ lifestyles, preferences, and personalities”: 53% in our June survey think such behavioural targeting is “a bad thing,” while 37% think it is “a good thing.” The rest equivocate or do not answer the question.

This report is based on in-person and telephone surveys of American adults dating from 1974 through 2006. For more information, please contact your GfK Roper Reports representative or go to www.gfkamerica.com.

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MEN OF THE WORLD are busting a long held gender myth. They are doing more of the shopping. This doesn’t mean they are loving it, though. Most of the gain is among married men who are taking some of the burden off their wives, and who may well be feeling less than empowered about the experience.

Between 2002 and 2006, the share of men worldwide who reported shopping for groceries at least weekly rose 7 percentage points, while the share of women who did so dropped 3 points, thereby narrowing the gender gap by 10 points. Both men and women are more likely than in 2002 to say they shop for things other than groceries at least monthly, but that share has grown more for men, 7 points compared with 4 points for women.

The increases have occurred in most regions of the world and for most age groups. They have occurred across income groups and regardless of parental status. One particular group of men has led the charge, however – namely, husbands. Men who are married or living with a partner are shopping for groceries and other items more frequently than they did four years ago. Singles are shopping a little more, but so are single women. And formerly partnered men – i.e., those who are divorced or widowed – are not shopping for food more than they did
and shopping for other things just a little more often.
This analysis is largely based on GfK’s Roper Reports® Worldwide’s 2006 in-person survey of 31,000 consumers age 13 and older in 25 countries. For more information, go to www.gfkamerica.com.
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Just over half adults age 30 to 59 surveyed in the 2006 GfK Roper Reports Worldwide survey have children aged under 20 at home. Compared with their counterparts who either have no children at all or no children this age at home, these parents are more likely to own products in four key areas – video games, video cameras, computers, and portable music players. Two of these four products are likely to be influenced by kids. Parents with teenagers are most likely to say someone in their household has a portable music player. Parents of pre-teens and teens alike are equally likely to own video game system either consoles or handhelds (see chart). Parents’ desire to capture those precious childhood moments, on the other hand, explains why those with children under age 6 are most likely to own video cameras.

This analysis is based on GfK’s Roper Reports® Worldwide 2006 in-person survey of 31,395 consumers age 13 and older in 25 countries. For more information go to www.gfkamerica.com.
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The upswing in the consumer climate continued into the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2006. The propensity to buy indicator remains at record levels and reached a new high in October. Consumer income expectations in Germany improved, while the outlook for the economy was seen as somewhat more pessimistic. After the revised figure of 8.9 points in October, the consumer climate is forecasting a value of 9.2 points for November.

Unlike in previous months, this time the positive consumer climate is not being carried exclusively by the upward trend in the propensity to buy. Currently, the slightly positive trend in income expectations is contributing as well. The record levels in the propensity to buy stem primarily from rational reasoning; as the date for the VAT increase creeps ever closer, consumers are deeming it wise to bring larger acquisitions forward to this year. This year’s Christmas season may also benefit from this attitude.
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DESIGN MATTERS MORE THAN EVER.

It is becoming increasingly important to all consumers and converging with even the most unassuming categories. A sense of style is not just expensive or exotic – it’s for the everyday.

66% of Americans agree that design matters for everyday objects in GfK Roper Reports (May 2006). Examples of great design are:

Urban Basketball Backpack

Created by designer Ramon Villanueva, this design is currently only a concept, but it
successfully overcomes limitations of the common backpack to present an easily accessible storage solution. Unlike other ballcarrying bags, the urban backpack treats the ball as a design enhancing element rather than an extraneous item.

UK Design House Creates Magnetic Wallpaper Peppermint,

A London based design house, has invented a new way of masking white walls. Magscapes are unique interior landscapes that can be “created and recreated” using the firm’s specially developed magnetic wallpaper and oversized magnets. Great for kids or restless interior designers, the paper and patterns are developed in a variety of serious and notsoserious
arrangements.

Arm & Hammer Thinks outside the Box

The best known brand of baking soda products has evolved from its tried and true staple, the bright gold baking soda box, to a self contained, stickable disk filled with odor absorbing
powder.

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Fifty years ago next week, Hungarians mindful of their nation’s former glory took to the streets in protest against Russian domination. That effort bore fruit more than three decades years later, when the Soviet Union broke up. But breaking away has proved more difficult than expected. Late last month, Hungarians took to the streets again — this time, to protest the current crop of leaders, who, despite time’s passage and the Soviets’ demise, found themselves likened to the Reds of old.

The symmetry of the protests suggests that for Hungary, escaping Russia’s influence may be a long-term affair. That Hungary’s neighbours and fellow newcomers to the European Union are having their own problems amid the transformation to a market democracy — both Poland and the Czech Republic are mired in bureaucratic muck reminiscent of their Russian counterpart’s — indicates that its predicament is not unique. For Central Europe — as for Russia
itself — 50 years of membership in the Soviet bloc has left a legacy
that may be hard to shake.

Freedom: Just Another Word

Few in the post-Communist universe may want to go back to the guns-and margarine days before the Soviet Union broke apart, but our GfK Roper Reports research suggests that, compared with the Western world, those who experienced first-hand the highs and lows of the immediate post perestroika period are ambivalent, if not a bit skeptical, about freedom. Central Europeans ascribe less importance to “having freedom of action and thought,” as we describe the value, than Americans or Western Europeans do. They also value freedom less than consumers globally do. But the importance Central Europeans assign to freedom precisely mirrors that of Russians: In both places, it ranks 11th on a list of 60 personal values. While not abysmally low — freedom ranks more than 20 spots lower in at least two Muslim-dominant countries — that ranking is 5 spots below the global average and fully 9 and 8 spots, respectively, below the levels recorded in the US and Western Europe.

That people in the post-Communist world are less than enamored of freedom(or at least its rhetoric) is not wholly surprising; their experience with it hasnot been entirely positive. The paradox, in fact, is embodied in the experience of the current Hungarian prime minister, Ferenc Gyurcsany. Freedom’s upside is reflected in the way a newly liberated press exposed Mr. Gyurcsany’s chronic lying to his constituents about the economy, which sparked last month’s protests; its downside is revealed in his role as a beneficiary of post-Soviet privatization, when market freedom had a field day and insiders, like the prime minister, enriched themselves with sweetheart deals on the sale of state assets.

The what’s-in-it-for-me free or- all of those early post perestroika days, when economic egoism was at full throttle in the upper strata of society, provides a model for ordinary folk across the post- Communist world today. While social responsibility on our values list falls at or near the middle globally and in the West, it sinks to an unimpressive 46th and 48th in Central Europe and Russia, respectively. Whether people had their fill of “working for the welfare of society,” as we describe the value, before the Soviet Union fell is unclear. But it’s a safe bet that the perceived greed of politicians like Mr. Gyurcsany and Russian oligarchs like Boris Berezovsky and Mikhail
Khodorkovsky, who reportedly lined their own pockets soon after the fall even as their countrymen struggled to provide the basics, only fueled the cynicism.
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As the leaders of the G8 countries worked were working hard to thrash out an agreement on world trade at the St. Petersburg summit earlier this year, others in Russia’s second city were working just as hard on the “home” front. In the latest sign of Russia’s transition from communism to consumerism, thousands of apartments in St. Petersburg and other cities are being remodeled — and not in the gaudy Evro remont style of the immediate post-Soviet period. Russia’s new home decorators are evincing an eclecticism that draws liberally and judiciously on influences from around the world. At a time of rising incomes, the activity reflects a level of interest in outside cultures that — combined with a decided materialistic streak — implies expanding opportunities for global marketers in Russia.

Russians, the GfK Roper Reports Worldwide survey shows, are unusually interested in what others have to offer; more so, in fact, than is anyone else we survey. Internationalism may be the value that best defines Russians. The value — for which the Russian translation adheres closely to our English description of “wanting to know more about different peoples, countries, and cultures” — ranks 20th out of 37 in importance this year. That in itself might not impress. But the ranking is 12 spots above the global rank, and first among 25 countries surveyed.

Moreover, the finding is not a fluke. In four of the six years etween 2000 and 2005, internationalism in Russia ranked first among te countries; in the other two years, it ranked a close second. During those six years, when we listed some 60 values, internationalism in Russia placed anywhere from 7 to 22 ranking spots above the global average.

Why Russians’ interest in others? No one explanation will suffice. But the answer could in part be a reaction to decades of living in a closed society; other findings suggest as much. In direct contrast with Marxist values, Russians put a high premium on materialism. Last year, Russians ranked material security No. 3, tied for the second-highest ranking in any country. And, in a country that for more than 70 years preached the value of work for its own sake, Russians last year ranked fulfilling work No. 5, tops among the nations surveyed.

The combination of values is only part of the reason that foreign marketers may find greater opportunities in Russia today. Increasingly, Russians have the money to act on their beliefs. Since taking the reins of power in 2000, Vladimir Putin has brought a stability to Russia unknown under his predecessor. Fueled by high oil prices, the economy has grown by an average 6.5% a year. Though relatively few Russians own stocks, those who do are enjoying a market boom. And, while our survey shows that inflation continues to be a top concern of Russians, incomes have been steadily rising — and a genuine middle class beginning to grow.

For more information about this article contact GfK Roper Reports Worldwide You may also visit our web site at www.gfkamerica.com.

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“BABY BOOMERS are a mass of contradictions” wrote CLAUDIA H. DEUTSCH in the New York Times yesterday. She argued that while they spend freely but love bargains. That they don’t identify with young models, but resent being called senior or elder and hate expressions like “golden years.” They have little loyalty to the brands of their youth but prefer products with well-known names.

As a group, boomers — the 78 million people born between 1946 and 1964 — are rapidly aging out of the 18-49 demographic that had become advertising’s holy grail simply because so many people fell within the category. Their sheer number and spending power dictate that companies keep them in their sights.

But so far, no one seems to have figured out a way to reach them as a group. And brand managers — many of them boomers — are increasingly seeking outside help.
“Companies still need to find out how the different generations feel about product placements in shows, about celebrity endorsements, about how their use of the Internet meshes with their use of traditional media like magazines,” said Kathy Sheehan, senior vice president of GfK Roper Consulting, which has been inundated with requests for boomer polls.

Claudia Deutsch argues that the boomers thrive on change and reinvention. They did not grow up with the Internet, but they readily go online to plot out vacations and seek bargains. They grew up with television, but they have embraced TiVo and VCR’s and other technologies that let them scoot past commercials. They may not like rap music, but they’ll listen to their own music on the same types of iPods that their children use.

But there is yet another contradiction: The older boomers get, the younger they seem to feel. Boomers under 50, when asked “how old is old?” in a recent GfK Roper survey, answered 68. Boomers over 50 said old age set in at 78.
She quotes JoAnn R. Hines, a packaging consultant who has developed a subspecialty in packaging to boomers, counsels her clients that “boomers of all ages still see themselves as 30”

Read the full article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/11/business/media/11adco.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fD%2fDeutsch%2c%20Claudia%20H%2e&oref=slogin

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How have Americans been sleeping lately? More often than not, less well than they’d like. Fully
52% of Americans say they haven’t had enough sleep in the past week — the highest figure registered in five readings over four years and 9 points higher than the figure recorded last year. Some among the sleep-deficient no doubt fit the bleary-eyed stereotype common to wee-hour sleep-aid commercials. But, like so many stereotypes, that one is at best only partly true. Our latest research shows that, far from wandering zombie-like through life, the sleep-deficient more often tend to be active — if not hyperactive — participants in it.

Thus, while the sleep-deficient present obvious opportunities for purveyors of products and services that bring on shut-eye, marketers of varying stripes should not shrink from seeking out the 3 a.m. set.

Reflecting the active mindset of the sleep-deficient, 70% of Influential Americans® fall into that group. That these socially and politically active trendsetters so often say they lack enough sleep almost confers on sleep deprivation a certain cachet, marking those who claim it as the antithesis of the disengaged consumer. Indeed, the sleep-deficient are nothing if not engaged. Compared with the average American, those who sleep less than they’d like spend more time in a typical week with kids or grandkids, working, learning new things, doing exciting things, and socializing. Accordingly, they spend less time alone.

This analysis is based on GfK’s Roper Reports® US surveys conducted from 2002 through 2006. For more information, go to www.gfkamerica.com.
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As online financial services approaches its tenth anniversary in the UK, what as marketers have we learnt? The answer is quite a lot. Indeed for such a young industry, it appears we have got online financial consumerssussed. However, if we are to continueto be rewarded from the ever-increasingdemand for online financial services, we need to make more use of what we
have learnt and challenge the assumptions we have made.

So what have we learnt? Most of our understanding of online comes from asking three fundamental questions: does online create cost efficiencies? Does online grow revenue? And does online promote customer loyalty? Many of the answers that arise tend to be
negative. Firstly, far from promoting cost efficiencies, the commonly held assumption
is online costs more, not less, as it has proven to be an additional channel of
acquisition and servicing, rather than a replacement for branch or telephone. Secondly,
the revenue generated through online delivers tighter profit margins, and
cross sale performances that are lighter in comparison to other channels. This is due
to online consumers always demanding best of breed products in terms of service
and price, as they tend to be fi nancially savvy consumers. Lastly, despite online
consumers consistently rating the online channel as the most satisfactory channel
experience when doing their fi nances, they lack supplier loyalty. Online consumers are
much less likely to hold all their financial “eggs in one basket”. Yet despite online financial services proving to be a challenge, consumer appetite for financial services online continues unabated. Far from downscaling online operations, investment has had to continue in order to meet the demand. Indeed, the latest fi gures fromGfK’s Internet User Profi le Survey (IUPS)
show that four out of ten adults are now engaging (searching, quoting) in fi nancial services activities online on a yearly basis and almost a third (31%) are actively banking online.

So, do we just grin and bear the fact that consumer and customer choice demands multi-channel presence that includes online? Well, it appears as if that is the case, as many in our industry now backfurther investment in the branch network in the belief that branch sales deliver greater
margins. But while investment fl ows back to the branch, we should make more ofwhat we have learnt online to make the most of its continued demand. But how? We should look to challenge commonly held assumptions in order to promote thecase for online. So, do online bankers actually cost banks more to service than their offline counterparts? The assumption that online costs more comes from the belief that online bankers don’t actually stop using other channels, like the branch, to service their accounts. While GfK’s IUPS certainly does show that online bankers use the branch as much as their offline counterparts (on average twice amonth), the overall yearly cost to service per transaction is actually less. An online banker costs £119 per year to serve, whereas an offl ine banker costs £135. Moreover, if you add the potential that online banking brings in terms of providing paper-free propositions (monthly statement) to those that want it (45% of online bankers), a further £107m could be saved each year.
be saved each year.

Read the whole article by Howard barber at http://www.gfknop.co.uk/content/news/news/Financial%20Marketing_Howard%20Barber
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IN AN AGE OF HEIGHTENED CONSUMER EXPECTATION, the unique experience surrounding a product or service becomes a very important factor in the formula for brand loyalty and future successes. New products must leave consumers with best impressions, and existing products must find ways to become more memorable. gfK recommends that brand owners need to explore the experience surrounding their product and focus on the uniqueness and quality of the experience for hidden opportunity to connect with consumers. gfK exemplifies this with the following case studies:

Cereality Recognized as Top New Experience Concept
This month Cereality, the world’s first cereal bar, was awarded the “Experience Stager of the Year” award from the authors of The Experience Economy for implementing the brand’s promise: “It’s Always Saturday Morning.” Customers looking to indulge their inner child are greeted by pajamaclad “Cereologists” who prompt patrons to come up with their own cereal creations in a kitchen like atmosphere.


Starbucks Salon Evolves the Coffeehouse Environment
With welltrained baristas and an inviting atmosphere, Starbucks’ has become the “3 rd place” for millions of consumers, with 12,000 locations in 32 countries. Starbucks’ latest endeavor to “grow big while staying small” has been its pop up retail locations at the Sundance Film Festival and more recently in Soho (more to be announced soon). The self described “nomadic interactive coffeehouse, gallery, and performance venue” provoked one Starbucks Gossip blogger to comment, “The [Salon] concept rocked because it reminded me of an old independent coffee shop.”


A Tried andTrue Service Provider Grows Online Sales
Nordstrom has consistently differentiated itself from the pack by offering the best quality service and leaving customers with a lasting impression at the checkout counter. It continues to do so online as well, with live beauty and designer specialists available in realtime. Features such as these have helped the retailer rack up a 41% increase in online sales in the past twelve months.

Westin Extension Transforms the Extended Stay
Westin Hotels, famous for incorporating the ultimate sleep experience into hotel amenities, is now chipping away at common perceptions about extended stay hotels. The Element Hotel concept, which was unveiled last week at the 2006 Lodging Conference, is Westin’s latest attempt to reinvent its category by striving to provide guests with a deeper brand experience. Unique amenities include “haven-like” open room design, elevated public space for more relaxing socialization, and smart meal options.
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An Indian summer helps lift the mood! The Confidence Index rises one point to –7 in September 2006.

London, 29th September 2006 – GfK NOP’s Consumer Confidence headline index rises one point to a score of –7.

The annual moving average remains the same as last month with a score of –6.

Four of the five measures this month have seen increases in their scores and the overall index figure is the same now as recorded in March, this year. This is 2 points lower than the figure in September ’05 when it stood at –5.

Carol Bernasconi, Divisional Director at GfK NOP commented:
“After a gloomy August, September’s sunshine combined with the start of the new school year has helped to cheer consumers and leave them feeling more optimistic. Four of the five measures saw small increases with people feeling more positive in general about their personal and the general economic financial situation”

Personal Financial Situation
The index measure regarding changes in personal household finances over the last twelve months has seen an increase of 2 points and now stands at +2, two points higher than the level recorded in September ’05.

There has also been a small change of opinion regarding the outlook for household finances over the next year. However, this index has dropped by one point from +11 to +10 this month, the same score as September ’05.

General Economic Situation
Views regarding the general economic situation of the country over the last twelve months has seen a rise of three points this month, up to –32. In September ’05 the score was 4 points higher at -28.

There has also been a rise in expectations for the general economic situation over the next twelve months with the index increasing by two points to -21. In September ’05, however, there was much less pessimism with the index standing at –16.

Climate for Major Purchases
The measure on whether now is the right time to make major purchases has also seen a marginal increase of one point this month to a score of +8, 1 point lower than in September ’05 when the score was +9.

Future Saving
The ‘now is a good time to save’ index has also recorded an increase of 4 points to +34, and the current index figure is now eight points higher than in September ’05.
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Consumers increasingly have the means – and motivation – to avoiding exposure to advertising. Thanks to DVRs (as well as VCRs) viewers can more easily skip over television commercials. Ads that are visually interesting, entertaining and/or relevant to their lives continue to capture attention, however. The days of "intrusive" ads that purposely irritate viewers (with constant repetition, for example) are over.

Product placement in television programs and movies, a strategy many marketers use to get around the barriers, is noticed at least some of the time by consumers. While people might be expected to reject placement given their desire to bypass many commercials, the majority of consumers interviewed for Roper Reports and this TrendWhyssm study either do not care or accept the trend. Showing or naming brands is even considered a way to inject a touch of "real life." And, some say, placement in TV programs can be less irritating than commercials interrupting the show.

The impact on brand awareness is fairly well understood, but consumers differ in the extent to which they think placements influence their buying. Perhaps they are not especially concerned because they do not see a direct correlation. There also seems to be a broader "that’s life" approach to today’s omnipresent marketing.

On the negative side, some consumers criticize "blatant" product placements for being irritating and distracting. Resentment of marketers forcing products on the audience is also an issue.
The key to product placement consumers accept seems to be true integration – seamless incorporation of a product into the program or movie. In contrast, promotion that does not fit the content or personality comes across as annoying or simply ridiculous. The challenge is for marketers to find ways of presenting their brands as a credible part of the storyline, or as the program sponsor.
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The Electoral commision's report on Public attitudes towards Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections shows that "Scottish voters see the Scottish Parliament as more modern, approachable and trustworthy than the UK Parliament in Westminster, but lack of knowledge on the current activities of the Scottish Parliament. "

Read the report at: http://www.gfknop.co.uk/content/news/news/ScotPollPosition.pdf
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The consumer climate in Germany rose slightly in September compared with last month. This is mainly attributable to consumer propensity to make larger purchases and beat the VAT increase scheduled for next year. It has risen this year for the third time to reach a record high. Conversely, there has been a slight fall in consumer expectations in terms of income development. Consumers rate the outlook for Germany’s economy similarly to last month. After the figure of 8.6 points in September, the consumer climate index is forecasting a value of 8.8 points for October.

It looks as if consumers are focusing more and more on the increase in the rate of VAT planned for January 2007. For several months now, the trend in the propensity to bring forward larger purchases has been increasingly pronounced as we move towards the date. This is currently having a positive overall effect on the consumer mood, however, the two other consumer climate indicators – economic expectations and personal financial development – show continued consumer skepticism. Consequently, it can be said that the present buying mood is almost exclusively the product of rational reasoning.

This is particularly marked in an East-West comparison. Although expectations of a rise in income in the new German territories are clearly lower than in the former West Germany, the propensity to make larger purchases is nevertheless high there.

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The most urgent problem Europe needs to solve is unemployment, according to latest findings of the annual “Challenges of Europe” survey by GfK. The British, however, worry most about Healthcare, Crime and Immigration.

More than one third of Europeans describe the problem of unemployment as the most important challenge facing politicians and business leaders. In seven out of the ten countries surveyed, the lack of jobs has been top of the list of concerns for many years.

Germany was the country most affected by this issue by far, with four fifths naming unemployment as the most urgent problem in Germany, closely followed by Poland, with two thirds of people, and France, with just under two thirds of people, considering unemployment to be the most important topic in their country. This is up 7 per cent and 6 per cent more than in the prior year, respectively.

By comparison, the UK the least concerned about unemployment, with only 5 per cent of people naming it as a major issue – the most relaxed by far, with the next most relaxed being the Netherlands, with 11 per cent, and Russia, with 12 per cent.

British particularly concerned about Healthcare, Crime and Immigration

Healthcare, Crime and Immigration were named as the top three most important concerns in the UK.
Healthcare, in particular, topped the UK list of concerns, with 33 per cent of people naming it a major challenge; a similar emphasis as in 2005, when it was also named far more than any other problems. Healthcare is also in Germany’s top three (behind Unemployment and Pensions), with 15 per cent naming it a major concern.

The UK and Crime

Concern about Crime, whilst a major issue in the UK, is gradually easing across Europe in general. Despite terror campaigns in several countries, the fear of crime does not appear to be crossing beyond the borders of the individual countries affected, resulting is considerable differences between the various countries.
The British remain the most sensitized towards Crime of any country surveyed, with one in four people naming it a major challenge facing their country. Although this is lower than the figure for 2005, the year of the bomb attacks in central London, the recent attempted attacks on London airports last week suggest that this concern is unlikely to change in the coming year.
By comparison; for Europe in general, since the attacks in New York in 2001, after which 28 per cent of Europeans regarded crime as a big threat, this figure has now dropped to 12 per cent this year, down from 13 per cent in 2005.
In the Netherlands, like Britain, crime is also the biggest concern by far, although here too the situation is gradually easing. Now only one in five people in the Netherlands are worried about crime, compared to one in four the year before. By comparison with other European countries, this is still a high percentage, and obviously stems from the attacks on the politician Pim Fortuyn in 2002 and the director Theo van Gogh in 2004.
France is the only country where there was a strong rise in the fear of crime, which was up to 22 per cent after 16 per cent in 2005. This is clearly related to the disturbances in the suburbs, which rocked France at the end of last year.

The UK and Immigration

The third highest topic concerning people in the UK is immigration, in which category we are well ahead of the other countries surveyed, in naming it a key challenge. However, our concerns have apparently dropped from two years ago, when this was also seen as the most urgent issue by 35 per cent. Now, despite increasing immigration, primarily from Eastern Europe, this figure has dropped to only 23 per cent.
The UK also ranks in first place for concerns regarding educational policy. However, in line with the average figure for Europe as a whole, this subject is no longer as relevant as it was in the previous year. Now only 15 per cent of the UK population sees this as a worrying issue, 4 per cent fewer than in 2005.
More British people than ever are concerned this year about politics and the government with one in eight people now unhappy. In 2005, this figure was only one in 20. The main reason for the sharp increase appears to be the UK government’s foreign policy and its attitude to the Iraq war.
The number of people worried about environmental protection as well as inflation and purchasing power has also doubled. In 2006, these are seen as issues requiring urgent action by 8 per cent and 6 per cent of the population respectively.

Further findings from this survey can be found on the GfK website: http://www.gfk.com/, or by contacting Dr. Raimund Wildner, tel. +49 911 395-2573, raimund.wildner@gfk.com.

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Western Europeans spent 18% more on consumer electronics in the first half of 2006 than in the same period in the prior year. The lion’s share of these sales was accounted for by TVs, especially flat screen TVs, sales of which were up year-on-year by 35%. The sector is benefiting from the fact that consumers are investing more money in expensive and higher value products. GfK is forecasting sales of 44 billion euros for the European consumer electronics industry for 2006 as a whole.

In Western Europe, 61% of total sales in the industry during the first half of 2006 were generated in the UK, Germany and France. The greatest proportion, 25%, was attributable to the UK. This was followed by the German market with a share of 19% then France with 17%. The remaining 39% is spread across seven other Western European countries in which comparable data is collected.

In terms of growth rates, Sweden tops the list with sales up 23% compared to the first half of 2005. Sales were up year-on-year by 20% in France and 18% in the UK. With a rise in sales of 10% the consumer electronics industry in Germany ranks in the mid-field.

GfK surveys.com marketing marketing research consumer confidence Trust europe

The positive sentiment among German consumers appears to have reached its peak in the late summer of this year. Consumers now consider the outlook for the economy to be rather more pessimistic than in the prior month. Expectations regarding their personal financial position are equally conservative. Only the inclination to make larger purchases in the near future remains high. After the revised figure of 8.5 points in August, the consumer climate index is forecasting a value of 8.6 for September.

The main consumer climate indicators signal that the consumer climate is unlikely to improve much more this year in Germany. Although the propensity to buy remains high, the positive sentiment regarding economic development is increasingly abating.

Based on the indicator values, GfK is forecasting a rise in private consumption in 2006 of 0.7% compared to the prior year. The East-West comparison shows that consumers in Eastern Germany continue to have considerably lower expectations for their income prospects than their counterparts in Western Germany. The difference is not so great for economic expectations and the propensity to make larger purchases in the near future is almost equally optimistic in East and West.

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Despite recent heat waves in much of the country, autumn is just around the corner and back-to-school shopping is in full swing. All that advertising about
“must have” items for one’s fall wardrobe may fall on many deaf ears, however. Americans are far more likely to say they possess a personal style than to say they follow what others do. This poses a challenge for marketers who must cater to the desire for individuality with necessarily mass-produced goods.

In a GfK Roper Reports survey, 44% of adults “very much” agree that they have their “own signature style.” In contrast, just 11% strongly agree their home looks like their neighbours’ and 9% that “it is important to dress in a
way that is similar to the way that others around you dress.”

Younger adults are, not surprisingly, much more likely than older adults to feel strongly about having their own style. Men, perhaps surprisingly, are nearly as likely as women to feel this way. Being young and single sharply heightens a sense of personal style, yet being married with children does not depress it much below average.

Personal style is decidedly not the same as Fifth Avenue fashion, however. Just three in ten people say their home is “fashionable” or their car “stylish.” The same pattern holds for young people. Half of kids age 8-17 surveyed in a 2005 GfK Roper Youth study agree they “dress with a sense of personal style,” nearly twice the 27% who say they “dress in the latest styles.” young people. Half of kids age 8-17 surveyed in a 2005 GfK Roper Youth study agree they “dress with a sense of personal style,” nearly twice the 27% who say they “dress in the latest styles.”

This may mean most Americans tend to ignore marketing messages about the things they “must have” and more inclined to respond to the choice they see in the marketplace and their freedom to create their own style.
This may mean most Americans tend to ignore marketing messages about the things they “must have” and more inclined to respond to the choice they see in the marketplace and their freedom
to create their own style.

Beyond Clothing Beyond Clothing

People typically equate style with clothing and accessories, but the concept extends to all kinds of products. Just 20% of adults say that fashion refers only to clothing and accessories, and 43% have made a real effort to decorate their home. Majorities say that looks and design are very important to purchases of clothing and furniture; half say so about accessories and cars; and one-third say so about personal-care products.

People typically equate style with clothing and accessories, but the concept extends to all kinds of products. Just 20% of adults say that fashion refers only to clothing and accessories, and 43% have made a real effort to decorate their home. Majorities say that looks and design are very important to purchases of clothing and furniture; half say so about accessories and cars; and one-third say so about personal-care products.

The nearly half of adults who very much agree they have their own signature style are more likely than others to be tuned into style at all these levels. They are also more likely to say they are willing to go out of their way to find unique products that presumably help them express their unique style.
The nearly half of adults who very much agree they have their own signature style are more likely than others to be tuned into style at all these levels. They are also more likely to say they are willing to go out of their way to find unique products that presumably help them express their unique style.

Marketers can appeal to consumers’ sense of personal style in several ways. They can offer advice about developing a unique style. They can offer lots of variety so consumers can mix and match to their heart’s desire. They can offer customization.

Whichever route they choose, marketers need to keep something else in mind. Consumers are more far more likely to very much agree that “good design is expensive” than to be willing to pay more for products they find stylish or fashionable, 37% versus 21%. This pattern holds for those who feel they have a signature style. As with so much else in life, consumers want style to come at a reasonable price.
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Whither “old” media? No one knows for sure. But one thing is clear: Wherever they’re heading, part of the answer is online. And our GfK research suggests that as old media migrate online, the more than 1,000 American newspapers with Web sites have an edge.

It should be said upfront that old media, consumed in the traditional manner, are far from dead. Majorities of Americans still check out newspapers, TV channels, magazines, and radio stations without visiting their Web sites. And only small minorities visit the Web sites of these old media without partaking of their traditional outlets. Indeed, even among those younger than 30, a group more likely than their elders to go online generally, no more than 13% say they visit any type of old-media Web site without seeking out the original print or electronic form.

But it is telling that those 13% visit newspaper Web sites. In fact, when we look at the habits of Influential Americans® who both consume old media and visit their Web sites — arguably the most predictive of these avid news consumers — newspapers’ edge becomes clear.

Influentials are far more likely than the average American both to check out newspapers, TV channels, magazines, or radio stations and to visit their Web sites — and among those who do so, newspapers are the most popular medium. Fully 43% of these trendsetters read both the paper-and-ink and Internet versions of newspapers. That is 16 points higher than the comparable percentage among average Americans — and variously 4 to 16 points higher than the shares of Influentials who consume both the traditional and Web versions of TV, magazines, or radio.

Newspapers’ edge appears to extend to the perception that their ads are informative. Those who consume the four old media and visit their Web sites are at least as likely to find newspaper ads informative “very often” as they are to feel that way about ads on radio or TV or in magazines. Whether that translates into a perception that ads found online are informative remains to be seen.

How, then, proceed? The old rules might need some rethinking. Some
newspapers, for example, are contracting with news aggregators that provide links to stories elsewhere, including other newspapers’ Web sites. While some major papers, like The Washington Post, have reportedly signed up for such services, others, like The New York Times, are said to be proceeding more cautiously about linking to what has forever been regarded as the competition.

But the nature of competition is changing. One consequence of the Internet’s
rise is that publishers like Yahoo and Google are now vying with traditional media for the attention of news consumers and advertisers. Though newspapers’ Web advertising is on the rise, it hasn’t necessarily been enough to compensate for revenue lost to these other media. By taking the plunge and linking to other papers’ content, newspapers can keep readers and advertisers happier as they move from paper and ink to pixels.

This report is based on a telephone survey of American adults conducted in July 2006. For more information, go to www.gfkamerica.com.

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Offering the lowest price as a broadband supplier should be a highly compelling market position, since nearly two thirds (65%) of broadband customers say this is one of the most important factors in choosing a supplier. This is good news for BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse as they roll out their new low cost bundled services, but other factors clearly play a role in people’s decision.

New research carried out by GfK NOP in June 2006, using the IUPS (Internet User Profile Survey), indicates that the reliability of the service has risen sharply as a key factor from 18% (December 2005) to 38% (June 2006) of broadband customers. This is more of an issue for experienced Internet users, who might be more tempted to switch than new entrants to the market, who lack experience of what could go wrong. Good customer service and reputation of the company are also rising factors. These issues all point to consumer’s need to feel comfortable about their broadband provider.

Niall Rae, Director of GfK NOP's IUPS survey said: "Carphone Warehouse’s Talk Talk service has received high recognition with 15% of Internet users aware of the service, according to our survey, plus achieving a 2% share of the broadband market, in a matter of months. This correlates very closely with the published figure of 300,000 connections. BSkyB may be in an even better position soon, with 37% of broadband users subscribing to its digital TV service. BSkyB’s offer is, however, geographically limited at the moment and so other competitors have therefore got time to respond. BT’s video-on-demand service is due to launch in the Autumn and so we will see how well BSkyB and BT can transfer their brand and service strengths into each other’s market, but price will play a key role in the outcome of the contest.”

For more information, please contact Niall Rae on 020 7890 9233 / niall.rae@gfk.com

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Most Americans have investments. But even in this seemingly financial-forward era, half of consumers consider themselves beginner investors. This opens the door for financial marketers to educate and woo them as customers. Unfortunately, reputable financial services companies have more to reckon with than people’s lack of confidence; they must overcome a less-than-stellar image.

Nearly nine in ten adults, 87%, say they own at least one type of financial investment ranging from savings accounts to stocks to jewelry. Yet just over half, 52%, consider themselves “beginners” when it comes to investing. One in five (21%) say they are “intermediate” investors, and just 6% feel they are “knowledgeable.” A sizeable 20% can’t even say how they rate themselves, another sign of uncertainty.

Younger adults and those with lower incomes are more likely than average to rate themselves as investment neophytes, which is not surprising. But even among college graduates, those with household incomes of $75,000, those age 60-plus, and INFLUENTIAL Americans®, nearly half say they are greenhorns. The same is true for those who own stocks or bonds. Fully 55% of those who say they are in charge of their household’s investments claim they are beginners. Since Americans are not noted for their modesty in touting their expertise in other areas of life, these large numbers indicate that Americans truly feel there is a lot they don’t know about managing their money.

The obvious way to address consumers’ lack of confidence is to educate them. This may be easier said than done, though. This is partly because of the plethora of products and services available. Consumers find themselves confused by endless solicitations for their business. In addition, unscrupulous operators have a field day taking advantage of people’s ignorance and scamming them out of their hard-earned money, which in turn, can affect people’s confidence in both themselves and financial service providers. The obvious way to address consumers’ lack of confidence is to educate them. This may be easier said than done, though. This is partly because of the plethora of products and services available. Consumers find themselves confused by endless solicitations for their business. In addition, unscrupulous operators have a field day taking advantage of people’s ignorance and scamming them out of their hard-earned money, which in turn, can affect people’s confidence in both themselves and financial service providers.
The majority of beginner investors are not looking for places to put their money where it will grow or provide income; they mostly want it to be safe. Financial service providers who can cut through the clutter and offer security are best placed to help novice investors gain confidence and move up the ladder to the intermediate or knowledgeable level. The majority of beginner investors are not looking for places to put their money where it will grow or provide income; they mostly want it to be safe. Financial service providers who can cut through the clutter and offer security are best placed to help novice investors gain confidence and move up the ladder to the intermediate or knowledgeable level.
This analysis is based on the Roper Reports 2006-1 in-person survey of 2,010 adult Americans conducted in February-March 2006. For more information, please contact your Roper representative or go to www.gfkamerica.com

This analysis is based on the Roper Reports 2006-1 in-person survey of 2,010 adult Americans conducted in February-March 2006.

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A Fun Way to Promote Geography

Which country is the largest consumer of oil? Can you name the world's most spoken primary language? What is the current U.S. population?

These and other questions were posed by the 2006 National Geographic–Roper Survey of Geographic Literacy, designed to test the geographic knowledge of a randomly selected sample of 18- to 24-year-old students representing the target group across the Unitd States. The results highlighted the limited geographic knowledge young Americans possess.

A new program from the National Geographic Society will offer today's youth a valuable
resource to increase their geographic knowledge and embrace the world around them. ESRI, a program cosponsor, has created My Wonderful World, which promotes geographic awareness to K–12 students and provides tools for teachers and parents.

"Geography matters to everyone, whether they consciously realize it or not," said Jack Dangermond, ESRI president. "When we better understand how nature, people, and businesses relate, we can make better decisions. ESRI's mission is to build GIS software that helps people see the patterns, find the relationships, and understand more clearly this wonderful world we share. ESRI is proud to support the National Geographic Society's My Wonderful World program in its efforts to improve geographic literacy among our nation's youth."

My Wonderful World is at the heart of the campaign. The site's resources help youth better understand the world around them. It suggests outdoor family activities; provides links to geography games and online adventures for kids and teenagers; and provides classroom materials for educators, global IQ tests, and other tools.

"Geographic illiteracy impacts our economic well-being, impacts our relationships with other nations and the environment, and isolates us from our world," said John Fahey, National Geographic Society president and CEO. "Geography is what helps us make sense of our world by showing the connections between people and places. Without geography, our young people are not ready to face the challenges of the increasingly interconnected and competitive world of the 21st century."

In addition to ESRI, many businesses, nonprofit organizations, and educational leaders are sponsoring the campaign. Sponsors include 4-H, American Federation of Teachers, Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, Asia Society, Association of American Geographers, Committee for Economic Development, Council on Competitiveness, iEARN-USA, Lindblad, National Basketball Association, National Council for Geographic Education, National Council of La Raza, National Council for Social Studies, National Parent-Teachers Association (PTA), Sesame Workshop, the United Nations Foundation, and the World Affairs Councils of America.To learn more about the My Wonderful World program and to start taking advantage of its rich features, visit www.mywonderfulworld.org.

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All over Europe and the USA, politicians are regarded as not particularly trustworthy. The same applies to top business managers and journalists. People place the most trust in doctors and teachers. These are the findings of the GfK Trust Index 2006 survey of 19 countries carried out by GfK Custom Research Worldwide.

With an average mark of 1.7, politicians everywhere come right at the bottom of the trust index on a scale of 1 “very untrustworthy“ to 4 “very trustworthy“. Thereafter come the high flyers in business and journalists, with a score of 2.2 for each group. Doctors and teachers scored best, both groups achieving a 3.1 trust index rating. The military scored 2.9 on the trust index, the police 2.8, the clergy 2.7 and lawyers 2.5.

Greeks and Italians particularly unhappy with their politicians

In all, just 17% of those surveyed trusted their political leaders. In Germany, despite the election which was brought forward last year and the change of government, which has been well received by the population, the figure was just 10% and Greece and Italy, where there have also been some recent changes in government, the score was down to 8%. Danish and Swiss politicians fared the best in matters of trust, with over one third of the population finding them trustworthy. In the USA, one quarter of Americans said they still trusted their politicians.

Company bosses and journalists considered equally untrustworthy

High flyers in business and journalists also scored low averages on the GfK trust index, which shows that internationally, three out of five citizens worldwide are suspicious of company bosses. However, opinions are divided. Germans have the least confidence in their business managers, with 82% of those surveyed expressing distrust, although compared with the previous year, the number of negative statements has dropped by 5%. Like the politicians, high flyers in business are best regarded in Denmark, where over half those surveyed stated that they trusted the managers of large companies. In Spain, Hungary, Romania and Sweden, just under half the respondents made positive statements. Conversely, in Russia and the USA, the level of trust equates to the average for the 19 countries surveyed, which is that only around one third of the population finds top company management and journalists trustworthy

Many Europeans and Americans also doubted the trustworthiness of journalists. Two thirds of West Europeans expressed their suspicions and in the USA, the figure was more than half. Respondents in the UK and Italy were particularly suspicious of journalists.
However, journalists seem to enjoy a level of trust which is above average in Romania, Poland and Spain, where just under two thirds believed them to be trustworthy.

Doctors and teachers enjoy high regard

The most respected professional groups over all the countries surveyed are doctors and teachers. In all, 82% of those surveyed believe doctors and teachers to be trustworthy. Doctors are most highly rated in Sweden and Finland. With a 91% score, the military in Turkey enjoys a high level of trust, whereas in Russia, not even half the respondents believed the army to be trustworthy. This represents a drop of 12 percentage points compared with the previous year. The police fare no better in Russia, where two thirds of the respondents made negative statements. On the other hand, in Finland and Denmark, just 8% and 11% of those surveyed said they did not trust their police.
With a score of 2.7 on the GfK Trust Index, the clergy are ranked fifth on the list, enjoying a high level of trust in most countries. In only five of the 19 countries surveyed did the majority of those surveyed express any suspicions concerning the clergy and of these five, in Greece, in particular, at least two thirds expressed a lack of trust in the clergy.
A mixed picture emerges when it comes to how far people trust lawyers. Northern Europe’s lawyers enjoy a particularly high level of trust in Finland, Sweden and Denmark, but conversely, receive poor average ratings in Greece, Italy, the USA and Bulgaria.

see the data at: http://www.gfk.com/index.php?lang=en

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Findings of the GfK consumer climate survey for July 2006

Once again, there was a modest improvement in the German consumer climate in July. For the third time in a row, this is due mainly to the record high in consumer propensity to make larger purchases in the near future.

Another factor was the slightly more positive view consumers have of the development of their personal income than in the previous month. However, as in the previous month, in July consumers remain skeptical when it comes to their expectations of economic development. Following the revised figure of 8.0 points in July, the consumer climate indicator for August is forecast to be 8.6 points.

July saw last month’s ambivalence of German consumers continuing. While the sustained consumer inclination to make larger purchases in the near future is at record-breaking levels, increasing numbers of consumers lack confidence in the overall economic development.
East Germany’s residents were more positive in terms of their inclination to make purchases. However, from the point of view of the level of this propensity, they still remain more skeptical in general terms than their West German counterparts.
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Following on from the previous entry about “Trust” we noticed that Carmine Gallo, a professional communications expert, quoted a recent GfK Roper poll which showed that more than 70% of respondents felt that wrongdoing was widespread in Corporate America. She advises her corporate clients who want to be effective communicators and who want to build emotional connections with their customers to pay particular attention to the following traits
Ø Admit mistakes.
Ø Show your personal emotions to your audience. Show you care about your customers.
Ø Show your passion for your products and share it
This she argues is the secret of Oprah Winfrey’s success in riding out the fuss over James frey’s book “A Million little Pieces”. Because as she puts it “Oprah is someone I consider to be an authentic communicator, in the sense that the dictionary defines authenticity: worthy of trust. It's a refreshing change from the culture of finger-pointing we seem to find ourselves in these days.”
Read the whole article at: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/feb2006/sb20060201_417901.htm?chan=smallbiz_spr_leader

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GfK Roper Consulting recently announced the results of its Global Word-of-Mouth Study, which found that consumers worldwide cite people as the most "trustworthy" source for purchase ideas and information. In fact, 70% of consumers across the globe trust friends, family, or other people when searching for information or ideas on products to
buy. This study confirms that the United States is not the only country experiencing the word-of-mouth phenomenon.

Interestingly, advertising ranks second as a trustworthy source globally, somewhat higher than in the U.S. (59% versus 55%, respectively). Globally, editorial content follows advertising at 55% and online resources rank fourth at 18%. By comparison, in the U.S., 81% cite people as a trusted source of information, followed by editorial content at 56%, advertising at 55% and online at 24%.

"We now know that people hold the power in the global marketplace," says Hetty Fore, Vice President and Product Manager for GfK Roper Consulting. "Accessing the word-of-mouth network is no longer optional ... success will be dependent on using this channel wisely."

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GfK released its biannual UK Technology Barometer this month, revealing the major trends in the IT market. GfK reports that the IT market was worth £3.9 billion in the first half of 2006, a value decline of 3%, despite 14% volume growth. The fastest growing categories were smartphones, webcams, communication devices and storage products. Within this growth, GfK report that major trends of the IT market for the first half of 2006 are convergence, the growth of wireless, the continued fall of prices and an increased focus in retail in areas previously dominated by enterprise.

The main drivers of the growth were:

* PCs worth £1,443m* Printing devices, including Multifunctional devices worth £303m* Monitors worth £343m* Consumables worth £813m* HDD and NAS worth £130m* Communication devices worth £122m and software worth £239m

Commenting on the Technology Barometer Jean Littolff, Business Group Director, GfK, said: “Price barriers falling has been the most significant trend in the first half of 2006. The major obstacle preventing the average consumer from enjoying the sexy technology long enjoyed by business users is now gone. However, our barometer clearly shows that an increasing number of IT sectors becoming commoditised, competing other than on price is losing ground. Both retailers and manufacturers must re-evaluate this, if the value and profit of the IT market as a whole is not to be significantly lost.”

Convergence
In 2006, both consumers and enterprise are increasingly turning towards devices that provide multiple solutions, rather than offering only one functionality. GfK IT BusinessGroup Director Jean Littolff reports: “Not only are we looking at convergence within IT sectors, but also a blurring of lines between IT, consumer electronics, telecoms and photo areas. This long-standing trend is being realised in the marketplace in a substantial fashion in 2006.”
* Multifunctional devices (MFDs) - GfK reports 17% volume growth of MFDs in H1 06 compared to H1 05, driven substantially by photo printing MFDs. Sales of MFDs are now outstripping not only scanners at a ratio of more than six to one, but when looking at consumer printing, stand-alone machines also. The remaining robust area of stand-alone printing is the highly seasonal small photo printers, a demonstration of the interdependence between the IT and photo sectors
* Smartphones - Sales of smartphones have grown by 17.9% from H1 05 to H1 06, whilst single-function PDAs have suffered heavily, with 38.3% decline in the same period. As telecoms converge with photo as multiple-megapixel camera phones are unleashed on the market, the development of smartphones could point the way towards a new generation of superphones

Wireless
Sales of devices allowing wireless usage, either continuously or at a wifi oasis, have exploded during the first half of 2006. GfK’s Littolff says: “Although mobile data usage, such as 3G datacards, remains the preserve of enterprise use, wireless networks are increasingly likely to be found in a domestic setting. A wireless home network is no longer a novelty of the early adopter, but rather has become a typical feature of a connected household.”
* Sales of 3G cards have been staggering, growing by 475% from H1 05 to H1 06. This has, however, been almost entirely through enterprise, as business channels, including telecom specialists, currently account for 99% of all 3G datacard sales
* Wireless routers and wireless network interface cards (NICs), on the other hand, the building blocks of a wireless network, are being sold increasingly through retail channels, to spectacular effect: volume growth rates are at 77% and 58% for wireless routers and wireless NICs, respectively. Less than 13% of either routers or NICs are now wired, compared to 22% just a year ago
* Computers likewise have developed, with 85% of laptops and 4% of desktops now wifi enabled, compared to 61% and 1% in H1 05

Falling prices
All of the growth enjoyed by the IT sector has come at a cost. According to GfK, volume growth has outstripped value growth dramatically, with the price of IT products down by 15%, as like-for-like prices fall quicker than ever. According to Littolff: “With an increasing number of IT sectors becoming commoditised, competing other than on price is losing ground. Both retailers and manufacturers must re-evaluate this, if the value and profit of the IT market as a whole is not to be significantly lost.” Part of the drive towards lower prices has not simply been reducing the cost of a product, but through bundled deals. With a package of both a wireless router and a wireless NIC selling for substantially less than a router alone sold for a year ago, the temptation to consumers is simply overwhelming. GfK reveals that in some sectors bundled sales account for as much as 45% of sales. The strongest growth areas of IT have grown, in no small part, by slashing their prices:
* Notebooks have dropped average price from £808 to £686 for the average laptop from H1 05 to H1 06, which is a major contributing factor for notebook sales outstripping those of desktops in H1 06, when the reverse was true a year ago* LCD monitors, an area that is growing with reasonably robust prices, have done so through a shift towards more expensive features. In H1 05 a 17 inch monitor sold for an average of £184, while in H1 06 a 19 inch monitor averaged at £201
Several IT sectors in decline have had no relief through dramatic price reduction:
* A4 Inkjet Printer - sales are down by 17% despite a £10, or 14% drop in price
* CRT - monitor sales are down by 71.4% despite a £16 drop in price
* Desktop PC - sales are down by 20% in spite of a £45 drop in price

Consumer creep
GfK reports that products that a year ago sold mainly in B2B to enterprise clients are now in the range of consumers, and that this trend looks set to continue through the remainder of 2006. “With price barriers falling, the major obstacle preventing the average consumer from enjoying the sexy technology long enjoyed by business users is gone, and little seems to impede the anti-Luddite sentiment of the British spending public,” reports Littolff.
* PCs - The switch within PCs from a majority share for desktops in H1 05 to a majority share for laptops in H1 06 is a key case in point. Not only has the average selling price of a laptop dropped by £808 to £686 in H1 06, but the difference in price between a desktop and a laptop has shrunk from £308in H1 05 to £231in H1 06. This has led to an increase in the share of laptops being sold in retail channels from 42% in H1 05 to 59% in H1 06
* Hard Drives - Due to the increase in digital media content, coupled with shrinking price difference between internal and external devices, external hard disk drives (HDDs) have seen significant growth in the past year. Not only has the share of external HDD risen to 38% of the total market, but in absolute terms the external HDD market has grown by a factor of 2.4 with the majority of that growth driven by retail channels
* Wireless - Likewise, with the growth of wireless home networks, not only has the wireless featuring grown, but the purchase by consumers in retail channels has also grown dramatically. 75% of all wireless routers are now purchased in retail channels, compared to 62% in H1 05. 78% of wireless NICs are purchased in retail channels, up from 65% a year ago. With value growth rates for these products still in the range of 25% to 51%, the potential windfall for retail channels by these products in the remainder of 2006 is substantial

Have your say here about our polls or join our panel at http://www.surveys.com/ and we will ask you your views on other topics just as fascinating as this one.
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German consumer sentiment is set to climb to a near five-year high in July with record numbers of shoppers in the mood to spend reports GfK. The GfK consumer sentiment indicator, based on a survey of 2,000 Germans, came in above expectations, rising to 7.8 in July from an upwardly revised 7.0 a month earlier.

Moreover consumers' inclination to spend had risen to 54.2 -- the highest level since the launch of the survey in 1980 -- and some sectors have already seen sales rise.

"We see the first positive signs already," GfK head Klaus Wuebbenhorst said in an interview with Reuters, adding that since the start of the year, turnover in daily goods, for example, had seen the biggest increase since reunification. "The overall sentiment in Germany is very positive," he added. The number was a positive surprise for economists, who had forecast in a Reuters poll that the indicator would edge up to 7.0 from the originally reported 6.8 level in June. Forecasts ranged from 6.8 to 7.6

The 7.8 reading is the highest since November 2001. The headline number is a prediction of consumer behaviour for July, while its three sub-components -- willingness to spend, expectations for the economic cycle and for personal income -- are for the month of June.
The survey comes amid signs Germany's tepid retail climate could heat up as part of a broad based recovery.

Read the Reuters story at: http://today.reuters.com/business/newsarticle.aspx?type=tnBusinessNews&storyID=nL28350703&pageNumber=2&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=BizArt-C1-ArticlePage2
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The Auto Channel reported LONG that Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. has announced the results of the "It's Time for Technology" survey conducted by Roper Public Affairs(1). According to the survey, more than 50 percent of Americans are ready to upgrade their existing home and mobile consumer electronics to take advantage of newer technologies.

They noted that as today's consumer electronics continue to evolve in form and function, the survey set out to uncover what influences America's technology purchasing decisions, and to measure purchase intent for new home and mobile electronics, including high definition home theater products, in-car navigation systems and portable technology such as .mp3 players and Bluetooth(R)-enabled cell phones.

"It's inspiring to see how forward-thinking today's technology consumers truly are," noted Russ Johnston, senior vice president of marketing and product planning for home entertainment at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "These survey results show that Americans are ready for the latest electronics to bring their homes and cars to the next level of a better entertainment experience."

When it comes to making a technology purchase, the survey found that men prize visual aspects such as design more highly than women, who are more influenced by product recommendations from friends and family. While different factors influence the technology purchase decisions of men and women, it seems both sexes are keen on HDTV and portable technology. At the top of the technology wish list this year for both men and women are multimedia and MP3 music players such as the Apple iPod(R) mobile digital device or the Pioneer inno(TM) MP3 and XM(R) Satellite Radio player(2), followed closely by Bluetooth-enabled cell phones, which allow for hands-free communication.
Read the full article at:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/06/27/012940.html
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In a recent article in CNNMoney.com Cait Murphey, FORTUNE assistant managing editor, asks “Is the United States coming apart?”. This provocative question arose from FORTUNE's Brainstorm conference in Aspen, Colorado on June 29 where Juan Enriquez he drew a crowd by asking: Is the United States becoming untied? The question is also an ad for his book, The Untied States of America.

Murphy notes that the book “is not nearly as definitive as the title as Enriquez states that he is not predicting the disunion of America, and does not desire it, but is merely asking: Why couldn't it happen? …. he points to several possible fractures. He notes that bankruptcy is often a feature of national crackup, and right now the U.S. current account imbalance, and the deficits in the federal budget, are seriously big. Then there is the whole red/blue thing. More originally, he notes that the many treaties that the U.S. government wrote, signed (and then, mostly, broke) with various native groups, including hundreds of Indian tribes and Native Hawaiians, could come back to haunt us, as they have in Australia and New Zealand.

The stakes in this are not small - something like a third of Maine, for example, could, under some legal theories, be required to be returned to the original Down Easters. And then there are the intensifying feelings of local pride. Texas's license plate speaks of being a whole different country; there have been odd little efforts in Vermont either to secede from the union, or in the case of the town of Killington, from the state.

He also touches on the pressures of a large Hispanic immigration, and the difficulties many of these residents are having in terms of success in America (as seen, for example, in high school drop-out rates).
There are lots and lots of pressures here: Is it inconceivable, he asks, that some combination of all these stresses could fracture the American polity? In an example of kind of oddball factoid that Enriquez can come up with every other paragraph or so, he notes that not a single American president has been born and died under the exact same flag (because the number of stars on it kept changing).”

But while all that is possible Murphy evidences GfK data to show that “there's a lot of ties that continue to bind in the United States, even when the national political atmosphere is toxic (at local and state levels, it is considerably less so). What are some of these ties? Well, a common language; a common belief in freedom; a strong work ethic; and simple patriotism.

A recent poll found that Americans were the most patriotic of 34 countries surveyed. A GfK Roper survey last year of U.S. attitudes also found a robust national pride - and one that did not differ much by ethnicity (80% of black Americans considered themselves patriotic; 78% of Hispanics and 81% of whites). That's enormously important; America will divide only if most Americans actually want it to. The evidence is that we are not nearly there.”

Read the full article at: http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/29/magazines/fortune/pluggedin_us.fortune/index.htm
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GfK Roper Consulting has announced the results of its Global Word-of-Mouth Study, which found that consumers worldwide cite people as the most “trustworthy” source for purchase ideas and information. In fact, 70% of consumers across the globe trust friends, family, or other people when searching for information or ideas on products to buy. This study confirms that the United States is not the only country experiencing the word-of-mouth phenomenon.
Interestingly, advertising ranks second as a trustworthy source globally, somewhat higher than in the U.S. (59% versus 55%, respectively). Globally, editorial content follows advertising at 55% and online resources rank fourth at 18%. By comparison, in the U.S., 81% cite people as a trusted source of information, followed by editorial content at 56%, advertising at 55% and online at 24%.
“We now know that people hold the power in the global marketplace,” says Hetty Fore, Vice President and Product Manager for GfK Roper Consulting. “Accessing the word-of-mouth network is no longer optional…success will be dependent on using this channel wisely.”
The study validates the company’s focus on understanding both THE INFLUENTIAL AMERICANS®, the ten percent of the U.S. population who lead trends and drive word-of-mouth, as well as the Global INFLUENTIALSSM segment, recently identified in 30 countries across the world.
Consumers in the Investment INFLUENTIALSSM segment, for example, are particularly knowledgeable about investing or trading and are sought out by others for their opinions on investing/trading. Eighty-six percent have recommended investment products over the past year, compared to 45% of THE INFLUENTIAL AMERICANS® and only 27% of the general public. In the auto space, 93% of the Automotive INFLUENTIALSSM segment has recommended cars in the past year, compared to 52% of THE INFLUENTIAL AMERICANS® and 42% of the general public.

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GFK NOP conducted an online survey for the BBC of a representative sample of around 1,500 respondents. They were asked what they knew and thought about HDTV.

* Seventy-three per cent had heard about high-definition television. The figure was much higher for men (83 per cent) than women (62 per cent) and digital homes(77 per cent) rather than analogue homes (62 per cent); Of those that were aware of high definition, the survey showed:
* Eight-seven per cent said they expected the BBC to broadcast in high definition in the future;
* Ninety-three per cent expected those broadcasts to be free to air;
* Ninety-five per cent expected high definition broadcasts to be available onall platforms--satellite, cable and Freeview;
* Eighty-eight per cent disagreed that high definition viewers should pay ahigher licence fee.

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The Carpenter Co Sleep Better Survey™ found that 41% of Americans take their pillow with them on vacation, a Medical News Today article reports.

Of those that carry their pillow with them, 50% were women and 31% were men. The article suggested that Americans may be taking steps to get an adequate amount of sleep while on vacation.

The survey was conducted by GfK NOP of Princeton, NJ, and consisted of a sample of 1,008 participants. ]
To read the full article, please visit http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=45303&nfid=al.

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In a recent article in Campaigns and Elections, Marie Wilson commented on the trend aroud the world to elect women as heads of state. But is the USA ready to follow the trend/

Quoting a GfK Roper Public Affairs poll commissioned by the White House Project last fall that found that nearly 80 percent of Americans said they are ready for a woman president. But she noted that when GfK asked Americans if they think the country itself is ready for a woman at the helm, or if their neighbors are ready, the number drops to a middling 55 percent.

The latter number tends to be more revealing and indicative of the way people vote. Respondents would rather not admit that they are biased;they'd rather project their reservations on to the guy next door, and in doing so, they tend to reveal their deep-seated ambivalence.

Although the neighbor figure is lower, both numbers have been climbing steadily over the past couple of years demonstrating an overall increasing comfort level with a woman in the Oval Office. But, according to Marie Wilson the fact remains until "your neighbor" is ready for a woman president, we probably won't see one. Will the US 2008 ballots will include a woman or two? What do you think?

You can read Marie's article at: http://www.campaignline.com/printedition/subscribe.cfm?pageid=849&navid=50&redurl=/printedition/page.cfm?pageid=849&navid=50


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The GfK National Geographic Survey on the levels of geographic literacy has recieved wide coverage. The Home News Tibune says it is further evidence of the dumbing down of American culture. http://ewatch.prnewswire.com/rs/display.jsp?a=32682-217115892-615465998 . What do you think? You can read our original blog entry in our May archive or the full report at Download the complete survey and report (PDF)

The results suggested that young people in the United States—the most recent graduates of our educational system—are unprepared for an increasingly global future. Far too many lack even the most basic skills for navigating the international economy or understanding the relationships among people and places that provide critical context for world events. Read the results at
http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/roper2006/


While Sports illustrated says that as two thirds of Americans aged 18 to 24 can't find Iraq on a map. (Half can't find New York City on a map of the U.S.) when Paraguay plays Trinidad and Tobago in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on June 20, it will seem less like a match than a geography test we didn't study for. They also argue that as Americans don't like to acknowledge foreign innovation, this partly explains why you've never heard of Kerlon Souza. He's an 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder who invented the seal dribble--he can flick the ball from his foot onto his forehead in heavy traffic, then dribble the ball just above his eyebrows while slaloming around defenders at full speed. Video is available on the Internet says Sports illustrated. Do you agree on this view of America?

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The consumer mood in Germany improved again significantly in May. This applies to the economic outlook whose indicator reached a level last recorded in early 2001 as well as the propensity to buy indicator, which climbed to a record high. Consumer expectations in terms of their own income situation only improved in western Germany. The positive trend in the individual indicators also impacted favorably on the consumer climate indicator. Following a revised 5.8 points in May, the forecast for the overall indicator for June is 6.8 points.

With the long winter coming to an end, the consumer mood is noticeably brighter. The low of recent years finally seems to be over and the propensity to buy indicator reached a historic high in May. Trust in a positive development of the German economy has also increased considerably. Although moderately, personal income expectations have also improved.

There are several reasons for the current optimism among consumers. There great confidence in the government and the collective agreements concluded in the metal industry and electronic engineering sector, which are favorable from the point of view of employees, indicate a general improvement. In addition, there is a greater awareness of price rises expected following the VAT increase due at the beginning of 2007.

In contrast with consumers, financial analysts and entrepreneurs have a more skeptical view of the economy this month. The economic outlook indicator established by ZEW and the ifo business climate index were both slightly down on the prior month. Nevertheless, these indicators remain above the long-term average.

Economic outlook: optimistic attitude is spreading

The trend in consumer expectations with regard to the economy is clearly upward in May after its rather hesitant development up until last autumn. The indicator climbed 8.7 points to 30.9 points. Compared with the corresponding figure for the prior year, this represents a rise of a good 47 points. Consumers in eastern and western Germany expressed a much more positive attitude than in the prior month.

The growing optimism among consumers is probably due in part to the positive view of the current economic trend in Germany provided by the experts. Expert forecasts for economic growth this year were revised upwards. As in prior years, however, experts consider the buoyant export activities of German industry to have a decisive impact on the economic upturn. In addition, rising private consumption is likely to make a positive contribution towards an economic recovery alongside investment linked to domestic demand. Last year, private consumption stagnated.

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Online-only providers are losing ground in savings market as price competition hots up and consumers take comfort in benefits of multi-channel approach

The recent boom in savings balances being moved to online-only providers is quickly going full circle, with thousands of consumers flocking back to the more traditional providers, according to new research from GfK Financial.

For the first time in five years, more online savings accounts were opened with traditional providers (69 per cent) than purely online providers (31 per cent) during 2005. The last year saw the largest swing – with a huge 31 per cent rise in the proportion of new accounts opened with traditional providers.

Additionally, the research revealed that 39 per cent of the 3 million consumers who conduct their financial services online say that the internet is not their preferred method – but they put up with it in order to get a cheaper product. A further 500,000 go even further, saying that while they actively bank online they are actually unhappy in doing so.

GfK Financial asserts that these trends, while peculiar to the savings market, provide lessons for the rest of the financial services market. It confirms that consumers who are less willing to engage in online financial services are prepared to overcome their barriers to the channel if it means better returns on their money. However, they will quickly give up on an online-only relationship if it means they receive the comfort of a multi-channel service.

Howard Barber of GfK Financial comments: “It’s clear that traditional players reversed the flow of savings money to online-only players by becoming more price competitive and trading on the multi-channel, good service and value message to win business back. It also confirms that remote providers will have to work hard to keep customers and that means making retention part of their acquisition strategy by targeting the consumers most likely to value a remote relationship.”

The research findings were taken from GfK Financial’s biannual Internet User Profile Survey (IUPS), which has been tracking the online behaviour of a representative sample of 1,600 internet users since 1995.

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The English might be renowned as a nation of armchair football fans, but it’s the Germans who take the prize for the highest percentage of adults who regularly watch international football on television.

New research conducted by GfK NOP – as part of its annual Roper Reports Worldwide study which surveys 31,500 people in 25 countries - asked a representative cross-sample of each population over 13 years old about their television football watching habits. It found that those in Germany watch the most international football on television (73 per cent), followed by Italy (70 per cent), Egypt (69 per cent), Korea (69 per cent) and Poland (68 per cent).

England fans could only manage tenth place in the league – with 64 per cent watching international football regularly on television. Fans in Brazil come in sixth with a respectable 67 per cent; with Argentina (65 per cent), Czech Republic (65 per cent) and Thailand (64 per cent) making up the remainder of the top ten.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the Americans who watch the least international football on TV, with just seven per cent tuning in regularly – way below the global average of 41 per cent. The US is joined in the relegation places by Taiwan (10 per cent), Canada (14 per cent), and India (14 per cent).

Nick Chiarelli of GfK NOP comments: “If there were a World Cup based on the commitment of fans, Germany would be the hands-down winner! That said, we know that if England do well, viewing figures in the UK will increase dramatically. These results only reveal part of the picture though – estimates are suggesting that 40 million England flags will be sold this summer, so it seems we are quite devoted fans, more than willing to show our support in several ways.”

The research also revealed football to be by far the biggest TV spectator sport in the world. From a list of 24 sports, football is the number one in terms of viewing levels for 19 of the 25 countries covered. Basketball is the second most popular, followed by American football, boxing, baseball and tennis. Interesting regional variations include Argentina, where tennis is the most popular TV sport, Canada (Ice Hockey), India (Cricket) and Taiwan (Baseball).

In terms of the total amount of football watched on TV – incorporating both international and club/regional football – the Brazilians are the most avid viewers, with 93 per cent tuning in regularly.
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Creative Advertising is King… Regardless of Reader Involvement with Magazine

Debunking the conventional wisdom, a new report conducted by Starch® Communications, a division of GfK Custom Research, North America, disputes the belief widely held in many advertising circles that ads in magazines with thorough, passionate and frequent readers are more likely to be noticed and read than ads in magazines with less “engaged” readers.

According to the report The Myth of Reader Engagement: “Advertising readership and engagement with a magazine are mutually independent phenomena. . . . Advertisements in magazines with relatively large, committed audiences are not more likely to be seen and read than ads in magazines with less committed audiences.” The report also found that the key to advertising effectiveness is the creative content of the ad.

“Ads, like individual human beings, vary widely in ‘talent’ and it is that talent – their creative makeup – that is the most important factor in determining whether they are seen and read, not the vehicle that transports them,” according to Philip W. Sawyer, Sr. Vice President of GfK’s Starch® Communications Research division.

The report compares “Noted” scores (the percentage of readers who remember having seen an ad) of advertisements within both high- and low-engagement publications and reveals a remarkable consistency of performance across all publications, regardless of the level of reader engagement. The report claims: “Readership data indicate that ads appearing in low-engagement publications do not suffer from the environment and ads in high-engagement publications are not granted any great advantage because of the nature of the publication.”

The report selected three high-engagement publications and focused on readership scores of one-page, four-color ads of a single product category that appeared frequently in the publication. Contrary to the expectation that the ads in those high-engagement publications would cluster in the high range (noted by more than 60% of readers), scores of the ads varied widely and consistently from very low scores (below 40%) to very high (above 60%), thus negating the notion that high-engagement publications offer an advantage to their advertisers.
For comparison, two low-engagement publications were selected and, again, the report focused on readership scores of a single, abundant product category. The distribution of scores for the ads in the low-engagement publications essentially mirrored those in the high-engagement publications. Moreover, median and mean scores for the ads were very similar across all publications, regardless of the levels of engagement.

To explain why different levels of engagement with a magazine do not correlate with different levels of engagement with the ads within it, the report offers this hypothesis: “Reading, it is clear, is a unique – and uniquely engaging – activity. It requires thought, relatively high levels of deliberation, judgment, memory, discrimination, and active evaluation. Thus it would appear that the majority of individuals, who pick up, open and begin reading a magazine have crossed the engagement threshold and, it seems, are sufficiently engaged to respond to the advertising in the publication.”

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Toyotas Top-Of-Mind among Hispanics Looking To Make Future Vehicle Purchase According To GfK Survey

--Hispanic Americans Turn to Smaller Cars to Combat Rising Gas Prices--

Toyota tops the list of makes that are top of mind among Hispanic Americans looking to the car buying market according to the latest findings from GfK Hispanic OmniTel™. The national telephone survey of Hispanic Americans also found that consumers in this fast-growing segment are turning to smaller vehicle purchases in the wake of the nation’s latest fuel crisis.
Toyota Tops Among Hispanic Americans

While the general population is leaning more toward domestic car makes (65% vs. 58% among Hispanics) for their next purchase, the Hispanic American shows a preference for foreign car makes (59% vs. 50% among the general population). The car make with the highest consideration is Toyota, at 35%. This is not to say Hispanics don’t covet domestic makes at all, as 31% would consider a Ford and 28% would consider a Chevrolet. Other popular makes under consideration by Hispanic Americans are foreign automakers Honda (22%) and Nissan (21%).
Hispanics Find Relief From Rising Fuel Prices In Smaller Vehicles

GfK’s national telephone survey of Hispanic Americans also found that when looking to purchase a car, fuel efficiency is an important factor among this critical consumer segment. Four of five (80%) Hispanic Americans aged 18 or older surveyed indicated they are likely to purchase a smaller sized car with better fuel economy in the wake of recent gasoline price increases. This figure is significantly higher than the proportion found among the general population (70%).
However, despite their willingness to drive smaller vehicles to save on fuel costs, Hispanics are somewhat less likely than the population overall to shop for new alternative engines such as “Hybrids” (41% vs. 49% likely to consider), yet they are as likely to consider a new “clean diesel” engine alternative (39% vs. 38%).

Accelerated Purchase Timeline

Within the Hispanic segment, the car purchasing timeline is also somewhat accelerated versus the general population the GfK Hispanic OmniTel survey reports. On average, Hispanic Americans are planning their next car purchase in two years time while the population in general is operating on two and a half year timeframe.

When it comes to their consideration of a new or used car for their next purchase, Hispanics closely mirror the general population. However, when asked specifically about purchase intent toward “certified used or pre-owned vehicles”, nearly two thirds (65%) of Hispanics were likely to consider the possibility, while seven in ten (70%) of all Americans could make the same claim.

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New GfK NOP Study Finds Most Consumers Still Seek Help When Filing Returns

A new survey from GfK OmniTel® shows that nearly half (44%) of Americans will enlist the aid of an accountant this year to file their taxes. The remainder of individuals will use e-file to submit their own taxes (20%) while 15% will rely on the traditional paper filing method. About one in ten consumers (9%) claim they plan to file “some other way” while a similar proportion (9%) do not plan to file at all.

“Even in a do-it-yourself environment, most Americans continue to rely on the advice of an accountant when filing their taxes,” according to Bruce Barr of GfK OmniTel. “With so many new deductions and special tax breaks available today, many individuals don’t have the time to keep up with the IRS and would rather seek the expertise of a professional.”

The survey also found that age and income play a large role in selecting filing methods.Younger filers tend toward e-filing while their older counterparts are more likely to use the services of an accountant. In fact, only 27% of individuals between the ages of 18-24 will use an accountant this year but that number nearly doubles (52%) among the 50-64 age group.

Higher income groups are more likely to use an accountant or paper file on their own. Filing “some other way” is more prevalent among lower-income respondents. Interestingly, e-filing remains consistent across both income groups.

The survey was conducted via telephone between February 24-26, 2006 among 526 female adults and 478 male adults.

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Entertainment junkies’ ripe for conversion to paid-for digital music services

New research from GfK NOP has identified a market segment of one in four internet users which could hold the key to the successful growth of legal paid-for digital music services. They love music, they’re happy to pay for it, and they’re poised to convert to digital music once there’s a wider choice of good quality legal download services.

Dubbed the ‘entertainment junkies’, 83 per cent of this group consider music as a vital part of their lives, but crucially they are categorised by a desire to pay for music legally. This is partly reflected in the fact that while almost two in five (39 per cent) own MP3 players, these largely contain music recorded from their own CDs rather than from friends or illegal download sites.

In comparison to other groups identified by the study, the entertainment junkies are currently less inclined to download music. The important difference, however, is that of those in the wider internet population downloading music, just 10 per cent are paying a monthly subscription fee and 24 per cent are paying per track on an ad-hoc basis. Almost two-thirds are downloading music illegally.

Considering these factors, the entertainment junkies present a huge opportunity for conversion to paid-for digital download services, providing the offering is presented in a relevant and compelling way, according to GfK NOP.

Niall Rae of GfK NOP comments:
“The entertainment junkies love their music, they consume lots of it, and crucially they’re happy to pay for it. In comparison to the wider internet population this group are not yet as inclined as some to download music – but this is mainly because they want to do it legally. They therefore hold the key to the success of the maturing legal download market, providing services are presented in a relevant and compelling way.”

The ‘entertainment junkies’ are voracious consumers of both music, movies and TV, but being time poor they have to snatch their entertainment consumption in the most convenient way possible. As a result they watch the least amount of live TV of all internet users, but the largest amount of recorded TV, according to the study.

This segment is one of five defined in GfK NOP’s Digital Entertainment Study, which maps out the future of the music download market as well as the newer video download space. For further details please contact niall.rae@gfk.com.

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The American Kids Survey 2006

Mothers Active Gatekeepers of Internet, TV and Video Game Usage Among Children Ages 6-11

80% of Moms Watch TV with Their Kids after Dinner

Mothers are the primary gatekeepers when it comes to the use of the Internet, television and video games by children ages 6-11, according to data from the GfK Company, Mediamark Research Inc. (MRI) and most report that they play an active role in guiding their children’s behavior.

According to The American Kids Study, 80.1% of mothers/stepmothers reported watching TV with their children after dinner on a typical school day. Meanwhile, 66.6% reported watching TV with children after school but before dinner, and 30.8% reported watching TV before school on a typical school day.

Half of all the mothers/stepmothers surveyed said they limit the amount of time their kids spend watching TV or videos. Less than 14% allow their kids to make their own rules with regard to watching TV programs, channels or videos.

In The American Kids Study, questionnaires were mailed to households with children ages 6-11 that had been interviewed for MRI’s Survey of the American Consumer. The “primary caregiver” within each household, who were overwhelmingly mothers/stepmothers, filled out a separate parent questionnaire. In all, 3,666 primary caregivers responded. The survey period was March 8 to August 1, 2005.

“Responses to the parent questionnaire highlight how the interaction between mother and child shapes media behavior,” said Anne Marie Kelly, vice president of marketing and strategic planning at MRI. “Mothers are not just sharing media with their children, they are also putting controls on what media their children use on their own. And they are pretty even when it comes to setting rules for boys and girls alike.”

Asked to respond to the statement “There are some TV shows I do not let child watch at all,” 67% agreed, while 50.1% agreed that “I limit the amount of time child can watch television or videos.” And just 13.4% agreed with the statement “No rules: I trust the child to choose wisely.”

As for rules regarding use of the Internet, 51.6% of the mothers/stepmothers agreed with the statement “The child is not allowed to go on the Web without adult supervision.” Most moms apparently don’t put much faith in the ability of Web sites to screen their visitors, as only 11% agreed with the statement “I rely on an Internet company’s parent control or kid portal.” Just 7.4% agreed with the statement “No rules: I trust the child to choose wisely.”
Only 7% of respondents said they allow their kids to choose which video games they can play, while 46.7% agreed with the statement “The child can only play the games I let him/her buy.” Mothers also report that boys are much more likely than girls to play video games.

CONTACTS: Anne Marie Kelly, V.P. Marketing & Strategic Planning, Mediamark Research Inc.: 212-884-9204, annemarie.kelly@mediamark.com;

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GfK NOP Media has been appointed as ITV’s research partner to run its new on-line panel, ITV Vision. ITV is launching the new audience panel in order to gain a greater understanding of its viewers. ITV Vision will enable ITV to measure audience reaction to its programmes within 36 hours of broadcast, enabling programme makers to achieve a real connection with their viewers. The research contract will initially run for 2 years from April 2006.

Key developments include:

.On-line methodology that enables daily measures of viewing, together with highly targeted surveys among viewers of specific ITV shows
.Faster turn-around time of results, with next-day delivery of results of all programme related and custom research surveys
.Increased flexibility to gauge audience reaction to live entertainment shows, breaking news and late programme changes
.The ability to research creative executions, helping ITV deliver a stronger return on investment for their advertisers.

ITV Vision marks a new relationship between ITV and GfK NOP Media.

Nick North, joint managing director of GfK NOP Media said:

“We are delighted to have been chosen to partner ITV on this important new project. The demands of a commercial broadcaster of the size of ITV present us with exciting new challenges, and to this end we’ve built a bespoke service tailored to their needs and drawing on our strong track record of TV audience appreciation research, both in the UK and internationally.

Neil Mortensen, Head of Research, said:

“I am excited about the value that ITV Vision will undoubtedly create for both of our businesses. This new service gives us the opportunity to visit the living rooms of 5,000 viewers every day, delivering results back into ITV in 36 hours. This will dramatically speed up our decision making and allow us to make effects on-screen quicker than ever before.”

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National Geographic Study of Geographic Literacy

Americans are far from alone in the world, but from the perspective of many young Americans, we might as well be. Most young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 demonstrate a limited understanding of the world, and they place insufficient importance on the basic geographic skills that might enhance their knowledge.

Download the complete survey and report (PDF)

Young Americans answer about half (54 percent) of all the survey questions correctly. But by and large, majorities of young adults fail at a range of questions testing their basic geographic literacy.

. Only 37% of young Americans can find Iraq on a map—though U.S. troops have been there since 2003.
. 6 in 10 young Americans don't speak a foreign language fluently.
. 20% of young Americans think Sudan is in Asia. (It's the largest country in Africa.)
. 48% of young Americans believe the majority population in India is Muslim. (It's Hindu—by a landslide.)
. Half of young Americans can't find New York on a map.

These results suggest that young people in the United States—the most recent graduates of our educational system—are unprepared for an increasingly global future. Far too many lack even the most basic skills for navigating the international economy or understanding the relationships among people and places that provide critical context for world events.

http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/roper2006/

WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT IT

National Geographic and leading education, business, and nonprofit partners have launched My Wonderful World, a campaign to increase global learning in school, at home, and in the community. With the help of parents, teachers—and you—we can help give our youth the power of global knowledge. Because kids who understand our world today can succeed in it tomorrow.
About the Survey

The findings presented are the results of a face-to-face survey conducted from December 17, 2005, to January 20, 2006, by Roper Public Affairs and Media, a part of GfK NOP. Interviews were conducted among a nationwide representative sample of 510 adults age 18-24 in the continental United States. Data were weighted for sample balancing by sex and age. The margin of error for the total sample is +/- 4.4 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. The margin of error for subgroups is higher. Because of rounding, numbers may not total 100 percent.

This study is the latest in a series of surveys commissioned by the National Geographic Society. The most recent prior survey was conducted among nine nations in 2002. (See results of 2002 survey.)

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GfK survey on electronic retail sales in Europe

Last year, more than 400,000 portable navigation devices were sold in Germany, which represents a seven fold increase on 2004. In western Europe, total sales in 2005 stood at around 2.0 million units. Compared with the previous year, this is a ten fold rise. These are the findings of the GfK retail panel, which is used to track sales in this product group in nine western European countries.

In 2005, total sales of in-car electronics in Germany, which comprise car stereos and speakers, amplifiers, CD changers, multimedia and navigation systems, were up 29% on the previous year to 625 million euros. One of the reasons for this is the high level of demand for portable navigation equipment. Sales of 400,000 units totaled 192 million euros. Demand was particularly high in the run-up to Christmas, with total sales of portable navigation equipment amounting to 61.9 million euros in the period December 2005 to January 2006. In the same period in the prior year (December 2004 to January 2005), only 16.6 million euros were spent on such products.The positive trend resulted mainly from the fact that prices for these systems have come down significantly. In 2004, portable navigation devices cost on average 600 euros in Germany, whereas the average price is 420 euros now, with some systems available for less than 200 euros.More than 50% of all equipment is sold by electronics retailers. Almost one in five navigation devices are bought in PC or mobile phone shops, with department stores and mail order companies, online shops, car hi-fi specialists and specialist car accessory stores accounting for 14% market share each. In addition, food discount stores are also offering these products at irregular intervals. These stores sold tens of thousands of devices last year.Demand is highest in the UKThe market has developed well in all western European countries. With 2.0 million units sold, sales of portable navigation equipment rose ten fold in 2005 compared with the prior year. The country comparison confirms the UK in first place with a total of 670,000 devices sold. Germany (407,000), France (295,000), Italy (186,800) and the Netherlands (129,600) follow. Above-average sales compared with consumer electronics sales as a whole were also recorded in Spain, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland.

High consumer demand generated an increase in the number of providers in Europe from ten at the end of 2004 to 42 by the end of last year. Demand is likely to rise in eastern European countries over the coming years in line with continually improving reception via digital cards.The studyGfK Marketing Services provides continuous tracking services of portable navigation equipment in thirteen western European countries. Data on retail sales to consumers is collected for individual items on a monthly basis, as is information about market share, sales channel structures, price categories and retail bestseller lists. Data can be obtained from GfK on a one-off or continuous basis.

The countries covered by the survey are Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland. The latest additions as of 2006 are Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Portugal.

For further information, contact: Arndt Polifke, GfK Marketing Services Germany, Tel. +49 911 395-3116, Fax +49 911 395-4019, arndt.polifke@gfk.com

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GfK NOP’s UK Consumer Confidence headline index has dropped by three points in March and now stands at –7.

Drops in four of the five measures drive this month’s decrease. The overall index figure is six points lower than this time last year when it stood at –1. The annual moving average has also dropped and is now at its lowest point (-4) since February 2004.
Carol Bernasconi, Divisional Director at GfK NOP commented: “Consumers are definitely feeling the cold at a time when our thoughts are normally turning to Spring. With significant energy price rises and increased council tax bills landing on people’s doorsteps, it is not only the weather that is leaving everyone feeling chilly!”
Personal Financial Situation
Opinions regarding the development of personal finances over the last twelve months have dropped by three points to –4. The mood this month is even more pessimistic regarding the development of personal finances over the next year and the index has dropped by five points from 12 in February to 7 this month. In March ’05 the comparable index figure was four points higher at 11.
General Economic Situation
Opinions regarding the general economic situation of the country as a whole over the last twelve months declined again in March ’06. The index dropped by three points to -30 and is now significantly below the figure recorded in March 2005 (-15). There has also been a significant drop in perceptions regarding the outlook for the general economic situation over the next twelve months and the index has moved from –14 in February to –20 in March ’06. In March ’05 the comparable index figure was –4.
Climate for Major Purchases
The major purchases measure recorded no change this month and remains at +12, which matches the index figure recorded in March ’05.
Future Saving
There has been a slight increase in the savings measure between February and March ‘06 and the ‘now is a good time to save’ index currently stands at +32, two points higher than in February ‘06 and four points higher than in March ‘05.
Research Methodology
The UK Consumer Confidence Survey from GfK NOP (formerly GfK Martin Hamblin) was conducted amongst a sample of 2008 individuals aged 16+ on behalf of the European Commission.
Any published material requires a reference to both GfK NOP and the European Commission e.g. ‘Research carried out by GfK NOP on behalf of the European Commission’.
For further information, contact Rachael Peace on +44 (0)20 890 9365 mailto:rachael.peaceruth.ramm@gfk.com or Kerry Lloyd on +44 (0)20 890 9441 kerry.Lloyd@gfk.com

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GfK's Roper Reports Worldwide: Central and Eastern Europeans becoming more like Western Europeans in outlook and lifestyles

As the process of EU integration continues apace, the citizens of key Central and Eastern European markets that are now part of the EU seem to be living their lives in an increasingly similar way to their counterparts among the old EU club of 15. While levels of affluence, ownership of consumer goods and participation in certain lifestyle activities in CEE do lag behind those in WE, the underlying views of life in the two sets of markets are gradually becoming more and more similar. We can only speculate, but this convergence seems likely to continue, bringing the West and the East together in a more unified European whole.

Think global, act local mantra

Consumers in Central and Eastern Europe show some interesting similarities and differences with their counterparts in Western Europe. The similarities can be of great value to multinational marketers looking to sell similar goods and services using regional or even global marketing approaches and communications strategies. But the differences are equally important, since it is by understanding the subtle local nuances in attitudes and behaviour that enable companies to enact the think global – act local mantra.

The Roper Reports Worldwide study run annually since 1997 by GfK NOP, part of the GfK Group, includes a number of Western European markets as well as several Central European markets and Russia. Newly-available data from the 2006 study, which explores a wide range of leisure and lifestyle information from consumers aged 13+ years across 25 markets around the world, enables marketers to make side-by-side comparisons of consumers across regions. This in turn will help them to decide on issues relating to new product development, marketing communications strategy and, in particular, to decide whether a unified approach can work across multiple markets or regions.

By way of example, we find that consumers in three CEE markets (like those in Western Europe) are most likely to list crime and lawlessness top of their list of concerns, with recession, terrorism and inflation also high on the list – these are the similarities.
However, there are also differences. Consumers in CEE are much more likely to cite wrong-doing or corruption of government officials as one of their key concerns. At the same time it is less likely that they will be concerned about immigration than is the case in Western Europe, where this is currently a growing issue.

When it comes to their personal values (the guiding principles by which people live their lives), CEE markets again show similarities and differences when compared with WE markets.
The #1 value across the region is protecting the family. Other values such as stable personal relationships, self-reliance, friendship and authenticity are high both in the three CEE markets covered in Roper Reports Worldwide and in the six WE markets where consumers were interviewed showing that pan-regional similarities do exist.

On the other hand, some values do show unique country differences. Freedom, for example is of rather less importance in Russia (where it is ranked #14 of 37 values) than in WE (where it is #3)

Some values tend to be of higher importance in CEE than in WE – for example, wealth, traditional gender roles and being youthful. Marketing communications (e.g. advertising) that stress these aspects will do better in CEE than they will in WE.

Other values – e.g. honesty, ambition and preserving the environment – tend to be of lower importance in CEE than in WE. Companies using these messages in advertising they run in WE should be wary of trying to use these same messages in CEE because they may not be as motivating to consumers there.

Nevertheless, CEE consumers are now definitely part of the global marketplace. In response to a list of 61 global brands, CEE consumers do not lag far behind WE consumers in terms of how many of the brands they know, like, use, advocate or intend to use in the future, indicating that global brands have a good future in CEE markets.

In summary, consumers in CEE markets such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia clearly have had a much shorter exposure to “Western” lifestyles, products and services. And while they undoubtedly retain their unique local cultures and identities, they are increasingly similar to markets in Western Europe. This convergence gives multinationals huge opportunities for new markets to sell to (though it is worth pointing out that the opportunities go in both directions). At the same time the uniqueness of these local markets mean that multinationals need to tread carefully before rolling out products and marketing strategies that were successful in one individual WE country to CEE markets. The think global (or regional), act local mantra still holds true.

Roper Reports Worldwide
The Roper Reports Worldwide study was conducted simultaneously in 25 markets around the world during November 2005 – January 2006. A minimum of 1,000 interviews was conducted in each market among nationally representative samples in WE and among urban samples elsewhere. For further details please contact Alki Manias in the London offices of GfK NOP – alki.manias@gfk.com (+44 207 890 9563). The data shown in this release is preliminary data and may be subject to slight revision.
For further information, visit our website:
UK: http://www.gfknop.co.uk/
CEE: http://www.gfk.at/

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