Friday, June 30, 2006
Word-Of-Mouth Phenomenon Spreads Across The Globe According To Worldwide GfK Roper Consulting Study
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.
Gfk surveys.com word of mouth marketing marketing research Influentials
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.
Gfk surveys.com word of mouth marketing marketing research Influentials
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
GfK Survey for BBC shows high awareness for HDTV in UK.
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.
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.
Gfk
* 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.
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.
Gfk
Monday, June 26, 2006
GfK NOP says that Americans are likely take their pillow on Vacation
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.
Gfk
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.
Gfk
Friday, June 16, 2006
Are Americans ready for a Woman President? asks Marie Wilson
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
Gfk
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
Gfk
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
GfK's Study on US Geographic Literacy gets wide Coverage
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?
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.
Gfk
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?
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.
Gfk
Monday, June 12, 2006
Consumer mood in Germany is significantly better in May says GfK
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.
If you want GfK to invite you to give your opinions join our online Survey Panel: http://www.surveys.com/
Gfk
Gfk
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.
If you want GfK to invite you to give your opinions join our online Survey Panel: http://www.surveys.com/
Gfk
Gfk
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Consumers flocking back to traditional financial service providers as price differences narrow. New GfK Internet Survey.
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.
If you want GfK to invite you to give your opinions join our online Survey Panel: http://www.surveys.com/
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.
If you want GfK to invite you to give your opinions join our online Survey Panel: http://www.surveys.com/
Monday, June 05, 2006
GfK says “Germany wins armchair football fans World Cup”
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.
Gfk
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.
Gfk
Thursday, June 01, 2006
New Starch Report from GfK Discredits link between Magazine Engagement and Advertising Success
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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