Connected world article

1. Consumer
technology and
social media:
key trends
across the world
The digital environment continues to evolve
rapidly, but do advertisers truly understand how
this could affect digital consumer behaviour and
attitudes by market across the globe?
As the digital landscape moves at speed, it has never
been more important for multinational advertisers to
understand both macro trends and what is happening
in individual countries, so that their marketing and
positioning can be tailored accordingly to optimise
engagement with consumer targets.
Kantar Media TGI identifies the latest key consumer
technological and social media trends and attitudes
across 50 separate markets around the world.
www.tgi.kantarmedia.com

2. The BRICS lead the way in adoption of key
new technology and related attitudes
When it comes to smartphone ownership, it is not one of the established
western markets that leads the world, but China, where 68% of adults
(aged 18+) own such a device.
This is emblematic of a broader attitudinal bias in the emerging BRICS
markets. Agreement with ‘I try to keep up with latest developments in
technology’ is 55% in China, 49% in India and 46% in Brazil. The equivalent
figures for Britain, France and Germany are 39% in each market.
Similarly, agreement with ‘I love to buy new gadgets and appliances’ is 57%
in China and India, compared to 39% in the USA and 22% in Italy.
This can be explained in part by the burgeoning middle
classes created in the BRICS countries as their economies
grow rapidly. Until recently much new technology was
financially out of their reach, and their enthusiastic adoption
of it reflects both its novelty and status-affirming symbolism.
This gives these emerging markets a digital momentum that
could leave more developed markets trailing in their wake
in the longer term. For advertisers this is an opportunity to
leverage the enthusiasm of consumers in developing markets
towards digital innovation, to get them excited about new
technology and other digital innovations in a way that is likely
to be more challenging in the West.
BRICs:Enthusiastic, motivated
new middle classes,
ready to adopt the
latest technology
www.tgi.kantarmedia.com
Agree: “I try to keep up with new
developments in technology”
55%
49% 46% 39% 39% 39%

3. Western markets still
dominate commercial,
lucrative online activity
Online shopping is still far more prevalent in western and other wealthy
countries than in emerging markets. For example, it is undertaken by 86%
of adults in Japan, 63% of Australians and 88% of Danes. This compares
with only 38% of those in China, 21% of Russians and 31% of Indonesians.
Western markets are similarly further ahead of the less developed
countries in penetration when it comes to online banking: an activity
undertaken by just 1% of consumers in India, but 83% in Norway.
% who shop online by country
Japan 86%
Russia 21%
% who use internet banking by country
Norway 83% India 1%
Australia 63%
China 38%
Denmark 88%
Indonesia 31%
Both online shopping and online banking rely on two key factors: firstly
the opportunity to use these services, and secondly the confidence to do
that. In markets where consumers are familiar with using the internet and
an infrastructure is well developed, there is greater trust in, for example,
inputting personal details. In many emerging markets this kind of trust is
not yet in place and this makes it hard for businesses to build any kind of
online sales offering. Similarly, until consumers in emerging markets are
willing to conduct financial affairs online, there’s little incentive for banks
to offer online services.
A strong enticement - part financial, part security-related - is needed to
encourage consumers in developing markets to become comfortable and
confident in conducting commercial transactions online.
www.tgi.kantarmedia.com

4. Technology gap separates
‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in
emerging markets
While China is one of the more confident markets when it comes to
technology (as we have shown, 55% of adults agree ‘I like to keep up with
the latest developments in technology’), a relatively large proportion
(38%) of the population agree ‘Computers confuse me, I’ll never get used
to them’. Similar trends can be observed in other developing markets such
as India (35% agree ‘Computers confuse me…’) and South Africa (38%).
This compares to 11% in Germany and 19% in the Republic of Ireland.
In developed markets, a greater proportion of the populations have been
exposed to the internet and new technology for longer than in many of
the emerging markets. This generates more consistent attitudes and
consumption patterns across all consumers of new technology.
The technology gap
55%
38%
48%
19%
39%
11%
48%
38%
49%
35%
China
Germany
South Africa
Republic of
Ireland
India
“I like to keep up with
the latest developments
in technology”
“Computers confuse
me, I’ll never get used
to them”
Conversely, in markets such as India and China, for every member of
the growing middle classes enthusiastically adopting technology, there
are others who feel bewildered and alienated by the technological pace
of change. A major commercial challenge is therefore to appeal to these
excluded consumers so that they perceive the digital landscape as their
friend rather than their foe.
www.tgi.kantarmedia.com

5. Commercial scope for leveraging technology
adoption and new internet behaviours
This means there remains plenty of scope for this and related technology
to grow enormously in the coming years, creating myriad commercial
opportunities for both the technology and for resulting online activity.
Similarly, pushing consumers in particular markets on another step when
it comes to use of technology can potentially lead to the opening up of
huge commercial opportunities. For example, in Brazil, the penetration
for Facebook stands at 50% of consumers – greater than in many western
markets (e.g. it is 42% in Germany, 43% in France) and yet penetration for
online shopping is at 14% in Brazil, compared to e.g. 64% in the US. If the
online familiarity and confidence that so many Brazilians already show in
using Facebook can be nudged onwards to comfort with making purchases
online, then this will open up huge opportunities for advertisers.
Tablets have now been available for a number of years
and their adoption in many markets has been strong.
Yet no market, including the most advanced western
countries, yet has over 50% consumer penetration of
tablet ownership.
% of populations using Facebook and
online shopping
42%
62%
50%
58%
64%
14%
47%
55%
France
Germany Brazil
USA
www.tgi.kantarmedia.com

6. Enormous fluctuation
of social media site
use by market
For example, the global average for Twitter use is 11% of consumers. But
in the Gulf states of Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Twitter use stands at
21%, 22% and 27% respectively – far higher than, for example, penetration
of 9% in Germany and 10% in France. Indeed, in 2014 a popular hashtag
called ‘Why did Twitter succeed in Saudi Arabia’ ran, with many Saudis
replying that they felt Twitter gives them a platform to express opinions and
make statements that might be frowned upon in other social contexts.
Yet even in states that may superficially appear similar there can be huge
discrepancies in social media use. For example, YouTube penetration
is a massive 78% in Belgium, but just 48% next door in Germany. This
obviously has important ramifications for marketers seeking to reach
particular target groups – the importance of using specific channels will
vary by market and so need to be carefully evaluated.
Some markets have a particular predilection towards using
certain social media sites and it is important for advertisers
to understand this to ensure they exploit the most effective
channels for reaching their key audiences.
% of populations using Facebook and
online shopping
21% 22%
Global average 11%
23%
9% 10%
Qatar Bahrain Saudi
Arabia
Germany France
% of populations using Twitter
www.tgi.kantarmedia.com

7. The power of TV engagement in emerging
markets
Whilst TV in itself does not qualify as ‘new technology’ it is subject to
continuous technological enhancements such as HD, digital and 3D, as
well as delivering new ways of watching a growing choice of channels.
It is notable that agreement with the statement ‘I am a TV addict’ is
particularly high in some of the BRICS markets and extremely low in some
of the most developed markets. With a global average of 30% agreeing with
this statement, the figure for China by contrast stands at 56%, 47% in India
and 57% in Russia. This compares to 19% of consumers in Britain, 6% in
Germany and 26% in France.
Part of the reason for this may be that in the BRICS markets TV is not
competing against online distractions so much, where large proportions of
the population do not have ready access to broadband (either due to device,
cost, or local internet availability issues).
Similarly, in less developed markets, enhancements in
TV content choice or ways of viewing are more recently
available to many than in other countries, with the
result that they are more of a novelty and generate a
greater sense of engagement.
This is an important consideration in pan-market
campaigns, as using TV as a means of communication
may have greater resonance in certain developing
markets than in more established ones.
26%6%19%
57%47%56%
Agree: “I am a TV addict”
China
Britain
India
Germany France
Russia
Agreement with ‘I am a TV
addict’is highin some of the
BRICS markets, but lowin some
of the most developed markets
www.tgi.kantarmedia.com