Stark contrast in mobile media habits between teenagers and adults
Teenagers view mobile as their primary screen of choice according to new data from Orange. The vast majority of teens in the 11 to 18 years age group already own a smartphone and view it as their personal window to the world, the research has shown.
Orange Exposure 2012/2013, an annual independent study by TNS into mobile media habits across UK, France and Spain for the advertising industry, firmly establishes mobile as the primary screen of choice with smartphone penetration very high among teens. Altogether, 83% have a smartphone in the UK and 95% have one in Spain.
In addition, 92% of teenagers in the UK said mobile is a 'way to always have a media device at hand', while 55% of teenagers in the UK said they prefer their mobile over other equipment because it is 'mine and no one else's so I can access what I want, when I want', indicating that teenagers value the personal quality of mobiles highly.BBM rocks the kidsOther findings include that BlackBerry penetration amongst teenagers in the UK and Spain was two and three times higher respectively than the overall mobile media user population, with iPhone penetration being unsurprisingly low within the age group because of its cost. Advertisers must not write off BlackBerry if they are to successfully engage with a younger audience.
The research also demonstrated that teenagers are very savvy when it comes to advertising, only engaging with brands and advertisements that meet their specific needs and exclusivity criteria. In the UK, 19% would answer to an ad message, citing 'trust in the sender' and 'appeal of the offer' the two main factors influencing response rate.
The research also revealed a voracious appetite among teenagers for social networking and social TV (interactive apps linking live TV with social networks,) with teenagers in the UK spending on average ten hours a week on social networks.
On average three quarters of teenagers across UK, France and Spain discuss what is being watched on TV using social networks from a mobile device and eight out of 10 go on the internet while watching TV. Overall, the research indicated an opportunity for brands to engage with teenagers with promotions and offers that are personal to them and exclusive, as long as they do so in responsible ways.
Loving the green robotOn operating systems, Android penetration is increasing in all countries. According to the research, one out of every two Spanish mobile consumers owns an Android device and in the UK, this stands at 38%, a 14% year on year increase. Advertisers need to recognise the shifting consumer appetite for certain platforms and emerging technologies and plan accordingly, said Orange.
The study also revealed that adults are using multiple screens (mobile, tablet, TV and PC,) more interchangeably than ever before, with less of a preference for one over another as they seek the best screen to suit their needs at that time. For instance, consumers are increasingly using their mobile or tablet to replicate the same experience on their PC, said 62% in the UK.
The research also found that adult mobile and tablet users are increasingly 'snacking' on their mobile device while watching TV, with nine out of ten consumers access the internet at the same time as watching TV in the UK. Such snacking is presenting opportunities for advertisers with a staggering one in three mobile users investigating potential purchases based on something they watched on TV and over one in four mobile users responding to short codes appearing on TV adverts.
The trend is compounded by the blurring of lines between smartphones and tablets as more hybrid devices come on to the market, influencing habits. For instance, larger screens on smartphones are making accessing multimedia easier, and 'smaller' sized tablets are increasing their portability. In Spain, 16% of tablet owners now have the more portable Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Reflecting this change, the percentage of people primarily accessing mobile media 'out and about' on both their mobile and tablet has significantly increased across all markets – in the UK this is 58 per cent on mobile this year, versus 41 per cent in 2011; on tablets this has leaped from 11 per cent in 2011 to 21 per cent this year in the UK.
Three screens are amigosAdvertisers need to understand this new behaviour to switch between the screens and how content is flowing between them, as well as the influencing factors such as screen size and platform. As a result, Orange is calling upon advertisers to move away from viewing it as a competition between screens and consider the powerful collaboration that can be utilised to maximise brand engagement.
Stephanie Hospital, executive vice president, Orange Digital Audience and Advertising Division, said: 'What the data reveals is that consumer behaviour is rapidly evolving as they get to grips with new operating systems, new device types (tablets and 'hybrid' devices), and their appetite grows for consuming mobile media wherever and whenever they want. The question that every advertiser and brand should be asking themselves is 'am I on top of this new consumer usage and am I using mobile marketing to its full potential?'
'The research lays bare the significant opportunities for advertisers to monetise and engage with their audience in a responsible manner, with teenagers so firmly adopting the mobile as their key device, and adults using multiple screens interchangeably as second nature; advertisers must sit up and harness its potential,' added Hospital.
