New report sets out High Definition marketing agenda and reveals insights into UK society

News release

Contact:

Stephanie Dobson
Head of PR, Marketing Services
+44 (0) 115 9922515 Tel
stephanie.dobson@uk.experian.com Email


New report sets out High Definition marketing agenda and reveals insights into UK society


Nottingham, UK, 9 September 2009 - A new report from Experian®, the global information services company, shows how viewing UK consumers in High Definition reveals new insights into Britain’s changing society.  HD:UK the emergence of the High Definition society, challenges traditional marketing thinking and highlights the benefits for those brands that create a highly defined picture of their customers and the dangers facing those that don’t when they find themselves ‘switched to standby’ by today’s HD-ready consumers.

Experian’s HD:UK report identifies a number of new trends that illustrate how viewing customers in High Definition can benefit today’s brands.

The true ‘Web 2.0 generation’?  While younger, well-educated professionals were the early adopters of social networking sites and forums, analysis from Experian Hitwise reveals that people from disadvantaged groups in the UK who are now the most common social network users.  The Mosaic consumer group,
Claimant Cultures, a group that includes the most disadvantaged people in the UK, are some of the most frequent users of social networking sites and forums.  Ex-Council Community and Upper Floor Living, people on limited incomes living in small flats, are two further Mosaic groups that over index on their use of social networking sites and forums.  In contrast, the well-off professional and managerial class, Professional Rewards, are a group that significantly under index on their use of such sites (see table 1, notes to editors). 

Discount doesn’t equal downmarket?  Searching for a discount and holding out for a special offer or bargain are now behaviours most likely to be associated with better off, rather than less well-off consumer groups. Some of the most affluent groups in the UK are amongst the most likely to visit discount voucher, rewards and comparison websites in search of money-off coupons and the best bargains. Active Retirement and Professional Rewards, two affluent Mosaic groups, tend of be more frequent visitors to such sites than less affluent groups including Upper Floor Living, Terraced Melting Post and Claimant Cultures, along with Liberal Opinions (see table 2 notes to editors).  Experian’s report also highlights that more than half of all consumers (55%) claim to “be likely to delay buying something until it’s on special offer”, a figure that rises to 68% for Professional Rewards, the UK’s professional and managerial class[1].

In addition to the need to develop accurate consumer insight, Experian’s HD:UK report highlights how increasingly complex lives and a fragmented media landscape are seeing consumers increasingly resist “push” communications.  Almost 30% of consumers now view advertising unfavourably[2] and consumers have developed an ability to carefully tune in and tune out from the ever-growing wave of marketing and advertising campaigns vying for their attention.

As a result, today’s HD-ready consumer only allows brand information, communications and messaging that have high levels of relevancy to get through.  Online search trends underline the fact that consumers are increasingly seeking out information that is only relevant to them.  Experian Hitwise found that the number of searches involving just one word has decreased from 24.5% in 2007 to 20.4% in 2009 and over 45% of the searches tracked by Hitwise so far in 2009 have consisted of three, four or five word searches.  Meanwhile, nine out of ten of the most popular online searches now contain a reference to a brand, compared to two thirds of the most popular searches in 2005.

Jim Hodgkins, Managing Director of Experian’s Marketing Services division in the UK and Ireland, commented: HD:UK illustrates that appealing to today’s consumers means taking a one-to-one approach to marketing. It is all about developing a deep understanding of people and their preferences and communicating in a way that is far more transparent, engaging and, above all, relevant, in order to build an effective and lasting relationship with them.

“People are increasingly resistant to a ‘one size fits all’ approach to marketing. They will block communications they don’t wish to receive or they perceive to be untargeted and will trawl social networks and review sites to create their own image of a brand and its products or services. Nothing will be taken at face value, and as consumers only really have room in their hearts for one or two iconic brands, the rest must work exceptionally hard using targeted marketing data and analytics to attract and retain consumers’ attention.

“There’s no doubt that the HD-ready consumer is an altogether tougher prospect to engage, motivate and do business with. In fact, consumers are ready and willing to put brands on stand-by if they are not communicating with them on their precise terms.”

For a copy of the HD:UK report visit www.experian-qas.co.uk/HDsociety.


Notes to editors

 

Table 1

Use of Social Networking by Mosaic Group     Use of Social Networking by Mosaic Type

Mosaic Group

Social Networking/ Forums

Index vs online population

 

Mosaic Type

Social Networking/ Forums

Index vs online population

J - Claimant Cultures

125

 

J -New Parents in Need

132

I - Ex-Council Community

117

 

 J – Streetwise Kids

126

K - Upper Floor Living

114

 

 I – Legacy of Labour

124

N - Terraced Melting Pot

111

 

 K – Small Block Singles

121

M - Industrial Heritage

104

 

J – Worn-out Workers

121

F - Suburban Mindsets

101

 

O – Study Buddies

120

L- Elderly Needs

100

 

I – Stressed Borrowers

119

H - New Homemakers

100

 

N – Back to Basics

114

O - Liberal Opinions

98

 

N – Low Key Starters

113

D - Small Town Diversity

93

 

O – University Fringe

112

G - Careers and Kids

91

 

 

 

A - Alpha Territory

83

 

 

 

B- Professional Rewards

82

 

 

 

C - Rural Solitude

82

 

 

 

E - Active Retirement

73

 

 

 

 

 

Table 2:

Use of discount and reward sites by Mosaic Group

Mosaic Group

Rewards /Directories

Index vs online population

E – Active Retirement

115

Group B – Professional Rewards

110

D - Small Town Diversity

110

G - Careers and Kids

109

F - Suburban Mindsets

105

M - Industrial Heritage

105

L- Elderly Needs

105

C - Rural Solitude

103

I - Ex-Council Community

99

H - New Homemakers

97

A – Alpha Territory

93

J – Claimant Culture

92

N - Terraced Melting Pot

90

K – Upper Floor Living

78

O – Liberal Opinions

73

 

 

About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 65 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to manage their credit relationships and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2009 was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.



[1] Future Foundation nVision research

[2] Future Foundation nVision research

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