As reported in this week’s Media, marketers, in their rush to embrace social networking, are neglecting more basic online media formats.  A new Asian survey, conducted by Edelman and Brandtology, indicates that forums and bulletin boards, rather than social networking sites, are key for reaching and interacting with target audiences.

The Digital Brand Index study aimed to identify the most widely talked-about technology brands across Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.  The study, which will be expanded to Japan and Korea in the coming months, covered a total of 800,000 mentions of 233 major technology brands on 4,348 online channels including forums, blogs, social networking sites and news websites.

Recent phenomenon Twitter was found to be the most commonly used channel in India and Australia, but in other markets, particularly Southeast Asia, technology-related forums emerged as the main platform for discussion - for example, in Singapore, 90% of conversation took place on forums.

Of the technology sector brands discussed online, Google and Microsoft ranked in the top 10 in all markets.  Google was the most widely discussed brand in both India and Malaysia, while Nokia had the highest number of mentions in China.  The brand Intel was popular in a number of geographical markets including Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Malaysia and Taiwan.

To find out more about the research we conduct in the Technology sector, please visit: http://b2binternational.com/China/b2bsectors/informationtechnology.php 

Alternatively, to learn more about branding studies, please visit: http://b2binternational.com/China/research/cn/branding.php

Asia’s most influential business executives are maintaining their spend in the traditional areas of media, while also increasing significantly what they spend on forms of digital media.  This is according to Ipsos MediaCT’s BE:ASIA 2009 Survey, conducted among more than 9,500 members of Asia’s business elite across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The research found that these business decision-makers have not reduced their use of international print and broadcast media.  In acknowledgment of the recession, some cuts were found to have been made in business travel spend.

About 67% of respondents read one or more international print publications, with a huge 98% claiming to have read the latest issue of a printed magazine or newspaper.  The Wall Street Journal Asia is the most popular daily title with a 17% share, and Time is the favoured weekly magazine being read by 23% of respondents.  CNN, with 29%, is the most popular international TV channel.

There has been a significant increase in digital uptake this past year.  Since the same survey took place last year, there has been a particular increase in reference to blogs (49% reading one in the past month and 11% contributing a post during this time).  63% had visited an international media owner’s website within the past month (Yahoo News, with a weekly reach of 33%, is the most prevalent); 29% had used social networking sites; and 27% had accessed the internet via a mobile device – a massive eightfold increase since 2006.

Following on from our latest blog post, an update on the Chinese aerospace sector, we are today giving you the latest news in the Chinese aviation industry:

• Air China, the country’s flag carrier, will pay HK$6.3bn (£800m) for 491m shares in Cathay Pacific Airways, raising its stake in the Hong Kong based carrier to nearly 30%, according to China Daily.

• Air China began regular scheduled passenger and cargo flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan on August 31.  The Chinese carrier will operate 27 return flights each week across the Taiwan Strait on routes from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Tianjin to Taipei.  Taiwan’s civil aviation authority granted Air China a business licence on August 13.

Sources: CBBC, Xinhua, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, FCO Country Updates and other news sources.

A new survey by Omnicom Media Group has revealed some positive findings.  The online research conducted among more than 3,500 consumers (age 18-65) across seven Asia-Pacific markets (Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) last month, found that most consumers agree the economy has improved over the last 6 months and continues to do so.

Most of the consumers questioned said they plan to continue their disciplined spending behaviour.  However, a significant minority – around 45% in China and 39% in India – is now ready to increase their expenditure.  This compares to 26% in Malaysia, 24% in Hong Kong, 18% in both Thailand and Singapore, and just 8% in Australia.  Although China and India have suffered some slowing of their respective economies, the overall impact of the global recession has been less severe than in many of the other Asian economies.

In Singapore, 20% of consumers have put off the purchase of computers or computer accessories, with one in five also delaying buying a mobile phone handset.

Meanwhile in Malaysia, 35% have postponed automotive purchases, 31% have put off buying computer accessories, and 30% have delayed travel plans.

As well as delaying purchases seen as non-essential, further strategies employed by consumers to deal with the recession have included switching to cheaper brands and using less of a product/purchasing it less frequently.

Asia Research (http://www.asiaresearch.com.sg/), Asia’s Market Research & Market Intelligence Journal, has reported in its latest issue some of the findings of a survey it conducted earlier this year.  The online survey of more than 250 agency-side market researchers gives us insight into the changing face of the market research industry in light of the global economic difficulties. Some of the survey’s main findings are shared with you here.

2009 has been a challenging year for the market research industry in Asia – as in the rest of the world.  In the main, clients’ budgets are lower in 2009 than they were in 2008 – typically 30% lower (although, of course, there have been some clients who have increased their market research spend).

One of the main ways in which many market research companies have been affected has been in their personnel.  Particularly hard hit have been the regional hubs of Singapore and Hong Kong – as well as in India, which has been one of the fastest growing research markets in recent years.  Interestingly, though, only 17% of senior managers interviewed stated that they have a recruitment freeze and 58% say they will hire full-time staff – at all management levels – in the next six months.

More common than redundancies have been caps placed on remuneration – including pay freezes (39%) and removal of bonuses (32%).  Other cost-cutting measures implemented have included less capital expenditure (27%), less corporate travel for business development purposes (24%), a freeze on expansion (24%), and less advertising (19%).

Those working in Australia and Indonesian market research agencies have felt less affected than many others by the recession; unsurprising given that these markets have generally been less impacted by the global economic slowdown.

2009 can be classified as a hirers’ market, with a number of high quality market researchers currently unemployed as a result of companies’ retrenchment.  In fact, only 8% of those currently in employment feel their jobs are at risk in the coming six months (although 22% of senior managers expect to have to make further redundancies in the same period).

In spite the gloom, many of the market researchers surveyed are optimistic about next year.  Only 5% think that the prospects for the market research industry in 2010 will be worse (1% say ‘much worse’ and 4% say ‘somewhat worse’).  By contrast, 67% are feeling positive (42% saying ‘somewhat better’ and 25% saying ‘much better’).  The remaining 27% think things will be about the same or aren’t sure.

The sectors that will offer the best growth opportunities in 2010, in the views of 114 senior managers, are:

·          Healthcare/Pharmaceutical (46%)

        ·          FMCG/Consumer (39%) 

·          IT/Telecommunications (37%)

        ·          Banking & Finance (37%) 

·          Government (24%)

        ·          Media (17%) 

·          Travel & Tourism (16%)

·          Manufacturing/Industrial (14%).

An additional 69 clients – or market research buyers – were also asked a number of questions.  29% of these expect their budgets to increase next year, versus 11% who believe they will decrease. Of those expecting an increase, they think their budgets will rise by, on average, around 20%.

B2B International, like other market research agencies, has had to adapt its services and offerings to meet changing client demands.  What does remain, however, is our promise to work out the best way to meet your research objectives at a competitive price, adding value and insight wherever we can.

Media magazine (www.media.asia) recently published the results of its ‘Asia’s Top 1,000 Brands’ survey.

Covering Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, the survey looked to rank the best and most trusted Asian brands across 11 major product and service categories, including: automotive, financial services, food & beverage, and media & telecommunications.

Many of those featuring highly in the list will be familiar names to both Eastern and Western markets and consumers alike.  Some strong brands which are less well recognised outside of Asia include: Lotte at no.21 (Sweets & candy); Meiji at no.29 (Food & drink); and Shiseido at no.41 (Cosmetics).

The Full Top 10 list is:

1.     Sony (Consumer Electronics)

2.     Samsung (Electronics/White goods)

3.     Canon (Camera/Office equipment)

4.     LG (Electronics/White goods)

5.     Panasonic(Consumer Electronics)

6.     Hewlett-Packard (Computers)

7.     Nokia (Mobile phone)

8.     Apple (Consumer Electronics)

9.     Google (Search engine)

10.   Coca-Cola (Soft drinks)