Will People Ever Go Shopping On Their Mobile?

According to Kantar Worldpanel, over half of the UK population now have a smartphone. But will people ever use it as a market place that could challenge the traditional retail environment?

Internet and application access on mobiles has empowered customers to make purchases in almost any place at any time; should they wish to. According to the IAB and PWC, the percentage of mobile visits to online retail sites rose from 2.6% in 2010 to 8.2% in 2011 while the average transaction carried out on a mobile device rose from £12.20 to £17.49.

However, claims of mobile retail replacing the high street are exaggerated. Shopping online is complementary to the retail experience, not competition. Purchasing on a 3 inch screen as an experience barely compares with going into a store to try on clothes, test out the latest gadget or browse interesting books. Even as a proportion of online sales, only 5% are done via mobile.

What mobile is great for is to assist retail, both online and in-store. Whether this is to increase footfall, pay for products in-store, or mobile marketing. Sarah Ballie, Mobile Commerce Manager from Debenhams has made the point “There are many benefits of people engaging on mobile within the store: allowing them to double check prices against the website, read reviews or share products with friends for a second opinion”

  Mobile is a platform that is often used in conjunction with other media, it is important to be used with broad mix of media to engage with users. It is an engagement tool, not a market place. At least not yet.

Paul Barnes

Media Analyst

How will the Olympics Benefit Sponsors and the UK

Summer 2012 will bring the Olympics to the UK, with several million spectators following closely behind.

 “The Olympic Games give the host country exposure on the front page, in the middle pages and on the back pages of every newspaper in every country on Earth over a six-week period.”

Michael Payne, International Olympic Committee.

Will Zeebox Change TV Habits?

Since the unveiling of Zeebox in August 2011, it was been championed as the “future of TV”. The app’s own description on iTunes boasts;

- "it's brilliant. App of the week”- The Sun 

- "5 stars" - T3 

- "I can't recall the last time I've been so excited about an iPad app" - The Huffington Post 

- "Zeebox may change everything about the way we watch TV forever" - Stephen Fry

But, is Zeebox really that great? Does it have many commercial opportunities and does it impact TV habits?

The Faceless Crowd

There is a basic human need to be part of a group. We move through many on a daily basis. Individuals gather for countless reasons; from organized events to unintentionally on a busy street.

The increase of mass media also allows the rapid exchange of information and opinions around the world to form online groups. For example, #100daystogo is currently trending on twitter – a mixture of thousands of people and companies sharing their views and sponsorship offers on the Olympics. A perfect opportunity to influence the masses.

Social Media Users and Engagement: Why Engage With Brands on Social Media?

We commissioned original research in a study of 1,115 respondents via our website, to find out about social media engagement. We wanted to know how people interact and engage on social media and how important brands are to the experience. 

90% use social media to catch up with friends, while commenting on friends’ pages and photos are the most popular interactions. Sharing is prolific - almost half (43%) say getting news is one of the main reasons they use social media. 

TV and Online Start Their Relationship

TV and the internet are important mediums for both consumers and advertisers. However, combining the two together has never really been successful until now. Smart TVs were the big topic at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show and projections are for 892 million smart TVs in homes by 2016.

Smart TVs will establish social networking, web browsing, user-generated content, online purchasing and other media firmly in the centre of the living room.

Tablets, e-readers and the media landscape

2012 has been christened the year of the tablet yet despite their increasing importance, the impact on traditional media is unclear.

Tablets and e-readers are quickly being recognised as an important change in the media landscape. According to research by UM London, 8% own a tablet computer and 12.5% own an e-reader. Significantly, 37% of tablet/e-reader owners said that ‘my device has changed my life’ and 70% stated ‘everyone will own a tablet or e-reader in future’. The telegraph recently reported that 8 million tablets will be sold this year.