••• social media research
TV turning social
Consumers OK with cross-platform calls to action
Social media is showing signs of connecting with TV viewers, as nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers recall seeing social media symbols while watching television, according to research from Chicago consulting firm Accenture. Moreover, one-third have answered the call to action after seeing a social media symbol on TV.
Among the 1,000 viewers surveyed, the majority said they had noticed and were also familiar with how to interact with social media symbols while watching TV, including the Facebook Like symbol (42 percent); QR codes (28 percent); Twitter hashtags (18 percent); and Shazam symbols (9 percent). One-third said they had actually interacted with the symbols while watching TV by Liking the TV program on Facebook (20 percent); scanning a QR code (11 percent); searching for the hashtag on Twitter (7 percent); or scanning the Shazam symbol (5 percent).
Obtaining more information about a show, product or service was the greatest motivator for interacting with a social media symbol while watching TV, cited by 43 percent of the participants who have done so. Other motivations included getting coupons and promotional codes (32 percent); entering a contest/sweepstakes (31 percent); watching another video (26 percent); interacting about the show or product on social media (26 percent); connecting with others with similar interests (21 percent); sharing or recommending a video/program to others (20 percent); and making a purchase (16 percent).
Sixty-three percent of participants ages 18-to-24 said they have interacted with social media symbols while watching TV. The numbers dropped to 46 percent among 25-to-34-year-olds; 44 percent among those 35-to-44; 19 percent among those 45-to-54; 24 percent for 55-to-64-year-olds; and 11 percent of those 65+.
Both men and women who interacted with social media sites were most interested in getting more information about the show (39 percent and 48 percent, respectively). Women were also motivated by getting coupons or promotional codes (40 percent) and registering or signing up for something (34 percent). Males were more interested in interacting with social media to watch another video (35 percent) or entering a contest or sweepstakes (34 percent).
Seventy-four percent of those who received content via social media symbols while watching TV said it just met expectations, compared with 10 percent who said the content did not meet expectations and 15 percent who said it exceeded expectations.
When participants were asked why they had not interacted with social media while watching TV, 60 percent said they did not think they would be interested in the content they would receive. Fewer participants said they were not sure how to interact with social media symbols (23 percent); had not downloaded the necessary application for scanning social media symbols on their mobile devices (15 percent); or did not have time to scan a social media symbol because it was not displayed long enough (11 percent).
The survey pointed to dramas and comedies as the top genres where consumers would like additional information and interactivity. Thirty-five percent of participants said dramas and comedies, compared to news programming (31 percent); sporting events (29 percent); reality shows (23 percent); lifestyle/cooking/home shows (20 percent); game shows (19 percent); talk shows (16 percent); and live non-sports events (15 percent).
www.accenture.com
••• electronics research
High-tech for low-stress
Majority of consumers use technology to simplify their lives
What people want most from their smartphones, tablets, home theater and home appliances is simplicity. More people prefer technology to be easy to use (54 percent) and simplify their life (46 percent) than entertain them (35 percent) or signal who they are to the world (11 percent), according to the Ketchum Digital Living Index, a study from New York communications firm Ketchum based on feedback from 6,000 consumers in six countries. Unfortunately over three-quarters of consumers said they are not very satisfied with technology’s ability to make life simpler.
“The most surprising finding in the study is the overwhelming desire for simplification. It seems counterintuitive when technology is always about being bigger or better or faster but the data show that what people really want is to understand how all of these devices can get them to their desired experience easily,” says Esty Pujadas, partner and director of Ketchum’s global technology practice.
The Index reveals that there are four kinds of Digital Living natives. The largest group are the Enthusiasts (37 percent of the study’s global population), who are passionate about technology and willing to sacrifice simplification for empowerment. The next-largest are Infomaniacs (25 percent), who value getting information and discovering new experiences more than relating better to other people. Pragmatists (22 percent) are less likely to love technology but value it as very helpful in relating better to others; getting things done; and managing health and wellness. Disconnects (16 percent) are noticeably unemotional about technology and place a high value on simplification versus empowerment or enrichment.
www.digitallivingpr.com
••• financial services
Benefits packages going to waste?
Employees unprepared for retirement, despite employer support
Employers and their employees hold different perspectives on how to best achieve retirement preparedness through 401(k) plans. Despite efforts by employers to educate workers on the 401(k) offering, most workers are unengaged and financially unprepared for retirement, according to studies conducted by CFO Research Services, New York, and Koski Research, San Francisco, on behalf of San Francisco investment management company Charles Schwab. 
More than half of employers report that employees participating in plans are not taking full advantage of the investment options, features and services offered in connection with 401(k) plans. To better engage employees, the majority of employers plan to make as much or more extensive use of traditional outreach methods, including interactive planning tools (93 percent); printed educational materials (93 percent); and in-person workshops (81 percent). Only 16 percent of employers plan to adopt or promote personalized savings and investment management through a third-party adviser.
A growing number of employers are using or considering the use of automatic solutions. In total, 45 percent are currently auto-enrolling employees and another 25 percent are very or somewhat likely to do so.
Relatively few 401(k) participants have the desire to manage their own workplace savings plan. More than half (52 percent) say they don’t have the time, interest or knowledge to properly manage their 401(k) portfolio and 73 percent spend less than eight hours per year managing their 401(k) plan account. Fifty-six percent do not review plan-related education materials they receive. Nearly one-third don’t know they pay any fees for their 401(k) plan. Of the 70 percent that understand they pay some sort of fees, 95 percent don’t know about investment fund operating expenses and 67 percent don’t know about plan administration fees.
A significant majority (83 percent) say they are interested in receiving professional investment management from their employer. However, this interest does not translate into action, as just one in 10 participants actually takes advantage of 401(k) investment management advice when it is offered.
Other survey findings indicate that 61 percent of respondents have calculated the savings they believe they will need for retirement. Among this group, 84 percent were confident that their savings would last. Respondents reported on average that they feel they need to bridge an eightfold gap between how much they have saved and how much they calculated they would need in retirement.
www.schwab.com
••• retailing
Fashion cents
Apparel shoppers love the thrill of hunting for deals
The Great Recession may have left an indelible imprint on American shopping behavior, as apparel shoppers are still sale-savvy with a penchant for promotions. Fifty-eight percent of shoppers say they enjoy shopping for sales and discounts on apparel purchases and 56 percent agree that getting a great deal on apparel is like a sport for them, according to a study from Columbus, Ohio, research company BIGinsight. Thirty-six percent indicate coupons are essential when buying clothes but fashion is not lost on the sale rack, as 43 percent try to recreate high-dollar looks on a low-dollar budget.
Adult shoppers agreed that the following statements are somewhat or very true: I browse social media sites and/or blogs for outfit ideas (20 percent); I enjoy looking through catalogs, direct mail advertisements and circulars for apparel (48 percent); I enjoy shopping for apparel sales and discounts (58 percent); I plan my shopping trips for apparel around the coupons I have (33 percent); I think that shopping for apparel is a necessary evil (39 percent); shopping for apparel is one of my favorite pastimes (32 percent); the price of a garment is one of the last things I look at when shopping for apparel (21 percent); and value and everyday low prices are more important to me than apparel sales or discounts (49 percent).
www.biginsight.com
••• nonprofit/charities
Pass the buck
Rich and poor alike, non-donors wish they had the means to give
Many Americans who don’t financially support nonprofit organizations believe it’s really someone else’s responsibility to provide this support – specifically someone with more money. Trouble is, the people with more money are just as likely as those from low-income households to wish they had enough to share with nonprofits. A majority of non-donors also have concerns that most nonprofits aren’t really solving any problems and that too much of their money would go toward overhead and expenses to make their gift worthwhile, according to a study conducted by Grey Matter Research, Phoenix.
At the same time, some desire to help still exists. Most non-donors claim they wish they had enough money to be able to give to nonprofit organizations. Eighty-three percent agree that “I wish I had enough money to be able to give some to nonprofit organizations.”
However, perceptions of what “enough money” means may also vary from one person to the next, considering that non-donors from households earning $100,000 or more annually are just as likely as those from households earning under $20,000 to wish they had enough money to donate some.
Although many non-donors wish they could support nonprofits, most also believe the onus should not be on people like them to provide this support. Eighty-one percent of all non-donors agree with the statement, “People who have a lot of money need to step up and support nonprofit organizations, rather than people like me providing the support.”
Four out of 10 non-donors agree with the statement, “Any gift I could afford to give to a nonprofit organization really isn’t enough to make a difference.” People from households earning under $20,000 annually and those from households earning $100,000 or more are equally likely to hold this perspective.
Efficacy also concerns many non-donors. Fifty-seven percent worry that most nonprofit organizations don’t actually solve any needs or problems – they just provide short-term solutions and the needs or problems are still there.
www.greymatterresearch.com
••• employee research
The language of business
Global employees default to English during foreign interaction
Just over two-thirds of global employees in 26 countries who say they work in a job that requires them to interact with people from other countries indicate the language used most often in those interactions is English, according to an online poll conducted by Paris research company Ipsos on behalf of Reuters News, New York.
Over one-quarter of global employees work in a job that requires them to interact with people who live in other countries. Employees from India (59 percent); Singapore (55 percent); Saudi Arabia (50 percent); Hong Kong (44 percent); and South Africa (42 percent) are most likely to say so, while those from Japan (9 percent); Russia (13 percent); Poland (14 percent); and Hungary (14 percent) are least likely. Demographically, those most likely to work in a job that requires international interaction have a high level of education (38 percent); high household income (33 percent); and are under the age of 35 (31 percent). Gender and age seem to have no statistical bearing on the dominant language used for foreign business.
At 76 percent, North America has the highest proportion of employees reporting the main language they use to communicate with people from other countries is English, followed by Asia-Pacific (72 percent); the Middle East and Africa (67 percent); Europe (63 percent); and Latin America (33 percent).
Sixty-one percent of those employed who have interactions with people who live in other countries say the language they use most often for those interactions is different from the one they learned as a child. This is particularly true for those with a high level of education (68 percent); those under the age of 35 (67 percent); and of those from Asia-Pacific (68 percent) and the Middle East and Africa (67 percent). When asked the language first learned as a child, one in four (24 percent) employees who work in a job that requires them to interact with people from out of the country say that language is English.
www.ipsos.com