Tracking Media, Prosperity and Influence across Asia
December 4 2002
Asia Market Intelligence (AMI) has today issued results from the Pan Asia-Pacific Cross Media Survey (PAX) for 2002/03. The survey tracks media, prosperity and influence across Asia with a sample taken from affluent sections of society - people who are in high income brackets, make business decisions and the all-important group which can be identified as top management.
Steve Garton, Media Director of Asia Market Intelligence, said the PAX survey has now gained wide recognition and adoption across the Asian media industry. 'PAX is again the only cross-media survey in the region this year and - with results hot off the press - reflects media reach and trends amongst the movers and shakers of Asian society right now. AMI has recognised that information on media consumption and spending habits will be even more relevant to our subscribers if produced with greater frequency, so we are the first research company to introduce quarterly tracking of these trends. This captures the realities of the market, including seasonal shifts. Markets change quickly in response to outside influences - such as major world events - and it is the consumer markets that tend to move first and become indicators of the relative health of an economy.'
Steve added 'PAX tracks buyer behaviour such as purchase intentions, and with more frequent results will inform the savvy marketer of the dynamics of Asian society's most prosperous and influential. We are also introducing more countries in the survey to make it of even greater use to media and media buyers across the region. For the first time, Sydney and Tokyo are included in these results'.
Mr Garton said that top line results for the third quarter 2002 indicate the continuing importance of regional media for Asia's affluent consumers. 'The role of regional media in Asia cannot be underestimated - it is the lifeblood for affluent Asians and business decision makers, as they negotiate this diverse region. This is an intriguing period for the media industry. Last year's results were impacted by September 11 and the considerable volatility of the economic climate. At that time, people were driven to news - print and television - to monitor the effects. This is the first set of results available since that period, and in parallel with news intake, we are seeing a trend towards life-style media consumption'.
Jonathan Jephcott, Group Media Research Director of AMI, said the new market information confirms general expectations for media in Australia and Japan. 'The results for Sydney and Tokyo have been produced for the first time this quarter. We must treat these as initial results, but they do line up with our general expectations. In particular, we see the relative consumption of regional media in Japan is low compared to other markets. On the other hand in Australia, regional print titles attract relatively large audiences, while regional television is less pervasive. Perhaps the relatively low level of reference to regional TV channels in Australia can be explained by the strong and diverse free-to-air service in that country.'
In its sixth consecutive year, PAX now features larger samples as well as the new countries and quarterly reporting.
As part of the PAX survey, buying intentions for a range of products, including cars, mobile phones and digital cameras, were measured across the markets.
In terms of cars, the major findings included:
- The car industry may be about to experience a mini-boom across Asia, with 21 per cent across all markets saying they will buy or replace a private car within the next 12 months.
- The affluent sections of society are the last to be significantly impacted by economic downturns.
- Bangkok was the market with the highest intention to purchase (40 per cent), followed by Manila (35 per cent), Jakarta (33 per cent) and Seoul (25 per cent).
- The less affluent markets in India registered significant intention to buy or replace a car, with 21 per cent in Bangalore, 18 per cent in New Delhi and 13 per cent in Mumbai.
- In other markets, 21 per cent in Kuala Lumpur indicated they would buy a car, 16 per cent in Taipei, 10 per cent in Singapore and nine per cent in Hong Kong.
- The car industry can be hard-hit by financial downturns. These buying intentions may be an indication of a more optimistic regional outlook.
In terms of mobile or hand phones, the major findings included:
- In the surveyed markets, mobile or hand phones without an Internet function remain slightly more desirable than those with an Internet function - 10 per cent intend to buy or replace a phone without Internet access in the next 12 months, while nine per cent will do the same for a phone with an Internet function. As the Internet option is relatively new, it can be assumed that these figures largely reflect new purchases. These figures are important as Asia's mobile operators take the road towards 3G access.
- From market to market, the levels of intent vary significantly with Jakarta (19 per cent), Manila (19 per cent) and Kuala Lumpur (17 per cent) leading on intention to purchase or replace a mobile phone without Internet access. This could be attributed to growing market penetration, although in the case of Manila the national obsession with mobile phones seems to be continuing.
- Manila was also the market with the highest intent to purchase or replace a mobile phone with an Internet access function with 18 per cent of respondents answering in the affirmative. This was also seen as a likely purchase in the next 12 months for 15 per cent of respondents in Jakarta, 13 per cent in Kuala Lumpur and 12 per cent in Seoul.
- Seoul was the only surveyed city where PAX respondents were more likely to buy an Internet-connected phone (12 per cent) than one without Internet access functions (four per cent).
- In Singapore, hand phones without an Internet function remain slightly more likely to be purchased than those with an Internet function - 12 per cent intend to buy or replace a phone without Internet in the next 12 months, while eight per cent will do the same for a phone with an Internet function.
- Hong Kong, with one of the highest penetrations of mobile phones in the world, had eight per cent of respondents indicating an intent to buy or replace phones without Internet access and eight per cent with Internet access.
- Of all the markets, the Indian cities of New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai showed the lowest intention to purchase or replace these items, with four per cent for each type of handset. However, these markets are developing and perhaps represent the greatest opportunity for operators.
In terms of digital cameras, the major findings included:
- Digital cameras are an attractive item for purchase intent across Asia, with nine per cent across the markets surveyed looking to buy or replace a digital video camera and 11 per cent intending to buy or replace a digital still camera.
- Digital video cameras seem to be preferred over digital still cameras in the South Asian markets.
- The highest intent to buy or replace digital video camera in the next 12 months was reflected in the results for Kuala Lumpur and Manila - with 19 per cent of both cities' respondents indicating this likelihood.
- Eleven per cent of respondents from Seoul intend to buy or replace a digital video camera in the next 12 months, nine per cent in each of Taipei, Singapore and Bangkok, and eight per cent in Hong Kong.
- When it comes to the digital still cameras - items reducing in price in many markets - 20 per cent of respondents from Taipei intend to purchase or replace, 17 per cent from Kuala Lumpur, 13 per cent from Hong Kong and Manila, and seven per cent from Singapore.
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.
