Internet 10% of Media Consumption in Europe

The latest research commissioned by the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) shows that the Internet now represents 10% of Europeans' media consumption. This places the Internet ahead of magazines (8%) and just behind newspapers (13%) in media consumption terms. The study finds that while TV controls the largest share of people's media time (41%), nearly 45% of consumers watch less television as a result of using the Internet.

The work, carried out by Millward Brown, was undertaken in order to quantify how people allocate their time across media in Europe and is the first study to cover five markets with one widely accepted methodology.

According to Nigel Morris, President of Carat Interactive Worldwide, "This study from the EIAA further quantifies our knowledge that more people are using the Internet more often and spending more time there. Despite this fact, online advertising still accounts for only 1.5% of total ad spending across Europe'. He concludes, "Currently consumer usage of the internet is ahead of the advertising market. Brands need to constantly evaluate the role of the internet and how best to integrate it in order to build the most effective and efficient marketing and communication programmes'.

The study also finds:

• A higher level of consistency in European internet penetration than previously thought - France, Spain and Italy are rapidly catching up with UK and Germany.
  
• A higher level of usage apparent with 1 in 3 European internet users surfing the net every day.
  
• Less simultaneous media usage when surfing the net than when consuming any other media.
  
• Over half of consumers state that the Internet is great to use when your brain is active whilst just under 60 percent claim that television helps you relax.
  
• More than one in three people indicated that online advertising makes a brand more forward thinking.
  
• Nearly 90 percent believe that there is too much advertising on TV but less than half this amount states that the same is true online.

'This study quantifies the importance of the Internet in people's lives'. comments Michael Kleindl, chairman of the EIAA. He continues, 'The Internet is defining the way people live and the way people live is defining the Internet!'

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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