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What Asia’s Changing Digital Consumer Means for Marketers and Advertising

2 minute read | March 2012

Throughout Asia Pacific and around the world, technological developments, rising ownership of Internet-enabled devices, and rapidly increasing hours spent online is resulting in fundamental changes to the way in which media is consumed.

Television remains the perennial favorite media for Asia Pacific consumers, although online media consumption is growing quickly. Marketers’ allocation of ad spending has yet to reflect this shift.

According to a new Nielsen report on the changing Asian media landscape, Asian countries rank amongst the top globally for media consumption with four of the top five nations for home TV and online video usage located in the region. Asian countries also took all five spots when it comes to mobile video usage.

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Within online channels, the prevalence and influence of social media has continued to gain traction, with60 percent of online consumers in Asia Pacific claiming to view online product reviews for purchase decisions. Consumers in Vietnam were most likely to turn to online reviews before making a purchase decision at 81 percent, followed by Chinese (77%) and Thais (69%). Meanwhile, smartphone popularity has surged ahead and more than half of consumers in Asia Pacific (52%) currently own or intend to buy a smartphone in the next 12 months.

Although online advertising has a higher average return on investment and digital advertising accounts for 14 percent of global advertising spend, budget allocation to digital platforms in Asia Pacific is failing to keep up: it accounts for less than one percent of total spend in markets such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The high take-up rate of consumers to the platform suggests that marketers are missing key opportunities for reaching target customers.

Consumers’ exposure to marketing messages delivered via new and emerging media such as the Internet, rich media such as online video, and smartphones is resulting in an expanded number of touch-points where brands can engage, and these changes present endless opportunities for marketers.

To learn more download a complete copy of Nielsen’s report on the changing Asian media landscape.

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