Global marketing and media services network Mindshare has just released its annual online research study, MORe 2008, revealing that the web is an integral part of the purchasing journey for young adults.
According to the report, designed to reveal how client communications are affected by the role technology plays in the lives of Canadians, a third of adults aged 18-34 use the web for research prior to making a major purchase, and 9% don’t trust companies or brands that don’t have websites.
The study also reveals that the desire to be connected outweighs the desire to be green, and that 34% of young adults rarely or never turn off their computers. Also, 40% use a laptop on a daily basis and 18% claim they don’t have a desktop computer – or have one and don’t use it. Of those within the 18- to 34-year-old group who have wireless Internet access, almost half (48%) are using it daily.
‘More than ever, young adults embrace a lifestyle intertwined with technology,’ says Sandra Groves, Mindshare group planning director, ‘which has implications for the way we communicate with them, particularly at this time of year.’
When it comes to cellphones, only 14% of young adults claim they don’t own one, while 66% of those who do say they use it daily or several times a week. MORe also reveals that close to six of 10 adults aged 18 to 34 have forgone a land line and use their cellphone exclusively.
On average, the group has three email addresses, and 38% have between three and six email addresses. Finally, the study reveals that over a quarter of young adults who have web or video cameras use them once or more a week.
‘Understanding how and why people use technology is as important as what they use and needs to be carefully considered when engaging with these young consumers,’ adds Groves.
