TNS survey shows Filipinos above average ‘brand friends’

social networking sites, Filipinos have more “brand friends” than peers around the world, according to an international market research firm.

In its report titled “Digital Lie 2011,” TNS said Filipinos have an average of five brand friends, above the global average of four.

“Filipinos’ desire for information and special offers are key drivers for engaging with brand pages,” Gary de Ocampo, TNS Philippines managing director said.

In the Philippines, 26 percent of the respondents said the reasons to join brand community is to benefit from a promo, while 32 percent seek promos.

Forty-five percent said they want to get information, while 25 percent support a brand.

“Social media can be used as platforms for executional expressions of the communications idea that connect, engage and actively encourage consumers to join in, share, comment and co-create,” de Ocampo said.

He said 83 percent of Filipinos online was found to be “aspirers.”

“That’s 27 million Filipinos seeking to create a personal spare online,” he said.

The research firm said the brand page is a key channel to foster ties with the consumers and at the same time for the consumers to develop a strong feeling of belonging.

The report said Filipinos have an average of 171 friends, higher than the global average of 120.

In the Philippines, online users are spending an average of nine hours a week connected, mostly for email, social networking and multimedia.
Young Filipinos, particularly those aged 16 to 24 years are in the front line of social networking.

The TNS report said 36 percent of online Filipinos access the Internet daily for a total of 11 million.

Digital Life is the world’s largest study into consumers’ behaviors and attitudes. A total of 48,804 people aged 16 to 60 years were interviewed globally in September last year. In the Philippines, 1,000 people were interviewed in Metro Manila, the balance of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

In a separate study titled “Mobile Life 2011,” TNS said mobile phones have gone beyond simply texting to become more versatile.

Stanley Galex Cabrera, director of TNS Research Services said mobile Internet is gaining traction because of the social networking sites and the unlimited data plans of telecom companies.
In Metro Manila, 19 percent of the population uses Internet through mobile phone.

“Although 73 percent of personal messages are sent through mobile phones . . . the mobile phone actually offers more,” he said.

Cabrera said Filipinos preferred to use mobile phone for digital music, calendar, video calling and bluetooth. –DARWIN G. AMOJELAR
Senior Reporter, Manila Times