IAB Europe publishes the first results from 8th wave of Mediascope Europe, its flagship media consumption study totalling over 50,000 consumer interviews

The Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe) today announced the latest findings from Mediascope Europe, the European media consumption study first launched in 2003, which measures evolving media consumption patterns across online, radio, TV, newspapers and magazines. The study now for the first time also covers internet use across four devices – computer, mobile, tablets and games consoles.

Conducted using a combination of online, telephone and face-to-face methodologies totalling over 50,000 interviews across 28 markets, Mediascope Europe now ranks as one of the leading sources of data on European consumer use of media and online shopping habits.

Internet Everywhere, By Any Means
426.9 million Europeans go online every week (65%) with than one third (37%) accessing the internet using more than one device. 64% of people access the web via a computer – that’s 415.7 million people – and 21% use the internet on their mobile phone (139.2 million). Using the internet via a computer is most popular in Norway and Switzerland (89%) and users are most likely to be aged between 25-44 years old (44%). Mobile internet users are most likely to be 16-24 years old (30%) and using the internet via a mobile phone is most popular in the UK, Norway and Sweden where more than 4 in 10 access the internet via this device.

Time spent on the web differs by the device used – European’s spend a total of 14.8 hours online each week, those using a...
- computer spend 13.3 hours
- mobile phone spend 9.4 hours
- tablet spend 9.3 hours
- games console spend 6.8 hours

Internet Becomes 'All Consuming' Media Device
What stands out in this research is how much of this “traditional” media is now being consumed online –
- 91% of internet users read news online (388.5 million)
- men are more likely to be consumers of news online than women (93% vs. 89%)
- 35-54 year olds are the most likely to read news online - at 93%
- 73% of internet users watch TV online (311.6 million)
- 16-24 year olds are the most likely to watch TV online - at 83% - closely followed by 35-44 year olds (81%)
- 67% of internet users listen to the radio online (286.0 million) – this increases to 81% of 16-24s
- men are more likely than women to listen to the radio online (68% vs. 66%)

Media Multitasking Means More Active Consumers
The research shows that a staggering 48% of Europeans say they use the internet whilst they watch TV (297.4 million) and 16% of all time spent watching TV in Europe is done whilst using the internet.

Europe’s heaviest online/TV multitaskers are the Norwegians at 70%, followed by 68% of TV watchers in France and 62% of those watching TV in the UK. The good news for advertisers is that one third (33%) of all TV and online multitaskers say the online activity they’re doing is likely to be related to the TV programme they’re watching so there is a significant opportunity for brands to engage the consumer via both platforms.

Alison Fennah, Vice President of Research and Marketing for IAB Europe comments: “It’s no longer appropriate or sensible to think of ‘using the internet’ as a specific and isolated activity. The ever-wider variety of devices that people use to access online content and the degree to which they do this while using other media shows the deep level of engagement consumers have with the internet today. For instance, many Europeans are clearly using the web and watching TV simultaneously, and a third of those are actually consuming complementary content. Those companies that understand and adapt to these changing consumption patterns will be the ones that succeed in the future.”

Brand Relationships Grow Via Digital Touchpoints
96% of European internet users research online for purchases, 87% shop online and almost one fifth (19%) of all their shopping is done via the internet. In a six month period Europeans spent €188bn buying goods and services online – an average of €544/year per European online shopper. Norwegian internet shoppers averaged the highest spend online (€1,162) followed by Swiss (€919) and Danish (€894) online shoppers. UK internet users devote the greatest share of total shopping spend to online (32.0%) followed by German users (25.4%).

The internet has become an essential way for brands to communicate and engage with consumers:
- 51% say the internet helps them choose better products/services
- 47% are inclined to find out more about products they see advertised online
- 46% of internet users say they often visit the website of their favourite brands
- 41% of European internet users agree that the way a brand communicates online is important
- 30% of internet users are more likely to buy a product of a brand they follow on a social networking site.

Fennah concludes: “As consumers we have access to a rich and varied media ‘playlist’, and the way we consume that content continues to evolve. Mediascope Europe is about understanding the impact those changes have on the way we behave – what we watch, what we read, what brands we prefer and what products and services we buy. What we see from the 2012 research is how the internet is being used together with traditional media – consumers aren’t rejecting one media platform over another, rather they are using multiple devices to enjoy a huge variety of media, either with their full attention or shared. For brands, advertisers and marketers, this information is essential to adapt and grow engagement with our consumers in our media multi-tasking world.”