WPP agencies host The Digital Next Australia 3rd annual conference in association with Google
The Digital Next Australia 2011 (DNA://11) conference, held in Sydney and Melbourne the past two days, saw a host of leading marketing and digital media agencies unite to discuss all things digital, and highlight future trends of the digital landscape in Australia.
In association with Google, WPP agencies Hill & Knowlton, TNS, GPY&R and Group M collaborated to host DNA://11, which featured a number of keynote speakers presenting insights on the rapid rate of change online in Australia.
Now in its third year, the annual digital conference focused on “What’s ahead in 2012?” and the critical success factors for impactful and results-driven marketing.
In an exclusive preview at the event, market research agency TNS revealed a first look at the Australian findings from its Digital Life 2011 report, the world’s largest study of internet attitudes and habits that represents 93 per cent of the internet population. Key highlights from that report include:
· The digital divide in online behaviour amongst Australians has widened. Those who are “heavy” users are becoming increasingly more active online than “light” users, widening the gap year over year, thereby increasing the difficulty by which marketers engage broad audiences.
· Australians are now more vocal than ever before. In previous years, Australians were more passive online as compared to Asia, a region known for its highly active participation online; however this has changed with Australians asserting themselves in online conversations more frequently than before.
· Australia surpasses the US in frequency of online shopping. Moving up from a global ranking from #10 to #3, Australians shop online more frequently than the majority of online shoppers globally.
· Australians are spending more time in social networks than ever before. The study reflects a 36 per cent jump in the amount of time spent social networking this year.
· Email for personal reasons is on the decline. Showing a 9 per cent decrease, Australians are spending less time on personal email as compared to last year.
· The proliferation of tablets and mobiles is creating more usage occasions. While average Australians are online 19.9 hours per week for leisure activities (a 9% increase over 2010), mobile users spend 25.8 hours and tablet users 32.7 hours online per week.
TNS commercial director Jonathan Sinton, who presented the findings, predicts that given the continuous year-over-year increase from past studies, the trend towards digital is expected to accelerate in 2012 as Australian consumers become progressively ‘digital native’.
Says Sinton: “Our daily lives are evolving and we are becoming constantly more connected consumers. Whether it is waking up in the morning and checking our phones first thing, reading the newspaper at our PCs or searching the web on our laptops in front of the TV – we are a deeply connected nation.”
Keynote speakers and their presentations at DNA://11 included:
· Rishi Saha, Regional Director of Digital, Hill & Knowlton – Brand Strategy: Politics 2.0 and understanding how the Internet has changed the way we campaign, govern and connect with the public
· Danny Bass, Chief Digital Officer, Group M – Cross-Platform Planning: The future role of digital and data in media planning
· Rob Hudson, National Digital Director, GPY&R – Messaging & Creative Engagement: Identifying, engaging and expanding consumer connections
· Brendan “Bob” Foster, Product Specialist, Google – Technology: Understanding creative uses of new technology
· Jonathan Sinton, Commercial Director, TNS – Offer Development: Understanding current and future usage patterns for online consumers through Digital Life 2011