Will technology kill us or make us stronger?

NEW YORK, US / JOHANNESBURG, SA: McCann "Truth about Wellness" global research study reveals multiple contradictions & cultural upsets around the world. More than half of respondents (54%) think that technology is making us healthier while 46% think it is making us sicker; globally 94% of consumers agree brands have a role in supporting their wellness needs. 16 Jan 2013 08:49

China is largest single Android market with the US in second place

LONDON, UK: According to the latest research from Informa Telecoms & Media, almost two-thirds of the handsets sold in China this year are powered by the Android OS: China is its largest single market, a third of the Android devices sold in 2012 were sold in China. 27 Dec 2012 06:51

Trend to high-quality photo-products

NUREMBERG, GERMANY: Worldwide, the trend is moving towards high-quality cameras. New products with smartphone features are being offered and are winning an entirely new customer base. Japan, Russia, the Ukraine and Kazakhstan are posting double-digit growth on photo-products, while markets in Western Europe are characterised by increasing value creation. 25 Sep 2012 12:10

Environmentally friendly purchases heat up in emerging markets

NEW YORK, US: Purchases of environmentally protective products have grown significantly in two of the world's leading markets - China and Brazil; but the widespread perception that these products are too expensive may be blocking deeper adoption. 21 Aug 2012 11:16

Urban Chinese hair-care consumers prefer all-natural products

[Mintel Oxygen Reports] BEIJING, CHINA: The high profile of product safety scandals in China continues to dent consumers' confidence and loyalty in the hair care realm, as the market is repeatedly associated with chemical ingredients that are found to be toxic or carcinogenic. As a result, consumers are becoming more cautious when it comes to product choice. Indeed, according to the latest Mintel research, 81% of urban Chinese consumers* say they prefer to buy all-natural hair care products and 10% rate the presence of natural ingredients as their most important purchase influence. 8 Aug 2012 07:07

China beer consumption hits the 50 billion litre mark for first time in 2011

BEIJING, CHINA: It's the largest beer market in the world and it seems that when it comes to its importance for manufacturers, there will be no half measures. Latest research from Mintel reveals that China's beer market grew by 29% in volume terms in the five years to 2011, to reach an all time high total volume of 50 billion litres for the first time in 2011. 22 Jun 2012 09:32

IMD announces its 2012 World Competitiveness Rankings

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND: IMD, a top-ranked global business school based in Switzerland, has announced the findings of its annual World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY). The WCY rankings measure how well countries manage their economic and human resources to increase their prosperity. 1 Jun 2012 10:44

Global consumer confidence increases 1 point in Q4 2011

NEW YORK, US: Global consumer confidence increased one index point last quarter to 89, while Europe led confidence declines in 24 of the region's 27 measured markets, according to fourth quarter 2011 global consumer confidence findings from Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy. 8 Feb 2012 12:14

BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Chinese Brands 2012

BEJING, CHINA: Commissioned by WPP and in its second year, the BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Chinese Brands ranking is believed to be unique. Combining both financial data, from Bloomberg and Kantar Worldpanel, as well as consumer opinion gathered from interviews with over 35 000 Chinese consumers, the BrandZ China Top 50 is the most robust ranking of Chinese brands available. 12 Jan 2012 09:44

Leading telecoms operators outperform broader economy 2011

LONDON, UK: The 40 leading telecoms operating groups out-performed the global economy by 5.0 ppt (percentage points), according to the latest research from Informa Telecoms & Media. Based on data taken from the recently published World Telecoms Financial Benchmarks (WTFB) service, the largest operators, as measured by consolidated total revenues, increased revenues for the second quarter of 2011 by 6.8% year-on-year to reach US$327.6 billion*. 1 Dec 2011 07:04

Loyalty to smartphone brand increases with greater use of digital content

LONDON, UK: Nearly one in five consumers, who own both an iPad and an iPhone, say switching smartphone is more difficult than changing bank accounts. A simple, integrated user experience is driving consumers' brand loyalty to their smartphone and they are less likely to switch brands the more applications and services they use on the device, new research from GfK finds. 30 Nov 2011 12:08

Consumer Confidence Survey: Economy again top global concern

NEW YORK, US: Global online consumer confidence fell for the seventh consecutive quarter as confidence in 31 of 56 global markets measured declined, according to from Nielsen, a leading global provider of insights and analytics into what consumers watch and buy. 9 Nov 2011 09:36

Mobile internet - driver for mobile communications market

NUREMBERG, GERMANY: mobile communications market has been experiencing a global upswing. Smartphones, in particular, are appealing to even more consumers. This year, it is anticipated that around 400 million smartphones will be sold around the world. 6 Sep 2011 10:40

Mood of the World report shows most of world focuses on inflation

NUREMBURG, GERMANY: British consumers are facing the double whammy of still feeling the effects of recession even as rising costs fuel inflationary worries. They are not alone in the world, though, according to GfK Roper Consulting's 2011 Mood of the World Report, which is based on a global survey of more than 32 000 consumers ages 15 and older in 25 countries. 25 Aug 2011 11:21