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Social Networking – Brazil in Global Context

Tim Lucas — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:56:00 +0000

A new study released by Nielsen reports the shift in the online social behavior. Nielsen’s study results presented here followed the online activity in the USA, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Australia. Note that the ‘Member Community’ category includes both social networking and blogging websites.

1. Social network and blogging sites are now the 4th most popular activity on the Internet

Social network and blogging sites are now the 4th most popular
activity on the Internet (overcoming personal email) with 67% global reach as to December 2008. That is 5% more of what they attracted a year ago.

The strongest growth comes from Germany (much due to Facebook launching a German language interface in March 2008) now reaching 51% of Germans online compared to 39% a year ago (12% increase). Large growth has also occurred in the UK, Spain, Italy and Switzerland (about 10% growth in each country).
The US growth at this time was minor (2.6% growth) suggesting a saturation of the online social activity of the US population.

2. Due to Facebook’s success – time spent on ‘member community’ sites grow three times the rate of overall Internet growth

The overall time spent online globally increased by 18% between December 2007 and December 2008. In the same period, however, the amount of time spent on ‘Member Community’ sites rose by 63% to 45 billion minutes; and on Facebook by a massive 566% – from 3.1 billion minutes to 20.5 billion. Facebook’s time is so high due to having the highest average time per person (three hours 10 minutes).

In most of the countries monitored the share of time accounted for by ‘Member Communities’ has more than doubled. In Switzerland, share of time has tripled from 3% to 9.3%.
A year ago ‘Member Communities’ accounted for one in every 15 online minutes globally – now it accounts for one in every 11. In Brazil alone, ‘Member Communities’ accounts for almost one in every 4 minutes. In the UK they now account for one in every 6 minutes (up from every 13 minutes a year ago) and in Italy one in every 7 (up from one in 14 a year ago).

3. Facebook has driven older people to be socially involved online:

While social networks started amongst the younger audience, today’s audiences are becoming broader and older. This shift has primarily been driven by Facebook, successfully opened opportunities of social networking to a much wider audience.

More Water Unfriendly Marketing Initiatives

Tim Lucas — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:26:00 +0000

Having recently noted with incredulity the fact that a Brazilian water company has been using water in its ‘Save Water’ bus shelter ads we found that this frivolous attitude to water is not isolated here in Brazil.

Samsung launched their action “Its Hot, Its Cold” by putting a block of ice in front of the luxurious Shopping Morumbi with the company’s products inside. The promotion will giveaway products to the consumer that hits – or near – the date, time and exact minute when the cube has completely melted. Through infrared laser sensors, an alarm will be triggered when the ice thaws.

The promotion was made in partnership with the interactive agency Digital One in partnership with Dudinka.

Outdoor Advertising – Water Consumption in Brazil

Tim Lucas — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:59:54 +0000

Is this really the most effective means to promote responsible use of water?

Use water responsibly!

I may be being a touch sensitive given that as a result of severe floods here in the south of Brazil, i Iike many people was without water for some time – nothing in comparison to the thousands of people who have lost lives, property, loved ones etc – HOWEVER… I’m not sure that the timing of my discovering this outdoor advertisement on a bus shelter from a water company promoting more conscientious consumption of water is the only thing that left me dumbfounded. In case you can’t see from the photo the shell of the advert contains water itself in the bottom half. Not only the water but the electricity required to keep the water circulating within the plastic case of the poster seem to go against the theme of the message. It did get my attention though!

Green Marketing and Consumers in Brazil – 5

Tim Lucas — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:47:08 +0000

To mark the UN Environment Day, TWRAmericas undertook a series of discussion groups with Brazilians to look not only at the issues as they relate to consumers in Brazil but also broader issues of sustainable development and ethical consumerism. The groups approached a broad range of subjects including current behaviours and responses to a range of ‘green’ advertising and activities by brands. Their are a series of 5 video clips with the thoughts of the participants. Please feel free to add your own own comments or thoughts on the issues discussed.

In this third section of clips respondents discuss a range of green advertising and its influence on their behaviour as consumers.

Green Marketing and Consumers in Brazil – 4

Tim Lucas — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:44:45 +0000

In this third section of clips respondents discuss a number of Brazilian consumers and their green activities.

Green Marketing and Consumers in Brazil – 3

Tim Lucas — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:24:36 +0000

In this third section of clips respondents discuss a number of issues surrounding their own behaviour and what might influence this in the future along with some potential measures which governments might adopt to better assist consumers act in a more ecologically sympathetic manner.

Green Marketing and Consumers in Brazil 2

Tim Lucas — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:22:02 +0000

As the second set of clips show, Brazilians, or a certan sector of Brazilian society is well travelled and well informed and has customarily adapted experiences from other societies and cultures. Our groups included individuals with direct first hand experience of visiting other countries and shared their thoughts on how Brazil compares to the practices elsewhere… The clips can be viewed with annotatios by clicking here

Green Marketing and Consumers in Brazil 1

Tim Lucas — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:14:18 +0000

These first two clips are focused on experiences as they relate to the culture here in Brazil and the Brazilian consumer.

As is evident, there are a number of issues which give this global issue a local inflection: the broader issue of how citizens both see themselves as consumers and how they belive they are treated as consumers by brands and by government bodies. Education and the poor state of the public education system is a key problem that needs to be addressed in any attempts at modifying consumer behaviour. As respondents discussed there are certain practices, such as recycling that are nothing new in the Brazilian context, however they have in the past been driven by economic neccesity. As the country continues to grow economically one wonders how this will affect such behaviour and attitudes. Finally, there are other unique factors including the great imapct of social network communities such as Orkut, whch anyone wishing to understand the Brazilian experience should be aware of… The clips can be viewed with annotations by clicking here

Vegan market increasingly the target of Brazilian food industry

Tim Lucas — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:52:52 +0000

Having recently commented on the possible changing tastes on the Brazilian menu, more evidence this week form a report that places Brazil as the country with the second highest proportion of vegans in the world. Of the total population 28% are seeking to eat less meat and diary based products. Perhaps in reflection of such shifts in consumer behaviour, two of the nations biggest meat producers in the country (Perdigão and Sadia) have introduced new vegetarian product lines. Both companies have reportedly argued that this niche market is something they see as gaining prominence in years to come. Veganism is just one of a number of examples of communities which are increasingly being served via specialist websites and online communities such as Orkut. More to come on this subject… but if you have any thoughts on being a vegan in Brazil we’d love to know more.
thanks to JBOnline

Environment Day – Brazilians thoughts

Tim Lucas — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:47:08 +0000

In honour of the UN World Environment Day we decided to talk to some Brazilians about their thoughts on a range of issues surrounding sustainability, consumers, brands and governments. We also took along some examples of ‘green focused’ advertising and communications from around the world to test reactions. We are posting here a teaser of some of the initial discussions. More content to come as well as some of our own thoughts on how Brazilians relate to green communications and the role of brands in relation to environmental issues.