BIGresearch Releases SIMM VII; Word of Mouth Most Influential,
 Other Media Vary by Demos and Product Categories

COLUMBUS, OH -- (MARKET WIRE) – 12/20/2005 -- Marketers' quest for greater ROI has seen the emergence of the "BIG Idea" as a way to "break through" the clutter, but new information from BIGresearch's just released Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM VII) shows the influence of media on purchase decisions may be even more important for increasing advertising effectiveness.

Over 15,000 respondents answered detailed questions on the influence of various media in making a purchase and the results show more dissimilarities than similarities across demographic and ethnic groups. The issue of influence becomes even more complicated when a product category is added to the equation.

                             The Top 10 Influential Media

 

Overall                                                              Electronic Purchases

All Ages                                                            All Ages

1. Word of Mouth                                               1. Word of Mouth

2. TV                                                                2. Read Article

3. Coupons                                                        3. TV

4. Newspaper Inserts                                          4. Newspaper Inserts

5. Read Article                                                   5. Magazines

6. Direct Mail                                                     6. Internet         

7. Magazines                                                     7. In-store Promotion

8. In-store Promotion                                          8. Email Advertising

9. Cable TV                                                       9. Cable TV

10. Internet Advertising                                       10. Newspaper

 

The age of respondents also impacts the influence media will have on purchase products. For example, for electronics purchases:

 

The Top 10 Influential Media for Electronic Purchases

18-24 Year Olds

1. Word of Mouth

2. TV
3. Magazine

4. Internet

5. Read Article

6. In-store Promotion

7. Cable TV

8. Coupons.

9. Email Advertising
10. Direct Mail

"Word of mouth is not easily traceable to one or even two sources, however we can group influential media on purchase decision by merchandise category and other factors," said Joe Pilotta, VP of Research, BIGresearch.

"In a customer centric media plan, the influence of media to make a purchase becomes a key component to determining the allocations to the various options, as marketers refine their focus on consumers, media planning will require more insights on how consumers behave and less on gross audience estimates," said Pilotta.

To comment on this release visit the BIGresearch blog: http://whencustomerstalk.blogspot.com

About BIGresearch

BIGresearch is a market intelligence firm providing analysis of consumer behavior in areas of retail, financial services, automotive, and media. The syndicated Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM) monitors more than 15,000 consumers twice each year to identify opportunities in a fragmented and changing marketplace including the media.

BIGresearch’s methodology provides the most accurate consumer information in the industry with a margin of error of +/- 1 percent. Complimentary findings are available at www.bigresearch.com.

Contact:
Phil Rist
BIGresearch
Corporate Hill, Suite 205
100 Old Wilson Bridge Road
Worthington, Ohio 43085
(614) 846-0146
phil@bigresearch.com