About Harbinger
Harbinger is the marketing consultancy and communications company focused on women. Our broad and deep understanding of women and our proprietary processes and tools ensure we deliver the best strategic approach and strongest possible marketing programs to meet client objectives.The XX Factor: Harbinger's consumer insights that help marketers connect with women.
With online advertising predicted to enjoy double-digit growth through 2015 (with spending hitting $50 billion), the future of traditional advertising might seem less than rosy. Forecasts, however, show that, while some forms of traditional advertising (i.e. newspaper) are losing out to online spending, television spending will hold its own and even make gains through 2015.
The Nielsen Women of Tomorrow: A Study of Women Around the World report found that, of all forms of media, women globally prefer to find out information on new products and services via television.
Harbinger's Women and Word-of-Mouth research has shown how product category and a woman's lifestage play into her propensity for getting and spreading the word on products and services. This edition of The XX Factor looks at their impact on the relevance of traditional advertising to women.
From Harbinger's Women and Word-of-Mouth study
Learn more about the research details from our news release.
Download definitions for Harbinger's six lifestages.
Topline analysis
- Overall about half (49%) of women say traditional advertising (newspapers/radio/TV) is important when researching information or opinions on products and services; it is most important to Career Graduates (59%) and least important to the Me to We lifestage (35%).
- While traditional advertising trails behind what may be perceived as less self-interested sources like web reviews and experts opinions, overall it is still considered more important than online advertising and opinions delivered in Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Blogs).
- Traditional advertising seems to be most relevant in product categories that demand a more detailed description of features and that are less personal in nature (i.e. Appliances, Home Furnishings, Home Electronics); it seems to be least relevant in product categories that are strongly tied to personal tastes or needs (i.e. Fashion Jewelry or Accessories, Baby Care Products, Financial Products and Services).
Where it ranks: overall importance of advertising vs. other sources when researching information/opinions
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Importance of advertising as a source when obtaining information and opinions about products and services (by lifestage)
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Relevance of advertising as a source when obtaining information and opinions about products and services (by product category)
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