The economic decline has affected most parts of the world, but some have been hit harder than others.  One region that seems to be holding its own is Asia Pacific (APAC).  Although consumer confidence in APAC has declined in recent months, those declines have generally not been as steep as in Europe or North America.  Eight of the twelve markets for which Nielsen tracks ad spending posted growth in 2008 over 2007.  That said, most of the markets were registering declines by the fourth quarter.
Main media, defined by Nielsen as …

The growth of affordable broadband service has sent more Australians to the Internet to listen to their favorite radio stations and, increasingly, to watch TV.  According to the annual Internet and Technology Report compiled by Nielsen Online, traditional radio consumption by Internet users declined by 1.1 hours in December 2008, while the total number of radio hours – broadcast and online – increased by nearly 2 hours amongst urban dwellers, thanks to faster connection speeds allowing more reliable streaming radio programs.  Overall online radio consumption increased to 4.9 hours in …

About 6.5 million Australians belong to an online social network, and more than two-thirds of Internet users looked at other people’s content on social networking sites during 2008 according to Nielsen Online’s latest consumer generated media report.  The most popular sites are Facebook – which showed 32 percent growth in 2008, MySpace, which recorded a 2 percent gain and Flickr, which grew by 14 percent.  Among those who blog, MySpace was the favored vehicle, with almost one-third of users preferring it over any other site.  Twitter penetration remains low – …

Australians are abandoning desktop PCs and flocking to laptops and other wireless devices, according to Nielsen Online’s Internet and Technology Report released today.  In the last year, household ownership of desktop computers declined 10 percent, while ownership of laptops jumped from 49 percent to 63.  Wireless LAN ownership increased more than 20 points in the last year and now stands at 53 percent.  Additionally, broadband subscriptions reached 97 percent, up from 84 percent in 2007.
“As Australians become increasingly less wired in the ways they access the Internet, a greater focus …

Surfing is big in Australia — but it’s not limited to the waves.  The online audience there continued to show steady growth in 2008, increasing 3.8 percent from 2007, according to Nielsen.  However, it is clear that the growth has started to slow as that country approaches saturation coverage.  Demographically, audience growth was strongest among those 65 years and older — almost 26 percent.  Females now outnumbered males in the online population (50.19 vs. 49.81) although the average male still uses the Internet more often and for a longer period …

Boosted by their country’s booming economy and armed with growing disposable incomes, Indians are increasingly venturing abroad for leisure and business travel. 
According to the Nielsen India Outbound Travel Monitor 2008, most international travelers from India are well-educated urbanites.  Countries in Asia — Singapore (24% of Indians), Dubai, Australia, and Malaysia (17% of Indians, respectively) — are the most popular destinations for India’s new travel elite. 
Overall, Asian destinations account for 72% of international leisure trips and 63% of business trips originating in India, Nielsen reported.  In comparison, travel to Europe accounts for just …

Over the next two years, Australians’ liquor preferences are expected to change dramatically – with a new “healthy for me, the planet, uncomplicated and authentic” drinks trend emerging, a Nielsen survey released Thursday found.
“Consumers are demanding more sparkling and Sauvignon Blanc wines, craft beers, and beverages claiming low carbon emissions,” Michael Walton, Executive Director Liquor Services, Pacific, Nielsen, noted. 
Nielsen’s survey also found that while Australian consumers are increasingly skeptical about traditional advertising, many are increasingly won over by word of mouth endorsements.
By 2010, retail sales in the Australian packaged liquor market are expected to increase …

Television viewing in the U.S. spiked by 17% during the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games in 1996, while TV viewing in Australia during the 2000 Sydney Summer Games jumped by 39%, according to a recent Nielsen report analyzing media trends from past Olympics.
Nielsen’s report also found that advertising spending in Olympic host countries grew significantly in both the U.S. and Greece in the years following the 1996 and 2004 Olympics. 
Only Australia saw declines in ad spending following the 2000 summer Games.  Those decreases can be attributed to general cutbacks in spending in the …

Australians feeling the economic pinch are increasingly going online to discuss soaring fuel prices, a recent Nielsen Online study found.  
The study noted that online conversations about fuel price increases shot up by 150% since March 2008, when oil prices hit a record $110 per barrel.  Fuel discussions in online forums continued at high levels throughout the spring, peaking in May and June.
Nielsen found that 13% of those discussing fuel online say they have converted or are considering converting their car’s gasoline engine into a Liquiefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) engine as …