Nielsen and Netratings recently facilitated a workshop at ad:tech Tokyo with leading industry players to better understand how companies are responding to these changing dynamics in the mobile ecosystem. In particular, the workshop sought to shed light on how companies are engaging with consumers and their views on the potential of these devices in the future. Led by Yoshiya Nakamura, Senior Analyst at Netratings, the panel included Jun Wakabayashi of Suntory Holdings (one of Japan’s leading beverage companies), Ryosuke Takahashi of Yahoo! JAPAN and Mire Tanaka, Head of Nielsen’s Telecom Practice Group in Japan. Three key themes emerged from their discussion:

Be relevant to smartphone users: Companies need to develop apps that can satisfy a need-state of consumers while promoting its business at the same time. While games are among some of the most popular apps on smartphones, they may not be the most appropriate vehicle for a company. Mr. Wakabayashi described how Suntory’s first foray into the app world was via a game. While it was a popular download, it did not lend itself to being used on an ongoing basis. Suntory’s second entry into the app market was BAR-NAVI, an iPhone/Android app that enables users to find bars, lounges and nightclubs that are located in close proximity to users, along with information such as maps, contact information, ratings, ambiance and operating hours. BAR-NAVI is a natural complement to Suntory’s business, and it is no surprise that the app has become quite popular as it appeals to users’ lifestyles and needs as well.

Yahoo! JAPAN is already one of the most popular “start-up” pages on PCs and feature phones, so it is only natural that the company would seek to encourage smartphone users to select the portal as their home page on these devices. The company is also in the process of adapting its mobile portal for optimal performance on smartphones.

Nielsen’s research in the U.S. revealed that once consumers download a company’s app, they tend to continue to engage with it in a few important ways. The most popular activity was to apply for a reward program (43%) while locating shops/outlets followed closely behind (41%). As telecom usage trends in Japan tend to follow those in the U.S., apps abetting consumers’ buying processes are likely to be popular in Japan as well.

Measurement is key but getting the right metrics is vital: Although companies have been using apps and online advertisements to reach out to consumers for some time, measuring the effectiveness of these media remains in its infancy stage. Suntory, for example, currently measures the number of unique users and page views, but not other user information that would enable it to better target consumers. Yahoo! gathers more expansive data, but when it comes to apps, they indicated that key measures would be unique users, time spent and frequency of use.

Nielsen has already begun installing measurement meters on mobile devices in the U.S. and Europe which enable the collection of a range of data such as when calls and texts are made and when and how apps are downloaded. This method provides a more accurate set of information on how consumers use their mobile devices, compared to a survey. Likewise, on-device meters would provide a stronger measurement of consumer behavior in Japan.

Multi-screens are the future: While Japanese consumers may just now be embracing the smartphone in a bigger way, they are also buying tablets and using them to browse the Internet, download apps, play games, watch videos and send email, among other activities.  Nielsen believes that many trends (consumers’ usage of mobile devices) seen in the U.S. will also be observed in Japan in the near future, such as simultaneous use of media/internet-enabled devices. For example, in the U.S., Nielsen found that 40 percent of smartphone and tablet owners use these devices while watching TV at the same time. Consumers’ appetite for content is growing, and they will increasingly use “up-and-coming” devices like tablets to satisfy this need, anytime, anywhere.

“As Japanese consumers continue to embrace mobile media, opportunities abound for companies to get closer to their consumers via this channel.  The experiences of companies such as Suntory and Yahoo! JAPAN demonstrate the need to know consumers better than ever before and create meaningful and fun ways to connect with them on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. While both companies have successfully found ways to engage their consumers, an enhanced set of measurement tools and metrics will enable any company to leverage the mobile platform even more effectively to grow their market share in the future,” said  Nakamura.

Nuclear power continues to be a controversial topic in Italy, but the latest news in Japan is fueling a growing online debate. Nielsen analyzed online discussions around sources of energy and, in particular around nuclear power before and after March 11, the day of the Japan earthquake.

In the first three months of the year through March 10, online messages about power sources averaged 800 posts per day. On March 11, conversations on nuclear energy spiked 500 percent and kept growing in the following days reaching a peak of 4,000 discussions on March 15 (+2,200 percent versus March 10)

After the tsunami hit Japan, 61 percent of discussions on all energy sources concentrated on nuclear power. Despite the upcoming referendum, prior to March 10, nuclear power represented only 18 percent of messages.

The earthquake and Fukushima emergency unleashed an impressive online debate between those who are in favor and those who are against nuclear power. But even with the increased volume of messages, the pro/con ratio did not change between the two parties: the number of messages with a positive attitude towards nuclear power still represented just one-quarter of those who are against it even though the number of neutral parties was reduced 13 percentage points post-tsunami.

Post tsunami, online discussion for Italians shifted from ecological and economic concerns and concentrated more on the safety of nuclear power and the risks connected with radioactivity leaks. The direct effect of Fukushima raised Italians’ fears on the two most pressing topics: Is nuclear power safe? What are the risks?

Asia Pacific

The Value-Conscious Consumer Rises in Asia
CNBC Asia Squawk Box interviewed Karthik Rao, Managing Director, Custom Research, The Nielsen Company to discuss spending intentions, concerns about inflation and the state of the economy in Asia. [Watch the Video]

Confident but Cautious: Asia Pacific Consumers Spend, But Seek Value
Consumer confidence in the Asia Pacific region gained six points year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2010 to an index level of 97. With this jump, Asia Pacific became the second-most confident region in the world at the end of 2010, just behind Latin America. [read more about Asia Pacific Consumer Confidence]

Aussie Consumer Confidence Stumbles
In a reversal of fortune to the previous quarter, Aussie confidence ended 2010 with a slight drop as consumers looked to curb expenditure in the wake of rising utility and food costs. [download Australia's Consumer Confidence release]

Chinese Consumers’ Reluctance to Spend Weakens Confidence
China’s consumer confidence index fell four points to 100 at the end of 2010. Rural consumers’ confidence remained relativity stable while urban consumers’ confidence experienced a pull back. The primary driver behind this decline: inflation in consumer prices, particularly food. This, in turn, has led to a decrease in consumers’ willingness to spend money. The high price of homes and rising interest rates has also impacted spending.
[download China's Consumer Confidence release]

India Retains Top Spot on Global Consumer Confidence Index, but Inflation Affects Discretionary Spend for Some Categories
India has topped the consumer confidence survey in all four quarters of 2010 and has also seen a steady rise in index points. This is a good sign for India as this means that the economy is fast moving out of the slowdown. But global economic conditions have made Indians wary about the future and they are exercising some restraint in their spending habits. [download India's Consumer Confidence release]

92% of Japanese Say Job Prospects Are Not Good
Japan’s consumer confidence index of 54 ranked in the bottom four of 52 countries measured. A sense of stagnation is due to the economic recession and continued job insecurity, which remains regardless of the recent change in government. [download Japan's Consumer Confidence release - in Japanese]

Consumer Confidence in Malaysia Hits Four-Year High in Forth Quarter 2010
Malaysia ranked ninth globally in consumer confidence as consumers feel more positive about local job prospects and the state of their personal finances. Consumer confidence in Malaysia rose four points in December 2010 to 107, reaching its highest level since the third quarter of 2006. [download Malaysia's Consumer Confidence release]

Singapore Ranks Among Top 10 Most Confident Countries in the World
Singapore wrapped up 2010 on a positive note, posting a consumer confidence index of 109 in Q4 2010. The results reflected a 9-point jump year-on-year, as confidence in the country was boosted by strong economic growth, buoyant stock and property markets as well as a strong Singapore dollar. At 109 points, Singapore is the seventh most confident country our of 53 measured after India (131), Philippines (120), Norway (119), Indonesia (116), Australia (112), and Switzerland (110). [download Singapore's Consumer Confidence release]

Taiwanese Consumer Confidence Drops Slightly
While Taiwan’s consumer confidence dropped two points from 88 to 86 in fourth quarter 2010, the percentage of Taiwanese respondents believing that Taiwan is in an economic recession decreased from 59 percent to 51 percent. The drop is due to consumer’s pessimistic attitude about personal finance prospects and purchasing intentions.

Thai Consumer Confidence Rose 10 Points in Second Half of 2010
Thailand finished the year with a consumer confidence index of 102, which remained relatively high compared to the first half of the year. The second half of 2010 saw a strong rebound in consumer confidence in Thailand, underscoring the country’s resilience. Over the years Thai consumers have consistently demonstrated a great ability to bounce back from political challenges and serious threats from natural disasters. [download Singapore's Consumer Confidence release]

Europe

Consumer Confidence in Austria Continues to Rise
After rising nine points in the third quarter 2010, Austria’s consumer confidence index increases another two points to reach 96 – an historic high. Austrians showed improved job prospects, personal finances and readiness to spend. [download Austria's Consumer Confidence release - in German]

German Consumer Confidence Remains at a High Level
After hitting a high point in the third quarter 2010, German consumer confidence dipped four points in fourth quarter to an index of 83. However, it is at a high level in comparison to the European regional index of 79. [download Germany's Consumer Confidence release - in German]

More Than One in Four Great Britain Shoppers Have No Spare Cash – A New High
As pressures on personal budgets mount, the proportion of people saying they ‘have no spare cash’ was six percentage points higher at the end of 2010 than it had been a year earlier and the highest since the survey began in 2005. [download Great Britain's Consumer Confidence release]

Greece’s Consumer Confidence Falls to Historic Lows
Greece’s consumer confidence marked one of the bigger declines, leading to the country’s lowest historical drop. The index plunged nine points to a score of 48. Only Portugal and Croatia were lower, with an index of 45. One of the most concerning findings from the survey is that the overwhelming majority of Greeks (83%) do not think the country will emerge from the recession in 2011. [download Greece's Consumer Confidence release - in Greek]

Ireland’s Consumer Confidence Slips Once Again in Fourth Quarter 2010
Consumer confidence in Ireland fell in Q4 2010 following four consecutive quarters of growth and stabilization. While consumer confidence levels remained unchanged in Q3, the latest results do not bode well, showing that Irish consumers still maintain a level of gloominess. [download Ireland's Consumer Confidence release]

Scandinavian Consumers Are the Most Confident in Europe
The Scandinavian countries continue to top the European rankings for the most positive nations regarding their personal finances and their willingness to spend. The situation is different in Scandinavia, with Norway as the most optimistic country in Europe in regards to job prospects, personal finances and their ability to buy the things they want and need. Sweden and Denmark are close behind, even though consumer confidence declined in Denmark, driven by increased concern about job prospects. Consumers in Finland are far less optimistic. [download the Scandinavian Consumer Confidence release]

Spainish Unemployment and Job Security Are Main Concerns
Unemployment and job security continue to be main concerns for Spanish consumers and these factors greatly influence consumption. The crisis continues to force Spanish consumers to change consumption habits, something they have already been doing for months. Saving measures, such as reducing use of utilities and consolidating shopping trips will continue even when the economy improves. [download Spain's Consumer Confidence release - in Spanish]

Russian Consumer Confidence Recoils to Second Quarter Levels
Russian consumer confidence dropped two points in fourth quarter to an index of 88. Since the beginning of recession the index never rose higher than 90 points and fluctuated in the range of 86-90 points. Consumers in Russia have retained confidence in the job market and many believe in the stability of their personal financial situation. But with growing grocery and utilities prices, they now find themselves with less disposable income. [download Russia's Consumer Confidence release]

Switzerland’s Consumer Confidence Hits Historic High
Switzerland’s consumer confidence index of 110 rises 10 points from the previous quarter reaching an historic high. Switzerland’s results show a constant upward trend throughout 2010. Within one year, the index rose 25 points, which is not only the highest value in the past five years, but also the second highest in Europe. Only Norway’s confidence is higher in Europe. Worldwide, Switzerland ranks sixth. [download Switzerland's Consumer Confidence release - in German]

Latin America

Latin America is the Most Optimistic Region in the World
Latin America continued to show a consistent and strong performance at the end of 2010. Brazil finished the year with a consumer confidence index of 108 points, leading the growth in the region and occupying eighth place consumer confidence world-wide growth. The growing confidence of the Brazilian consumer is a reflection of several factors, among them is the positive performance of the Brazilian economy. Colombia and Argentina also finished the year strong with high index scores. In Mexico, a consumer confidence level of 86 points was the lowest in the region. [download Latin America's Consumer Confidence release - in Spanish]

Middle East / Africa

Consumer Confidence in South Africa Dipped 3 Points in Fourth Quarter 2010
While positive sentiment in South Africa drove confidence levels up in second and third quarter 2010, consumer confidence declined three index points to 84 in fourth quarter.  There simply hasn’t been enough consistent and positive news to sustain the euphoria consumers felt during the World Cup. The reversal of global consumer confidence in the fourth quarter highlighted the fragility and uncertainty of the global economy at the time, and above all, the divergence in pace of recovery among international markets and regions. [download South Africa's Consumer Confidence release]

United Arab Emirates Ranks in the Top 15 of Most Confident Countries
Consumer confidence in the UAE dropped four points from the third quarter of 2010 to 97 points in the fourth quarter of 2010, placing it in the top 15 of 52 countries measured.  UAE’s ranking fell out of the top ten most optimistic nations after being in top 10 consecutively for the last three quarters of 2010. The drop can be attributed to 14 countries ending the year with a consumer confidence index of 100 points or greater as compared to 11 countries who hit the 100+ index mark one year ago. UAE consumer sentiments have remained the same throughout 2010. [download UAE's Consumer Confidence release]

North America

Canadian Consumer Confidence Declines and Returns to Early 2010 Levels
More than half of Canadians still feel the country is in a recession and nearly one-third report they have no spare cash. While Canadian consumer confidence continues to decline, falling two index points to 99, Canada still ranks higher than many nations around the globe, including the United States. Canada’s highest Index score of 114 was recorded in 2006. [download Canada's Consumer Confidence release]

U.S. Consumer Confidence is Just One Index Point Away From its Lowest Level on Record
Forty-five percent of North Americans still expect the recession to last for another year, compared with 39 percent of Europeans and 19 percent of Asia Pacific consumers. The U.S. jobless rate remains at the heart of the issue for Americans. While the jobless rate dipped a meager 0.3 points in December to 9.4 percent – its lowest level in 19 months – it has topped nine percent for 20 months straight, which is the longest streak on record.

• Download the Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index

While my 10 years of online marketing experience in the U.S. gives me an appreciation of several key industry trends, I am still a newcomer to Japan’s media and marketing world. But I have observed several significant differences between Japan and the rest of the world when it comes to online media adoption:

• Online advances/innovations appear to be somewhat stalled in Japan, which is one of the most advanced tech-savvy global economies;
• Social Media is galloping ahead elsewhere in the world, but Japanese marketers appear to view it with skepticism and caution;
• While Japan’s mobile market is uniquely advanced in many ways, smartphones such as iPhone, Android and Blackberry are struggling to gain share; and
• Elsewhere in the world online access has transformed the political process (witness 2008 US presidential election and coverage of Iran unrest). But Japan politicians continue to impose restrictions on online activity surrounding elections.

Japan does share one important thing with just about every other country: given how consumers around the world are spending more and more time online, everyone is wondering why it is taking so much time for companies to allocate more of their marketing budgets to this channel. Old habits die hard, of course, and given how important TV advertising has been to all major marketers for sometime, especially in Japan, dramatically shifting established media spending practices to online – or any other new medium for that matter – is not easy.

It does seem, however, that online’s successes in Japan have passed a point of no return, and marketers in all industries understand that their practices must change if they want to communicate effectively with their customers. The Japanese people have a genuine appreciation for the power of brands, and it is clear that online exposure contributes positively to brand awareness, impact and purchase.

I believe that 2010 will prove to be a tipping point for the online industry in Japan. The industry will break through the shackles imposed by the recent recession and will see stronger growth later this year, with solid double-digit growth in 2011, coupled with a breakthrough in smartphone penetration and increasing adoption of social media.

To read more about the fast-changing online environment in Japan, and read opinions from some of the most respected online researchers in Japan today,  download our report “Online Media in Japan Today.”

• Download the Asia Pacific Social Media Trends webinar and related materials.

The survey found that three of the seven biggest global online brands are social media sites – Facebook, Wikipedia and YouTube. Close to three quarters of the world’s Internet population (74%) have now visited a social networking/blogging site, and Internet users are spending an average of almost six hours per month on social media sites.

Social media is having an increasing impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions – in Asia Pacific, online product reviews are the third most trusted source of information when making purchase decisions, behind family and friends. This is particularly so for purchases of consumer electronics, cosmetics and cars – products where consumers are most likely to base their purchase decisions on online product reviews. But not ever country shares the same way.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

Blogging… it’s Big in Japan

• Japanese Internet users are the most avid bloggers globally, posting more than one million blogs per month, significantly more than any other country in the region.
• Japan’s adoption of Twitter continues to grow, with unique visitor numbers increasing in the last year from less than 200,000 to more than 10 million.
• Sixteen percent of Japanese Internet users now use Twitter, which compares to 10 percent in the U.S.

Grass roots celebrities attract China’s social networkers

• Bulletin board systems underpin popular social media behavior in China – more than 80 percent of social media content is bulletin board systems.
• Social media games are used as a stimuli to drive new users and gain reach with existing users, while content sharing behaviors are more popular among the more experienced users. Virtual product placement within social networking site games is becoming one of the most profitable methods of revenue for social networking sites.
• ‘Grass roots’ celebrity tracking dominates online conversations in China, with social media celebrities such as Sister Phoenix and Mr. Yuan outperforming real life celebrities in popularity.
• Chinese Internet users are the most likely in Asia Pacific to post a negative online product review, and are the only consumers in the region more likely to share negative reviews than positive reviews – 62% of Chinese Internet users say they are more likely to share a negative review compared to 41 percent globally.

Facebook threatens Orkut’s share in India

• Although 70 percent of social media users in India identify Orkut as their preferred social media site, Facebook is gaining market share with 50 percent of social media users claiming to use Facebook most often, compared to 38 percent for Orkut, with the most common reasons for switching include friends moving sites, preferring the look and feel of the site, and offering more features.
• Twitter has enjoyed exponential growth in popularity in India, with more than half of Twitter users (57%) having signed up in the past year. Close to one third of India’s social media users (32%) use microblogging sites such as Twitter at least once a day.
• Online product reviews are increasing their influence on purchases in India, particularly for consumer electronics – 55 percent of Indians that read online product reviews have purchased products based on feedback. Consumer durables/electronics are the most common products purchased based on reviews (64% of purchases).

Koreans a-buzz about social media

• By population, Korea is one of the most social media engaged countries in the world, with the country’s leading social media site, Naver, attracting 95 percent of the Korean Internet population every month.
• While penetration of social media amongst Korea’s Internet population is already strong, it continues to grow (Twitter alone saw 1900% growth in the year to May 2009) with much of this growth coming off the back of Korea’s June election and the adoption of mobile social networking.

Australians flock to online forums

• Australia leads the world in social media engagement, with the highest global average for time spent per month engaging with social media, averaging over seven hours per month
• In contrast to many countries, Australians look to communities of interest such as parenting or sports sites as a key channel for social media discussion – 62 percent of Australian Internet users visited a message board or forum in 2009.
• LinkedIn has seen one of the fastest growth trends amongst social media sites in Australia, with unique audience numbers increasing by 99 percent from July 2009 to May 2010

“The findings highlight, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that social media is here to stay and needs to be taken seriously by the broader business community, from the CMO to the CEO,” notes Megan Clarken, Managing Director of Nielsen’s online business in Asia Pacific. “With three quarters of the global Internet population now participating in some form of social media, businesses can no longer afford to simply observe the social media phenomenon, they need to embrace it.”

Overall, the active unique audience to social networks grew nearly 30%, from 244.2M to 314.5M in the last year. In the U.S., the average active unique audience grew to 149.M from 115M in February 2009.

Across the 10 countries measured, Facebook drew the largest active unique audience globally and claimed nearly three times the sessions per user of MySpace, the next closest network. Facebook users also spent more time per session, logging nearly six hours per user across the globe.

“In the previous Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence survey conducted in March, we were seeing the first signs that as far as the world’s consumers were concerned, the recession had bottomed out. Three months later, they’re starting to embrace the idea of recovery – which is a major turning point,” said Jonathan Banks, Business Insights Director, The Nielsen Company.

In Nielsen’s latest survey, which polled 14,029 online consumers in 28 countries late in June, 71 percent of respondents thought their country was in recession – a positive reduction of six points from a high of 77 percent when the survey ran in March 2009.

“The BRIC and Asian markets have recorded the greatest jumps in Consumer Confidence Indices in the past three months,” noted Banks. “Consumer confidence in India jumped 13 Index points, and climbed 9 points in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Indonesia. Consumer confidence rose 8 Index points in Taiwan and Brazil, and 7 points in Singapore, Turkey, Russia, Philippines and the UK. The only exceptions to this upswing were in the USA and New Zealand, which held flat in the second quarter, with Germany the only country to register a decline of one Index point,” said Banks.

Even in the market registering a small decline – Germany – there are encouraging signs that a recovery is imminent. According to the Nielsen survey, nearly one in three Germans (29%) said the recession would be over in the next 12 months, compared to only 22 percent three months ago. One in three Germans also thought “now is a good time to buy the things they want”, indicating a renewed willingness to spend on discretionary items. Thirty-eight percent described their personal finances as “good” for the next year.

“This is one of the strongest indicators of a global consensus among consumers that the worst is over, and that finally, there is light at the end of this long tunnel. And consumers in emerging and Asian markets are clearly of the view that they are driving in the recovery lane now,” added Banks.
The latest Nielsen Confidence numbers are a welcome return to positive, confident territory for consumers in the developed Asian markets of South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, who have been battling economic inertia and political instability for several quarters.

“Asian consumer confidence appears to have been boosted through successful government economic stimulus packages that were speedily and effectively implemented at the onset of the global recession,” noted Banks. In the world’s second largest economy, the Japanese government implemented tax breaks, introduced cash deductions and subsidies on new car purchases, as well as providing cash payment and premium gift coupon schemes to stimulate spending.

“As well as expanding credit terms to small and medium sized businesses, in Japan there are even incentives to purchase eco-friendly household appliances as part of the government’s new environmental policy, and national toll prices for motorways have been discounted to encourage domestic tourism,” observed Banks.

Stock market gains in the BRIC and Asian markets have also had a major impact on consumer confidence,” said Banks. More than any other region, stock markets in Asia have rallied and property prices are starting to regain their pre-recession values. Russia’s stock market is up 60 percent from the start of the year and Taiwan is up over 50 percent. Brazil and Singapore’s stock markets have gained around 40 percent in the past six months and the South Korea and Hong Kong stock markets are up over 30 percent. With stock market gains so intrinsically linked to consumer confidence in Asian markets, it’s no surprise that Asian consumers are most confident about a receding recession, led by Hong Kong (-14 pts), Taiwan (-13 pts), Singapore and Japan (-12 pts), India and China (-10 pts).

“Positive economic news and growing consumer optimism in the past few months have definitely led consumers in these markets to believe that economic recovery will come sooner rather than later,” said Banks. According to the Nielsen survey conducted in March this year, 28 percent of Singaporeans said they expected their recession to end within 12 months – last month this number rose to 39 percent. UAE consumers also share this sentiment. In March, 32 percent of UAE consumers thought the recession would be over within a year but in June 43 percent said they expected the recession to be over before the middle of 2010.

Latest Nielsen data also shows that consumer confidence in the UK – a country that has suffered one of the most dramatic downturns in consumer confidence in the last year – is on the rebound, climbing 7 Index points in the second quarter. “UK consumers are getting the hang of consuming less. People with jobs – still the overwhelming majority – now have more disposable income as they reduce spending on big-ticket items like cars and holidays. With mortgage interest rates at their lowest levels, savings rates are increasing quickly and this has increased financial confidence,” said Banks.
“Consumers know that recovery won’t happen overnight but there has certainly been more good news than bad in the past few months,” noted Banks.

The decline in constant bad economic news in the media has directly impacted on the topics consumers are talking and blogging about. According to Nielsen Buzzmetrics, Nielsen’s service for measuring online conversations, the number of online discussions, or” buzz”, in the UK mentioning the word “recession” dropped around 60 percent between late March and late June this year. “People’s obsession with the recession has switched to how to live and spend more moderately in a new economic era,” said Banks.

Italian consumers have also become more optimistic, showing a strong gain of 7 Index points – their highest Nielsen Consumer Confidence Index since the second half of 2007. “Our survey supports recent Italian government figures which indicate that consumer confidence is returning to the Italian economy. In the last three months, Italian consumers’ concern for job security and the economy fell by 4 percentage points respectively, while average supermarket prices fell 0.2 percent in June 2009, indicating that consumers are less concerned about rising food bills than they were two years ago,” said Banks. The rise in consumer confidence in Italy has also been positively impacted by the government’s stimulus policies and the significant decline of negative economic coverage in the media. Online discussions mentioning the word “recession” have decreased by 35 percent this year according to Nielsen.

Globally, job security and the economy remained consumers’ top two concerns in life but even the level of these concerns has abated in the last three months and recorded declines of two and four index points respectively.

Job security did not, somewhat surprisingly, affect an individual’s happiness as much as expected: of the almost 36 percent who said they felt anxiety about the possibility of being laid off, 61 percent still described themselves as “happy,” while 76 percent of those who felt stable in their jobs were happy.  Business people also took some degree of satisfaction from working overtime, as those working between 70 and 99 hours of OT a month showed the greatest happiness, while those who worked no overtime were the least happy.  Finally, drinking with one’s colleagues also appears to boost happiness.  Respondents who drank with a superior, associates and subordinates several times a month were the happiest, while those who never socialized with one’s officemates were the least happy.

The Happiness Survey was designed to better understand what factors contribute to the business person’s sense of happiness in and was published in the April 3, 2009 edition of Aera Style Magazine, which was launched last November as a male fashion supplement to AERA, a weekly news magazine.

Japanese readers can view the entire article in the current issue of Aera Style magazine.

The primary benefit of taking vitamins and supplements, according to more than 60 percent of those surveyed, was to boost the immune system, a response most common in Asia.  In the U.S., 62 percent of respondents said they took vitamins and supplements to ensure a balanced diet, a response only matched by Japan with 60 percent.

Regions where vitamin and supplement usage was lowest was Europe (30%) and Latin America (28%), with France and Spain bringing up the bottom with only 17 percent and 13 percent of consumers saying that they take vitamins and supplements. The primary reason for not taking vitamins was that their diets were already balanced and saw no need to take them. Interestingly, consumers in Poland, Russia and the Baltic states felt that “it is too difficult to understand which product to use,” suggesting an opportunity for marketers to refine their message in these markets.