Consumers Worldwire See Advertising as Key to Economic Growth: Nielsen-WFA Report

LONDON - Seven in ten consumers globally agree that advertising contributes to economic growth, while eight in ten agree that advertising helps create jobs, according to a survey of 25,420 consumers in 50 countries conducted by The Nielsen Company for the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) in April 2009.

Additionally, 68 percent feel that, as a critical driver of competition between companies, advertising leads to better products and lower prices. Consumers’ views on the economic benefits of advertising are broadly consistent across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

However, compared to the global average, UK consumers are less enthusiastic about these benefits with 61 percent agreeing advertising contributes to economic growth, 71 percent agreeing it helps create jobs and 64 percent feeling it leads to better products and lower prices.

The survey also shows a clear majority of consumers globally (81 percent) across all markets understand the importance of advertising and sponsorship as a critical source of funding for exhibitions, cultural and sporting events, compared to their less convinced counterparts in the UK (68 percent). However, UK consumers are more convinced about advertising being a critical source of funding for the media (71 percent) than consumers globally (67 percent average).

The survey also revealed some interesting discrepancies between the attitudes of consumers across regions about advertising as a source of information.

Said Jonathan Carson, President of Online, International for The Nielsen Company: “European consumers appear to be more sceptical, with only half agreeing that advertising helps them make better choices. Consumers in the rest of the world are much more enthusiastic: four out of five Latin Americans, three quarters of consumers in Asia-Pacific and seven in ten in North America agree. This compares to 65 percent in the UK”.

When asked whether advertising is entertaining, 79 percent in Latin America, 76 percent in Asia-Pacific and 59 percent in North America agreed. In contrast, almost half of European consumers disagreed as did 37 percent of UK consumers.

WFA has partnered with The Nielsen Company in order to gauge consumer attitudes to advertising as part of a broader campaign to champion advertising at a time when policy makers worldwide are considering introducing new restrictions. For more information see www.valueofadvertising.org.

Stephan Loerke, WFA Managing Director, says: “Advertising is a powerful economic stimulus, and consumers are clearly aware of this. But, we still have more work to do so that governments, too, understand the important role it plays and take this into account when formulating policy.”

A copy of the full Nielsen Report covering consumers’ trust in advertising, how they see the benefits of advertising as well as comparing the effect on consumers of TV and online video advertising can be viewed here [blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/globaltrustinadvertising0709.pdf].

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About The Nielsen Company

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com

About the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)

WFA is the voice of advertisers worldwide representing 90 percent of global marketing communications expenditures through a unique, global network: 57 national advertiser associations on five continents as well as direct multi-national corporate members. Through the network, WFA represents more than 10,000 businesses operating in a broad spectrum of sectors at national, regional and global levels. WFA has a dual mission: to champion responsible commercial communications and to facilitate a media environment which stimulates maximum effectiveness of ad spend. More at www.wfanet.org

The Nielsen Company www.nielsen.com Contacts: Nielsen: Alex Burmaster (Europe): alex.burmaster@nielsen.com +44(0)-20-7014-0597 Lisa Lee (Asia Pacific): lisa.lee@nielsen.com +61(0)-404-856-072 WFA: Malte Lohan: m.lohan@wfanet.org +32-(0)-2-502-57-40

Source: Nielsen Online

Contacts: Nielsen: Alex Burmaster (Europe): alex.burmaster at nielsen.com, +44(0)-20-7014-0597; Lisa Lee (Asia Pacific): lisa.lee at nielsen.com, +61(0)-404-856-072; WFA: Malte Lohan: m.lohan at wfanet.org, +32-(0)-2-502-57-40