Asking the iPad User

During spring 2011, Publisher Axel Springer AG and market research agency Interrogare GmbH launched an iPad Panel dedicated to collect answers on editorial and advertising questions. Participants were (still are) recruited from the digital portfolio of Axel Springer. (More methodological information here)

Panelists must download a panel app to take part in (different) surveys. The 1.000 active respondents are regularly informed by the panel app via push-notification. One year after the launch, Anja Manouchehri, Market Research Specialist @ Axel Springer, has summarized the main benefits of a dedicated Panel App at the last FIPP Research Forum:

- survey on the iPad without media discontinuity for the panelists
- helps to establish an other kind of connection with the panelists
- leads to high response-rates (approx. 60-80%)
- 80% of the interviews are conducted within the first 3 days of field time

Impressive! But what about the survey results?

One out of two respondents carry their iPad (almost) everywhere. The tablet is  indispensable for 78% of the interviewees. 52% claimed that since they have the iPad, the overall consumption of printed media brands (as an app or printed) is higher than before. Even more interesting: 68% have read some newspapers or magazines - within an app - that they have never read before.

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The tablet is also used while watching TV: 52% of the panelists often use their device during TV-advertising and 41% during TV-programs. Tablet users pay more attention to their gadget - even while watching a TV-program. A threat for TV-producers? Definitely, they have to transform this into an opportunity:

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What's next? The Publisher has long-lasting plans with the iPad-Panel Media Impact:

- interviews will be enriched with technical measurements in apps
- the panel will be extended to Android users
- additional methods will be tested

It was interesting to have European research to 'confirm' findings from the US, for once. More findings and information {pdf}