Mobile, Dear Companion of Print

About ten days ago, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released an in-depth research report (link to pdf) that reveals how receptiveness to advertising and media consumption varies by device, time of day, location and gender. Even if the results are US-based, I still think it's interesting to 'travel' outside Europe to look in which way 'older' (or younger!) mobile market are evolving.

Key roles

'Smartphones are mission-critical devices for life' while 'tablets are media consumptions hubs'.  70% of the smartphones users surveyed won't leave home without their phone. Tablet users insist on the 'entertainment' function of their gadget. Both types of devices are affecting 'traditional' media consumption. And that is a good news... and a bad news for the 'dinosaurs' in the industry (irony). 

Media companies must face one truth: two audiences are emerging – one that drives traditional media through mobile; another that detracts. This phenomenon goes beyond print with 24% of tablet users watching less traditional TV due to tablet based viewing. This is especially true for women. About one-quarter of smartphone users report that their device is changing their consumption of both print AND TV. 

Print Companion 

Many specialists tend to focus on the use of tablets and/or smartphones when watching TV, the so-called 'second-screen'. In this survey, the researchers were also curious about the use of mobile devices during the consumption of printed content (magazines and newspapers). 

Tablet users seem to multitask more with their devices when reading magazines or newspapers. Some 81% of the concerned respondents have indicated that their tablet is a companion of the 'Print Reading activity' (vs 48% for use of smartphone). Some 73% browses the internet and 63% is doing some shopping.

Click on pic for better view

Respondents who use their smartphone during the 'print reading activity' tend to browse the internet as primary multitasking activity (73%). Access social media ranks third (53% vs 65% for the use of tablets) and shopping fourth (63%).

So, take a look at the opportunities. Keep adding (smart) features in printed ads in order to access these devices more smoothly. Strategic print planners, it does make sense to repeat to advertisers and agencies to add this product/company URL in your print ad. Take all the advantages print can give you. But please be subtil and clear with
-sometimes ugly but sometimes useful-  QR-codes. 

5 Belgian Tweetable Truths about Smartphones & Tablets: Part 3

Third and last part of my 5 Tweetable Truths about the adoption of mobile devices in my little country. Still based on what I've heard at the last Media Session organized by the GRP (see previous posts). This chapter focuses on the difference between Belgian men and women. With some extra data -like socio-demographics and purchase intentions - in some slides. Up to you to be creative with these pieces of extra information. Feel free to steal this presentation from Slideshare and to spread the knowledge :-)

5 tweetable findings tablets and smartphones in Belgium: part 3

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5 Belgian Tweetable Truths about Smartphones & Tablets: Part 2

Five new tweetable truths about mobile devices in Belgium. The presentation below also summarizes notes I took at the last Media Session organized by the GRP - a group of media specialists from agencies, publishing houses, market research agencies. Four speakers talked about Mobile Internet in Belgium and the Influence on Search. I was mainly interested in the Global Survey Mobile Study by Havas Media and the research Me, My Smartphone and Brands by Space.

5 tweetable findings on tablets and smartphones in Belgium: part 2

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5 Belgian Tweetable Truths about Smartphones & Tablets

I have absolutely no doubts about the rise of mobile internet usage and the tablet/smartphone penetration in Belgium. Mobile Internet is still too pricy - the prices are too high in comparison to our neighbouring countries France and the Netherlands - but telecom players are finally adapting their strategies to seduce "the average Belgian consumer".

Reason enough to follow the last Media Session organized by the GRP - a group of media specialists from agencies, publishing houses, market research agencies. Four speakers talked about Mobile Internet in Belgium and the Influence on Search. It was really nice to get a quantitative point of view on Belgian tablet and smartphone usage by Huges Rey (Havas Media - study Global Survey Mobile) on the one hand, and qualitative insights about smartphone owners and their expectations by Françoise Gehin (Space - study Me, My Smartphone and Brands) on the other.

Below you can find 5 tweetable findings I heard on this seminar. Feel free to steal and spread. Although most of these make (common) sense, it is sometimes good to have recent proof about this fast evolving market.

5 tweetable findings on tablets and smartphones in Belgium

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38 years ago: first mobile phone call

According to a lot of posts I've read, the history of cellphones all started back on April 3rd, 1973 when Martin Cooper made the first ever phone call while walking in the streets of New York. As pointed out in this article, there weren't cordless phones at that time. 


Martin Cooper is a man with a great sense of humour: one of his first calls was to his rival at AT&T Bell Labs (Cooper was working for Motorola).

"The battery lifetime was 20 minutes, but that wasn't really a big problem because you couldn't hold that phone up for that long". 

No kidding. At that time, mobile meant you had to carry around a 2 kg 'bricklike' handset. People would have to wait for another 10 years before even thinking of getting one. Oh yes, and the price was some $ 3,995 in 1983 dollars. Let's enjoy together how Motorola promoted their products at the time with this 80s cellphone commercial:

Spotted on Mashable - 10 Hilarious Vintage Cellphone Commercials by Amy-Mae Elliott

7th March : Alexander Graham Bell patents the Phone

I'm a huge fan of Qwiki and the e-newsletter with links to (new) content. I consider Qwiki as the future of web search and to some extent: the encyclopedias.


Today in my mailbox: Alexander Graham Bell patented the Phone on this day in 1876. Can you imagine one day without yours? (Euh... I can... ... I use my mobile as alarm clock. And because I'm already thinking about the 1000 things to do... So my mobile stay at home, next to my bed)


View Telephone and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.