M:Metrics revealed the demographics and size of the
audiences for mobile media. The measurement firm reports that young males
are a rich target for mobile advertisers, as among mobile phone users 36
percent of 18 to 34-year-old men accessed mobile media in February. Men in
this age group are also highly receptive to SMS advertising, with 9 percent
responding to an SMS advert they received, versus a 4 percent market
average.
In Western Europe, the male population is more inclined to browse and
download content on the mobile Web. Fully a quarter of all male mobile
phone users accessed mobile media, compared to
just under 19 percent of women. This audience is also quite young: 28
percent of 13 to 17-year-olds consume mobile media, only 12 percent of
those 55 and older do.
"Reaching the 18 to 34-year-old age demographic is a real challenge to
advertisers, as this group is spending less time consuming print and
broadcast media," observed Paul Goode, senior analyst. "According to TGI
M:Metrics data, in Great Britain, young consumers are redirecting that
attention to mobile, as 18 to 34 year olds comprise 56 percent of mobile
media users, compared to only 29 percent of TV viewers."
Percent Reach of Mobile Media Percent Reach of Mobile Messaging
usage, by Gender, EU5: usage,by Gender, EU5: February,
February, 2008 2008
Age Male Female Total Age Male Female Total
----- ---- ------- ------ ----- ---- ------- ------
13-17 32.6% 24.3% 28.4% 13-17 85.6% 92.7% 89.2%
18-24 38.5% 27.2% 32.9% 18-24 90.5% 94.6% 92.5%
25-34 34.5% 23.7% 29.2% 25-34 89.9% 92.7% 91.3%
35-44 26.4% 19.3% 22.9% 35-44 83.6% 88.4% 86.0%
45-54 19.3% 13.3% 16.5% 45-54 74.9% 84.0% 79.3%
55+ 12.3% 11.1% 11.7% 55+ 64.6% 73.8% 69.3%
Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2008. Survey of mobile subscribers.
Data based on three-month moving average for period ending 31st February
2008, mobile subscribers in EU, France, n = 12,973 Germany, n = 15,128;
Italy, n = 13,599; Spain, n = 12,446; United Kingdom, n = 16,459.
Mobile Messaging Audience defined as subscribers who sent one or more text
messages in month.
Mobile Media Audience defined as subscribers who browsed or downloaded in
any form in month.
nterestingly, U.S. mobile users are more active consumers of mobile media,
as unlike Europeans they use SMS less frequently for news and information
retrieval and are more likely to have data plans, which directly impacts
mobile content consumption. Among Europeans, the UK has the highest
percentage of mobile media users, at 26.8 percent, while Germany and France
lag, at 18.4 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively.
Size of mobile audience: February 2008
FR DE IT ES UK US
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Total Mobile Subscribers (aged 13+) in
millions 46.5 49 47 34 47.5 226
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Mobile Media Audience 18.5% 18.4% 23.4% 23.5% 26.8% 27.3%
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Mobile Messaging Audience 76.4% 79.7% 87.4% 85.0% 86.9% 48.6%
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
3G Penetration 16.2% 21.0% 37.2% 34.6% 24.2% 25.5%
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Smartphone Penetration 6.1% 8.6% 22.3% 14.9% 10.6% 6.4%
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2008. Survey of mobile subscribers.
Data based on three-month moving average for period ending 31st February
2008, mobile subscribers in France, n = 12,973 Germany, n = 15,128;
Italy, n = 13,599; Spain, n = 12,446; United Kingdom, n = 16,459; United
States, n = 31,348.
Mobile Messaging Audience defined as subscribers who sent one or more text
messages in month.
Mobile Media Audience defined as subscribers who browsed or downloaded in
any form in month.
It should be noted that, while advertising inventory is growing, not all
mobile media users can be reached by advertisers at present.
"In Great Britain, mobile media is attracting a highly desirable audience
that is 44 percent more likely to be defined as 'cash rich, time poor' than
the market average," said Goode. "In fact, data from TGI M:Metrics confirms
that one third of all UK mobile media users agree they are tempted to buy
products they've seen advertised."
Percentage of consumer audience in Great Britain who agree
Mobile Magaz- Newsp-
media Internet Cinema Radio ine aper TV Outdoor
====== ======== ====== ===== ====== ====== === =======
"I'm tempted to
buy products
I've seen
advertised." 33 28 29 26 29 26 26 26
====== ======== ====== ===== ====== ====== === =======
Cash Rich Time Poor
Benchmark Index 144 130 129 112 110 104 102 101
====== ======== ====== ===== ====== ====== === =======
Source: TGI M:Metrics 2008 - Base: All GB adults (aged 15+)
"Since the early days of mobile advertising, SMS advertising has been an
effective way to reach the masses, but advertises are now actively looking
at the mobile web to access new audiences," said Goode. "According to TGI
M:Metrics, adding mobile to a media plan increases the efficiency of
reaching key target groups, a metric that will continue to improve with the
growth of 3G and smartphone ownership."
M:Metrics applies trusted media measurement methodologies to assess the
audience for mobile content and applications. As the world's most
authoritative mobile media measurement firm, M:Metrics delivers the most
accurate mobile market metrics through the world's largest monthly survey
of mobile subscribers as well as automated data collection methodologies.
Below are the findings of its February Benchmark Survey.
Mobile Subscriber Monthly Consumption of Content and Applications
M:Metrics Benchmark Survey: February 2008
US EU FR DE IT ES UK
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total mobile
subscribers (13+) 226 m 224 m 46.5 m 49 m 47 m 34 m 47 m
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Watched video 5.9% 9.3% 7.5% 6.3% 11.7% 12.5% 9.5%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Listened to music 7.0% 17.3% 15.4% 16.8% 14.2% 21.1% 19.8%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Accessed news/info
via browser 13.5% 9.5% 9.7% 5.9% 8.0% 6.9% 16.1%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Received SMS ads 19.1% 49.5% 63.7% 29.8% 54.1% 73.0% 34.6%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Played downloaded
game 21.4% 23.3% 13.4% 23.1% 26.5% 26.5% 27.7%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Accessed downloaded
application 4.8% 2.7% 1.5% 2.5% 4.0% 2.3% 3.2%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Sent/received
photos or videos 22.2% 28.2% 25.5% 22.1% 33.1% 30.7% 30.5%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Purchased ringtones 9.2% 4.0% 4.3% 3.8% 4.7% 3.9% 3.4%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Used email 12.2% 8.5% 6.3% 7.1% 10.8% 9.1% 9.2%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Accessed social
networking sites 4.3% 2.6% 2.4% 1.1% 2.5% 2.3% 4.7%
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Source: M:Metrics, Inc., Copyright © 2008. Survey of mobile subscribers.
Data based on three-month moving average for period ending 31st February
2008, mobile subscribers in France, n = 12,973 Germany, n = 15,128;
Italy, n = 13,599; Spain, n = 12,446; United Kingdom, n = 16,459; United
States, n = 31,348.
About M:Metrics
M:Metrics is the mobile media authority. As the only research firm to
measure the audience for mobile media, M:Metrics provides the most accurate
metrics on actual mobile content consumption by applying trusted media
measurement methodologies to the mobile market.
M:Metrics' monthly syndicated data service gives clients the critical
insights and intelligence required to inform smart business strategies and
the competitive benchmarks needed to evaluate the performance of
competitors and partners. M:Metrics is a private, venture-funded
corporation headquartered in Seattle, with offices in San Francisco and
London.