German Chancellor Angela Merkel made headlines recently looking confused whilst playing a farming simulator game at the huge European digital gaming trade fair, Gamescom. This prompts the question how many adults generally feel especially confident around tech and gadgets. According to latest figures from Kantar Media’s TGI study of consumer behaviour and characteristics in the Republic of Ireland, 38% of adults say that they love to buy new gadgets and appliances (compared to 36% in Great Britain).
These are typically early adopter types, of particular interest to many marketers for their propensity to buy the latest digital products. TGI data shows they are 25% more likely to have obtained their most recent tablet computer in the last 12 months compared to the average adult and 62% more likely to change their mobile phone at least every year.
Demographically, it is perhaps little surprise that these tech lovers tend towards the younger end of the age spectrum. They are 40% more likely to be aged 15-24 than the average adult and 36% more likely to be in the ‘Fledglings’ TGI Lifestage group (aged 15-34, not married or living as a couple, do not live with son or daughter and live with parents).
Their top differentiating attitudes when compared to other adults reveal a desire to present a particular image to their friends. They are 47% more likely to say they like to stand out in a crowd, 46% more likely to say they spend a lot of money on toiletries and cosmetics for personal use and 40% more likely to say they would choose a car mainly on the basis of its looks.
This is also an ambitious group. They are 43% more likely to say they like taking risks, 50% more likely to say they like to have control over people and resources, 47% more likely to like to stand out in a crowd.
Tech lovers are not afraid to spend big when they believe it is worth it. TGI data reveals that they are 41% more likely to agree that they cannot resist expensive perfume/aftershave and also 41% more likely to say they have expensive tastes.
Reaching these gadget lovers efficiently can be achieved in a number of ways. They are 69% more likely to claim that they would be willing to pay to access content on magazine websites, 66% more likely to agree that advertising within video or computer gameplay enhances the realism of the game and 61% more likely to say they tend to buy products from companies who sponsor TV programmes. They are also 34% more likely than the average adult to be amongst the top fifth heaviest consumers of internet and 32% more likely to be amongst the top fifth heaviest consumers of cinema.
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