This is some great follow on research from the Waves 3 from Universal McCann on the move towards recommendations from strangers about products, services and brands online.

1. September 2008 29 countries 17,000 internet users When did we start trusting strangers? UM EMEA September 2008

2. Influence Revolution Volume of Recommendation PRE MEDIA AGE MASS MEDIA AGE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE Church, state, monarchy dictate the agenda Professional media dictate Consumers dictate When did we start trusting strangers

3. The ways to share influence have exploded PRE MEDIA AGE MASS MEDIA AGE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE Consult a professional Readers letters Phone in; TV / Radio Talk to shop worker Personal blog Social network page Widgets Photo sharing site Chat rooms Message boards Video sharing site Comments on blogs Comments on websites Viral emails Wish lists Ratings on retail sites Reviews on retail sites Auction websites Social Bookmarking Chat room Price comparison sites Social shopping sites Talk face to face Consult a professional Readers Letters Phone in; TV / Radio Talk to shop worker Phone call Talk face to face Phone call SMS Email Instant Messenger Talk face to face Talk to shop worker Consumer influence channels When did we start trusting strangers

4. We now influence to the world without thinking When did we start trusting strangers

5. This is why your brand is already part of their conversation When did we start trusting strangers

7. Creating unique global insight 29 markets 17,000 respondents Australia China Singapore Philippines Taiwan South Korea USA Mexico Brazil Japan India Pakistan Hong Kong Canada Turkey UK Denmark Greece Russia Romania France Spain Italy Germany Poland Czech Republic Hungary Netherlands Switzerland Austria When did we start trusting strangers

9. Continual rise of social media: Content creation is mainstream Social Media adoption over time (waves 1 – 3) Global Average. Source: Universal McCann Social Media Tracker Power to the People New influence landscape: the rise of social media

10. Driving the growth of the web 1999 2008 Volume of content published online each year New influence landscape: the rise of social media 1 EXABYTES 876,000% Increase! 8760 EXABYTES Source: Internet Innovation Alliance

11. Publishing billions of thoughts YOUTUBE FLICKR 14 HOURS OF VIDEO UPLOADED EVERY MINUTE 6.6M PHOTOS UPLOADED EVERY DAY WIKIPEDIA 11.2M ARTICLES TRIP ADVISOR 15M REVIEWS New influence landscape: the rise of social media

12. Much of this content is opinion “ What do you do with your social network profile?” Social Network Users, Global Average. “ When writing a blog, which of the following do you post?” Blog writers only, Global Average. New influence landscape: the rise of social media

13. Social media: creating digital connections Agree with the statement “Blogging is important to socialise with friends ” Agree with the statement “I use social networks to meet new people” New influence landscape: digital friends

14. Digitising our friend networks “ Approximately how many people do you stay in contact with in your personal life through the follow means?”, New influence landscape: digital friends

15. Across the world New influence landscape: digital friends “ Approximately how many people do you stay in contact with in your personal life through the follow means?”, Key Internet markets

16. Our fundamental interactions are becoming virtual “ How do you keep in contact with the following people” New influence landscape: digital friends

17. We now share massive volume of opinion in a digital format “ Thinking about how you can share an opinion on a product, brand or service via the Internet. On average how often do you do the following? Global Monthly Average New influence landscape: influence channels

18. We are motivated to share by experience “ The following are a list of reasons and motivations for you to talk about a product, brand or service. Please can you consider how important they are in motivating you to talk to others? Where 5 = very motivating and 1 = Not at all motivating.” GlobalAverage New influence landscape: influence channels

19. We look for other consumers to form our opinions “ Thinking about the process of looking for opinions on a product, brand or services online. On average how often do you do the following when looking for information on products, brands and services?” Global Average New influence landscape: influence channels

20. Now we trust strangers….. “ Thinking about where you find information for products, brands and services that you buy. Please can you rate them in terms of how trust worthy the information provided typically is? Where 10 = Very trustworthy and 1 = Not at all trustworthy” Global Average New influence landscape: influence channels

21. Education increases trust in strangers Trust by age, Global average Trust by gender, Global average Trust by final education level, Global average New influence landscape: influence channels

22. But culture the biggest factor Trust by country, Global average New influence landscape: influence channels

25. All categories are impacted “ Thinking about the following types of products, brands or services. Can you please indicate whether you have reviewed them online, either a positive, average or negative opinion” Global Average Impact: Influence economy

26. But big variation by country Thinking about the following types of products, brands or services. Can you please indicate whether you have reviewed them online, either a positive, average or negative opinion” Films Category. Impact: Influence economy

27. Searching for information varies from contribution Impact: Influence economy “ Thinking about the following types of products, brands or services. Can you please indicate whether you have researched them online, before purchasing” Global Average

28. Online turning us into influencers INFLUENCERS RECEIVORS “ Thinking about the following type of products, brands and services, which of the following statements apply? I often inform others on what to buy / I sometimes inform others on what to buy / I sometimes ask others what products to buy /I would always ask others about what products to buy ” Global Average Impact: democratisation of influence

29. Now we all influence in a huge number of categories Impact: democratisation of influence

31. 25-34, educated, embrace life Super Influencer demographics indexed against all respondents Lifestyle statements indexed against all respondents Impact: Super Influencers Indexed against all adults Index against all adults

32. Content creators Super Influencer social media usage indexed against all respondents

33. Open to commercial messaging Super Influencer motivations to recommend indexed against all respondents Impact: Super Influencers

34. Emerging markets lead the super influencers Super Influencers by country, share of active users Impact: Super Influencers

35. Super Influencers are changing the world through social media Politics Corporate Transparency Bloggers credited with getting obama the nomination. Obama embraced them by being massively involved in social media , from twitter to blogger to slide share Super influencers have targeted some big corporations giving them a dose of ultra transparency. Wal-Mart is one of the main targets; there is Wal-Mart watch website, Wal-Mart groups on Flickr , hundreds of local blogs fighting the development of Wal-Marts in their back yard and social networks aimed at organising boycotts . Issue Campaigning Reviews Impact: Super Influencers You would be hard pushed to find a category where consumer reviews have had more of an impact than restaurant reviews. Blogs from food lovers or even waiters now compete with the professionals with making or breaking restaurants. In tandem review services such as London Eating or Yelp are now essential when choosing where to go. Wael Abbas used Youtube and blogs to hi-light human rights issues to the world.

39. Responding to the new world of influence Microsoft: Allow a a massive number of their staff to blog freely to the external world. Impact: Summary J&J: Have a a staff blog. As they rightfully state: “Everyone else is talking about our company, so why can’t we?” Starbucks: My Starbucks Idea allows customers to tell Starbucks what to do. Southwest Air: “Nuts about South West” has blogs and content from across all the maior social media applications including Youtube, Facebook and Flickr Nike: Created a Youtube channel for Nike Soccer, sharing all their adverts and content. Lenovo: The voice of the summer Olympic games site pulled together many athlete bloggers. Dell: The ideastorm allows consumers to suggest ideas to Dell and their community. Also have blogs, podcasts and Twitter feeds. H&M: Created a page on Facebook to share new collections, content and create community. It has over 250K fans!

42. September 2008 29 countries 17,000 internet users When did we start trusting strangers? Um Global August 2008