Did you know that 76% of people are not very satisfied with the ability of products like smartphones and tablets to make their lives simpler? That is just one of the findings of the Ketchum Digital Living Index (www.ketchum.com/digital-living), a new study surveying 6,000 consumers in six countries. The expanding role of personal technology in everyday life is raising some fascinating questions. Consumers are starting to wonder ‘when is it too much?’ Does it bring us closer together – or drive us further apart? What drives our love/hate relationship with these products? Based on the insights and client experiences gained through its Global Technology Practice, Ketchum created the Digital Living Index. The Index uses cultural anthropology to examine the underlying values and human experiences driving technology adoption, with support from cultural anthropologist Emma Gilding and research firms Ipsos and Communispace.

1. Ketchum
What People Want Most from Personal Technology
Insights from the 2012 Study

2. About the Ketchum Digital Living Index
The 2012 Ketchum Digital Living Index views technology adoption through a
cultural anthropology lens, looking at the intersection – and disconnects –
between the human experience and people‟s expectations and aspirations for
consumer technology.
The Index is based on online interviews conducted by Ipsos with 6,000
participants in total in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain and China, as well
as online qualitative discussions conducted by Communispace with
approximately 400 men, women and young adults in the US
US UK CHINA GERMANY FRANCE SPAIN
2 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

3. Finding No. 1
What people want
most is simplification

4. “The most surprising finding in the study
is the overwhelming desire for simplification.
It seems counter-intuitive when technology
is always about being bigger or better or faster, but the data
show that what people really want is to understand
how all of these devices can get them to their
desired experience easily.”
- Esty Pujadas, partner and director of Ketchum‟s Global
Technology Practice
4 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

5. Simplification is tops
• 76 percent of people are left wanting more from personal technology
when it comes to simplifying their life. Only the remaining one in four
describes themselves as very satisfied with technology‟s ability to
make their life simpler
• There is more than a 20 point gap between the proportion of
consumers who feel “easy to use” and “makes life simpler” attributes
are very important and the percentage of people who are very
satisfied with their current experience
5 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

6. More important than empowerment or enrichment
Overall, more people value technology that provides simplification over
other kinds of experiences and over personal values.
Drivers
60 50
40
40
23
20 15
0
SIMPLIFICATION EMPOWERMENT ENRICHMENT VALUES
- Easy to use - Lets you access - Provides you entertainment - Understands/values you
- Helps to simplify your information you want, - Helps you stay informed - Shares your values
Life when you want it about the latest news/ trends - Signals who you are to the
- Helps you find time - Helps you manage health/
outside world
- Helps you connect wellness
with people - Helps you be creative
- Customizable to meet - Helps you be a better parent
your needs - Helps you be a better
- Lets you discover new spouse/partner
information/ - Helps you be a better friend
experiences
6 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

7. Where does simplification matter most?
Simplification is most important in the US and Spanish markets
China 41
43
Spain 54
58
Germany 46
54
France 48
48
UK 33
55
US 53
68
0 20 40 60 80
Makes Life Simpler Easy to Use
7 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

8. What people want to hear from companies –
simplification is in Top 3 for all products
TV/Video
Provides you entertainment
Easy to use
56%
55%
Gaming
Information you want, when you Provides you entertainment 78%
35% Easy to use 62%
want it
Helps you be creative 34%
Smartphones
Easy to use 53%
Helps simplify your life 36%
Information you want, when
36%
Home Appliances you want it
Tablets/Computers
Easy to use 50%
Easy to use 73% Information you want, when you want it 39%
Helps simplify your life 72% Provides you entertainment 36%
Helps you find time 42%
Q. Which THREE of the following would be MOST important for [product category] companies to tell
you about when communicating with you about their products?
8 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

9. Finding No. 2
Location matters

10. “The most striking finding to me as an anthropologist was
that culture really matters. I didn‟t expect that,
because the dominant narrative is that technology sells
itself. But the data shows this just isn‟t true. The intersection
between what people find appealing and the values of their
experiences with technology differ profoundly by country and
by cultural DNA.”
- Emma Gilding, cultural anthropologist
10 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

11. Importance of cultural DNA
• A dominant narrative in the technology industry is that mobile
technology removes barriers of place and time and a user‟s physical
location no longer matters
• Ketchum Digital Living Index shows that human experiences with
technology differ profoundly by country
and by cultural DNA
• Particularly striking in such areas as
the importance of simplification and
the likelihood to express “love” for
specific types of products
11 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

12. Other differences by country
The French view technology as more of an
empowering tool than as a part of their human
experience, compared to global counterparts. For
example, the French are not convinced that technology
can enhance their personal relationships. The way to France‟s
heart is through empowerment.
The Chinese, more than other countries, need technology to
help them interpersonally, with factors such as managing
relationships and health and wellness.
Values overall, less relevant in the western hemisphere, are
key drivers in China. The Chinese are more likely to appreciate brands
that share their values and signal who they are to the outside world.
China and the US share an appreciation for brands understanding who
they are.
12 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

13. Other differences by country
Consumers in the US, more so than other western countries,
especially need technology to understand and share their
values. But unlike the Chinese, who also appreciate values
more than other markets, brand that signals who a consumer
is to the outside world matters less in the US.
Most enrichment factors, including entertainment and staying atop
news/trend, are much more important in the US than in other countries.
In Spain, functionality is core to the technology
experience. This audience wants to be entertained, too.
Spanish consumer technology users look for factors such as
information accessibility and simplification. They also expect
to be entertained.
Unlike in most other countries, Spain‟s expectations and satisfaction
with technology aspects tend to be closely aligned.
13 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

14. Other differences by country
Germans are more “in love” with technology than some global
counterparts. When Germans are asked about overall feelings
toward technology most “love” the technology they have come
to rely on day to day. Conversely, on the global level most just
“like” technology. Connecting with people is less important to
Germans than the rest of the world (28% Germany vs. 34% global).
People in the UK generally like consumer technology products
but are not in love with them, they are less inclined than other
markets to “love” mobile or home entertainment products.
TV/video and tablets/computers are the most beloved
consumer technology products. The least loved consumer technology is
home appliances and gaming units. Brits are more likely that other
consumers to love TV/videos and less inclined to love home appliances.
14 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

15. Finding No. 3
Digital likes
outnumber loves

16. Opportunities to turn likes to loves
• Globally, about four of ten survey respondents
(43 percent) love their mobile or home
entertainment products; more (53 percent ) just
like them
• Higher levels of affinity for that than for household
technologies
• Men more likely than women to love mobile or
home entertainment products (47 percent vs. 39
percent)
• Survey respondents from Germany most likely to
love their mobile or home entertainment products
(55 percent). France the least in love (28 percent)
16 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

17. Tablets/computers get most love
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
42%
38%
40%
35%
30% 26%
21%
20%
10%
0%
Tablets/Computers TV/Video Smartphones Home appliances Gaming
17 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

18. Finding No. 4
There are four kinds
of Digital Living
natives

19. Digital Living Enthusiasts
• Largest group in study population
• Love of personal technology is 10-15 points above the average,
regardless of category
• Place more importance on personal values (such as “the brand
shares my values” and “signals who I am”)
• Much more likely to rate attributes as “very important” than the other
segments
• Hard to please, with an average gap of 14 points between an
attribute‟s importance and their satisfaction with it
• More willing to sacrifice simplification in order to have a product give
them what they want
• 49 percent male; 51 percent female
• Highest percentage in China (29 percent); smallest in France (9
percent)
19 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

20. Digital Living Infomaniacs
• Feel only average amount of “love” for consumer technology
• Getting information they want, when they want it, is above average in
being rated very important; spans a number of product categories
• Technology‟s role in discovering new information and experiences is
vastly more important to this group than to Pragmatists and
Disconnects (29 percent vs. 16 percent and 3 percent, respectively)
• Simplification very important; dissatisfaction gap large (25 points)
• Attach little importance to personal values; less than 5 percent rated
technology‟s ability to help them be better friend, partner or parent as
very important
• 45 percent male; 55 percent female
• Highest percentage in France (23 percent); smallest in China (6
percent)
20 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

21. Digital Living Pragmatists
• Value technology as a helper
• Love technology slightly less than the average
• Ease of use more important to this group than any other.
• Pragmatists appreciate and value how technology can help them live
a more enriched life – they are above average in valuing technology‟s
ability to help them be a better friend, parent, partner, to manage their
health and wellness, and to help them find time
• Overall, personal technology is doing a good job of meeting
Pragmatists‟ expectations
• 46 percent male; 54 percent female
• Highest percentage in Germany (21 percent); smallest in Spain (14
percent)
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22. Digital Living Disconnects
• Feel far less positively than other segments (20 percent say they
love mobile and home entertainment technology vs. an overall global
average of 43 percent)
• Importance of all aspects of technology is much lower than the
average, ranging from 0 percent to 38 percent for Disconnects, while
the average ranges from 11 percent to 54 percent
• Technology isn‟t about making them a better person or allowing
them to customize or be creative – „easy to use‟ is the top-rated
attribute, with 38 percent rating it very important.
• 29 percentage point gap between importance and satisfaction for
“ease of use” and a 13-point gap for “helps simplify life”
• 51 percent male; 49 percent female
• Highest percentage in France (26 percent); smallest in China (6
percent)
22 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

23. Men and women distributed similarly
Men Women
Disconnect Disconnect
, 17 , 14
Enthusiast, Enthusiast,
38 36
Pragmatist,
Pragmatist, 23
22
Infomaniac Infomaniac,
, 24 26
23 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

24. Implications
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25. Five suggestions to help drive technology adoption
1.
1. Focus on the experience, not just the object. Technology
manufacturers can communicate more meaningfully with consumers
and break through the mental clutter consumers perceive when they
think about today‟s wall of technology by talking about the human
experience, not just the object.
2.
2. Take a page from consumer packaged goods companies.
Successful companies in that sector have become very creative in
order to sell themselves. Technology brands, on the other hand, tend
to emphasize the comparison of one micro-innovation to another.
3. Don’t ignore the elephant in the room – simplification.
3. Communicating the „what‟ – getting easily to the desired end-
experience – instead of only the features-focused „how‟ – will forge a
stronger emotional connection and brand loyalty.
25 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX

26. Five suggestions to help drive technology adoption
4. Understand the cultural DNA. Make the effort to understand the
prevailing cultural framework for the target audiences and then
develop culturally relevant communications
5. Segment by experiences. Segmenting by the values of human
experience (for example, Digital Living natives) and layering in
cultural frameworks enables more relevant and compelling
communications and creative programming.
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27. About Ketchum Digital Living
As part of the Global Technology Practice, Ketchum‟s Digital Contact:
Living (www.ketchum.com/digital-living) capabilities address
the increasingly pervasive role that personal technology Esty Pujadas
plays in our everyday lives, and the way it‟s changing how Partner, Director
we communicate, interact and organize ourselves. Ketchum Global Technology
Combining proprietary research, measurement tools and Practice
expertise, Ketchum works with some of the industry‟s best
known brands to help them reach and motivate their target esty.pujadas@ketchum.com
audiences.
Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with
operations in more than 70 countries across six continents.
Named 2012 Agency of the Year (PRWeek) and the winner
of an unprecedented three consecutive PRWeek Campaign
of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver
strategic programming, game-changing creative and
measurable results that build brands and reputations.
27 | 2012 KETCHUM DIGITAL LIVING INDEX