Buying & Shopping Preferences of 2008
Presidential Voters
The Nielsen Company
November 17, 2008
Todd Hale
SVP, Consumer & Shopper Insights
Confidential & Proprietary • Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

Agenda
• Election Recap
• Retail Channel Preferences
• Product Category Preferences*
• Top Selling Items*
• 2008 Holiday Spending Expectations
* Work in progress
November 18, 2008 Page 2 Confidential & Proprietary
Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

Election Recap
• Results from a Homescan survey capturing household-
level voting for our 2008 Presidential election was very
similar to actual election results:
– Actual “persons” vote: Obama: 53%; McCain: 47%
– Homescan Panel “household” vote: Obama: 55%; McCain 45%
– Homescan state-by-state wins aligned in all but 3 of our 48
contiguous U.S. States
• We thought it would be interesting to examine differences
in the buying & shopping patterns of households who voted
for the two candidates
November 18, 2008 Page 3 Confidential & Proprietary
Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

Obama Voters More Frequent Shoppers
On All-Outlet Basis & in Most Traditional CPG Retail Channels
Annual Trips Per Shopping Household by Voters for:
173
163
McCain voters make
more trips to Walmart
McCain
Obama
57 63
35 30
13 16 12 14 12 12 12 13
Total Outlets Grocery Mass Drug Conv/Gas Club Dollar
Merchandiser
Source: Homescan®, a service of The Nielsen Company – 52 w/e 10/04/2008
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Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

McCain Voters Bigger Per Trip Spenders
In Most Traditional CPG Retail Channels
Per Trip $ Spending by Voters for:
99 100
McCain
Obama
61
56
48
44 42 40
25 23
19 19
14 13
Total Outlets Grocery Mass Drug Conv/Gas Club Dollar
Merchandiser
Source: Homescan®, a service of The Nielsen Company – 52 w/e 10/04/2008 – total basket ring
November 18, 2008 Page 5 Confidential & Proprietary
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Obama Voters More Frequent Shoppers
In More Alternative Retail Channels Too
Annual Trips Per Shopping Household by Voters for:
8
7 7 McCain
7 7 7 7 Obama
6
6
5 5
4
4
4
3 3
3 3
2 2
DIY Online Liquor Department Pet Apparel Health Food Electronics Office Toy
Source: Homescan®, a service of The Nielsen Company – 52 w/e 10/04/2008 Supply
November 18, 2008 Page 6 Confidential & Proprietary
Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

McCain Voters More Optimistic About
Holiday Spending in 2008
63% of McCain voters plan to
spend same or more; 38% of
Obama voters to spend less
58
52 This Holiday Do You Expect to Spend More, Less,
Same versus Last Year?
38
31
McCain
Obama
5 5 6 6
Same More Less Don't Know
Source: Homescan®, a service of The Nielsen Company – Early to Mid-September PanelViews Survey
November 18, 2008 Page 7 Confidential & Proprietary
Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

McCain Voters More Optimistic About Spending
on At-Home Entertainment in 2008
56% of McCain voters plan to
spend same or more; 25% of
Obama voters to spend less
50
44 This Holiday Do You Expect to Spend More, Less,
Same on At-Home Holiday Entertainment vs Last Year?
McCain
25 Obama
21
15 17
9 9
6 6
Same More Less Don't Know Don’t Entertain @ Home
Source: Homescan®, a service of The Nielsen Company – Early to Mid-September PanelViews Survey
November 18, 2008 Page 8 Confidential & Proprietary
Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

McCain Voters More Optimistic About Spending
on Away-From-Home Entertainment in 2008
44% of McCain voters plan to
spend same or more; 25% of
Obama voters to spend less
This Holiday Do You Expect to Spend More, Less,
39 Same on Away-From-Home Holiday Entertainment vs Last Year?
36
McCain
Obama
27
23 23
22
11 10
5 4
Same More Less Don't Know Don’t Entertain Away-
From-Home
Source: Homescan®, a service of The Nielsen Company – Early to Mid-September PanelViews Survey
November 18, 2008 Page 9 Confidential & Proprietary
Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company

Thank you
todd.hale@nielsen.com
November 18, 2008 Page 10 Confidential & Proprietary
Copyright © 2008 The Nielsen Company
Confidential & Proprietary Copyright © 2007 The Nielsen Company