Nielsen puts tabs on adspend, OFWs and Cigs

OCTOBER 17, 2011, PHILIPPINES: Data research firm Nielsen has zeroed in on total adspend, Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFW) lifestyles, and even cigarette consumption among Filipinos in its latest study. The numbers revealed that adspend and OFWs still continue to move up the statistical ladder, while cigarette smoking has somewhat gone down.

An Herbal Cure
    Traditional media grew by 15% in the third quarter of 2011 as TV still remains to receive the lion’s share with 77% of media spend.  Radio and print on the other hand, exhibited stability but is still far from its heydays last year, at height of the presidential elections.

    New players also emerged in the advertiser games. While Unilever and Procter &Gamble still remain as today’s top advertisers, small-to-medium players have started to throw more cash into their marketing plans. “Three years ago, we awakened a sleeping giant. Now branded herbal medicine is one of the most important advertisers in the country,” shares Jay Bautista of Nielsen. This has finally translated into the jump of the Pharmaceutical product section which now sits at number four in the Nielsen adspend chart. Leading the product section rankings are the usual suspects: Personal care (first), Food (second), and beverage (third) – all of which increased their spending from 22 to 29% this year.

    Meanwhile, Kris Aquino retains her crown as the most preferred celebrity endorser, with 10 major brands under her belt. Trailing behind her are at second and third are John Lloyd Cruz (eight); the Villaroel-Legazpi Family (seven), Ryan Agoncillio (seven), Sarah Geronimo (seven) and  Vic Sotto (seven).

Long Distance Consumer Affair
    No matter the distance, OFWs still contribute vastly to the economy, and influence marketing decisions all the time. Nielsen discovered that OFW deployments are still increasing each year, resulting to OFW remittances of US$ 18.7 B. Their families in the Philippines have also experienced individual growth, with classes D and E shrinking from 66% in 2007, to 48% in 2011.

    While 96% of respondents still spend remittances on living necessities, a good 20% also admitted that they have invested a portion of their loved ones’ earnings for savings, real estate, or insurance.

    OFW families also invest heavily on media, with electronic devices and appliances still garnering much interest from the sector. This results to higher media exposure for the specific audience group, since they are more likely to watch TV for longer hours, enjoy malls and supermarkets together, and ultimately engage in a more dynamic range of consumer activities due to their more ideal income status.

Up in Smokes

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    The Metro Manila Development Authority’s smoking ban seems to have taken a toll on the habit, if Nielsen’s latest findings are any proof of it. Smokers in the urban zone slid down to 18% this year, from 23% five years ago.

    Alcohol however, still continues to be the Filipinos vice of choice. A staggering 33% of the respondents admitted to consuming Alcohol at least once a week at home, and less than once a month elsewhere.