1.
2014
Content MATTERS
The Impact of Brand Storytelling Online
Understanding the role of digital content on Asian consumer
decision-making and business ROI
Philippines
India
Indonesia
Vietnam
Hong Kong
China
Singapore
South Korea
A 2014 Asia-Pacific Industry Research Report

2.
Contents
1 Introduction 4
2 About Waggener Edstrom (WE)
6
2.1 Asia-Pacific Network
7
2.2 About WE Studio D APAC
8
2.3 About WE Insight & Analytics (I&A) APAC
8
3 Understanding Content Marketing
9
3.1 Linking Brand Storytelling to Business Value
10
4 Methodology
11
4.1 Questionnaire 12
4.2 A Focus on Social 14
5 Content Marketing & Brand Storytelling
15
5.1 Brand Storytelling
16
5.2 Brand Impact
17
5.3 Our Approach to Measuring Impact
17
5.4 Storytelling & Purchase Intent
19
6 Results - Highlights across Asia-Pacific
20
6.1 Results – Asia-Pacific Overview
23
6.2 Results – Australia
26
6.3 Results – China
29
6.4 Results – Hong Kong
32
6.5 Results – India
35
6.6 Results – Indonesia
39
6.7 Results – Japan
42
6.8 Results – South Korea
46
6.9 Results – Philippines
50
6.10 Results – Singapore
53
6.11 Results – Vietnam
56
7 Recommendations
8 Bibliography
PAGE 2
59
63

3.
1
INTRODUCTION
PAGE 3

4.
1. Introduction
Does Content Matter for Business in 2014? (And, If It Does, Then How?)
The role of communications and marketing professionals today, from the
PR and marketing manager to the CMO, is to connect actions to outcomes.
Today, in the practice of integrated communications, we are inclined to think that content matters. There is general
consensus that “content is king”.
But how important is content really? How much does it create tangible value for brands and for their consumers?
In 2014, B2C and B2B brand consumers across Asia-Pacific will continue - with more sophistication than ever - to utilize
the information available to them online as a means to make more informed purchase decisions. The rapid proliferation
of smart devices has enabled a greater level brand connectedness as consumers can now engage with brands and
branded content in real-time.
Discerning consumers will intensively research and filter information – found at various digital channel sources – about
brands, products and services prior to purchase. Going forward there will be no single source of content that creates
consumer decisions.
Strategic content is the basis of strong corporate narratives and authentic
brand storytelling.
With content informing consumer decisions more than ever – important decisions around brand purchase, advocacy, and
engagement – corporate communicators and brand marketers are pressured into publishing more compelling content.
The aim is to deliver to consumers the content that they seek about companies, brands, and products.
But, just how impactful is content in terms of increased spending, brand advocacy, and engagement? Is there a tangible
link between content and sales? Or is this link merely imagined?
PAGE 4

5.
Does content really matter and, if so, to what extent?
How exactly does a brand’s content strategy relate to business success?
Communications and marketing professionals face increasing pressure to measure the ROI of their campaigns and
connect spending to bottom-line results.
Today CMOs consistently cite marketing ROI as the most important measure of success. Unfortunately, measuring the
returns of content marketing is no simple task.
What are the outcomes of content marketing for businesses today and how do these outcomes differ across borders
and business sectors? Furthermore, what do customers expect from branded content and how can it actually impact
purchase behaviour. Indeed, these are questions that require a different approach to measurement.
Given that brand owners are considering whether or not to invest more in content marketing in 2014, having the right
answers to these questions have become vital.
We believe that finding the answers to these questions can help marketing and communications practitioners foster a
more practical and meaningful approach to understanding the ROI of content marketing while building successful digital
marketing and communications practices.
PAGE 5

6.
2
ABOUT
WAGGENER
EDSTROM
PAGE 6

7.
2. About Waggener Edstrom (WE)
Waggener Edstrom Communications (WE) is a global, independent integrated communications agency that has
developed strategic communications programs for innovative and world-changing clients for nearly 30 years – working
to influence markets, inspire people and improve lives. WE APAC specializes in the Consumer, Technology, Healthcare,
Corporate and Digital communications sectors. WE was recently named APAC Consumer Consultancy of the Year 2013
by The Holmes Report. In 2012, WE was named Mid-Size Network of the Year at the Campaign Asia-Pacific PR Awards
for the second year running, APAC Technology Consultancy of the Year by The Holmes Report, and in 2011 Best Digital
Campaign of the Year by The Holmes Report’s Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards. The agency has more than 750 employees
in 19 offices around the world, and its Global Alliance partners expand the agency’s reach to more than 80 additional
international markets. To learn more, visit http://apac.waggeneredstrom.com.
The Waggener Edstrom® mark, the Innovation Communications® mark, the twendz™ mark, the WE Studio D™ mark
and other marks used herein are registered or unregistered trademarks of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Inc. in the
United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
registered or unregistered trademarks of their respective owners. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
2.1 Asia-Pacific Network
CHINA
KOREA
WE Offices
WE Affiliate Offices
JAPAN
HONG KONG
VIETNAM
PHILLIPPINES
INDIA
SINGAPORE
INDONESIA
AUSTRALIA
PAGE 7

8.
2.2 About WE Studio D APAC
With more than 40 digital planners, analysts, content developers, and web designers, Waggener Edstrom’s
Studio D specialist team delivers high-quality content, creative services, and integrated brand storytelling across
digital, mobile, and social platforms.
WE Studio D uses insight and measurement to power multi-channel digital communications for brands in
Asia-Pacific.
To learn more, visit accelerateinfluence.com
Services include:
• Creative services
• Digital readiness training
• Community management
• Audience insights
• Content management
(planning, development, distribution)
•
•
•
•
Media planning
Brand development
Measurement solutions
Integrated media reporting
2.3 About WE Insight & Analytics (I&A) APAC
Waggener Edstrom Communications’ APAC Insight & Analytics (I&A) practice supports companies with the
development of cost-effective, bespoke, and agile measurement solutions across a range of organizational
requirements.
Solutions include:
• Integrated ROI dashboards for marketing-communications
• Organizational/employee engagement evaluations
• Audience surveys and market insight reports around brand positioning and health
• Integrated media analysis and 24/7 reporting
PAGE 8

9.
3
UNderstanding
content
marketing
PAGE 9

10.
3. Understanding Content Marketing
Content marketing can take on many shapes and sizes. As far as marketing tactics go, it can range from managing a
corporate Twitter handle to publishing regular eNewsletters. A list of common content marketing tactics include:
SOCIAL MEDIA
UPDATES
PR ACTIVITIES
DIRECT EDMs
SHAREABLE WEB
CONTENT
RESEARCH AND
WHITEPAPERS
eNEWSLETTERS
VIDEOS
WEB EVENTS
Although this list can be helpful, it does not get us to the core of what content marketing is and why it’s important.
In its most basic form, content marketing can be viewed as a way for brands to become storytellers. The Content
Marketing Institute (CMI) supports this notion as they define content marketing as the “art of communicating with your
customers and prospects without selling” (CMI, 2013). What’s valuable with this definition is that it emphasizes the
creative requirement (i.e. art) for content marketing to be successful, which is done through storytelling.
More importantly, CMI’s definition highlights the fact that content marketing should not be used as a direct selling tactic.
That is, unlike paid media, your content marketing strategy should not be focused on generating immediate financial
returns. This can be a scary prospect for marketers today, especially with growing pressures from the executive branch
to prove the value and returns gained from their marketing and communications spend.
3.1 Linking Brand Storytelling to Business Value
Across industries and markets, communications and marketing teams are concerned with “measuring the impact” of PR,
communications, and marketing activities at the brand level. The question, “what’s our financial return?” is a frequent
boardroom discussion topic.
Our aim with this study is to create a measurement framework for content marketing in business and to better understand
the ROI (or business impact) of the strategic creation and distribution of content for businesses across business sectors
in key Asian markets.
PAGE 10

11.
4
methodology
PAGE 11

12.
4. Methodology
We conducted a survey among 2,200 consumers in 10 countries across Asia-Pacific, which included Australia, China,
Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The survey asked the respondents a series of questions related to how they interact with brands across different
business sectors.
The business sectors included in this study are:
MOBILE
DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
& APPLIANCES
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PRODUCTS
PERSONAL
CARE
PRODUCTS
TRAVEL &
TOURISM
HEALTHCARE
Feature Phones
TVs
Shampoo
Flights
Smartphones
DVD/Blu-ray
players
Packaged Drink
Products
Moisturizer
Hotels
Over-theCounter
Medicine
Toothpaste
Car Rentals
Deodorant
Travel Packages
Tablets
Fridges, Stoves,
Microwaves
Packaged Food
Products
eReaders
Makeup
Gaming
Consoles
Nutrition
Products
Prescription
Drugs
Consumer
Medical Devices
4.1 Questionnaire
Our objective with this regional research was to explore the impact on purchase behaviour between audiences who are
highly exposed to branded content online versus those who are not. The audience we sampled were digital consumers,
that is, consumers who are online and/or have a mobile device with a data connection. We define purchase behaviour
according to three core activities; buying cycle, advocacy and engagement.
Purchase Behavior
Buying Cycle
Advocacy
Figure 1 Purchase behavior
PAGE 12
Engagement

13.
4.1.1 Buying Cycle
We asked respondents in each market to tell us how much they spend on products or services within each sector. We
prompted the respondent with different purchase frequencies for each sector as this can vary considerably for common
products/services. The purchase frequencies can be seen in the table below.
Sector
How much do you spend on
products or services
MOBILE DEVICES
Per purchase
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
Per year
FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTS
Per week
PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
Per week
TRAVEL & TOURISM
Per year
HEALTHCARE
Per purchase
Table 1 Purchase frequency
4.1.2 Advocacy
Using the net promoter score approach to measuring advocacy proposed by Reichheld, we asked respondents how
likely they would be to recommend their favorite brand to a friend, family member, or colleague, rated on a scale of 0 (not
likely at all) to 10 (extremely likely) (Reichheld, 2003). Typically the net promoter score approach is used to evaluate a
single brand. However, with our approach we asked respondents to tell us how likely they would be to recommend their
favorite brand(s) within each business sector. Although this does present a bias towards the respondents’ favorite or
top of mind brand, we can still use this approach to explore and compare levels of advocacy among consumers across
borders and business sectors.
When using the results, we used both the average advocacy rating (on a scale of 0 to 10), as well as the calculated net
promoter score metric presented by Reichheld.
Rating
Advocacy Level
Interpretation
0-6
Detractors
Extremely unlikely to
recommend
7-8
Passively Satisfied
Somewhat likely to
recommend
9 - 10
Promoters
Extremely likely to
recommend
Table 2 Net promoter score
PAGE 13

14.
The net promoter score is determined by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.
The final output will give you a value on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that all customers advocate
for your brand (Reichheld, 2003). As a benchmark, Reichheld stated that a previous study which covered more than
130,000 responses found that the median net promoter score was 16% (Reichheld, 2003).
4.1.3 Engagement
For engagement, we created a consumer engagement index that factored 5 common activities that could eventually
lead to purchase. These activities included:
• Do you obtain information about products and services on social media?
• Do you share information about products and services on social media?
• Do you look for the latest deals and promotions on social media?
• Do you like to participate in contests and giveaways on social media?
• Do you click on advertisements or read advertorial content online?
4.2 A Focus on Social
When investigating consumer exposure to brand content, our primary approach to measuring this was to ask respondents
whether they actively follow brands on social media, and to examine the differences between those that do versus those
that do not in relation to purchase behavior. So why the focus on social?
As we mentioned earlier, social media marketing is but one tactic within the broader discipline of content marketing and
brand storytelling. However, of all the tactics it typically generates the highest frequency of exposure to branded content
and thus gave us a unique opportunity to measure the difference between groups that are highly exposed to this form of
content versus those that are not. This is not to say that content created and shared on social media is more impactful
than content created through other channels or tactics. Quite the contrary, as brands need to consider the full spectrum
of content they create (e.g. PR, advertising, social, etc.) when thinking about brand impact.
Social Media
Marketing
eNewsletter
PR
Advertorials
Research &
Whitepapers
Low Frequency
Content
High Frequency
Content
Figure 2 Spectrum of content exposure
PAGE 14

15.
5
content
marketing &
BRAND STORYTELLING
PAGE 15

16.
5. Content Marketing & Brand Storytelling
Before we get to this year’s findings across Asia-Pacific markets and categories, it is important that we understand how
content marketing is changing the ways through which brands communicate with their audiences.
To do this, we need a clear definition of what content marketing is and what it encompasses.
Content marketing has been defined as
“The creation of valuable, relevant and compelling content by the brand itself on a consistent
basis, used to generate a positive behavior from a customer or prospect of the brand”
(Pulizzi, 2012)
Yet another definition has content marketing as
“The art and science of regularly sharing valuable information with your target audience that
aligns with and reinforces your brand”
(Harad, 2013)
What’s notable about both of these definitions is the emphasis on value [to the recipient] and consistency of the message.
Although interest in content marketing has never been higher, the term and its application is not new.
John Deere’s The Furrow magazine, Michelin Tires’ Michelin Guide, and Jell-o’s recipe books are all well documented
examples of rich content marketing that were created at the turn of the century (Moon, 2013).
5.1 Brand Storytelling
If content marketing is the discipline, storytelling is its primary function. Without being effective storytellers, brands that
invest their hard earned dollars in creating, curating, and sharing content are doomed to fail. So what is storytelling, and
how does one become a good storyteller?
Simmons (2007) believes that being a good storyteller is rooted in one’s ability to deliver satisfaction [to the recipient],
but that truly effective storytelling is a reciprocal process. Part of this means that the brand must also be a good listener.
But more importantly, it means that the content shared by the brand must have some inherent value for the recipient.
We will explore this further in the following section (5.2 Brand Impact). But broadly speaking, brand storytelling should
seek to educate, inform, entertain, inspire, and/or provoke an audience.
PAGE 16

17.
5.2 Brand Impact
Now that we’ve defined content marketing and brand storytelling, what about impact?
“Impact” can be a tough nut to crack, especially with the growing pressure to quantitatively
prove the ROI of investments made in content marketing.
This is particularly challenging because ROI can take on many different forms, and is no
longer limited to the traditional revenues-minus-costs approach. As discussed by Budtz
& Munch (2010), brand storytelling is a process of brand building, and will not yield direct
revenues in the short term. Harad (2013) agrees, as she described content marketing as a
“communication without selling, give-and-you-shall receive approach to generate interest,
attract prospects, and build trust” (pg 18).
These definitions position content marketing as a much more long term strategy for the
brand, which can indirectly generate revenue, but where the focus is on customer loyalty
and retention.
Notably, this often stands in contrast to the current state of the digital paid advertising
industry. Although social advertising, such as Facebook’s Promoted Posts, have made
good strides in making paid advertising more relevant, interesting, and contextual for the
end-user, the industry is still overwhelmingly comprised of digital display (i.e. banner)
advertising, a format which typically uses short form content aimed at driving a single and
very specific outcome: clickthrough. Measuring success on these channels can sometimes
be shallow and short sighted, with clickthrough and conversion rates commonly regarded
as the gold standard for success.
5.3 Our Approach to Measuring Impact
As companies continue to funnel more of their spend into content marketing as a means to
reach their audience, CMOs are still struggling to effectively measure and prove the returns
generated by their investment.
In IBM’s most recent annual global CMO study, 56% of the surveyed CMOs indicated that
they feel unprepared to tackle issues around ROI accountability, proving that this continues
to be a major challenge for the industry (IBM, 2012).
We take a slightly different approach to defining impact and the value created through
investments in marketing and communications activities.
We define impact as
The value co-created between a business and its customer as a
result of any interaction enabled by content created by that business.
The bond between these two entities (e.g. a business and a customer) is established through
a value proposition that communicates the potential benefits each party will receive.
For the business, value can take on a number of forms. The most common, if not obvious,
form of business value is revenue generated as a result of the interaction. However, there
are other types of business value that are not dependent on generating financial wealth for
the brand.
PAGE 17

18.
We believe there are 3 types of business value that content can create for the brand:
Value
Definition
Example
Financial
Benefits that generate wealth and financial
solvency for the business.
•
•
Revenues
Cost savings
Operational
Benefits that generate improved operational
capacity for the business.
•
•
•
Operational efficiency
Product or service
development
Innovation
•
•
Improved brand health
Rebranding
Relational
Benefits that improve the relationship between
the business and its customers
Table 3 Types of business value
To truly understand brand impact we must also consider the value created for the customer. In a previous study about
value co-creation, Tracy & Lyons identified 3 types of value that are typically exchanged between entities in a service or
product interaction (Tracy & Lyons, 2013). This includes functional value, emotional value, and social value.
Value
Functional
Definition
Example
Benefits that provide tangible utility to
the customer
•
•
•
Emotional
Benefits that result in a change in the
customer’s non-physical state
•
•
•
Social
Benefits to 3rd party entities, whether
human (e.g. a family member, a local
business owner) or non-human (e.g.
the environment)
Table 4 Types of customer value
PAGE 18
•
•
•
Using a smartphone to stay
connected with friends or family
Driving a car to work to shorten
your commute
Improving your finances after
meeting a financial planner
Reduced anxiety after counselling
Increased confidence from buying
new clothes
Increased motivation after
completing a university or college
degree
Donating to charity
Buying fair trade coffee
Planting a tree

19.
Functional
Emotional
Social
Value co-creation
Business
Customer
Relational
Financial
Operational
Figure 3 Value co-creation
5.4 Storytelling & Purchase Intent
Many studies have attempted to address the challenge of proving the ROI of content marketing from a financial point
of view, and although this isn’t wrong many of these studies neglect one simple truth – content marketing is about long
term impact.
The best examples of content marketing generally exist much further up the purchase funnel, and cannot be measured
in views, clicks, or conversion rates. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t measure the impact of content marketing on
purchase behavior. The goal of this research was to do exactly that – explore the relationship between branded content
online and common consumer purchase behaviors, such as purchase cycles, brand advocacy, and engagement.
Behavior
Definition
Purchase Cycle
•
How much consumers spend and how frequently they purchase
Advocacy
•
How likely consumers are to recommend a brand to friends, family or
colleagues
Engagement
•
•
How likely consumers are to follow brands on social media
How likely consumers are to obtain information about products and
services on social media
How likely consumers are to share information about products and services
on social media
How likely consumers are to look for the latest deals and promotions on
social media
How likely consumers are to participate in contests and giveaways on
social media
How likely consumers are to click on advertisements or read advertorials
posted by brands that they like
•
•
•
•
Table 5 Types of purchase behavior
PAGE 19

20.
6
results
PAGE 20

21.
6. Results - Highlights across Asia-Pacific
Some key findings across all markets that we covered in this year’s study are:
Consumers in China and Vietnam are among the
most connected with brands online
89% of respondents in China stated that they actively follow brands on social
media. In addition, Chinese consumers were the most engaged with brands
in terms of their likelihood to carry out common activities, such as sharing
information about products and services on social media, participate in
contests online or click on advertisements. The same went for consumers
in Vietnam, where a staggering 97% of respondents stated that they follow
brands on social.
Consumers in Australia and Japan are among the
least connected with brands online
Only 44% of respondents in Australia stated that they follow brands on social
media, and levels of engagement with brands online were low. In Japan,
only 36% of respondents stated that they actively follow brands on social.
Branded storytelling through social media can drive
measurable increases in revenue for the business
Across all markets and business sectors we found that overwhelmingly
people who are exposed to branded content regularly through social media
spend more on products and services than those that don’t. Our findings
showed that the incremental impact on spending for consumers that actively
follow brands on social media was up to 257%.
Branded storytelling through social media can drive
significant increases in brand advocacy
Across all markets and business sectors we found that overwhelmingly
people who are exposed to branded content regularly through social media
are much more likely to recommend the brand to a friend, family member
or colleague. In some cases, they were up to 90% more likely to advocate
for the brand
PAGE 21

22.
Healthcare and food and beverage product brands
generate the biggest impact on spending through
social
Across all business sectors we found that the average incremental impact
on spending was greatest among consumers who actively engaged with
healthcare and food and beverage brands. For healthcare, the average
incremental impact on spending for consumers who actively follow on
social was 129%, and for food and beverage it was 90%.
Personal Care and Consumer Electronics (excluding
mobile) & Appliance brands generate the biggest
impact on advocacy through social
Across all business sectors, we found that the impact on brand advocacy
was strongest for personal care and consumer electronic (excluding mobile)
and appliance brands. For personal care, consumers who were actively
engaged with brands online were 90% more likely to recommend the brand
to a friend or family. For consumer electronics and appliances, the figure
was 86%
Mobile device brands have the most advocates
Despite personal care and consumer electronics and appliance brands
enjoying the biggest impact on advocacy as a result of increased consumer
engagement on social media, the mobile device sector currently has the
highest volume of advocates across Asia-Pacific.
Facebook still dominates, but mobile social IM apps
are on the rise
Social networks like Facebook are facing stiff competition from new socially
driven IM apps like WeChat, LINE, and KakaoTalk, particularly in markets
like China, Hong Kong, India and Korea.
Youth across Asia-Pacific have deeper connections
with brands
Across all markets, youth were up to 22% more likely to follow their favorite
brands on social media, 20% more likely to share information about
products and services on social media, and 7% more likely to click on an
advertisement or read an advertorial from a brand.
PAGE 22

23.
6.1 Results - Overview
In this section we present the research findings for each market included in this year’s study; Australia, China, Hong
Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.
The results varied considerably from market to market.
It is important to note that although the questions we asked were designed to be relevant to consumers in every market,
we must consider the social, cultural and economic factors that make each of these countries unique when looking at
the results.
6.1.1 Asia-Pacific Overview
Across all markets digital consumers appeared to be the most connected with brands in the mobile device sector, with
72% of all respondents stating that they currently follow their favorite mobile brand online.
The second most connected sector was consumer electronics and appliances (excluding mobile devices), with 61% of
respondents stating they actively follow brands in this category. Overall, it appears the technology brands generate the
largest followings on social media across Asia-Pacific.
On the other hand, digital consumers appeared to be much less connected with brands in the travel and tourism as well
as healthcare sectors, as just 48% of respondents for each sector stated that they currently follow their favorite brands
on social media.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
28%
72%
39%
61%
MOBILE DEVICES
44%
45%
56%
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
52%
55%
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
48%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
52%
48%
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 4 Asia-Pacific: Respondents who actively follow their favorite brand(s) on social media
With the exception of Mainland China, Facebook continues to be the dominant social network across Asia-Pacific in
terms of usage. Across all markets 66% of respondents stated that they use Facebook frequently or very frequently,
while only 6% stated that they never use Facebook.
Twitter was the second most popular social network across Asia-Pacific, however usage varied considerably between
markets. Consumers in Indonesia and India were the top users of Twitter across the region.
PAGE 23

24.
The third most used social network across Asia-Pacific was WeChat, the mobile IM app developed in China by Tencent
Holdings. This is notable as the mobile IM landscape has grown significantly over the last few years as apps like
WeChat, LINE and KakaoTalk have become more like social networks rather than just instant messengers.
Top 5 Social Networks by Usage
Facebook
6% 5% 10%
Twitter
32%
19%
40%
WeChat
LinkedIn
22%
14%
43%
Line
Never
9%
15%
18%
9%
15%
Rarely
48%
15%
16%
15%
54%
18%
12%
11%
8%
8% 5%
Occasionally
Frequently
Very Frequently
Figure 5 Asia-Pacific: Social Network Usage
6.1.2 Buyer Spending in Asia-Pacific
The incremental impact on consumer spending as a result of actively following brands on social media varied considerably
between markets, but across all markets we found that there was a statistically significant impact in at least one business
sector within each market.
Overall, the healthcare and food and beverage sectors appeared to enjoy the greatest impact on spending habits with
an average incremental impact of 129% and 90% respectively on spending as a result of being an active follower of
brands on social media.
On the other hand, the mobile device and consumer electronics and appliance sectors appear to have a much weaker
relationship between activity on social media and increased spending, with an incremental impact on spending of 16%
and 22% respectively.
Average incremental spend of those who actively follow brands on social media
Per purchase
MOBILE DEVICES
16%
Per year
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
Per week
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
22%
90%
Per week
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
85%
Figure 6 Asia-Pacific: Incremental spending
PAGE 24
Per year
Per purchase
TRAVEL & TOURISM
HEALTHCARE
61%
129%

25.
6.1.3 Brand Advocacy in Asia-Pacific
Our findings showed that there is a strong relationship between consumer levels of engagement with brands on
social media and their likelihood to advocate on behalf of the brand to friends, family or colleagues. The results varied
considerably between countries, but across all markets and business sectors we found that digital consumers who
follow brands on social media are on average 26% more likely to recommend a brand.This relationship was strongest
within the travel and tourism and personal care sectors, with digital consumers being 39% and 29% more likely to
advocate for a brand if they actively follow brands on social media.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague (scale of 0-10)
MOBILE DEVICES
7.94
6.67
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
7.38
6.22
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
5.93
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
5.63
TRAVEL & TOURISM
7.24
7.03
5.06
HEALTHCARE
7.33
5.64
7.18
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 7 Asia-Pacific: Brand Advocacy
6.1.4 Asia-Pacific Engagement
Across all markets 78% of respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on social
media. Notably, 74% of respondents also stated that they click on advertisements online or read advertorials willingly.
Respondents did seem less likely to share information about products and services online, as well as to participate in
contests and giveaways on social media.
78%
68%
74%
69%
74%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 8 Asia-Pacific: Brand engagement
PAGE 25
on social media
or read advertorial
content

26.
AUSTRALIA
PAGE 26

27.
6.2 Results – Australia
6.2.1 Overview
Australian consumers are among the most prolific users of social media in Asia-Pacific, which many attribute to the rapid
growth in smartphone adoption. The country also has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the region
(75%). Australia is also a leading market in the region for mCommerce, as a recent report found that as many as 25%
of consumers are now making purchases through their smartphone (Nielsen, 2013).
Despite having a very active population on social media, Australian consumers appear to be very conservative when
it comes to interacting with brands online. When asked if they actively follow their favourite brand on a social network
such as Facebook or Twitter only 44% of respondents said yes. This finding is supported by a study conducted by Optus
earlier this year where they found that only 4% of Australian consumers use social media to interact with companies
(Optus, 2013). Overall, the number of consumers interested in following and receiving branded content online was
consistently low across all sectors we examined, although we did find that food and beverage product brands enjoyed
the highest rate of consumer following (28% of respondents follow).
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
26%
24%
74%
MOBILE DEVICES
28%
76%
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
26%
72%
25%
74%
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
21%
75%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
79%
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 9 Australia: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
6.2.2 Spending
Although most digital consumers in Australia do not appear to be highly engaged with branded content online, our findings show that content marketing is indeed generating a measurable long term impact on consumer spending. This
was particularly true for personal care product brands, where we found that digital consumers who follow brands online
spend 111% more per week. This relationship was also true for travel and tourism, where we found that digital consumers who follow brands on social media spend 51% more per year on related products and services.
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per week
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
111%
Per year
TRAVEL & TOURISM
51%
Figure 10 Australia: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
PAGE 27

28.
6.2.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumer engagement with brands on social and
rates of advocacy in at least 1 of the 6 business sectors; travel and tourism.
For travel and tourism, our findings showed that digital consumers who actively follow brands on social media are 43%
more likely to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to friends or family?
TRAVEL & TOURISM
8.0
5.6
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 11 Australia: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in Australia across each business sector, which can be found in
the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience
actively advocate for brands. Overall, consumers in Australia appear to have a much lower levels of brand advocacy, as
they ranked 6th of all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The mobile device sector had the highest amount
of advocates, whereas healthcare had the lowest.
0%
-15%
-17%
-28%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
-30%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
-34%
-20%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 12 Australia: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.2.4 Engagement
Australia ranked among the lowest for brand engagement across all markets covered in this research. For example,
only 39% of respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on social media (APAC
average = 78%) and only 38% look for the latest deals and promotions online (APAC average = 74%). Notably, younger
consumers (under 35) were more likely to interact with brands online, but less likely than older demographics to click on
advertisements or read an advertorial.
Of all markets included in this study, Australians are also the least likely to use social media to obtain information about
products and services (39%), the least likely to share information about products and services on social media (34%),
to look for the latest deals and promotions on social media (38%) or to click on an advertisement or read an advertorial
(42%).
Notably, younger individuals (under 35) were much more likely to engage with brands online across all forms of
engagement we tracked, especially when it comes to looking for deals and promotions where they are 22% more likely
to take this action than older demographics (over 35). Interestingly enough, older demographics (35 and older) were
more likely to click on an advertisement or read an advertorial.
39%
34%
38%
48%
42%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 13 Australia: Brand engagement
PAGE 28
on social media
or read advertorial
content

29.
CHINA
PAGE 29

30.
6.3 Results – China
6.3.1 Overview
In recent years, China has seen social media adoption and usage explode, a trend that has largely been driven by a
rapid proliferation of access to smartphone technology. The most recent estimates peg smartphone penetration in China
at 55%, and it’s growing fast, with this figure expected to grow by another 21% over the next 5 years (China Internet
Watch, 2013).
A 2012 McKinsey & Company study found that Chinese consumers are not only the most active users of social media
sites in the world, but they also maintain multiple social accounts across various platforms to manage their digital identity
(Chiu, Ip, & Silverman, 2012). These trends were evident in our findings, as China was one of the most active and
engaged markets. When we asked respondents in China if they actively follow their favourite brand on a social media
site such as QQ or Sina Weibo, 89% of the respondents said yes. Of all the business sectors we looked at, consumers
appear to have the strongest relationship with mobile brands, as 83% of respondents stated that they follow their
favourite mobile brand online. On other hand, the least engaged category was healthcare, with only 39% of respondents
stating that they actively follow brands online.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
17%
35%
65%
39%
45%
55%
61%
48%
52%
39%
61%
83%
MOBILE DEVICES
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
TRAVEL & TOURISM
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 14 China: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
6.3.2 Spending
Our findings showed that the impact of brand storytelling in China is indeed generating a measurable financial value for
brands. This is true for at least 3 of the 6 business sector we looked at: mobile devices, food and beverage, and personal care.
For mobile device brands, our findings showed that consumers who follow brands online spend 38% more per purchase
on mobile device products. The incremental impact on spending was a 145% increase on personal care spending (per
week), and a staggering 160% increase on food and beverage products (per week).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per purchase
MOBILE DEVICES
38%
Per week
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
160%
Per week
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
145%
Figure 15 China: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
PAGE 30

31.
6.3.3 Advocacy
We asked respondents to rate how likely they were to recommend a brand to friends or family on a scale of 1-10 (10
being very likely and 1 being very unlikely). The results showed a statistically meaningful relationship in at least 2 of the
6 business sectors; personal care and consumer electronics and appliances.
Consumers were 11% more likely to advocate for consumer electronics and appliance companies, and 14% more likely
to advocate for personal care product companies when they followed brands in each of these sectors online.
How likely are you to recommend a brand a friend, family member or colleague?
PERSONAL CARE
7.6
6.7
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
7.8
7.0
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 16 China: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in China across each business sector, which can be found in the
table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience actively
advocate for brands. Overall, consumers in China appear to have high levels of brand advocacy, as they ranked 3rd
of all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The mobile device sector had the highest amount of advocates,
whereas healthcare had the lowest.
33%
9%
0%
0%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
-23%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
-25%
-1%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 17 China: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.2.4 Engagement
Consumers in China ranked the highest in terms of brand engagement online across all markets covered in this
research. For example, 85% of respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on social
media (APAC average = 78%) and 82% of respondents stated that they would share information about products and
services with friends and family online (APAC average = 68%). Notably, there was a significant difference between the
behaviours of younger and older demographics in China. For example, younger individuals (under 35) were much more
likely to obtain information about products and services on social media than older demographics. This was also true
for advertising, as younger demographics were also considerably more likely to click on an advertisment or read an
advertorial online.
85%
82%
85%
87%
86%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 18 China: Brand engagement
PAGE 31
on social media
or read advertorial
content

32.
HONG KONG
PAGE 32

33.
6.4 Results – Hong Kong
6.4.1 Overview
When it comes to social media, Hong Kong is one of most diverse and interesting markets in the world. Unlike mainland
China where the likes of Facebook and Twitter are blocked, Digital consumers in Hong Kong enjoy a choice between
the best of both worlds, with the adoption and activity rates of platforms like Facebook and Sina Weibo both high in this
market (a statistic you won’t see anywhere else in the world).
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
17%
29%
60%
71%
83%
MOBILE DEVICES
37%
40%
63%
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
38%
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
62%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
41%
59%
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 19 Hong Kong: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
When we asked respondents in Hong Kong if they actively follow their favourite brand on a social media site, 91% of
the respondents said yes. Of all the business sectors we looked at, digital consumers appear to have the strongest
relationship with mobile device brands (83% follow brands in this category) as well as consumer electronics and
appliance brands (71% follow brands in this category). On other hand, the least engaged category was healthcare, with
only 41% of respondents stating that they actively follow healthcare brands online.
6.4.2 Spending
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, brands in Hong
Kong appear to be generating long financial value in at least 4 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; consumer
electronics and appliances, food and beverage, personal care, and travel and tourism.
For personal care product brands, our findings showed that consumers who follow brands online spend 129% more
on related products and services (per week). The incremental impact on spending was a 55% increase on travel and
tourism (per year), a 60% increase on consumer electronics and appliances (per purchase) and 117% increase on food
and beverage products (per week).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per year
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
60%
Per week
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
117%
Per week
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
129%
Per year
TRAVEL & TOURISM
55%
Figure 20 Hong Kong: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
PAGE 33

34.
6.4.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media
and their likelihood to recommend the brand to friends, family or colleagues in at least 3 of the 6 business sectors;
healthcare, travel and tourism and mobile devices.
Consumers were 33% more likely to advocate for mobile device companies, 37% more likely to advocate for healthcare
companies, and 40% more likely to advocate for travel and tourism companies when they followed brands in each
sectors online.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague?
PERSONAL CARE
7.0
5.1
TRAVEL & TOURISM
7.3
5.2
MOBILE DEVICES
8.0
6.0
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 21 Hong Kong: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in Hong Kong across each business sector, which can be found
in the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience
actively advocate for brands. Overall, digital consumers in Hong Kong appear to have low levels of brand advocacy
when compared to the rest of Asia-Pacific, as they ranked 7th of all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The
mobile device sector had the highest amount of advocates, whereas healthcare had the lowest.
14%
-16%
-20%
-21%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
-31%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
-52%
-21%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 22 Hong Kong: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.4.4 Engagement
Consumers in Hong Kong are highly engaged with brands as they ranked 3rd for brand engagement across all markets
covered in this study. For example, 87% of respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services
on social media (APAC average = 78%) and 82% stated that they would click on an advertisement or read an advertorial
(APAC average = 74%).
Notably, of all the markets included in this study, consumers in Hong Kong are the most likely to participate in contests
and giveaways on social media (88%) (APAC average = 69%).
Younger demographics (under 35) in Hong Kong are also much more likely to look for the latest deals and promotions
on social media than older demographics.
87%
71%
82%
88%
82%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 23 Hong Kong: Brand engagement
PAGE 34
on social media
or read advertorial
content

35.
India
PAGE 35

36.
6.5 Results – India
6.5.1 Overview
Social media adoption and usage is flourishing in India, as the country houses the second largest Facebook population
in the world (62,713,680) and is pegged to become the global lead in Facebook user growth by 2014 (eMarkete, 2013).
Despite this, smartphone access and affordability issues have stymied growth toward a market centered around mobile
consumers. To date, India has the second lowest rate of smartphone penetration across all markets covered in this
study, at just 18% (Nielsen, 2013). However, over the last year there has been a great deal of movement in smartphone
sales, thanks largely to low cost affordable options. The IDC recently reported that in Q3 of 2013, growth in smartphone
sales increased by 229% year over year (IDC, 2013). Needless to say, the outlook is strong for India’s mobile market.
When we asked respondents in India if they actively follow their favourite brand on a social media, a staggering 97% of
the respondents said yes. Of this, 92% of respondents stated that they follow mobile device brands online. Consumer
electronics and appliances brands also maintain strong relationships with consumers, with 81% of respondents stating
that they follow their favourite brand. Although the number was still high, the sector with consumers who were the least
likely to follow a brand on social media was travel and tourism (68% follow). However, this doesn’t necessarily mean
that travel and tourism brands don’t maintain strong relationships with their consumers, as we’ll see later that exposure
to branded content within this sector can lead to significant increases in consumer spending.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
8%
19%
81%
92%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
25%
25%
75%
75%
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
No
Figure 24 India: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
PAGE 36
32%
68%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
28%
72%
HEALTHCARE

37.
6.5.2 Spending
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, companies in
India appear to be generating long term financial value in at least 4 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; food and
beverage, personal care, travel and tourism, and healthcare.
For travel and tourism, our findings show that consumers who follow brands online spend 187% more on related
products and services (per year). The incremental impact on spending was a 65% increase on food and beverage
products (per week), a 73% increase on healthcare products (per purchase) and a 100% increase on personal care
products (per week).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per week
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Per week
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
65%
Per year
Per purchase
TRAVEL & TOURISM
100%
187%
HEALTHCARE
73%
Figure 25 India: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
6.5.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media and
their likelihood to recommend the brand to friends or family in at least 2 of the 6 business sectors; healthcare and travel
and tourism.
Digital consumers were 28% more likely to advocate for travel and tourism companies and 11% more likely to advocate
for healthcare companies when they followed brands in each sector online.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friends, family member or colleague?
TRAVEL & TOURISM
7.4
5.8
HEALTHCARE
7.0
7.8
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 26 India: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in India across each business sector, which can be found in the
table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience actively
advocate for brands. Overall, consumers in India appear to have high levels of brand advocacy, as they ranked 2nd of
all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The mobile device sector had the highest amount of advocates,
whereas travel and tourism had the lowest.
47%
16%
8%
13%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Figure 27 India: Net promoter score across business sectors
PAGE 37
-8%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
14%
15%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS

38.
6.5.4 Engagement
Consumers in India are highly engaged with brands, as they ranked 4th for brand engagement of all markets covered
in this study. For example, 84% of respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on
social media (APAC average = 78%) and 83% stated that they would click on an advertisement or read an advertorial
(APAC average = 74%). In addition, 76% of respondents in India stated that they participate in contests and giveaways
on social media (APAC average = 69%). Younger demographics (under 35) in India are also more likely to obtain
information about products and services on social media.
84%
71%
83%
76%
83%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 28 India: Brand engagement
PAGE 38
on social media
or read advertorial
content

39.
INDONESIA
PAGE 39

40.
6.6 Results – Indonesia
6.6.1 Overview
Indonesia is a fast growing market for mobile, social and eCommerce. It houses the fourth largest Facebook population
in the world (51,096,860) as well as the fourth largest Twitter population, with over 29 million users (Lukman, 2013).
In fact, a recent study found that 2.4% of all tweets worldwide originate in Jakarta alone (Lukman, 2013). For a long
time smartphone penetration growth remained relatively slow, however in 2013 year over year growth saw a staggering
100% increase (from 12% to 24%), which boosted the country’s mobile penetration rate to 84% (eMarketer, 2013).
Indonesia has also been branded the world’s fastest growing eCommerce market, with the population of digital shoppers
expected to grow by 89% by 2016 (eMarketer, 2013).
When we asked respondents in Indonesia if they actively follow their favourite brand on a social media, 97% of the
respondents said yes. A staggering 93% of respondents stated that follow mobile device brands online. Consumer
electronics and appliances brands also maintain strong relationships with consumers, with 77% of respondents stating
that the follow their favourite brand. Although the number was still high, the sector with consumers who were least likely
to follow a brand on social media was travel and tourism (37% follow).
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
7%
23%
MOBILE DEVICES
30%
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
35%
37%
63%
70%
70%
77%
93%
30%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
65%
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 29 Indonesia: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
6.6.2 Spending
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, brands in Indonesia
appear to be generating long term financial value in at least 1 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; food and beverage.
For this sector, our findings showed that digital consumers who follow brands online spend 90% more on related
products and services (per week).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per week
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
90%
Figure 30 Indonesia: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
PAGE 40

41.
6.6.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media
and their likelihood to recommend the brands to friends, family or colleagues in at least 2 of the 6 business sectors;
consumer electronics and appliances and personal care. For consumer electronics and appliances, respondents who
actively follow brands on social media were 13% more likely to recommend a brand. For personal care, respondents
were 20% more likely to advocate.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague?
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
6.1
5.4
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
5.0
6.0
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 31 Indonesia: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in Indonesia across each business sector, which can be found
in the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience
actively advocate for brands. Overall, digital consumers in Indonesia appear to have low levels of brand advocacy when
compared to the rest of Asia-Pacific, as they ranked 8th of all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The
mobile device sector had the highest amount of advocates, whereas travel and tourism had the lowest.
8%
-29%
-36%
-34%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
-61%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
-30%
-30%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 32 Indonesia: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.6.4 Engagement
Digital consumers in Indonesia are moderately engaged compared to the rest of Asia-Pacific, as they ranked 6th for
brand engagement of all markets covered in this study. Notably, 95% respondents stated that they obtain information
about products and services on social media (APAC average = 78%). This was the highest of all markets covered.
Also, we found that 87% stated that they look for the latest deals and promotions on social media (APAC average =
74%).
On the other hand, consumers in Indonesia appeared less likely to participate in a contest or to click on an advertisement.
This suggests that consumers in Indonesia may be more sensitive to highly promotional or product centered content,
and that they are hungry for much richer and genuine brand experiences.
95%
81%
87%
60%
73%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 33 Indonesia: Brand engagement
PAGE 41
on social media
or read advertorial
content

42.
JAPAN
PAGE 42

43.
6.7 Results – Japan
6.7.1 Overview
Japan is likely one of the most complex markets when it comes to social media and mobile. The country has been slower
than most to adopt smartphone technology, but unlike markets such as India and Indonesia, this has not been due to
socio-economic factors. In Japan, the feature phone has long reigned supreme in a country where high-end feature
phones have continued to compete with smartphones. This has been in large part due to an advanced and highly localized
mobile ecosystem which integrates payment systems, video calling, social gaming and other advanced capabilities
into feature phone technology. Notably, Panasonic recently announced that it will putting an end to development of its
smartphone products to focus on building feature phones in Japan (Wakabayashi, 2013). Despite this, the needle has
begun to move, as smartphone penetration has now overtaken feature phones in Japan (comScore, 2012). Although the
dominance of feature phones in Japan is now in the past, they are likely to be around for years to come.
In terms of social media adoption and usage, Japan is a very mature market. Mixi has long been one of the most popular
social networks, however, in recent years Facebook and Twitter have continued to expand their user base in Japan.
When we asked respondents in Japan if they follow their favorite brands on social media only 36% of respondents said
yes, which was the lowest of all markets covered. All business sectors had fairly low levels of audience engagement,
however personal care products brands was by far the lowest, with only 11% of respondents stating that they follow a
brand.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
20%
80%
MOBILE DEVICES
11%
19%
22%
78%
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
81%
20%
89%
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
No
Figure 34 Japan: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
PAGE 43
16%
80%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
84%
HEALTHCARE

44.
6.7.2 Spending
Of all markets covered in the research, consumers in Japan are the third highest spenders on food and beverage
products, as well as the third highest spenders on travel and tourism.
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, brands in Japan
appear to be generating long term financial value in at least 1 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; consumer
electronics and appliances. For this sector, our findings showed that consumers who follow brands online spend 12%
more on related products and services (per purchase). Notably, of all the markets we looked at, consumers in Japan
appear to be the least impacted by brand storytelling online.
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per year
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
12%
Figure 35 Japan: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
6.7.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media and
their likelihood to recommend the brand to friends, family or colleagues in at least 1 of the 6 business sectors; food and
beverage. For this sector, our findings showed that consumers who actively follow brands on social media are 44% more
likely to recommend a brand.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague?
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
5.0
7.2
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 36 Japan: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in Japan across each business sector, which can be found in
the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience
actively advocate for brands. Overall, consumers in Japan had the lowest levels of brand advocacy, as they ranked last
(10th) across all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The mobile device sector had the highest amount of
advocates, whereas consumer electronics and appliances had the lowest.
-48%
-68%
-53%
-64%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Figure 37 Japan: Net promoter score across business sectors
PAGE 44
-58%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
-63%
-59%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS

45.
6.7.4 Engagement
Consumers in Japan appear to be among the least engaged with brands online across all markets that were included in
this study. For example, only 46% respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on social
media (APAC average = 78%), and only 39% of respondents stated that they would share information about products
and services on social media.
Interestingly enough, consumers in Japan appeared to be much more open to traditional advertising based content, as
60% of respondents stated that they would click on an advertisement or read an advertorial.
Our findings did show that younger demographics in Japan were more open to engaging with brands online. For
example, respondents under the age of 35 were much more likely to obtain information about products and services on
social media, as well as share information about products and services on social media. Notably, older demographics
(above 35) are more likely than youth to click on an advertisement or read an advertorial.
46%
39%
42%
39%
60%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 38 Japan: Brand engagement
PAGE 45
on social media
or read advertorial
content

46.
SOUTH KOREA
PAGE 46

47.
6.8 Results – South Korea
6.8.1 Overview
South Korea is one of the most technically advanced countries in Asia-Pacific. It has the 2nd highest internet penetration
rate (80%) of all markets covered in this report, and the second highest smartphone penetration rate in the world (73%)
(Richter, 2013). The country also has a flourishing blogging community, with a wealth of diverse platforms such as Naver
blogs, Daum blogs and Egloos.
The social media landscape in South Korea is in flux. Just recently, the Naver owned me2day, a site regarded by
many as the first SNS (Social Networking Service) platform in the country, announced that it would be shutting down
(Hyun-chae, 2013). The announcement marks a trend where consumers are now turning to global social platforms like
Facebook and Twitter as their service of choice. Me2day’s closure in 2014 will also leave Cyworld as the last remaining
local SNS site in South Korea.
Like Japan and Australia, consumers in South Korea appear to be more conservative when it comes to interacting with
brands online. When we asked respondents if they actively follow their favorite brands on social media 72% said yes.
However, engagement was higher in the mobile devices sector, as 63% of respondents stated that they follow their
favorite mobile device brand online. On the other hand, the least engaged sector was healthcare, where only 27% of
respondents stated that they follow brands in this category online.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
37%
63%
MOBILE DEVICES
48%
52%
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
27%
36%
42%
58%
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
46%
64%
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
73%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
No
Figure 39 South Korea: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
PAGE 47
54%
HEALTHCARE

48.
6.8.2 Spending
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, brands in South
Korea appear to be generating long term financial value in at least 1 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; food and
beverage. For this sector, our findings showed that consumers who follow brands online spend 167% more on related
products and services (per week).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per week
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
167%
Figure 40 South Korea: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
6.8.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media and
their likelihood to recommend the brand to friends, family or colleagues in at least 3 of the 6 business sectors; food and
beverage, consumer electronics and appliances, and mobile devices.
Digital consumers were 15% more likely to advocate for mobile device companies, 19% more likely to advocate for
consumer electronics and appliances companies, and 26% more likely to advocate for food and beverage companies
when they followed brands in each sector online.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague?
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
7.2
5.1
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
7.5
5.7
MOBILE DEVICES
6.6
7.6
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 41 South Korea: Brand advocacy
PAGE 48

49.
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in South Korea across each business sector, which can be found
in the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience
actively advocate for brands. Overall, digital consumers in South Korea appear to have low levels of brand advocacy
when compared to the rest of Asia-Pacific, as they ranked 9th across all markets in terms of average net promoter score.
The mobile device sector had the highest amount of advocates, whereas travel and tourism had the lowest.
-1%
-13%
-31%
-47%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
-54%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
-49%
-33%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 42 South Korea: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.8.4 Engagement
Consumers in South Korea appear to be less engaged with brands, as they ranked 7th for brand engagement of all
markets covered in this study. 72% respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on
social media (APAC average = 78%), while 77% of respondents stated that they would click on an advertisement or read
an advertorial (APAC average = 74%).
Notably, older demographics (above 35) are much more likely to engage with brands online than youth. In particular,
they are more likely to share information about products and services, look for deals and promotions, and participate in
contests and giveaways on social media.
72%
61%
64%
73%
77%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 43 South Korea: Brand engagement
PAGE 49
on social media
or read advertorial
content

50.
Philippines
PAGE 50

51.
6.9 Results – Philippines
6.9.1 Overview
The Philippines has one of the most engaged consumer populations on social media in the world. Although internet
penetration is only 35%, it is estimated that Facebook penetration of existing internet users is almost 94%, a statistic
that has earned the country the title of “Social Networking Capital of the World” (Manila Standard Today, 2013). Despite
a very active and engaged population online, the country has struggled to keep up with the rapid development and
diffusion of mobile technology taking place in most of Asia. Smartphone penetration is the lowest in Asia-Pacific, at just
15%, and growth in recent years has been slow.
Our results show that brands in the Philippines maintain strong relationships with digital consumers. Of all markets
included in this study, the Philippines had the highest rate of digital consumers who follow brands online (98%). This
was particularly strong in the mobile device, consumer electronics and appliances, food and beverage, and healthcare
sectors, where 84% or more of respondents stated that they follow their favorite brands online.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
11%
14%
23%
77%
89%
MOBILE DEVICES
16%
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
64%
84%
86%
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
16%
36%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
84%
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 44 Philippines: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
6.9.2 Spending
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, brands in the
Philippines appear to be generating long term financial value in at least 3 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; mobile
devices, travel and tourism, and healthcare.
For healthcare product brands, our findings showed that consumers who follow brands online spend a staggering 257%
more on related products and services (per purchase). The incremental impact on spending for mobile devices was a
47% increase on purchase of related products and services (per purchase) and a 160% increase on travel and tourism
related products and services (per year).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per purchase
MOBILE DEVICES
47%
Per purchase
Per year
TRAVEL & TOURISM
HEALTHCARE
160%
257%
Figure 45 Philippines: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
PAGE 51

52.
6.9.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media and
their likelihood to recommend the brand to friends, family or colleagues in at least 2 of the 6 business sectors; healthcare
and mobile devices.
Consumers were 22% more likely to advocate for healthcare companies, and 27% more likely to advocate for mobile
device companies when they followed brands in each sector online.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague?
HEALTHCARE
8.3
6.8
MOBILE DEVICES
8.5
6.7
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 46 Philippines: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in the Philippines across each business sector, which can be
found in the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire
audience actively advocate for brands. Overall, digital consumers in the Philippines had the highest levels of brand
advocacy, as they ranked 1st across all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The mobile device sector had
the highest amount of advocates, whereas travel and tourism had the lowest.
48%
13%
24%
22%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
-12%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
34%
21%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 47 Philippines: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.9.4 Engagement
Consumers in the Philippines are highly engaged with brands online, as they ranked 4th for brand engagement of
all markets covered in this study. Notably, 88% respondents stated that they obtain information about products and
services on social media (APAC average = 78%), while 83% stated that they would share information about products
and services on social media (APAC average = 68%). This was also notable as they were more likely than any other
markets to share information about brands on social media.
88%
83%
83%
81%
73%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 48 Philippines: Brand engagement
PAGE 52
on social media
or read advertorial
content

53.
SINGAPORE
PAGE 53

54.
6.10 Results – Singapore
6.10.1 Overview
Singapore’s rapid economic growth has made it a hub for technology and innovation. Although it’s one of the smallest
countries in Asia-Pacific by population (5,437,000), it is also one of the wealthiest. Internet penetration is estimated to
be 75%, and recent reports peg mobile penetration as high as 87% (Nielsen, 2013).
Brands are active online in Singapore, and consumers appear to be fairly engaged. Although not as engaged as other
markets like the Philippines and India, 82% of respondents stated that they follow a brand on social media. This was
particularly true for brands in the mobile device sector, where 77% of respondents stated that they follow brands in this
category.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
23%
59%
41%
50%
50%
55%
45%
47%
53%
49%
51%
77%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
TRAVEL & TOURISM
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 49 Singapore: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
6.10.2 Spending
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, brands in Singapore
appear to be generating long term financial value in at least 2 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; food and beverage
and healthcare.
For healthcare product brands, our findings showed that consumers who follow brands online spend 172% more on
related products and services (per purchase). The incremental impact on spending for food and beverage products was
a 108% increase on purchase of related products (per week).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per week
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
108%
Per purchase
HEALTHCARE
172%
Figure 50 Singapore: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
PAGE 54

55.
6.10.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media and
their likelihood to recommend the brand to friends, family or colleagues in at least 1 of the 6 business sectors; mobile
devices. For this sector consumers who actively follow brands on social media are 27% more likely to recommend a
brand.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to a friend, family member or colleague?
MOBILE DEVICES
8.0
6.3
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 51 Singapore: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in Singapore across each business sector, which can be found
in the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience
actively advocate for brands. Overall, digital consumers in Singapore appear to have moderate levels of brand advocacy,
as they ranked 5th across all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The mobile device sector had the highest
amount of advocates, whereas travel and tourism had the lowest.
16%
-19%
-17%
-25%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
-33%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
-24%
-17%
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 52 Singapore: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.10.4 Engagement
Consumers in Singapore appear to be less engaged with brands online, as they ranked 7th for brand engagement of
all markets covered in this study. 77% respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on
social media (APAC average = 78%), while 75% stated that they look for the latest deals and promotions on social media
(APAC average = 74%).
On the other hand, Singaporean consumers appeared to be less likely to share information about products and services
(65%) or to participate in contests and giveaways on social media (69%).
77%
65%
75%
69%
73%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 53 Singapore: Brand engagement
PAGE 55
on social media
or read advertorial
content

56.
VIETNAM
PAGE 56

57.
6.11 Results – Vietnam
6.11.1 Overview
Vietnam has been regarded as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Although the country’s internet population
is still low, at 34%, it is growing fast. Over the last 10 years, the internet population has grown by more than 900%, from
3.1 million in 2003 to 31.2 million in 2012 (eMarketer, 2013). Smartphone penetration is also on the rise in the country.
Current estimates put smartphone penetration around 20%, but it’s expected to rise to 40% by the end of 2015 (Minh
Do, 2013).
Consumers in Vietnam maintain a strong relationship with brands online. 97% of respondents stated that they follow a
brand on social media. For mobile device brands a staggering 94% of digital consumers follow their favourite mobile
brands online. Consumer electronics and appliance brands also appear to have higher rates of consumer following, with
88% of respondents stating that they follow brands online in this category. On the other hand, the least engaged sectors
were travel and tourism and healthcare.
Do you follow your favorite brands on social media?
6%
12%
MOBILE DEVICES
28%
72%
75%
88%
94%
25%
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
Yes
37%
63%
TRAVEL & TOURISM
35%
65%
HEALTHCARE
No
Figure 54 Vietnam: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
6.11.2 Spending
As for the incremental impact on spending as a result of regular exposure to branded content online, brands in Vietnam
appear to be generating long term financial value in at least 1 of the 6 business sectors we looked at; personal care.
For this sector, our findings showed that consumers who follow brands online spend a staggering 156% more on related
products and services (per week).
Incremental spend for those who follow on social
Per week
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
156%
Figure 55 Vietnam: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
PAGE 57

58.
6.11.3 Advocacy
Our findings showed a statistically meaningful relationship between consumers who follow brands on social media and
their likelihood to recommend the brand to friends, family or colleagues in at least 2 of the 6 business sectors; food and
beverage and healthcare.
Consumers were 42% more likely to advocate for food and beverage companies and 57% more likely to advocate for
healthcare companies when they followed brands in each sector online.
How likely are you to recommend a brand to friends or family?
HEALTHCARE
7.7
4.9
FOOD & BEVERAGE
5.2
7.4
Darker color: Respondents who actively follow brands on social media
Lighter color: Respondents who do not actively follow brands on social media
Figure 56 Vietnam: Brand advocacy
We calculated the net promoter score for respondents in Vietnam across each business sector, which can be found in
the table below. The score is ranked on a scale of -100 to 100, where a score of 100 means that the entire audience
actively advocate for brands. Overall, digital consumers in Vietnam appear to have high levels of brand advocacy when
compared to the rest of Asia-Pacific, as they ranked 4th across all markets in terms of average net promoter score. The
mobile device sector had the highest amount of advocates, whereas travel and tourism had the lowest.
44%
17%
-11%
-21%
-30%
-7%
-1%
MOBILE DEVICES
CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
FOOD AND
BEVERAGE
PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS
TRAVEL & TOURISM
HEALTHCARE
AVERAGE ACROSS
ALL SECTORS
Figure 57 Vietnam: Net promoter score across business sectors
6.10.4 Engagement
Consumers in Vietnam are highly engaged with brands online, as they ranked 2nd for brand engagement of all markets
covered in this study. Notably, 91% respondents stated that they obtain information about products and services on
social media (APAC average = 78%), while 86% of respondents stated that they would click on an advertisement or read
an advertorial (APAC average = 74%).
91%
82%
87%
69%
86%
obtain information
share information
look for the
latest deals and
promotions
like to participate
in contests and
giveaways
click on
advertisements
about products and
services on social media
about products and
services on social media
on social media
Figure 58 Vietnam: Brand engagement
PAGE 58
on social media
or read advertorial
content

59.
7
RECOMMENDATIONS
PAGE 59

60.
7. Recommendations
Think long term
Resist the pressure to measure short term returns in relation to your investments
in content marketing. Our findings show there is a strong relationship between a
consumers’ level of exposure to branded content and their likelihood to spend more on
products or services (in some cases as much as 257% more). However this is a long
term relationship, and you need to focus on creating great content through a sound
strategy. If you do this, the financial returns will come.
Measure influence, create advocacy
Our findings showed that levels of advocacy can fluctuate drastically across borders
and business sectors, but the bottom line is advocacy is something you need to
measure and should seek to increase. Promoters of your brand create influence and
purchase intent, and you need to ensure that you have both the people and tools to
measure, identify and engage brand advocates.
PAGE 60

61.
Create rich content experiences
As we’ve seen in some markets, such as Australia and Japan, high levels of social
media usage and brand engagement online do not go hand-in-hand. Simply posting
updates to your social media profile every day isn’t enough to create advocacy,
engagement or increased spending. Create rich content that is relevant to your
audience and suitable for the social network (e.g. Twitter vs Instagram), and most
importantly, create content that rewards your audience for their loyalty.
Speak with your audience, not at them
Our findings showed that consumers are more likely to look for information about
products and services on social media than click on an advertisement online. Having
a presence on any social network, be it Facebook, Sina Weibo or Instagram , requires
you to go beyond simply posting promotional material online by creating a dialogue
with your audience. Such a dialogue can improve perceptions toward your brand,
create advocacy and even increase customer spending.
PAGE 61

62.
Recommendations
Think mobile
Mobile messenger apps are rapidly evolving into fully featured social networks, and
as we saw with our results, apps like WeChat are becoming increasing more popular
in markets across Asia-Pacific. It’s important that you consider the role and purpose
of any social network before adopting it, but the rapid proliferation of smartphone
technology across Asia-Pacific, particularly in emerging markets, has ensured social
media’s future on mobile. That being said, if your content strategy doesn’t have a
mobile component, it’s time to review and refresh your strategy.
Keep your content strategy fresh
Building a successful content strategy is not a one-time endeavor. As the results
of this study have shown, there is a demand for rich content from brands. But
marketing through social media is a constantly moving target as the demographic
and psychographic traits of your audience as well as their needs can change over
time. This means that you need to have an effective measurement and optimization
framework in place which can tell you how effective your strategy is and what business
value it is creating for your brand.
Measure what matters
Effectively measuring the impact of your content marketing strategy requires you to go
beyond the standard approaches to measuring ROI. Be weary of silver bullet solutions,
such as one-size fits all formulas that promise to tell you the financial value of every
like, click and share. Understanding the true business impact of your content requires
hard work and tailored analytical solutions that consider your business objectives,
business landscape and customer needs. The approach presented in this study is just
one approach to go about measuring the ROI of content. No matter which approach
you choose, just make sure that you measure what matters most.
PAGE 62

63.
8. Bibliography
China Internet Watch. (2013, December 2). China To Account for 30% Global Smartphone Market in 2017. Retrieved
from China Internet Watch: http://www.chinainternetwatch.com/5025/Asia-Pacific-estimated-occupy-53-percentsmartphone-market-2017/
Chiu, C., Ip, C., & Silverman, A. (2012, April). Understanding social media in China. Retrieved from Mckinsey & Company:
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/understanding_social_media_in_china
CMI. (2013). What is Content Marketing? Retrieved from Content Marketing Institute (CMI): http://contentmarketinginstitute.
com/what-is-content-marketing/
comScore. (2012, April 23). In Japan, Smartphones Surpass Feature Phones among Newly Acquired Devices for First
Time Ever. Retrieved from comScore: http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press_Releases/2012/4/1_in_5_Mobile_
Phone_Users_in_Japan_Now_Owns_a_Smartphone
eMarkete. (2013, November 19). India Leads Worldwide Social Networking Growth. Retrieved from eMarketer: http://
www.emarketer.com/Article/India-Leads-Worldwide-Social-Networking-Growth/1010396
eMarketer. (2012, October 10). Asia-Pacific Poised to Dominate North America as World’s Top Ad Market, According
to ‘Most Comprehensive’ Edition of the eMarketer Global Media Intelligence Report. Retrieved from eMarketer:
http://www.emarketer.com/newsroom/index.php/asiapacific-poised-dominate-north-america-worlds-top-ad-marketcomprehensive-edition-emarketer-global-media-intelligence-report/
eMarketer. (2013, February 5). Ecommerce Sales Topped $1 Trillion for First Time in 2012. Retrieved from eMarketer:
http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Ecommerce-Sales-Topped-1-Trillion-First-Time-2012/1009649
eMarketer. (2013, June 21). Mobile Propels Web Uptake in Vietnam. Retrieved from eMarketer: http://www.emarketer.
com/Article/Mobile-Propels-Web-Uptake-Vietnam/1009991
eMarketer. (2013, August 2). Smartphone Penetration Doubles in Indonesia. Retrieved from eMarketer: http://www.
emarketer.com/Article/Smartphone-Penetration-Doubles-Indonesia/1010102
Friedlieb, N. (2013, 01 02). Social Media Statistics January 2013, Australia and New Zealand. Retrieved from adcorp:
http://www.adcorp.com.au/Social-Media-Statistics-January-2013-Aust-NZ
Harad, K. (2013). Content Marketing Strategies to Educate and Entertain. Journal of Financial Planning, 18-20.
Hyun-chae, C. (2013, November 14). Social networking sites struggling to survive. Retrieved from Korea Times: http://
www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2013/11/123_146234.html
IBM. (2012). From Stretch to Strengthened: Insights from the Global Chieg Marketing Officer Study. IBM.
iCrossing. (2010, March 26). Connectedness - A New Way of Thinking About Brands - iCrossing. Retrieved from
Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/icrossing/icrossing-connected-brands-primer
IDC. (2013, December 2). Explosive Smartphone Growth Driven by Lower-Priced Models, Cannibalises Feature Phone
Sales in Indian Mobile Market, Says ID. Retrieved from IDC: http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prIN24471213
PAGE 63

64.
Kuenn, A. (2013, June 25). Is John Deere The Original Content Marketer? Retrieved from Marketing Land: http://
marketingland.com/is-john-deere-the-original-content-marketer-2-49138
Lukman, E. (2013, March 13). Indonesia is Social: 2.4% of World’s Twitter Posts Come From Jakarta . Retrieved from
Tech in Asia: http://www.techinasia.com/indonesia-social-jakarta-infographic/
Manila Standard Today. (2013, May 21). PH is social networking capital of the world. Retrieved from Manila Standard
Today: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/05/21/ph-is-social-networking-capital-of-the-world/
Minh Do, A. (2013, September 27). Dear Vietnamese telcos, it’s time to wake up and create some new value. Retrieved
from Tech in Asia: http://www.techinasia.com/dear-vietnamese-telcos-time-wake-create/
Mishkin, S. (2013, September 23). Renren fails to keep pace in race for China’s smartphone users. Retrieved from
Financial Times: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/5750f0de-1a93-11e3-b3da-00144feab7de.html#axzz2mgYNEzKJ
Moon, G. (2013). The Real History of Content Marketing. Retrieved from Todaymade Blog: https://todaymade.com/blog/
history-of-content-marketing/
Mumbrella. (2010, January 31). Australians world’s biggest users of social media. Retrieved from Mumbrella: http://
mumbrella.com.au/australians-worlds-biggest-users-of-social-media-16811
Nielsen. (2013). The Asian Mobile Consumer Decoded. Nielsen.
Nielsen. (2013). The Mobile Consumer: A Global Snapshot . Nielsen.
Optus. (2013). The Future of Business. Retrieved from Optus: http://www.optus.com.au/business/Business+insights/
Knowledge+share
Pulizzi, J. (2012). The Rise of Storytelling as the New Marketing. Content Marketing Institute.
Reichheld, F. (2003). The one number you need to grow. Harvard Business Review, 1-11.
Richter, F. (2013, August 27). The United States Ranks 13th in Smartphone Penetration. Retrieved from Statista: http://
www.statista.com/topics/840/smartphones/chart/1405/the-united-states-ranks-13th-in-smartphone-penetration/
Statista. (2013). Number of active Tencent’s WeChat users from second quarter 2010 to first quarter 2013 (in million
accounts). Retrieved from Statista: http://www.statista.com/statistics/255778/number-of-active-wechat-messengeraccounts/
Tracy, S., & Lyons, K. (2013). Service systems and the social enterprise. Hum. Factors Man., 28-36.
Wakabayashi, D. (2013, September 26). Panasonic Quits Smartphones. Retrieved from Wallstreet Journal - Digits:
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/09/26/panasonic-quits-smartphones/
PAGE 64

65.
Figure 1 Purchase behavior
Figure 2 Spectrum of content exposure
Figure 3 Value co-creation
Figure 4 Asia-Pacific: Respondents who actively follow their favorite brand(s) on social media
Figure 5 Asia-Pacific: Social Network Usage
Figure 6 Asia-Pacific: Incremental spending
Figure 7 Asia-Pacific: Brand Advocacy
Figure 8 Asia-Pacific: Brand engagement
Figure 9 Australia: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 10 Australia: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 11 Australia: Brand advocacy
Figure 12 Australia: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 13 Australia: Brand engagement
Figure 14 China: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 15 China: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 16 China: Brand advocacy
Figure 17 China: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 18 China: Brand engagement
Figure 19 Hong Kong: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 20 Hong Kong: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 21 Hong Kong: Brand advocacy
Figure 22 Hong Kong: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 23 Hong Kong: Brand engagement
Figure 24 India: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 25 India: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 26 India: Brand advocacy
Figure 27 India: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 28 India: Brand engagement
Figure 29 Indonesia: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 30 Indonesia: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 31 Indonesia: Brand advocacy
Figure 32 Indonesia: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 33 Indonesia: Brand engagement
Figure 34 Japan: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 35 Japan: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 36 Japan: Brand advocacy
Figure 37 Japan: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 38 Japan: Brand engagement
Figure 39 South Korea: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 40 South Korea: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 41 South Korea: Brand advocacy
Figure 42 South Korea: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 43 South Korea: Brand engagement
Figure 44 Philippines: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 45 Philippines: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 46 Philippines: Brand advocacy
Figure 47 Philippines: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 48 Philippines: Brand engagement
Figure 49 Singapore: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 50 Singapore: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 51 Singapore: Brand advocacy
Figure 52 Singapore: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 53 Singapore: Brand engagement
Figure 54 Vietnam: Respondents who actively follow their favourite brand(s) on social media
Figure 55 Vietnam: Incremental spend as a result of following brands online
Figure 56 Vietnam: Brand advocacy
Figure 57 Vietnam: Net promoter score across business sectors
Figure 58 Vietnam: Brand engagement
PAGE 65
12
14
19
23
24
24
25
25
27
27
28
28
28
30
30
31
31
31
33
33
34
34
34
36
37
37
37
38
40
40
41
41
41
43
44
44
44
45
47
48
48
49
49
51
51
52
52
52
54
54
55
55
55
57
57
58
58
58

66.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
For media queries:
Zaheer Nooruddin
Jordyn Hill
Asia-Pacific
Head of Digital, WE Studio D
znooruddin@waggeneredstrom.com
Assistant Business Development &
Marketing Manager APAC
jhill@waggeneredstrom.com
Learn more about WE creative services:
Stephen Tracy
Fithry Restusari
Asia-Pacific
Insight & Analytics Lead
stracy@waggeneredstrom.com
Asia-Pacific
Senior Designer, WE Studio D
frestusari@waggeneredstrom.com
Katherine Soh
Jeslynn Seah
Asia-Pacific
Insight & Analytics Associate Analyst
ksoh@waggeneredstrom.com
Asia-Pacific
Designer, WE Studio D
jseah@waggeneredstrom.com
PAGE 66

67.
Learn More
For custom brand insight from this 2014 study, please contact:
Matthew Lackie
Antoine Calendrier
Carolyn Camoens
Emma Richards
Madhuri Sen
Cathleen Witter
Dan Benelisha
Zaheer Nooruddin
Henry Wood
SoUmya Dev
Stephen Tracy
Peter Mcfeely
Asia-Pacific
Senior Vice President
mlackie@waggeneredstrom.com
China
General Manager
acalendrier@waggeneredstrom.com
Singapore
General Manager
ccamoens@waggeneredstrom.com
Hong Kong
General Manager
erichards@waggeneredstrom.com
India
Managing Director
msen@waggeneredstrom.com
Asia-Pacific
Healthcare Practice Lead
cwitter@waggeneredstrom.com
Asia-Pacific
Technology Practice Lead
dbenelisha@waggeneredstrom.com
Asia-Pacific
Head of Digital, WE Studio D
znooruddin@waggeneredstrom.com
Greater China Region
Digital Lead, WE Studio D
hwood@waggeneredstrom.com
India Digital Lead
WE Studio D
sdev@waggeneredstrom.com
Asia-Pacific
Insight & Analytics Lead
stracy@waggeneredstrom.com
Singapore
Digital Lead, WE Studio D
pmcfeely@waggeneredstrom.com
PAGE 67

68.
STUDIO D
http://accelerateinfluence.com/
WAGGENER EDSTROM Asia-Pacific
http://apac.waggeneredstrom.com/
Find us on:
PAGE 68