Tag: Milieu Insights

Singapore – A survey by HubSpot and LinkedIn, conducted by Milieu Insight, reveals that more than eight in ten (84%) Singaporean companies are leveraging digital marketing for their advertising needs, yet 50% struggle with accurately measuring their return on investment.

The survey found that more than seven in ten (78%) companies using digital marketing have a strategy in place, while more than half (57%) of those without a digital marketing strategy plan to implement one in the near future.

However, the survey indicates that inadequate tracking capabilities may be limiting digital marketing’s effectiveness. Despite widespread adoption of local companies, only 17% of Singaporean respondents strongly believe that a strong digital marketing strategy leads to increased revenue, well below the regional average of 41%.

The report suggests that low adoption of essential tools like customer relationship management (CRM) platforms may be hindering effective tracking of marketing outcomes. Only 41% of Singaporean companies using digital marketing utilise CRM tools, the lowest rate among the surveyed countries.

Furthermore, beyond the low tool adoption, the survey found that 24% of Singaporean companies using digital marketing lack confidence in their team’s ability to effectively use these tools. Additionally, 49% believe their strategies failed to meet organisational goals in 2023, the highest rates among surveyed countries, indicating a potential skills gap in Singapore’s marketing sector.

Matt Tindale, head of LinkedIn Marketing Solutions for APAC, stated, “In Singapore, with the pace at which technology is advancing, there is an opportunity for marketers to enhance their skills. Upskilling and reskilling will not only help professionals adapt to changes but leverage new technology for increased productivity and enhanced outcomes. Findings from the survey indicate that while the majority of local companies are focusing on brand awareness, the real challenge is converting that awareness into actionable growth.”

“With the integration of AI into digital marketing strategies, as indicated by 60% of companies in our survey, Singapore is on the brink of a transformative era in digital marketing. Success requires the use of effective measurement frameworks and tools to support data-driven decisions, which are essential for maximising ROI. One example is LinkedIn’s Revenue Attribution Report, which connects CRM data to information from marketing touchpoints across the customer journey. These can help marketers better demonstrate the impact of their LinkedIn campaigns on key metrics such as pipeline generated, deal cycles, and revenue, ultimately helping them to make better business decisions,” Tindale added. 

Meanwhile, when assessing digital marketing impact, over half (52%) of Singaporean respondents prioritise brand awareness, in contrast to the regional preference for sales or revenue as the key success metric.

This trend towards digital marketing is on track to continue in 2024. According to the survey, digital marketing investments are set to continue in 2024, with over a third (35%) of Singaporean companies spending S$10,000 or more monthly. Most allocate 21% to 40% of their marketing budgets to digital channels. Notably, more than a third plan to maintain their current investment levels in 2024, the highest proportion among surveyed countries.

The survey also found that among Singaporean companies with digital marketing strategies, 62% consider social media the most crucial channel, followed by content marketing (50%) and search engine marketing (49%). Nearly half (42%) also rank social media among their top three critical channels for digital marketing activities. 

The dominance of social media in digital marketing is evident in budget allocation and tool usage. In Singapore, the survey found that social media marketing commands 23% of marketing budgets, and social media management platforms are the most widely used tools, employed by over 51% of respondents.

Kat Warboys, senior marketing director for APAC at HubSpot, said, “Social selling and commerce are becoming increasingly popular in Singapore, offering a highly effective platform for brands to reach, target, and engage on a personal level with their audience. Despite the growing popularity of social media platforms, brands should avoid being over-reliant on a single channel.”

Warboys continued, “More than half of global customers today leverage anywhere between three and five different channels throughout their buying journey. Success will increasingly be contingent on the ability of brands to establish a presence on the channels their customers and prospects reside on and to leverage CRM platforms to accurately measure the impact of their marketing efforts. This will be essential to actively engage and deliver frictionless experiences to audiences regardless of channel.” 

In addition to social media management platforms, Singaporean companies widely use CRM platforms (41%) and email marketing solutions (37%). Integrating these tools with a solid marketing strategy helps brands engage customers across various channels and consolidate data for better measurement and improved customer experiences.

Warboys added, “As the popularity of digital channels explode, the key to success will lie in ensuring customer data doesn’t reside in siloes across multiple platforms. Solutions could include the use of Conversion APIs that enables brands to accurately track and measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts on social media platforms. As a server-side tracking option, Conversion APIs can still deliver observable data that would otherwise have been restricted by privacy controls, something marketers need to consider as third-party cookies are phased out.”

“By adopting CRM solutions that can seamlessly integrate with such tools, marketers will be better positioned to make the most of information gathered throughout the customer journey. This unfettered information flow can empower marketers with the necessary insights to drive more targeted campaigns, automatically follow up on leads generated from social media, and clearly track ROI of every ad campaign,” she concluded.

Singapore – A total of 8 in 10 Southeast Asians are purposely waiting for Black Friday to fulfil their annual wish lists, a report from Milieu Insight revealed.

The data further showed that more than half, or 63%, across the region willingly wait for Black Friday to make higher-priced purchases, with Vietnam topping the list of countries at 76%.

While the report suggests a wide diversity and priority in Southeast Asia’s shopping list during the Black Friday season, fashion (65%) came out on top, followed by electronic gadgets (56%), and personal care products (56%), who both got the same results.

Interestingly enough, digital channels such as online shopping, app deals, and digital payment transactions showed promising results during the Black Friday shopping spree in the region.

The data from the report highlighted that 72% of people in the region prefer online shopping during Black Friday, showcasing a preference for the convenience and accessibility offered by digital platforms. Among the countries, Indonesia takes the lead, with a whopping 94% now favouring online shopping. Singapore is also closely behind at 81%.

While cash (43%) and cash follows (32%) maintain a significant share of the payment options, almost 65% of Indonesians, 58% of Malaysians, and 58% of Thais already showed strong preference for using e-wallets during their shopping. These numbers surpass the regional average of 50%, underscoring the prevailing regional inclination towards digital transactions.

Social media and cashback apps are also playing significant roles in encouraging more consumers in the region to do their shopping. The reports revealed that social media (69%) and shopping or cashback apps (54%) are among the ones that keep consumers informed about on-going and upcoming Black Friday deals.

This is especially important as deals such as cashback or rebates drive purchasing decisions for Southeast Asians. Cashback or rebates (63%), early access deals (30%), and flash sales (53%) are among the key motivators for consumers to purchase during the shopping season.

These factors underscore the evolving needs of Southeast Asian shoppers, who seek not only discounts but also additional perks that enhance their overall shopping experience.

The data from the Milieu Insight report shows that digital channels have a profound influence on shaping consumer behaviour and driving awareness among Southeast Asians during this shopping bonanza.

Singapore – Around 56% of Southeast Asians follow influencers on social media, but 55% remain to have a neutral impression towards them, according to a survey by Milieu Insight. 

The survey aims to unveil follower trends and consumer sentiments on influencer marketing as a major advertising tactic. 

Based on the data collected, more than 1 out of 2 Southeast Asians follow influencers on social media. This means that 56% of respondents in the Southeast Asian region follow influencers. 

A large number of respondents in the Philippines and Vietnam are following influencers at 68% and 71%, respectively, and Thailand takes the middle with 50%. However, on the other end of the spectrum, there is limited interest shown in Singapore, with only 39% of respondents shown to be following influencers.

Looking at the social media platform preference to follow influencers, the top three with the highest votes were Youtube with 72%, and Instagram and Facebook both with 60%.

Gen Z preferred Instagram (64%) and TikTok (58%) to follow influencers, whereas Facebook is more popular among Millennials (69%) and Gen X (74%).

Youtube drew the most interest for respondents in Thailand and the Philippines, while Instagram took the spot in Indonesia and Singapore. Meanwhile, Facebook ranked first in Vietnam.

When it comes to the content that influencers post, the top 5 topics that respondents were most interested in were: lifestyle (54%), entertainment and/or comedy (52%), food (48%), fashion (41%), and travel (40%).

However, gender impacts the preferred content, with men primarily following influencers with content about entertainment or comedy (52%), lifestyle (46%), and technology and gadgets (41%). While women also predominantly favour entertainment and comedy (61%), their other main interests are food (55%), and beauty (53%).

When it comes to influencer impact on consumer purchase, beauty products emerged as the top selling category, driven by influencer content across the region, with the data particularly skewing towards females at 56% and Gen Zs at 46%.

Interestingly, for Baby Boomers or those above 59 years of age, 4 in 10 are swayed by influencer content when it comes to food and beverages. Meanwhile, 32% of the Gen X demographic, or those ranging from ages 43 to 58, indicated they made purchases as a result of following influencer content on technology and gadgets.

However, the survey also revealed that consumers in the region appear to be less susceptible to influencer content that is fitness-related, travel-related products, or purchases of items for children and pets, suggesting a nuanced landscape where influencers wield varying degrees of impact across different product categories.

And with the widespread following of influencers in the region, the survey also dug into the data to unveil the trust factor among SEA consumers. From there, it reveals that user reviews and review sites carry more weight than influencer shout-outs.

Overall, neutrality (51%) is the prevailing sentiment on how much respondents in Southeast Asia trust, if at all, sponsored content from influencers in Southeast Asia. However, there is an exception to this data, with Vietnam showing a positive impression at 60%.

Across age groups, only 5% of Baby Boomers trust influencers a lot, as compared to the average of 7% for Gen Z and Gen X and 8% for Gen Y.

Furthermore, 3 out of 10 Southeast Asians find influencers’ sponsored content informative, and 1 out of 5 credit influencer tactics for introducing them to new brands and products.

With influencers, a following count also matters when it comes to measuring their reach.

The influencers followed by Southeast Asians generally have more than a million followers (36%). This data is consistent across the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. However, the rest of the population is generally impartial to the number of followers an influencer has.

Interestingly enough, there is an even spread among the number of micro, macro, and mega influencers that Southeast Asians follow.

Still, not everyone can be considered an influencer. According to the survey, Southeast Asians consider authenticity (51%), sense of humour (49%), and expertise in a specific area (42%) to be important attributes for an influencer. 

Notably, in Indonesia, consistency of recommendations is their top-valued attribute. It is also shown that more Vietnamese value engagement with followers.

Aside from the following, an influencer’s impact also differs depending on the age groups of the respondents or targets. Approximately one-third of the participants stated that influencers have expanded their knowledge about brands and products.

Among those who have bought something based on influencers’ content, the top 3 areas of purchase are beauty (41%), fashion (38%), and food and beverage (37%). For males, this is a slightly different case, with tech/gadgets (41%), food and beverages (36%), and fashion (30%) as their most common products purchased.

While 38% of Baby Boomers in Southeast Asia find that sponsored content from influencers helps them get to know more about a product or brand, they are not looking for new brands, as only 17% feel that the content helps them discover new products or brands.

Meanwhile, Gen Z finds promotion offers to be attractive, with 15% following influencer content because they offer good promotions.

In response to criticism about influencers’ role in consumerism, deinfluencers are now also making a new wave in social media.

Deinfluencers are individuals that challenge consumerist tendencies by offering alternative perspectives on products and trends. Instead of promoting the newest products, they advocate for mindful consumption. 

Looking at the data, the majority of Southeast Asians are impartial to both influencer culture and deinfluencers, despite the growing influencer landscape. Surprisingly, 40% claim to have never made a purchase based on influencer content, and 20% of Gen Z state their last influencer-based purchase was over half a year ago. As for awareness of deinfluencers, Vietnam is ahead of the game, where an astonishing 62% have heard of the term.

Despite the neutral impression of influencer content, Milieu Insight reiterates that influencers have some kind of effect on consumers. Through their content, influencers can provide valuable insights, personal experiences, and relatable narratives that resonate with their followers. They have also become trusted sources of information and recommendations for consumers across various niches that can impact consumer purchase decisions. 

Singapore – Around 6 to 10 Southeast Asians are said to currently have debts or loans, according to a survey conducted by market research firm Milieu Insight in 2023. 

The study found that 62% of the Southeast Asian population are currently holding debts or loans, with Malaysia and Vietnam emerging as the nations grappling with the highest amount of people who currently have loans or debt.

The main factor as to why debt and loans have grown in Southeast Asia vary for each country. In Singapore, 49% of Singaporeans choose to take on debt in order to purchase property. On the other hand, 48% of Indonesians and 41% of Vietnamese and Filipinos stated that they took out loans and had debts due to an urgent need for immediate funds.

‍Regionally, there is a growing concern about indebtedness, with 14% of respondents stating that they aren’t able to save after deducting expenses and debt/loan repayment. This is even more alarming in Thailand, with 24% of respondents being unable to save after covering essential expenses and loans. However, there is a stark contrast in Singapore, where 14% of respondents are still saving more than 50% of their income.

Furthermore, the study revealed that 1 in 4 of Southeast Asians lacked personal finance education, with 39% of respondents attributing their financial literacy to the Internet.

In a press release regarding this, Milieu Insight commented, “Understanding the debt landscape and personal finance dynamics in Southeast Asia has never been more critical. Financial education is thus crucial and should be viewed as a lifelong learning process, with continuous efforts to update and adapt programs to align with evolving economic conditions. By fostering a culture of learning and financial awareness, we can equip our communities with the tools to make sound financial decisions and achieve financial security.”

Manila, Philippines – The term ‘cancel culture’ or the term for boycotting public figures that are found to be problematic–is becoming more prevalent within the younger generations in the Philippines. Cancel culture remains linked to the call for accountability, and Milieu Insight has conducted a recent survey to learn more about the factors and perspectives that shape cancel culture locally.

According to the data, around 1 in 5 Filipinos have joined in a ‘cancel’ movement, with 66% saying they joined because they did not agree with the actions/opinions of the person or group, and 54% said they joined because he person or group is or was involved in a controversy.

Locally, cancel culture skews towards cancelling public figures due to cultural issues such as cultural appropriation (50%) and political stance (48%). Within the Southeast Asian region, respondents’ withdrawal of support tended to be racism (54%), sexual assault (50%) and physical violence (48%).

Meanwhile, around 31% of Southeast Asians said a person/group that was ‘cancelled’ can always or often be forgiven or given the opportunity to make a public appearance. This sentiment is shared by more Filipinos, with 41% being more agreeable to giving a cancelled entity a second chance – the highest rate among the different Southeast Asian countries.

Most local respondents describe cancel culture to be cruel (45%) and aggressive (35%) but those who have been part of a cancel movement tended to view it as normal (30% vs 17% overall), helpful (22% vs 8% overall), and progressive (16% vs 11% overall). This reflects their belief that cancelling is a useful tool to demand responsibility from public figures. In addition, the majority of Filipinos agreed that cancel movements are a fair punishment (76%) for wrongdoers to be held responsible, and 78% see them as effective in doing so.

Around 51% of Filipinos also say that cancel culture happens too often, significantly higher than those who say it happens just as often as it should (42%).

In the recent Philippines’ national elections, people cancelled not only public figures but also their friends and family due to different political beliefs. It is no surprise then that the majority of Filipinos act cautiously both online (92%) and offline (91%) because they are worried about being cancelled themselves.

Singapore — Almost three out of four shoppers, or 73 per cent, now consider shopping online to be integral to everyday life, with 67 per cent of them identifying e-commerce mega campaigns as a key factor in shaping their consumer buying behaviour. Furthermore, nearly 60 per cent of consumers also welcomed online shopping as a part of their daily life less than two years ago – possibly owing to the pandemic. These are the results of a recent report by SEA e-commerce platform Lazada in collaboration with Milieu Insights.

Regional findings note that consumers continue to actively participate during Mega Campaigns such as Lazada 12.12, with 67 per cent of the digital consumers completing a purchase during a Mega Campaign.

Additionally, the report unveiled key reasons Southeast Asians shop, which is a number of motivations such as pricing and functionality. Low prices (45%), and affordable shipping (45%) topped the list followed closely by the ease of search (43%) and convenience (43%). Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines show a strong preference for the items to be delivered straight to them, with 55 per cent, 48 per cent, and 49 per cent, respectively.

Reviews and ratings are also key to a positive shopping experience, especially for online shoppers in Singapore (61%), and Thailand (66%). In regards to reviews, the study uncovered that one in two shoppers, or 54 per cent, said reviews make the shopping experience positive. In addition, half, or 50 per cent of those surveyed said they leave reviews on the product post-purchase, and one in three, or 32 per cent, said the reviews are one of the top 3 reasons why they prefer to buy online. This shows that the culture of shopper engagement by leaving authentic reviews helps build trust and has a significant influence on the final purchase behaviour of shoppers.

James Chang, chief business officer of Lazada Group, shared that digital commerce has changed the way people shop in the past decade, especially in the last two years with the pandemic accelerating the shift towards online retail.

He added: “Such changes are showing a lasting effect, especially in emerging markets. This first region-wide Lazada Consumer Study shows that Mega Campaigns, pioneered by Lazada in Southeast Asia a few years ago, still matter to the consumer. They look forward to the deals and shoppertainment features that come with each campaign.”

Gerald Ang, chief executive officer of Milieu Insight, commented that the online shopping landscape has evolved massively in the last two years with Southeast Asia leading this change globally.

“This is why we wanted to identify the new behaviours and current sentiments of online shoppers in Southeast Asia. On the back of this partnership with Lazada, we’ve gathered fundamental data across their 6 regional markets, helping them understand the intricacies of each. As Lazada continues to shape the thriving modern-day e-commerce economy, these insights are meant to equip them in formulating the most effective consumer outreach strategies in the current environment,” Ang said.

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – As influencer marketing is continuing to grow in popularity, especially in Asia, there has been another rise of influencers: virtual influencers. More recently, more companies are playing with the idea of marketing through virtual influencers. These computer-generated public figures almost have a life of their own – reflected on their social media accounts – and even work with brands to promote the latest products.

In the latest survey conducted by consumer research platform Milieu Insight, it has found that 45% of Vietnamese consumers are very interested in following virtual influencers, while 44% said they are somewhat interested in, and 11% saying they are not interested.

In terms of credibility, 21% of respondents say that they trust virtual influencers more than their human counterparts. Meanwhile, 37% indicated that virtual influencers are to be trusted at the same level as human influencers, 27% said that they are less credible, and 14% said that they are unsure.

Meanwhile, in regards to local preference, 60% said that they want the virtual influencers they follow to look Vietnamese, while 16% say that they want them to look non-Vietnamese, and 25% said that they have no preference. 

On the aspect of how these virtual influencers communicate, 71% said that they prefer to be communicated in Vietnamese, 9% said they prefer someone not communicating in Vietnamese, and 21% said that they have no preference.

Lastly, in terms of gender appearance, 49% said that they want virtual influencers to look feminine, 20% want them being masculine, 14% want them to be androgynous, 2% have other options, and 15% say that they have no preference.

Singapore – Southeast Asia research and analytics firm Milieu Insight has unveiled the new update of its mobile survey app, Milieu Surveys, which provides flexibility and convenience of gaining insights into localized trending topics.

Milieu’s opinion-sharing community is made up of an extensive representative panel across all ages, and segment groups, enabling quality consumer research results at quicker turnaround times. Milieu Survey’s innovative survey technology allows respondents to take surveys, polls, and quizzes, as well as learn, and earn at the same time.

The new app update builds on its previous version, focusing on offering a superior user experience with a host of new gamification features. By utilizing highly visual gamification elements, language localization features and engaging, interactive content, the new app experience encourages active participation and delivery of high-quality data.

The new key features include ‘play’, which allows users to earn points from participating in surveys, taking daily quizzes or ‘Hot Topic’ polls, and also earn booster points from time to time. It also includes ‘track’, which enables users to view their status tier and track how many points they have earned, surveys completed, and activity history. And lastly, the ‘spend’ feature, which allows users to redeem their reward points for attractive items such as shopping vouchers or donations to charity.

Gerald Ang, Milieu Insight’s founder and CEO, shared that they started Milieu Insight to make market research accessible to everyone – consumers and businesses alike.

“We are excited to have reached a new milestone with our Milieu Surveys mobile app, as we continue to innovate and find new ways to transform the market research landscape, empowering our clients to move beyond legacy ways of conducting consumer research,” said Ang.

Meanwhile, Stephen Tracy, Milieu Insight’s COO, commented that the success of their data collection app, Milieu Surveys, was built on their unwavering commitment to user-centricity.

“Our latest app upgrade doubles down on our commitment to offering our users a great experience, while adding exciting new features and ways to collect new types of data that are opt-in and permission-based,” said Tracy.

Singapore – Over-the-top (OTT) video streaming reaches 392 million people across Asia Pacific, according to a new report from global video advertising platform SpotX.

According to the report, over two thirds (69%) of video viewers in the region watch streaming video at least once a week, confirming that both the audience size and regularity of OTT viewing have matured and entered the mainstream. The top three markets for OTT viewing were Singapore (91%), Australia (81%), and Indonesia (76%). 

In terms of daily streaming, OTT viewers watch more than two hours of content a day, often out-stripping traditional TV and video-sharing platforms. The leading markets for OTT consumption are the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia. 

The majority of OTT streaming is done through mobile devices, evident across developing countries. However, smart TV viewership is growing quickly, especially in Australia, Singapore, and Vietnam, where at least one in five video viewers streams through a smart TV.

Meanwhile, most video viewers (67%) prefer to watch free, ad-supported content versus only 23% who prefer to pay for an ad-free service. There is also a clear acceptance of ads in exchange for viewing free content, with 86% of viewers saying they don’t mind watching ads – provided the ad loads are kept light. Also, streamers say that OTT ads are more effective than TV ads at attracting their attention across Southeast Asian countries.

“We are only scratching the surface of the possibilities in OTT. Not only have users grown due to the stay-at-home regulations, but it is a habit that Indonesians will continue to pursue post-pandemic,” said Crisela Magpayo Cervantes, principal partner at Mindshare Indonesia. 

“Local original series and movies, Korean drama, and sports are driving OTT growth as are different acquisition strategies, through telco partnerships, and new funding models,” she added. 

The research was conducted across the markets of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Australia through the help of Singapore-based research firm Milieu Insights, which conducted a quantitative survey of 7,000 people across the aforementioned markets.