Indonesia – More than half of Indonesians (52%) identify as need-based shoppers, with brand-loyal consumers (38%), price-sensitive shoppers (34%), and quality-focused buyers (30%) following in distant second, third, and fourth places, according to YouGov.

YouGov categorised consumers into distinct personalities: minimalist, need-based, environmentally conscious, socially conscious, quality-focused, brand loyal, trend-driven, price-sensitive, convenience-driven, impulse buyer, early adopter, and experiential consumer—each reflecting unique behaviours and motivations.

YouGov’s data shows that Indonesian women surpass men in need-based consumption, with 54% of women identifying as necessity-driven compared to 49% of men. Women also lead in brand loyalty (40% vs. 37%), price sensitivity (39% vs. 29%), and quality focus (31% vs. 28%).

Indonesian men, on the other hand, are slightly more inclined towards minimalism, with 25% identifying as minimalist consumers compared to 23% of women. They also exhibit more impulsive buying behaviour, with 13% of men identifying as impulse buyers versus 10% of women. Additionally, men are more likely to consider themselves socially conscious consumers (15% vs. 11%).

Interestingly, YouGov’s data also highlights a segment of consumers striving for more mindful consumption, a group that may be driving the trend of underconsumption.

A quarter of respondents (25%) reported owning fewer possessions in the past 12 months and adopting mindful consumption, identifying as minimalist consumers according to the survey.

The survey also provided insights into overconsumption among Indonesian consumers, revealing that fewer Indonesians make purchase decisions driven by trends, impulse buying, or the desire to be the first to try new products.

According to the survey, only one in ten Indonesians (12%) consider themselves impulse buyers, with even fewer identifying as early adopters (7%) or being driven by trends (7%).

Meanwhile, pulse chasers (trend-driven shoppers, impulse buyers, and early adopters) are often scrutinised in discussions about overconsumption. However, they play a crucial role as brand advocates, driving positive word-of-mouth. YouGov’s data suggests that post-purchase regret and a more thoughtful approach to consumption may shape their shopper personality.

Half of pulse chasers (51%) report frequently regretting impulse-driven, trend-fueled purchases over the past year. More men (17%) than women (11%) experienced this regret very often. Among those without regrets, men lead women (10% vs. 7%).

Additionally, 37%  of pulse chasers report regretting their purchases somewhat often, while an equal 37% regret them not very often. However, women (43%) are more likely than men (32%) to feel regret somewhat often.

YouGov also explored the financial impact of these purchases on consumers. The survey revealed that over a quarter (27%) of respondents spent between Rp 200,001 and Rp 400,000 on impulse-driven, trendy purchases over the last year. More than two in ten (23%) spent under Rp 200,000, while 31% spent over Rp 600,000.

Nearly four in ten (39%) have reduced their spending and purchased fewer items in the last 12 months, while 38% report no change. About a quarter (23%) have increased their spending.

The data also revealed that pulse chasers who reduced their spending cited becoming more mindful of their purchases as a key reason.

Among pulse chasers who reduced their spending in the last 12 months, 44% cite being more thoughtful about their purchases and focusing on necessity. For 21%, budget-consciousness and deal-hunting were key factors, while 19% opted for buying fewer items in favor of higher quality.

Meanwhile, a smaller proportion (15%) are motivated by the desire to reduce the environmental impact of their purchases.

“Brands must recognise that even some of their most enthusiastic, vocal customers are evolving to be more discerning. As consumers sharpen their focus on the environmental impact of their purchases, product quality, and budget mindfulness, brands must adapt to these shifting expectations to remain relevant and trusted,” YouGov wrote. 

Singapore – With the hype for the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship–which will happen in a month away–continues across Asia-Pacific, new data from YouGov has revealed that football followers in Australia are most likely to have noticed event sponsors (57%), while half of football followers in Hong Kong (51%) and Indonesia (50%) say the same. In contrast, under two-fifths in Singapore and Thailand (38%) say the same.

In terms of recognising TV programme sponsors–meaning those shown during broadcast of football matches–about half of football followers in Thailand (51%) and Hong Kong (49%) have noticed such sponsorships, ahead of more than two-fifths in Australia (45%) and Indonesia (44%). However, only a quarter in Singapore (26%) say the same.

Meanwhile, in terms of recognising sponsors at the venue, about a third of football followers in Australia (35%) have noticed such sponsorships, ahead of a quarter in Hong Kong and Indonesia (both 24%), and closer to a fifth in Thailand (22%) and Singapore (18%).

Moreover, about a third of football followers in Australia (36%), Thailand (34%) and Indonesia (32%) have noticed sponsorships related to the team’s season sponsor, compared to around a quarter in Singapore (27%) and Hong Kong (25%).

Lastly, the data also shows that most football followers in Indonesia (57%) and Thailand (52%) would support their teams by buying products from their sponsors, with about an eighth (12-13%) expressing strong agreement.

Singapore – Singapore Airlines has emerged as the leader in market research firm YouGov’s ‘Recommend Rankings 2024’ in Singapore, achieving a score of 85.0.

On the other hand, YouGov’s data also highlights the ten most improved brands over the past year, with Singtel Broadband ranking first in Singapore.

Despite facing controversy over a turbulent flight this year, Singapore Airlines has upheld its position as the most recommended brand among customers in Singapore.

Alongside Singapore Airlines, Emirates secures second place with a score of 84.5, followed by Japanese fashion retail chain Uniqlo in third with 83.3. Apple and its smartphone brand iPhone are positioned fourth (80.8) and seventh (78.6), respectively. Nike holds the fifth spot (79.7), closely followed by Adidas in sixth (79.1).

The rankings are based on YouGov Brand Index’s positive ‘Recommend’ score, which measures the percentage of a brand’s customers who would recommend it to a friend or colleague.

In terms of brand improvement, Singtel Broadband has shown the most significant improvement, with a score change from 39.5 to 45.3, followed closely by Food Republic with an improvement of +5.8.

Head & Shoulders and Food Junction rank third (change in score of +5.4) and fourth (+5.3) among improvers, with M1 Mobile (5.2), CNN (5.2), Shokubutsu (5.1), Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (5.1), J&T Express (5.0), and Airbnb (4.9) also making significant strides in Singapore.

Singapore – Travelling with Singapore Airlines (SIA) has seen a slump a week following a turbulence incident from one of its flights that resulted in the death of one passenger and seven critically injured. However, despite this, the airline remains on top of most considered airlines as of the end of May–according to the latest survey from YouGov.

The data from YouGov BrandIndex indicates that news of the recent accident has spread widely in Singapore. The carrier’s Buzz score (which measures whether consumers have heard more positive or negative things about a brand in the past two weeks) plunged over 35 points from 54.7 on May 21 to 19.2 by May 31 – finishing 18 points lower than at the start of the month. 

Meanwhile, its WOM Exposure score (which measures whether consumers have recently talked about the brand with their family and friends) spiked almost 14 points since the accident – from 42.7 on May 21 to 56.5 by May 31 – suggesting consumers are not just noticing the news but also discussing it.

Moreover, SIA’s service quality and corporate reputation, however, saw only slight dips in the immediate aftermath of the accident. Consumer perceptions of the airline’s Quality dropped about four points one week on – from 69.3 on May 21 to 65.4 by May 31 – and remains almost three points higher than on May 1 (62.5). Likewise, the airline’s Reputation score (which measures whether residents would be proud or embarrassed to work for the brand) shaved 2.3 points over the same period – from 66.9 on May 21 to 64.6 by May 31 – to finish close to six points higher than on May 1 (58.9).

In contrast, consideration of SIA as a potential travel provider has taken a noticeable hit. Its Consideration score (which measures the percentage of consumers who would consider flying with the airline on their next trip) lost almost 15 points following SQ321’s mishap – falling from 68.0 on May 21 to 53.3 by May 29 – but appears to have started to on an upward trend thereafter to reach 55.9 by the end of May. 

Nonetheless, despite the significant fall in consumer who would consider booking their next flight with SIA, the flag carrier remains by far the most considered airline among consumers in Singapore.

The incident involved the Singapore Airlines Flight 321 flying from London to Singapore on May 20 and experienced turbulence, forcing the airplane–a Boeing 777-300ER–to divert to Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.

Following the incident, Singapore Airlines chief executive officer Goh Choon Phong has apologised for the incident, adding, “We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through.”

Moreover, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has promised a “thorough investigation” into the incident that left one person dead and dozens others hurt, with Singapore’s transport ministry having deployed investigators to Bangkok, where the Singapore-bound flight from London made an emergency landing.

Singapore – Over three in five (42%) Singaporeans who enjoy camping or caravanning during holidays consider automotive brand BMW to be a ‘leader in innovation and technology’, a survey by YouGov found. 

Tesla comes in second, with one in three (32%) viewing it as an innovation leader, followed by Audi (26%), Toyota (24%), and Mercedes-Benz (23%), where a quarter say the same.

Meanwhile, Hyundai and Mitsubishi (all 14%) tie for the sixth spot among camping and caravanning enthusiasts, just before Mazda, KIA, and Porsche (all 13%), who are in seventh place, and Suzuki (11%) in eighth.

Finally, Lexus and Jaguar (both 10%) and Nissan and Infiniti (both 9%) round up the top 10 automotive brands most viewed as technologically innovative in Singapore.

Interestingly, when taking all Singapore consumers into consideration, Tesla overtakes BMW as the brand most seen as a leader in innovation and technology, while Toyota comes in third before Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

Singapore – YouGov, the international online research data and analytics technology group, and advertising agency Havas have announced the expansion of their data partnership, which powers Havas’ client insights.

In this expanded partnership, Havas and YouGov’s collaboration now supports Havas’ Village approach, integrating media, creativity, and talent collaboration to provide customers with a more meaningful brand experience.

The new deal also increases the market coverage of the partnership, from 18 to now 26 markets across the globe. Havas also expanded the relationship to encompass Havas Media Network, Havas Creative Network, and Havas Health & You agencies, allowing the entire network to benefit from the YouGov Profiles and YouGov BrandIndex data.

YouGov and Havas also continue to collaborate on three global custom research studies for in-depth client analysis: ‘Meaningful Brands,’ a flagship survey analysing brand impact and equity over 15 years; ‘Connect,’ a study on brand association and influence throughout the consumer decision journey; and ‘Content,’ an in-depth survey on the effectiveness of over 35 content types. 

The collaboration grants Havas access to YouGov’s connected living data approach, enhancing custom study data with insights from YouGov Profiles and YouGov BrandIndex. This global partnership provides Havas with continuously updated data sets.

Dan Hagen, global chief data & technology officer at Havas Media Network, said, “As we aim to deliver upon our One Havas ambition and power the convergence of creativity, data, technology, media, and production across our global network, YouGov will be a key data partner for the future. Our expanded partnership will greatly enhance what we can offer our clients and bring in insights from key markets across Europe, LATAM, MENA, and APAC. YouGov has a global reach and connected data capabilities, which have enabled us to integrate their data at a respondent level into our data and tech platform, Converged, in markets around the world.”

Also speaking on the partnership, Steve Hatch, CEO of YouGov, shared, “We are pleased to deepen our partnership with Havas and honoured at the level of trust they have placed in our data-driven insights. With YouGov’s unique combination of data from our proprietary panel, our connected data abilities, and our best-in-market research tools, we are proud to enable one of the world’s largest global communications groups to gain a deeper understanding of consumers and make more informed business decisions. This expansion of our partnership reflects our shared commitment to delivering the most actionable insights to companies and institutions around the world.”

Singapore – With Mother’s Day coming close, nearly two-thirds (64%) of Singaporeans think that it is an occasion to be celebrated, according to the latest data from marketing research firm YouGov. 

On the other hand, 15% of Singaporeans tend to believe that it is an occasion that people would not celebrate if it weren’t for social pressure from friends or family. A small percentage (5%) also tend to see it as more of a celebration due to pressure from brands.

Moreover, data from YouGov suggests that younger Singaporeans are more likely than older adults to consider Mother’s Day a legitimate event. 71% of Singaporeans who are Gen Z consider the day to be a proper occasion, compared to 24% who say otherwise.

This is in comparison to 62% of Gen X and 68% of baby boomers seeing Mother’s Day as a proper occasion, as do about 60% of millennials.

In general, Singaporeans were found more likely to believe that Mother’s Day is a proper celebration when compared to other days, such as, Father’s Day (61%), New Year’s eve (59%), dating anniversaries (28%), Valentine’s Day or International Women’s Day (24% each).

Only when compared to birthdays and wedding anniversaries, Singaporeans are less likely to consider it as a proper occasion for celebration. Thinking about the occasion this year, 55% of Singaporeans say they plan to celebrate Mother’s Day, with 41% of even those who believe Mother’s Day is celebrated because of social pressure intending to mark the day this year, as opposed to the 36% who will not.

When it comes to how they want the occasion celebrated, giving gifts is considered as the most ideal way to celebrate Mother’s Day (48%), followed by arranging an outing or vacation (46%), preparing a home cooked meal (40%), and taking over all household chores from them for a day (35%).

Comparatively, fewer Singaporeans consider giving a bouquet of flowers (28%), a heartfelt card (26%) or an amazing spa or wellness activity (21%) as a way to mark this special day.

Singapore – Despite a decrease in piracy on pirate TV boxes, pirate apps and streaming or torrent websites, the survey shows an increase in the incidence of piracy across the region on social media and messaging platforms, according to a new survey from Asia Video Industry Association’s Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), conducted alongside YouGov.

The survey shows an increase in the incidence of piracy across the region, climbing from 52% last year to 59% this year. Moreover, it showed that particularly concerning are the increases in the Philippines (12% yoy) and Vietnam (13% yoy), with both countries also now having the region’s highest incidences of piracy amongst their populations, at 70% and 71% respectively.

The dominance of social media and messaging platforms as the conduit to piracy not only remains, but has grown more severe, increasing by 14% across the region. Meanwhile, only 13% of consumers in the region now access pirated content through websites, and 11% by pirate TV boxes – both down from last year.

Moreover, awareness of the negative consequences of piracy (89%) remains extremely high across the region, with consumers being most aware of criminals profiting from pirate services, the risks of malware and the damage piracy causes to local industry being most prominent. 

Lastly, the impact of judicial or administrative orders requiring ISPs to block access to pirate sites is clear, with Indonesian (59%), Vietnamese (54%), Malaysian (42%) and Singaporean (28%) consumers saying they have either stopped entirely or rarely access pirate sites as a direct result of sites being blocked.

Matt Cheetham, general manager of CAP, noted, “We are greatly encouraged by the continuing downward trend of consumers accessing pirate content from illegal websites, which reflects the work done over many years in the region by industry and governments. However, it is clear that social media and messaging platforms must do more to prevent their services being used to find and access pirate content.”

Singapore – Around 70% of Singaporeans have adopted carrying a reusable shopping bag as a common practice to cut back on plastic use, a survey from YouGov revealed. 

According to the survey, Singaporeans are now taking more drastic steps to reduce the use of plastic in their daily routine as problems with plastic pollution increase. 

A top action across all age groups is the carrying of reusable shopping bags, which 70% of Singaporeans have now adopted to cut back on their plastic use. This is followed by using reusable containers for storage (55%), and reusing old plastic shopping bags (52%).

Additionally, reusing takeaway containers for storage (48%), avoiding plastic cutlery (45%), carrying a reusable bottle or cup (44%), reusing plastic bottles for future use (42%), and avoiding plastic straws (41%), are some of the other ways in which Singaporeans are checking their plastic usage.

Interestingly, the survey also showed that baby boomers and GenX are the ones most likely to take all the listed actions as compared to GenZ and millennials. 

YouGov’s survey also revealed that Singaporeans largely favour plastic items being banned, with the population being more likely to support than oppose a ban across all the listed products.

Over half of the Singaporean respondents support the ban on drinking straws, disposable coffee cups, and foam egg boxes. 

Furthermore, almost half are proposing a ban on plastic bags in supermarkets (50%), takeaway containers (49%), coffee machine capsules, and condiment sachets (47% each).

However, it is worth noting again that the ban on items on the list was supported more by baby boomers, especially when compared to the younger generation.

Based on the data, it shows that boomers and GenX are more likely than the younger generation to reduce the use of plastic in their daily lives.

A part of the reduced and more conscious usage of disposable plastics, especially when shopping, can also be attributed to a regulation passed in 2023 by Singapore, where the country required supermarket operators with an annual turnover of more than S$100 million to charge customers at least S$0.05 for each disposable carrier bag.

A year after the regulations were placed, the survey recorded that more than four in five Singaporeans believed that the rule changed their usage of plastic bags, with one in eight (12%) saying it changed to a very large extent.

Seven in ten residents claim they have started carrying their own shopping bags since this rule was implemented in supermarkets (69%). However, one in eight end up paying extra for disposable carrier bags (13%). 

Meanwhile, a small proportion (6%) shared that they have started shopping online instead, while one in ten (11%) reported not experiencing any changes to their shopping behaviour.

Consistent with the data reported by YouGov on the survey, baby boomers are shown to be more likely to carry their own shopping bags, while younger consumers like Gen Z and millennials are more likely than others to pay for a bag or resort to online shopping.

Chi Wei Teo, general manager at YouGov Singapore, said, “It is delightful to see people embracing and making conscious efforts to reuse plastic and to show support for initiatives limiting the use of plastic. As the data shows, the older cohort seems to be taking more responsibility for reducing plastic usage as compared to their younger counterparts. However, there needs to be greater understanding and involvement from youth to build momentum. Not just the government, but companies, brands, and the general public need to create awareness about preserving the environment and adopting a greener lifestyle.”

Hong Kong – When it comes to health and wellness information offered by social media influencers, close to half of younger consumers from Gen Z (48%) and Millennials (46%) consider them to be reliable, compared to less than two-fifths of Gen X (38%). This is according to the latest data from YouGov on health information sources the Asia-Pacific market consumes the most.

According to the data, while most Gen X (61%) and Millennials (53%) in Hong Kong regard medical practitioners as a reliable source of health information, less than half of Gen Z (48%) say the same. Meanwhile, millennials are significantly more likely than other generations to trust their gym/personal trainer (35%) to provide reliable health information.

It is also worth noting that close to two-fifths of consumers in Hong Kong (38%), say they find at least some health and wellness information offered by social media influencers to be trustworthy – compared to just a sixth (16%) of consumers internationally. Hong Kong also shares a similar sentiment to some of its Southeast Asian neighbors, with over a third in Indonesia (36%) and a fifth in Singapore (21%) echoing the same sentiment for social media influencers.

Consumers in Hong Kong and Indonesia are also significantly more likely to look to their friends/family and pharmaceutical companies for health and wellness advice.

Meanwhile, Over half of consumers in Hong Kong (51%) and two-fifths of consumers in Indonesia (40%) say they trust health-related information provided by family/friends, compared to just a third (33%) internationally.

Lastly, almost a third of consumer in Hong Kong (31%) and a quarter of consumers in Indonesia (26%) find pharmaceutical companies to be a reliable source of health information, compared to less than barely a fifth (19%) internationally.