The Social Wisdom of #WiredWomen Around the World by @msl group

Women Online:

The Social Wisdom of Wired WomenAround the WorldAn eBook and Insights Report Based on Original Research onWomen and Technology, November 2013

http://dotcomplicated.co/content/

http://mslgroup.com

MSLGROUP teamed up with Randi Zuckerberg, the CEO and founder of Zuckerberg Media, editor-in-chief of Dot Complicated

and former marketing director at Facebook, to conduct global research on how the relationship between women and social

media has given women around the world new social, economic and emotional powers.

Called The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World, the global research program explores the evolving relationship

between women and technology in the U.S., Brazil, the U.K. and urban China. The study looks at how a 24/7 social connection

creates new social norms. The study also addresses new data on how women, armed with cutting-edge technology and social

power, have tapped their connected intelligence to revolutionize the way people shop.

About this Report

http://dotcomplicated.co/content/

http://zuckerbergmedia.com/

2 FOREWORD

4 METHODOLOGY

5 CHAPTER1-WiredWomenOnline:AGrowingPowerForce

6 Who are Wired Women?

8 Women Online: What's their Wisdom?

11 CHAPTER2-WiredWomenOnline:FiveKeyLearnings

12 Going online has improved women's lives... mostly.

14 While social media brings friends and family closer together, it also draws new lines in personal

relationships.

16 Women online and on the go: Wired women in China and Brazil are more accepting of tablets and

smartphones than women in the U.S. and U.K.

18 Wired women around the world share concerns about the misuse of technology and social media.

20 The relationship between wired women and social media plays an important role in new

consumerism across global markets.

22 CHAPTER3-WiredWomenOnlineAroundtheWorld

24 The Wisdom of Wired Women in Brazil

26 The Wisdom of Wired Women in China

28 The Wisdom of Wired Women in The United Kingdom

30 The Wisdom of Wired Women in The United States

Table of Contents

MSLGROUP teamed up with Randi Zuckerberg, the CEO and founder of Zuckerberg Media, editor-in-chief of Dot Complicated

and former marketing director at Facebook, to conduct global research on how the relationship between women and social

media has given women around the world new social, economic and emotional powers.

Called The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World, the global research program explores the evolving relationship

between women and technology in the U.S., Brazil, the U.K. and urban China. The study looks at how a 24/7 social connection

creates new social norms. The study also addresses new data on how women, armed with cutting-edge technology and social

power, have tapped their connected intelligence to revolutionize the way people shop.

Twenty years ago (maybe even ten years ago), the work day pretty much ended when you left the office. After shutting down your desktop computer, it was easy to head home for a relatively uninterrupted evening. If someone wanted to reach you, they’d have to call your home phone.

Today, that notion is laughable. Our devices keep us working around the clock. There are always email to check, texts to respond to and calendar invites popping up. In addition, our social media accounts, which are supposed to be fun, require a lot of upkeep. Those tantalizing notifications keep us anchored to our screens pretty much 24/7.

It’s easy to proclaim that technology has ruined family time, or distilled human interactions. But the thing is, it hasn’t. For every downside of tech use, there are handfuls of upsides. My smartphone allows me to work flexible hours so I can pick up my son up from preschool and not miss a beat at the office. I can spend less time on basic tasks (like deciding on the fastest route to work, or looking up a recipe), freeing me up to spend more time on my passions and family life. And I can stay connected to people I haven’t seen in years, allowing me to nurture relationships that may otherwise have fallen away.

Technology is so, so good — until you overdo it. And that’s why for me, it’s a balance — a balance between my digital life and my real life. Finding that happy medium of tech-life balance hasn’t been easy, and I’ve had to retrain myself not to mindlessly scroll through my feeds when I’m bored in line or at a stoplight. It’s a process, and I can’t honestly say I’m all the way there yet. But it’s so important to be more mindful of the way we use our devices, and to remember to look up from the screen and not use it as a crutch. When you’re trying to decide where on the tech-life pendulum to land, remember that you should always swing towards life. Make those human connections. There will always be another email to answer or notification to check, but can you say that about a special moment with a loved one?

All around the world, wired women are struggling to navigate this new reality. The same tools that delight and excite us also overwhelm us. It’s easy to feel insecure when you’re not sure how these technologies are changing your life, family and career. But with mindful use, the gray zones can become areas of opportunity, rather than insecurity. This study underlines how technology has changed societies around the globe, and highlights areas where wired women everywhere can flourish.

— Randi Zuckerberg

The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World | Foreword

Foreword

3

Randi Zuckerberg is the founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media, a digital and traditional media and production company with a studio in the heart of Silicon Valley, and Editor-in-Chief of Dot Complicated, a newsletter and website helping people navigate and "untangle" their wired, wonderful lives.

HarperCollins recently released Randi’s first two books: Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, which addresses the multifaceted complications of our socially transparent world, and a children's picture book, titled Dot.

As an early marketing executive at Facebook, Randi created and ran the social media pioneer's marketing programs. She led the company's U.S. election and international politics strategy and created Facebook's live streaming initiatives during the 2008 Presidential Inauguration. Randi was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2011 for her innovative coverage of the 2010 midterm elections that integrated online and TV coverage in unique formats.

Since starting Zuckerberg Media, Randi has produced shows and digital content for BeachMint, the Clinton Global Initiative, Cirque du Soleil, the United Nations, Bravo and Condé Nast, and has many other projects in the works.

Randi has appeared on CNN, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Bloomberg News and ABC World News. She was also a correspondent for the 2011 Golden Globe Awards and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Randi was recently appointed to the United Nations Global Entrepreneurs Council and the World Economic Forum's Global Council on Social Media.

Randi holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Harvard University and resides in Palo Alto with her husband, Brent Tworetzky, and their son, Asher.

Meet Randi Zuckerberg

MSLGROUP and Dot Complicated conducted an online survey between August 25 and September 7, 2013 in four geographic locations: the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil and urban China. A total of 3,600 fifteen-minute online interviews were completed, 900 in each of the four markets. The survey was conducted in English in the United States and the United Kingdom. It was conducted in Portuguese in Brazil and Mandarin in the Chinese markets. The margin of error is +/- 1.6% overall and +/- 3.2% in each market studied.

The survey targeted females between ages 18 and 64 who use the Internet at least two hours per week. In each market, the respondents were representative of the online population with regard to age, geographic region and income.

The goal of the survey was to explore how social media has empowered wired women online and around the world, socially, economically and emotionally. Focusing on the interaction between women and technology, research was divided into two parts: (1) the online shopping habits of women, and (2) the relationship between women and social media, particularly as it has impacted women in key topical areas highlighted in Randi Zuckerberg’s new book, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, such as self, friends, love, family, career, community and the future. The results then served to form the MSLGROUP Signature Paths to Purchase Tool (page 21).

Methodology

The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World | Methodology

55

CHAPTER 1 Wired Women Online: A Growing Power Force

Connected technology has improved the lives of women online and around the world, empowering them with new social, emotional and economic sensibilities, the research study shows; but it also creates new challenges for them. The Internet and social media make it easier for women to access information they need in order to manage and simplify their lives. It brings them closer to friends and family and enables them to be informed, savvy shoppers with new paths to purchase. At the same time, connected technology presents reasons for concern among women online, whether regarding misuse of the technology, complicated lines in their social and family relationships or technology’s addictive nature.

Stephanie Agresta, global director for social media and digital at MSLGROUP, further explains the relationship between women and technology: “Socially, wired women can tap the collective intelligence of other women for advice and information and nurture personal relationships in ways that were not possible before. Emotionally, they are more in control of their lives. Economically, they are empowered by access to a global marketplace and an information-driven shopping experience. Marketers need to recognize that these wired women are an emerging power force that is shaping new social behaviors at global and local levels. With relevant communication and engagement that taps their common interests and respects their local differences, marketers can convert this power into opportunity."

Thus, wired women are an emerging power force growing in emotional, economic and social importance around the world. Connected through various digital devices, both wired and wireless, they hold strong ties to social media, enabling them to leverage their connected intelligence to create a collective intelligence that bolsters their respective markets.

But more importantly, the report points to some remarkable consistencies that help define wired women as a whole. In fact, they share more similarities than differences.

Wired women span three generations. In western parlance, they are Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, born between 1949 and 1995. They are likely to be married or partnered, a parent, and/or a homeowner. They are well-educated: Most have completed some college, and the greatest percentage have at least a four-year degree. Most are employed, while half are employed full-time.

Wired women in Brazil are most likely to have a graduate degree. Those in urban China are most likely to be working. There are more “homemakers,” or stay-at-home mothers, in the U.S. In general, each group’s incomes reflect the varying economies in the markets where they work, though wired women in China tend to be clustered toward the upper end of the economic spectrum.

The majority of wired women across the four markets own a laptop, a desktop computer and a smartphone. Less than half own a tablet or a traditional cell phone without Internet access. Their device preferences vary by market, with significantly more women in China owning a tablet, smartphone and desktop computer than women in the other markets.

Wired women have very strong ties to their devices. Three-quarters would give up wine for a month instead of their smartphones. More than a third would give up sex for a month instead of their smartphones. This emotional tether to their devices was most powerful in China, where 15 percent said they would rather give up seeing their families for a month than their smartphones.

These women are all prolific consumers, nearly all having purchased clothing, personal care items and food products within 12 months prior to participating in the survey. During that same period, about two-thirds purchased non-prescription health and wellness products. More than half purchased consumer electronics. A third purchased household furnishings and major household appliances. A quarter purchased financial services and sporting goods. More than one out of 10 purchased an automobile.

The Internet plays a major role in their purchase of goods and services. In just the last month, nearly nine of 10 wired women went online to search for information about a product or service. Over eight in 10 compared prices online; seven in 10 searched for coupons and half bought clothes online. They are confident shopping at home and on the go. Their shopping carts roll the virtual aisles in markets around the world, seeking great deals on well-researched goods and services.

The relationship between these women and social media reveals that technology has become a central force in their lives. Overwhelmingly, they turn to digital and social media for information about products they intend to purchase.

The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World | Chapter 1 - Wired Women Online Growing Power Force

Who Are

Wired Women Online?

7

Most have developed their own social media voice, and more than half spoke out using social media in the seven days prior to taking the survey. Nearly three-quarters did so in the previous month.

Almost 50 percent of wired women spend at least two hours of personal/leisure (non-work) time a day online. Two-thirds of wired women sent or read an email more than 16 times in the previous month, and nearly half used social media to read about current events 16 times or more during the same timeframe. Interestingly, women in China value social media more than the other women to keep informed about current events, but virtually all wired women have actively viewed social media sites and have shopped online.

Nearly half of wired women believe that technology has made their lives more manageable and has had a positive impact on their families, particularly in Brazil and China, where women are generally more receptive to technology.

Of course, these women also share a range of frustrations about technology and the digital world. Texting while driving is the leading source of frustration in the U.S. and U.K. and proves to be a global issue. But women in each country expressed concerns that reflect their culture’s varying social norms. In Brazil, for instance, wired women are most concerned about friends and family posting inappropriate things online.

All wired women online are likely to be connected with their work colleagues and children via social media, but are much less likely to be connected with their boss. The relationship between these women and social media, however, reveals a desire for privacy. Most of them protect their email accounts and social media passwords, considering them important, private places they do not even share with their spouses or significant others.

Not long ago, these women would have been considered techies. Facts and figures like those presented in the study would have painted a rich portrait of the technology component of their lives. But as the bond between women and technology continues to grow, so does the acceptance of technology among wired women across the globe. As Randi Zuckerberg writes, “Because tech is now such an ingrained part of our lives, it’s really no longer ‘tech’ content—it’s modern living.” 1

1 Randi Zuckerberg, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, HarperOne, page 52

What Wired Women Do Online

Past 30-day Online Activities

Sent or read an email

Read about current events on a news website

Looked at clothes from an online retailer but did not buy

Went online to search for more information about a product / service I was interested in

Went online to compare prices of a product / service

Went online to search for coupons or discounts that I used to buy a product / service

Bought clothes from an online site

Used my cell phone / smart phone to make a purchase via the internet

Used my tablet to make a purchase via the internet

Viewed a comment, picture, or video that my friend / family member posted online

Made a comment on an online site

Made recommendations to my friends / family about a product / service/ or website that I am now using

Uploaded video on an online site to share with other people

97%

88%

79%

88%

82%

70%

51%

39%

36%

81%

71%

59%

46%

Trad

itio

nal A

ctiv

itie

sE

-Com

mer

ceS

ocia

l Med

ia

5%92%

13%75%

23%56%

20%68%

25%57%

24%46%

26%25%

15%24%

15%21%

14%67%

17%54%

23%36%

18%28%

Last 7 days Last 8-30 days

How has technology impacted wired women online? How has it changed them? How has it made their lives different? What have wired women learned from technology?

To help answer these questions, we looked more deeply at the new social, emotional and economic powers generated through the ties between wired women and technology.

The New Social Power of Wired Women

Social media has given wired women the ability to tap into the thinking of like-minded women online and around the world, linking them to a collective intelligence. The study suggests that these women leverage this advantage. The Internet is the first place they go for information, and they value getting anonymous advice online. And, through the power of social media, women are able to construct more robust individual networks of relationships than were previously possible in the history of womankind. Around the world, constructing and maintaining these networks is a priority for wired women who use social media to keep in touch with friends and family, and to find old friends.Of course, with the smaller investment in time required,

more relationships can be nurtured online, such as those that in the past might have naturally withered over time — old classmates, neighbors and work colleagues at past jobs.

Social media offers wired women the opportunity to stay in the lives of these friends — to wish them "Happy Birthday," for example. In fact, a third of women surveyed believe that social media is the most sincere way to send birthday wishes to a best friend. In China, that number stands at 44 percent. Nearly a third of wired women also admit that they spend more time with their family and friends in social media than in person.

Because wired women have embraced social media as the norm — a regular part of their daily lives — they have reshaped their identity as members of the greater community. By tapping their collective intelligence, wired women can share and receive advice — possibly better advice than they could have received through physical interactions. Through social networks, they also share values, build a deeper understanding of people and help each other. In fact, the survey suggests that social media has made women more empathetic. A third of them said that participating in online communities has helped them become more sensitive toward the situations of others. A third of wired women in Brazil claim that they devote a large part of their social media use to helping others.

The New Emotional Power of Wired Women

How does social media emotionally empower women? The answer is simple: Wired women are more in control of their lives. More than half of wired women in the study’s four markets said that technology has made their lives more manageable, and 45 percent can point to technology’s positive impact on their families.

Where does this control come from? According to the survey, part of it stems from the ease with which they access needed information online. Nearly 80 percent of wired women turn to the Internet first when they need information. But control also comes from subtler aspects of wired women’s online connection. For example, they feel a sense of control in the way they seek advice and support that they would not have sought publicly because the social media process offers anonymity. They can also face lesser feelings of embarrassment and have more confidence in raising sensitive issues.

Women Online:

What's their Wisdom?


9

Yet, according to our study, the emotional benefit to wired women is not just limited to control. Wired women are also apt to feel encouraged by the support they receive when they visit Facebook, Orkut, Google+ and Twitter. They also reported having drawn inspiration from YouTube, Pinterest, blogs, Tumblr and Flickr to be better people.

But as with any community, things sometimes go awry. In her book Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, Randi Zuckerberg points out the complications sometimes caused by technology: “Technology is almost everywhere and has come to dominate our lives. So much so, in fact, that we’re starting to see people yearning to be less connected and trying to implement rules, structure and discipline in both their own and their families’ lives, to ensure that all this connectivity does not come at the expense of relationships, skill development and manners.” 1

The study echoed Randi’s words, revealing the complex relationship between wired women and technology. Many of the wired women surveyed expressed frustrations with technology and the way it sometimes complicates their lives. Whether concerned with people texting while driving, what friends and family post online, or the negative things people say about them in social media, wired women are conscious of the potential problems that arise when people are constantly connected.

As Randi Zuckerberg says in her book, “What’s the upside? We’re more connected. What’s the downside? We’re more connected.” 2

The New Economic Power of Wired Women

Thanks in part to the ways in which women and social media are reshaping online communities, wired women are blazing a new path to reinvigorate the shopping experience. In fact, the path is really a series of signature paths that can be mapped based on purchase category and by market. (See Learning 5, page 21.) The role of digital and social media in this path is huge. In every consumer category except for prescription medicines, wired women rely more on digital and social media than any other category influencer — such as friends, family or store employees — or traditional media.

What this means is that wired women are more informed consumers than ever before. They search for products using online search engines. They read online reviews, explore online ratings and talk to friends and family.

The question goes beyond where women access information, but rather how they sort it, a function that offers marketers new opportunities for influence. (See Learning 5, MSLGROUP Signature Purchase Path Tool.) For instance, a portion of these women describe themselves as curious, cost-conscious, intellectual, outgoing, label-readers, politically aware, environmentalists and adventurists. This is how they live. This is how they shop.

One thing is for certain: Knowledge is power, and chances are that the wired woman is not going to be duped.

1 Randi Zuckerberg, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, HarperOne, page 632 Randi Zuckerberg, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, HarperOne, page 65

What Social Networks Draw Their Power from Wired Women

Overwhelmingly Facebook (sites visited at least once a week) China

Brazil 94%

U.S.

77%

U.K.

74%

Qzone

79%

SInA WeIbo

76%

Feelings About Social Media How Respondents Describe Themselves

Curious 54%

CoSt-conSCioUs

51%

MuSIc lover

47%

Health-ConSCioUs

42%

Intellectual

36%

outgoing

35%

label reader (nutrItional)

32%

Foodie

30%

Politically awAre

27%

environmentalISt

25%

AdventuroUs

23%

I spend more time with my family and friends via social media than seeing them in-person

It is my best friend’s birthday. Social media is the most sincere way for me to wish them a happy birthday.

I would pay my family members to not use social media when we are visiting each other in person.

Social media allows me to get advice and support that I would not seek out publicly because I can view commentary from others without revealing my identity.

Social media is a theater. Everyone is acting and most of the news they share is not true.

Social media has made me more empathetic towards others’ situations.

Social media has motivated me to participate in community activism.

It is more acceptable to log into a social media site during a business meeting than it is to show up late for that meeting.

Social media is a career resource that is worth paying for, if the social media sites started charging money to use.

I am only using social media because my job expects me to.

I would take a pay-cut to accept a job that allows me to post and share commentary on social media sites.

I would take a pay-cut to avoid the pressure of using social media.

Social media gives me more options of finding romance via public profiles or my friends’ contacts.

I worry that people I date will judge me because of my social media profile.

32%

29%

16%

Family / Friends Public / Private

Community Career

Love

36%

29%

32%

27%

12%

12%

9%

7%

6%

14%

12%


1111

CHAPTER 2 Wired Women Online: Five Key Learnings

The Internet has made it easier for women to access information they need in order to manage and simplify their lives. In fact, eight out of 10 women across the study’s four geographic markets say that the Internet is the first place they go when the need information.

Nearly half of women prefer to research a product or service online rather than go to the store. Only 16 percent of women prefer to research that product in the store. And a third of wired women will purchase the product online once they’ve completed their research.

The research also shows that social media gives wired women a forum where they can seek advice and support without revealing their identities, creating a more authentic flow of information, especially regarding sensitive topics that affect women.

Wired women also draw encouragement, inspiration and pride from the Internet. Half are inspired to be a better person when on Pinterest, for instance. They feel pride in what others in their network have achieved, especially on YouTube.

Wired women also see social media as a way to stretch friendships and relationships. Managing multiple friendships and relationships over time carries a heavy burden. But social media allows women to engage with many of their friends more regularly, keeping those relationships alive without deep commitments of time. In fact, the study shows that many women spend more time with family and friends via social media than in person. And as previously pointed out, most consider social media as a sincere way to wish a friend "Happy Birthday.”

On the other hand, the constant connection to others can create problems regarding women and social media. Randi Zuckerberg rings a warning bell in her book, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, when she explains, “Ironically, these same tools that delight people and create endless social and economic opportunity also keep us up all night

and give us ulcers. In my year traveling and speaking, I realized that there are millions of people around the world who, although daily users of these technologies, feel overwhelmed, insecure and confused about how these technologies are changing their lives, their families and their careers.” 1

So overall, wired women online appear to be better off because of technology and social media. Their Internet use profile shows that. But as Randi points out, it’s a balancing act, and a challenging one at that. No one knows this better than the 15 percent of women who admit to spending so much time online that they sometimes have to disconnect from the Internet and technology devices altogether. The complicated nature of this balance is also underscored by the fact only 45 percent of women say technology has a positive impact on their family.

The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World | Chapter 2 - Wired Women Online: Five Key Learnings

go online to compAre priceS for a ProduCt or ServIce

of women tUrn first to the Internet For informAtIon

of women agree thAt teChnology hAS made their lIveS More Manageable

prefer to check out a ProduCt or ServIce online InsteAd of going to the Store

of women belIeve technology has A positive ImpAct on theIr faMily

88%

79%

52%

47%

45%

1 Randi Zuckerberg, Dot Complicated:Untangling Our Wired Lives, HarperOne, page 49

LEARNING 1 Going online has improved women's lives ... mostly.

13

Social Platforms Where Users Are Most Encouraged by Support they Receive

Social Platforms Where Users Are Most Inspired to be Better

Develops, Inspires, Encourages and Builds Pride

InSpIred to be better 29%

Proud of What others In their network hAve aCcomplished

26%

encouraged by support reCeIved froM theIr network

23%

Most users of Chinese social media sites feel encouraged by the support they receive and are also inspired to be better

Better Doesn't Mean Less Complicated

5% believe technology haS made their lives

more coMplicAted, bUt 15% adMit tHey SPend

So much tIme on tHe Internet that they sometImeS

have to dISconnect froM the Internet And all

teChnology devIces

49%

Are InSpIred

*Respondents in Brazil, the U.S. and U.K.



35%

Are InSpIred

33%

Are InSpIred

32%

Are InSpIred

25%

are encouraged

30%

are encouraged

25%

are encouraged

32%

are encouraged

very few reported feeling eitHer envIous or IntimIdated by others.

Qzone Sina Weibo WeChat Tencent Wei

Renren Kaixin 001 Pengyou Douban

51.com Jiayuan


LEARNING 2 While social media brings friends and family closer together, it also draws new lines in personal relationships.

It’s no surprise that social media is redefining the pattern of personal relationships. In fact, wired women around the world say they use social media primarily to keep in touch with friends and family, followed by finding old friends. This relationship between women and social media has helped establish boundaries between women and technology and in wired women’s relationships with others.

So, where are the lines drawn?

• Wired women online are likely to be connected with their work colleagues and children on social media.

• Wired women in Brazil and China are more likely to be connected to their colleagues as well as their bosses than those in the U.K. and the U.S.

• Most respondents indicated that they do not share email or social media passwords with their spouse or significant other.

• Respondents agreed strongly that social media gives them a forum to seek out advice and support without revealing their identities.

• Nearly all respondents consider access to cellphones a rite of adolescent passage for children, but the age varies by country.

• Wired women are concerned about what friends and families do online and any negative things their connections they might say about them.

In terms of staying in touch, the draw of social media is so powerful among wired women that they would prefer to give up wine and caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or tea, than their cellphones for up to a month. Nearly half would even give up sex for a week rather than their mobile phones.

Social Connections

Who is connected to whom on social media?

Connected to colleagues at work (other than on LinkedIn)

ChInA 82%

Brazil 70%

united kIngdom 32%

united states 28%

Connected to the boss (other than on LinkedIn)

ChInA 41%

Brazil 29%

united kIngdom 8%

united states 8%

Connected to their children

Brazil 47%

ChInA 46%

united states 33%

united kIngdom 28%

15

Share Passwords with Significant Others

Couples in a relationship share friends and social relationships, but not necessarily passwords. Brazilians are the most likely to be casual about passwords to their social media accounts when it comes to their significant others. British or Americans women, on the other hand, are least likely to share. The British are only half as likely as the Brazilians to share.

Percentage of women who share passwords to social media accounts with their significant others.

40% Brazil

30% ChInA

23% united states

19% united kIngdom

Give Cellphones to Children

On average, respondents think children should get a cell phone between ages 11 and 14. That said, nearly one in five respondents from urban China think children should wait until age 18 to get a cell phone.

Average Age Women Believe Children Should Get a Cellphone by Country.

Brazilage 11

U.K.age 12

U.S.age 13

ChInAage 14

Mobile Phones Vs. Sex

A surprising percentage of wired women would give up sex for a month rather than their mobile phone.

ChInA 45%

united states 39%

united kIngdom 38%

Brazil 28%

What Women Would Rather Give Up Than Their Mobile Phone:

Wine for a month Coffee/tea for a month

Parent Snoopers or Protectors?

There are two camps here. Moms in Brazil are the most protective when it comes to monitoring the online behavior of their children. Those in the U.K. are most relaxed.

Brazil 44%

ChInA 42%

united states 28%

united kIngdom 18%

75% 55%

LEARNING 3 Women online and on the go: Wired women in China and Brazil are more accepting of tablets and smartphones than women in the U.S. and U.K.


In the emerging economies of China and Brazil, wired women appear to have leapfrogged their counterparts in the more developed markets of the U.S. and U.K. in their preference for mobile technology. Ownership of tablets among women in China is twenty percentage points higher than in the other markets combined. Ninety-one percent of Chinese women have smartphones, creating a twenty-one percentage point gap over all studied markets combined. It appears as though Chinese women also own more devices overall. They also tied with the U.K. in ownership of laptops and outpaced all other countries in desktop ownership. The only device category in which China didn’t lead was in ownership of traditional cellphones without Internet connections.

Brazilian women had lower scores in tablet and smartphone ownership; however, they were second only to China in their comfort with the devices. They showed a preference for using such devices to pay their bills through the Internet and send, receive or upload video and photos. Brazilian and Chinese wired women also prefer these devices to find new friends, find a party, share their status in social media or locate restaurants.

By contrast, the relationship between women and technology yields considerably different results in the more developed countries. In all categories, the preference for computers (laptops and desktops) to perform the aforementioned tasks was greatest among U.S. women, with those in the U.K. not far behind. In fact, nearly two out of three wired women in the U.S. prefer computers to pay their bills via the Internet. Half of U.S. women prefer the computer to find a local restaurant, compared to half of Chinese women and a third of those in Brazil.

So what does this information foretell? Technology experts, such as Chetan Sharma, one of the leading strategists in the mobile industry, believe that “connected intelligence in mobile devices will be the next major force behind mobile innovation, and it appears that the mobile industry sees this vision and is preparing to drive it in this direction.” 1

The question is where this “Golden Age of Mobile” 1 will dawn, though it appears that it may very well take rise in the emerging economies.

1 Tim Bajarin, Time magazine, “Welcome to the Golden Age of Mobile,” August 26, 2013

Device Ownership by Market

Laptop computer

ChInA

82%

united kIngdom

82%

united states

72%

Brazil

62%

Desktop computer

ChInA

79%

Brazil

69%

united states

62%

united kIngdom

53%

17

Routine Tasks Wired Women Performed with their DevicesIn the last 30 days…

Device Preference for Bill-Paying

Sent or read an eMaIl

went online to SeArch For more informAtIon about a product or service

Went online to compAre prices

viewed Content thAt a FrIend or Family memBer posted onlIne

made a Comment on an onlIne SIte

SeArched for online couponS or dIScounts tHat they USed to buy A product or a servIce

reCommended A product, ServIce or website to frIendS and FamIly

bought ClotheS from an online Site at leaSt once

Uploaded a vIdeo to an online Site to Share with otHerS At leASt once

USed a Cell Phone or SMartpHone to make a purchaSe froM the Internet

USed their tAblet to mAke a purcHase From the Internet

88%

97%

59%

51%

39%

36%

46%

82%

81%

71%

70%

Smartphone (with Internet access)

ChInA

91%

united kIngdom

70%

united states

59%

Brazil

57%

Tablet (with Internet access)

ChInA

61%

united kIngdom

39%

united states

38%

Brazil

28%

Computer tabletsmartphone

55%21%

24%


LEARNING 4 Wired women around the world share concerns about the misuse of technology and social media.

Technology can make life complicated, and wired women online are concerned about the frustrating havoc technology and social media can sometimes wreak in their lives. There seems to be a direct correlation between women and technology in each country, both revealing each group’s differences while further unifying them through their common discontentment.

More than anything else, wired women’s leading frustrations with social media have to do the behavior of other people they interact with through technology. In this regard, those in Brazil are the most frustrated with other peoples’ behavior, followed by women in the U.K. and U.S.

Texting while driving is a leading source of concern for wired women and is very much a global issue.

Wired women also worry about friends and family members posting inappropriate things online. They are concerned about online damage to their own image — people saying inappropriate things about them online and friends and family members posting photos of them or their children without permission. Other issues of concern include the behavior of family members and friends using phones at the dinner table. Similarly, one out of five wired women in Brazil gets frustrated when their significant other uses a tablet or smartphone computer in bed.

Overall, Brazilian women are more consistently frustrated by the complications of technology than women from other parts of the world.

Texting While Driving

Texting while driving worries women around the world. Nearly a third of all wired women say it is a major source of frustration or complication in life.

Brazil

42%

united kIngdom

35%

united states

35%

ChInA

16%

Family Members Posting Inappropriate Things Online

This is the greatest concern of the wired women in Brazil.

Brazil

47%

ChInA

20%

united kIngdom

17%

united states

15%

19

Dinner Table Social Manners

In many cultures, the dinner table remains a place for family conversation. One in five wired women get frustrated by family members or friends who use their cell phones at the dinner table.

Brazil

27%

united kIngdom

23%

united states

19%

ChInA

10%

People Saying Negative Things About Me Online

Brazil

39%

ChInA

27%

united kIngdom

13%

united states

9%

How Technology Makes Life Complicated

In addition to complications at the dinner table, technology also sometimes complicates personal reputations, romantic breakups and bedroom activities.

Friends or famIly members poSting Photos of me withoUt permISsIon

20%

overall

Friends and faMily MemberS postIng photoS oF my children Without permISSIon

19%

overall

Having a romantic breaKuP occur through technology

14%

overall

A SignIfiCant other or a Spouse USIng a tablet or phone In Bed

11%

overall


When it comes to purchasing goods and services, wired women around the world turn to social and digital media as a source of information at nearly double the rate of traditional media. This is particularly true for the purchase of clothing, personal care products, food and non-prescription health products.

In many consumer categories, the advice of friends and family play the most vital role, especially in regard to the purchase of automobiles, though digital and/or social media are also common sources of information for purchases. In certain categories, power influencers, such as health care practitioners in health-related purchases, play a critical role.

The study found that each product category has its own primary information source upon which wired women rely in order to discover and rank the value of consumer products. For example, online search engines have greatest impact in the household furnishings category, while online reviews hold greatest sway in the automobile, home electronics and sporting goods categories. Online videos have greatest impact when it comes to appliances.

The study also found that the gap between the reliance on digital and social media versus traditional media was greatest in the financial services category (45 percent), clothing/shoes (37 percent), toys/games (37 percent) and automobiles (36 percent). In all cases, the “reliance” power of social and digital was nearly twice that of traditional media among women online.

What Wired Women Purchased in the Last Twelve Months

shoes and clotHing

84%

PerSonal Care ProduCts

80%

Food productS

79%

Health and wellneSS productS (otC medIcations, vitamIns, pregnanCy tests, etC.)

62%

ConSumer (home) electronicS

55%

PreSCrIptIon medIcIne

42%

Children’S toyS And gAmeS

40%

HoUSehold furnIShings

34%

Major household appliances

28%

FInancIal ServIceS

27%

sporting goods

26%

AutoMobiles

13%

LEARNING 5 The relationship between wired women and social media plays an important role in new consumerism across global markets.

21

Signature Paths to Purchase

In turning to social media to purchase goods or services, wired women use functions like online search, review online ratings videos and photos, visit online forums and read online media, all to varying degrees, depending upon their region of the world and product category.

MSLGROUP has used the information to construct predictable Signature Purchase Paths, allowing marketers to provide relevant information and support in the right form at the right points along the signature pathways. For example, online search engines have greatest impact in the household furnishings category, while online reviews hold greatest sway in the automobile, home electronics and sporting goods categories. Online videos have greatest impact when it comes to purchasing appliances.

Did You Know:

of wIred women in the U.S. have purchaSed preScriPtIon mediCine, a signiFicantly higher Percentage than in any otHer mArket

of wIred women in the U.K. and ChinA pUrChased Shoes and clothIng

of wIred women In ChinA have pUrChased financiAl ServIce productS onlIne, SignIfiCantly more thAn in other marketS

62%

90%

48%

of women In the U.K. purchaSed houSehold furnIShIngS

of women In the U.S. purchaSed major apPlIanCes, half aS many as women in moSt other marketS

46%

only17%

soUrCes oF Information used

AutoMobIle(n=472)

rxS(n=1285)

HealtH/wellneSs(n=1439)

Home electronicS

(n=115)

FInancIal ServIces(n=84)

ApplIances(n=85)

hh furnISHIngs

(n=95)

PerSonal care

(n=1433)

Food(n=1441)

ClotHes/Shoes(n=182)

toys/ gaMes(n=102)

sporting goods(n=86)

Digital/social [Net] 76% 37% 53% 82% 88% 88% 89% 62% 54% 73% 81% 83%

Online search engines 41% 21% 28% 43% 31% 48% 55% 31% 23% 32% 35% 40%

Online reviews 39% 14% 22% 38% 26% 29% 33% 31% 21% 23% 33% 38%

Online ratings 30% 9% 17% 38% 30% 39% 38% 25% 19% 24% 25% 31%

Buying guide, online 27% 7% 14% 22% 24% 38% 33% 21% 18% 21% 19% 28%

Online photos 25% 4% 11% 30% 6% 29% 36% 18% 16% 23% 38% 33%

Online forums 23% 9% 14% 25% 21% 25% 24% 19% 12% 11% 18% 17%

Online newspapers 19% 7% 12% 14% 27% 25% 21% 16% 15% 9% 19% 27%

Online magazines 17% 6% 11% 20% 12% 26% 21% 19% 14% 17% 17% 28%

Online videos 17% 6% 12% 22% 21% 28% 27% 18% 15% 12% 24% 21%

Blogs 15% 7% 13% 18% 23% 13% 21% 19% 15% 16% 13% 24%

Online tutorials 13% 5% 10% 15% 21% 22% 20% 13% 12% 10% 20% 20%

QR codes 10% 5% 10% 11% 18% 22% 16% 14% 11% 8% 12% 13%

Influencer [Net] 56% 78% 66% 46% 37% 45% 54% 50% 56% 44% 44% 43%

Friends / family 44% 22% 41% 41% 27% 35% 38% 41% 47% 33% 35% 33%

Store employee 27% 15% 26% 19% 23% 26% 34% 23% 25% 18% 20% 21%

Doctor / Nurse N/A 67% 38% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Traditional media [Net] 40% 19% 39% 52% 43% 62% 54% 53% 53% 36% 44% 58%

Television 22% 10% 26% 35% 21% 42% 29% 35% 34% 14% 26% 38%

Print magazines 18% 7% 14% 20% 15% 21% 25% 23% 18% 14% 17% 27%

Print newspapers 18% 6% 13% 20% 19% 26% 25% 18% 19% 10% 15% 17%

Printed buying guide 15% 5% 12% 18% 14% 25% 21% 18% 18% 10% 22% 17%

Billboards 15% 5% 12% 7% 13% 26% 21% 17% 15% 12% 15% 19%

Radio 13% 4% 10% 12% 15% 27% 17% 14% 12% 10% 7% 21%

Other 6% 9% 13% 4% 4% 5% 4% 15% 15% 7% 5% 5%

MSLGROUP Signature Purchase Path ToolBy category of consumer goods and services.

soUrCes of Information used for AutoMobiles

total(n=472)

U.S.(n=119)

U.K.(n=132)

Brazil(n=120)

ChInA(n=101)

Digital/social media [Net] 76% 65% 71% 80% 93%

Online search engines 41% 38% 36% 41% 50%

Online reviews 39% 39% 34% 39% 47%

Online ratings of products/services 30% 23% 20% 44% 36%

Buying guide, online 27% 24% 21% 30% 36%

Online photos 25% 13% 16% 39% 36%

Online forums/message boards 23% 11% 16% 32% 38%

Online newspapers 19% 8% 10% 32% 27%

Online magazines 17% 4% 7% 29% 32%

Online videos 17% 5% 7% 27% 32%

Blogs 15% 5% 3% 28% 28%

Online tutorials 13% 3% 5% 23% 26%

QR codes 10% 1% 2% 18% 23%

Influencer [Net] 56% 48% 46% 69% 60%

Friends/family 44% 36% 34% 57% 53%

Store employee 27% 18% 20% 36% 37%

Traditional media [Net] 40% 22% 21% 57% 66%

Television 22% 10% 8% 37% 39%

Print magazines 18% 7% 8% 30% 33%

Print newspapers 18% 8% 10% 30% 28%

Printed buying guide 15% 6% 9% 22% 25%

Billboards 15% 3% 5% 24% 33%

Radio 13% 3% 2% 23% 27%

Other 6% 13% 9% 2% 1%

soUrCes of Information used for Health and WellnesS ProductS

total(n=1439)

U.S.(n=365)

U.K.(n=356)

Brazil(n=318)

ChInA(n=400)

Influencer [Net] 66% 49% 51% 84% 81%

Friends/family 41% 30% 28% 54% 52%

Health care practitioner/doctor/nurse 38% 23% 20% 63% 50%

Store employee 26% 10% 18% 37% 40%



Online reviews 22% 13% 16% 32% 29%




Blogs 13% 7% 4% 25% 17%


Online videos 12% 6% 4% 25% 14%


Online photos 11% 4% 5% 22% 13%


QR codes 10% 4% 4% 19% 13%


Television 26% 20% 15% 41% 29%




Billboards 12% 4% 3% 20% 20%

Radio 10% 5% 5% 20% 12%

Other 13% 24% 23% 3% 1%

soUrCes of Information used for Food ProductS

total(n=1441)

U.S.(n=358)

U.K.(n=366)

Brazil(n=316)

ChInA(n=401)

Influencer [Net] 56% 45% 39% 71% 70%

Friends/family 47% 39% 33% 63% 54%

Store employee 25% 13% 12% 39% 38%



Online reviews 21% 11% 8% 38% 29%



Online photos 16% 7% 5% 34% 19%


Blogs 15% 8% 4% 33% 19%

Online videos 15% 6% 4% 35% 17%




QR codes 11% 5% 3% 18% 17%


Television 34% 24% 23% 56% 35%




Billboards 15% 5% 6% 27% 24%

Radio 12% 7% 5% 26% 13%

Other 15% 23% 30% 3% 1%

soUrCes of Information used for PerSonal Care ProductS

total(n=1433)

U.S.(n=360)

U.K.(n=363)

Brazil(n=307)

ChInA(n=403)


Online reviews 31% 15% 18% 51% 40%





Blogs 19% 8% 5% 40% 24%


Online videos 18% 6% 6% 38% 24%

Online photos 18% 8% 6% 38% 22%


QR codes 14% 5% 3% 26% 23%



Television 35% 26% 22% 51% 41%




Billboards 17% 6% 4% 29% 28%

Radio 14% 6% 4% 30% 17%

Influencer [Net] 50% 41% 38% 64% 59%

Friends/family 41% 35% 31% 51% 48%

Store employee 23% 11% 12% 39% 30%

Other 15% 24% 29% 4% 2%

Automobiles

Personal Care Products

Food Products

Health and Wellness Products


2323

CHAPTER 3 Wired Women Online Around the World

There is a unique connection between wired women and technology in Brazil — women there are particularly receptive to technology as part of their lives. Of all the markets studied, social media penetration in Brazil is highest — 97 percent, compared to 86 percent of women surveyed overall.

But the women here are more frustrated with the impact of technology in general compared to other wired women online. The leading source of frustration with technology among Brazilian women is when friends and family post inappropriate things online followed by texting while driving.

Brazilian women have been visiting social media sites the longest and spend the most time on social media — an average of fourteen-and-a-half hours per week, essentially double that of women in the U.K. or the U.S. And women in Brazil think children should get a cell phone when they are young, at age 11, which is two years earlier than the average of women surveyed elsewhere.

Brazilian women have a preference for the phone over other media devices. Nearly all wired women there have either a smartphone or a standard cell phone, and most have a laptop and a desktop computer as well. On the other hand, less than one in three owns a tablet.

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in Brazil

Top Online Frustrations of Brazilian Wired Women

People’S BehavIor

26%*

(socIal) postIngs

20%*

FrUStrations wIth SIteS

17%*

Actions (bullyIng, brAggIng, gosSIp, coMplaining)

10%*

*All are significantly larger than in any other market

Emotions of Brazilian Wired Women Around Facebook Differs From Women in Other Markets

Are encouraged by tHe SuPport receIved From their networkS

30% (less than in other markets)

Proud of What others In their networkS Have Achieved

24% (significantly greater than in other markets)

InSpIred to be better

20% (significantly greater than in other markets)

envious oF other USers


IntiMidated by other peoPle’S social status


The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World | Chapter 3 - Wired Women Online Around the World

25

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days: Brazil

Wired Women in Brazil Rely on Digital and Social Media Significantly More than Wired Women Across Markets Combined

AutoMobiles

HealtH & WellnesS

PreSCrIptIonS

PerSonal Care ProdCutS

Food

80% | 76% 55% | 37%

78% | 54%

72% | 53% 84% | 62%

women in Brazil | women in markets combined

Brazilian Wired Women are More Curious and Politically Aware than Wired Women in Markets Combined

Leading aided mentions Brazil

Curious 68%

MuSiC lover 46%

outgoing 41%

Politically awAre 38%

CoSt-conSCioUs 33%

nutrItIonAl laBel reader 28%

Intellectual 27%

Health-conScioUs 25%

AdventuroUs 24%

environmentalISt 21%

Trad

itio

nal A

ctiv

itie

sE

-Com

mer

ceS

ocia

l Med

ia

16 times or more

6-15 times

1-5 times




Went online to search for more information about a product/service I was interested in

Went online to compare prices of a product/service

Went online to search for coupons or discounts that I used to buy a product/service


Used my cell phone/smartphone to make a purchase via the internet


Viewed a comment, picture, or video that my friend/ family member posted online


Made recommendations to my friends/family about a product/service/or website that I am now using


96%

92%

81%

94%

88%

62%

34%

33%

30%

91%

82%

78%

68%

18%

20%

31%

23%

26%

24%

17%

14%

15%

22%

24%

30%

25%

14%

22%

21%

28%

28%

19%

9%

9%

8%

21%

22%

24%

20%

64%

50%

29%

43%

34%

19%

8%

10%

7%

48%

36%

24%

23%


Wired women in China have embraced technology and social media to a greater degree than like-minded women in the other markets studied. They are more positive about the role of social media compared to women from the U.S. and Brazil. There is also a deeper connection between women and their technology devices than wired women in the other markets.

Social media is much more of an information lifeline for women in China compared to those in other markets. Over 70 percent turn to social media to stay informed about current events, as opposed to only 46 percent of women surveyed around the globe. Nearly half said that social media has motivated them to participate in community activism, significantly greater than in any other markets studied. 60 percent of wired women in China say social media makes them empathetic toward the situation of others.

By stark contrast to the other markets, a quarter of Chinese wired women agree that social media gives them more options for finding romance via public profiles or their friends’ contacts. Fifty-two percent of these Chinese women spend at least eight hours a week on social media sites.

Chinese women are more tied to their devices than wired women in the other markets. They also tend to prefer smartphones for finding and sharing information rather than other devices, such as computers or tablets. To a greater degree than other surveyed regions, they also feel that it is more acceptable to log in to a social media site during a business meeting than it is to be late to that meeting (20 percent). They are also more likely to be connected with their work colleagues via social media (82 percent), and even with

their bosses (41 percent) than wired women online from other markets. By contrast, only 28 percent of women in U.S. are connected socially with their work colleagues, and only eight percent are connected with their boss.

Reasons Women from China Use Social Media*

to keep in touCh with frIends

74%

to Stay informed about current events

71%

to keep in touCh with faMily

53%

*Described as a big part of their social media use

*Percentage that say online romance is a reason for using social media

Online Romance is Bigger in China*

ChInA Brazil U.K. U.S.

44% 21% 13% 12%

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in China

27

Sites Chinese Women Visit

Sites Visited at Least Once a Week in China

Qzone

79%

sIna WeIbo

76%

WeChat

67%

tencent WeIbo

59%

rennr

42%

kaixin 001

31%

Pengyou

27%

douban

23%

51.coM

12%

jIayuan

9%

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days: China














Trad

itio

nal A

ctiv

itie

sE

-Com

mer

ceS

ocia

l Med

ia

16 times or more

6-15 times

1-5 times

98%

96%

92%

97%

95%

88%

82%

72%

65%

89%

86%

80%

68%

11%

13%

31%

18%

29%

35%

52%

40%

32%

24%

27%

38%

29%

23%

26%

35%

39%

41%

33%

19%

18%

20%

33%

35%

27%

26%

64%

57%

26%

40%

25%

20%

11%

14%

13%

32%

24%

15%

13%


Compared to wired women in the Brazilian and Chinese markets, and similar to U.S. women, U.K. wired women appear to be most conservative when it comes to the frequency with which they spend their time online. On the other hand, they send or read emails most frequently, with 72 percent of them having done so 16 times or more in the 30 days prior to taking the survey. But, U.K. women are next to the least likely group to read about current news or events online.

As in the U.S. market, British women have a strong preference for using their personal computers to perform most Internet tasks, particularly when paying bills (60 percent). U.K. women tie U.S. women for being least likely to use their smartphones (18 percent).

With the possible exception of Chinese women (whose social media offerings differ from other markets), British wired women are, across the board, the least connected of all the markets when it comes to social media sites. Seventy-nine percent of them belong to at least one social media site, but they represent the least likely respondents to visit top social sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn at least once a week.

In light of the above information, it is important to note that U.K. wired women are the most skeptical of the connection between women and social media sites, with a market-high 40 percent of them claiming that such sites are too theatrical, wherein most members share news that is inaccurate or not true.

of wIred women in the U.K. thInk SocIal media is theAter Where everyone IS acting and the newS they Share IS not true, more thAn in any other market StudIed

of wIred women in the U.K. Say monItorIng their cHild’S online actIvItieS iS a part oF why they uSe SociAl media, loWer tHan in any other market studIed

of wIred women in the U.K. Say finding love or romance is a pArt oF why they use SoCial MediA

40%

13%

18%

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in The United Kingdom

29

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days: UK

16 times or more

6-15 times

1-5 times




Went online to search for more information about a product / service I was interested in










Trad

itio

nal A

ctiv

itie

sE

-Com

mer

ceS

ocia

l Med

ia

99%

84%

77%

86%

77%

61%

52%

27%

27%

69%

58%

40%

20%

11%

26%

39%

43%

43%

36%

40%

17%

17%

23%

25%

27%

12%

16%

22%

25%

28%

25%

18%

9%

7%

7%

20%

18%

9%

6%

72%

36%

13%

15%

9%

7%

26%

15%

3%

3%

3%

4%

2%

What they are Buying

Products Purchased in the Last 12 Months by Wired Women in the U.K.

ClotHing/Shoes

90%

Food productS

86%


83%

Home electronIcs

53%

HoUSehold furnIShings

46%

Children'S gameS and toyS

43%

FInancIal servIceS

28%

AutoMobIle

15%


While there might not be outward tension in the psyche of American wired women regarding the evolution of the social/digital lifestyle, it exists in the background. Two story themes seem to be taking shape in the relationship between American women and technology.

On one hand, American wired women have embraced the online lifestyle. Thirty-two percent of American wired women say they spend more time with family and friends in social media than they do in person. As with wired women elsewhere in the world, nearly half of American women would rather give up sex for a week instead of parting with their mobile phone. More than half of them believe children should be given a cell phone when they are 13 or younger (56 percent), a slightly younger age than women in China prefer, but older than what Brazilian and U.K. women suggest. American women also seem to be rather numb to social media shock. After women in China, U.S. women are least likely to become frustrated by the way other people use social media (15 percent).

But despite the time they spend in social media viewing posts from their friends, American wired women online are less engaged in social media than wired women in the other markets studied. Part of the reason may be that American women have better overall access to news, information and shopping. Nonetheless, the gap among American wired women and wired women in socially connected markets like China is significant — over 20 percentage points in some categories. In the past 30 days, only 70 percent of American women went online to compare prices for a product and service, compared to 94 percent in China.

This gap jumps to 29 percentage points when women make a comment on an online site and a full 40 percentage points when it comes to uploading and sharing a video. U.S. women are less likely than women elsewhere to agree that social media allows them to anonymously access advice and support that they would hesitate to seek out publicly. And fewer American wired women than elsewhere say social media has motivated them to participate in community activism.

American wired women prefer using their traditional computers (versus other devices) to pay bills and send and receive photos and videos. In China and Brazil, the percentage of women preferring to use more mobile technologies like smartphones and tablets for these tasks was significantly greater than among U.S. women.

Finally, only one out of three wired women in the U.S. agree that technology has a positive impact on their family, a full 12 percentage points lower than the average of all markets studied. Eight in 10 do not think that their children maintain a healthy balance in spending activity time with and without technology devices, a concern Randi Zuckerberg also observed when writing her book, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives.

of wIred women in the U.S. Say socIal media is a bIg part of keepIng in toucH with faMily Members, more thAn in any market studIed

of wIred women in the U.S. Spend more tiMe with their fAmIly and FrIendS on SoCial Media than in person

of wIred women in the U.S. Say finding love or romance is a pArt oF why they USe socIal medIa

32%

59%

12%

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in The United States

31

What they are Buying

Products Purchased in the Last Twelve Months by Wired Women in the U.S.


83%

ClotHing/Shoes

82%

Food productS

82%

Health and wellneSS non-PreScription products

67%

PreSCrIptIon medIcIne

60%

Home electronIcs

45%

AutoMobIle

13%

FInancIal servIceS

12%

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days: US














Trad

itio

nal A

ctiv

itie

sE

-Com

mer

ceS

ocia

l Med

ia

16 times or more

6-15 times

1-5 times

97%

80%

64%

76%

70%

66%

39%

27%

23%

74%

58%

40%

28%

15%

24%

38%

40%

38%

33%

28%

16%

15%

26%

29%

24%

16%

15%

25%

18%

25%

22%

23%

8%

7%

5%

21%

18%

10%

8%

67%

31%

8%

11%

27%

11%

3%

4%

3%

6%

4%

10%

10%

For almost two decades, I've lived at the intersection of how social and digital media is transforming our lives and the communications landscape.

When I began my social media journey, marketers and communicators needed convincing that social media had staying power. At the same time, a group of young people were working out of a house in Palo Alto to expand Facebook to a broad universe beyond college campuses and made the entire world more social. Today, the power of social in our lives is greater than it has ever been. It has connected us locally and globally and has transformed nearly every aspect of our existence.

In this research, MSLGROUP and Dot Complicated have added more depth and a global perspective to a uniquely-positioned and important demographic that is fueling much of this change: wired women.

Socially, wired women tap the collective intelligence of other women for advice and information, and nurture personal relationships in ways that were not possible before. Emotionally, they are more in control of their lives. Economically, they are empowered by access to a global marketplace and an information-driven shopping experience.

Marketers need to recognize that these wired women are an emerging power force that is shaping new social behaviors at the global and local levels. With relevant communication and engagement that taps their common interests and respects their local differences, marketers can convert this power into opportunity.

For me, the key learning is about where the line is drawn between global and local. The commonality between how the women in these four markets use social media is surprising. Social media has brought our world closer together. But, one size does not fit all. In fact, the opposite is true. Marketers need to be cognizant that wired women struggle for #techlifebalance differently depending on where they live. Marketers need to study up on the nuances in the path to purchase, depending on where the wired women are in the world. And ultimately, marketers that want to leverage this opportunity must build individualized relationships with these wired women to take full advantage of their power.

This research report and Randi’s new book, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, define the most current thinking about wired women. We hope you enjoy both!

— Stephanie Agresta

The Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World | Closing Thoughts

Closing Thoughts

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Stephanie Agresta is the senior-most ranking digital executive at MSLGROUP, the 4th largest PR firm in the world. PRWeek recently named her #6 among digital creators, innovators and strategists in public relations and Business Insider cited her as one of the top 25 advertising executives on Twitter. In 2010, she was named to PRWeek’s “40 under 40”roster. Her first book, Perspectives on Social Media Marketing, co-authored with B. Bonin Bough of Mondelez, was released in October 2010.

Stephanie has delivered on thought leadership and client excellence in digital for almost 20 years. Over the course of her career, she has been recognized as a hands-on counselor instrumental in developing digital and social media initiatives for major brands such as P&G, PayPal, Samsung, PepsiCo and Microsoft.

As MSLGROUP’s Global Director of Social Media and Digital, Stephanie is based in North America and works in partnership with leaders around the global network on vision, strategy and talent in support of the agency’s global social media and digital offering. Responsible for securing best-of-breed employees and developing innovative products and services, Stephanie is leading transformative development of the practice. In 2013, she developed new MSLGROUP offerings including: IMPact IRM (Influencer Relationship Management) and Boost (a paid media and branded content solution).

A long-time leader at the SXSW Interactive festival, Stephanie launched the “Bloggers Lounge” in 2008, a networking hub for digital media influencers at the SXSW conference. She continues to manage the lounge with her co-host Brian Solis.

Prior to joining MSLGROUP, Stephanie was the EVP, Managing Director of Social Media, Weber Shandwick. She also served as EVP, Digital Strategy and Social Media for Porter Novelli before that. She began her career with iVillage.com, one of the first sites to build an online community. At a pivotal time in the industry’s evolution, Stephanie also served in business development roles at Barnes & Noble.com, Spafinder.com and Register.com.

Stephanie is a popular speaker at conferences and serves on the Board of Directors of the Social Media Advertising Consortium (SMAC).

Meet Stephanie Agresta

For more information, contact:

STEPHANIE AGRESTAGlobal Director, Social/Digital, MSLGROUP@stephagresta

375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014E. [email protected]. +1 646.500.7814

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