CREATION: Optimistic outlook for China advertisers
<p>China's ecommerce penetration, which doubled in six months, and
</p><p>rising Internet access in the world's most populous nation could spell
</p><p>good news for advertisers and the mainland's nascent business to
</p><p>consumer (B2C) sector.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>A recent report by iamasia put mainland China's Internet access at 15.2
</p><p>million, an increase of more than 15 per cent between the second and
</p><p>third quarter of last year.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Mr Stephen Yap, director, marketing and communications, said there was
</p><p>reason to be cautiously optimistic.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"This is good news from the advertisers' point of view, because not only
</p><p>is there clearly a growing audience, but the demographic is
</p><p>changing.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>In the past, China's Internet access was limited to niche groups, such
</p><p>as the affluent and the college community, but now we are seeing a wider
</p><p>audience range," said Mr Yap.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>The survey showed the Internet population getting younger. According to
</p><p>the report, the average age of an Internet user was recorded at 28, with
</p><p>57 per cent of users aged between 15 and 29.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>The report said that as Internet penetration continued to rise, the
</p><p>demographic profile of Internet users would come closer to that of the
</p><p>general population.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"For example, the gender disparity of the online population is narrowing
</p><p>as more women come online.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"I think advertisers are realising that the Internet is as effective as
</p><p>any other medium. You hear people say that banners are not effective,
</p><p>but the truth is there are other formats ... What we need is to find out
</p><p>which creative executions work and to target specific groups in
</p><p>demographics," Mr Yap said.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Meanwhile, Internet usage in the workplace remained low as employers
</p><p>showed reluctance in giving staff access to the Internet while on the
</p><p>job.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"There are only 26 per cent of Internet workers that log on at work,
</p><p>compared to 84 per cent who access the Web at home ... It is interesting
</p><p>to note just how conservative companies are about giving people Internet
</p><p>access in the workplace," said Mr Louis Boswell, iamasia's COO.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>In Taiwan, 28 per cent of employees had Web access at work, compared
</p><p>with 39 per cent in China. In addition, Shenzhen had the highest Web
</p><p>penetration in China.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p>
by
|
02/02/2001
China's ecommerce penetration, which doubled in six months, and
rising Internet access in the world's most populous nation could spell
good news for advertisers and the mainland's nascent business to
consumer (B2C) sector.
A recent report by iamasia put mainland China's Internet access at 15.2
million, an increase of more than 15 per cent between the second and
third quarter of last year.
Mr Stephen Yap, director, marketing and communications, said there was
reason to be cautiously optimistic.
"This is good news from the advertisers' point of view, because not only
is there clearly a growing audience, but the demographic is
changing.
In the past, China's Internet access was limited to niche groups, such
as the affluent and the college community, but now we are seeing a wider
audience range," said Mr Yap.
The survey showed the Internet population getting younger. According to
the report, the average age of an Internet user was recorded at 28, with
57 per cent of users aged between 15 and 29.
The report said that as Internet penetration continued to rise, the
demographic profile of Internet users would come closer to that of the
general population.
"For example, the gender disparity of the online population is narrowing
as more women come online.
"I think advertisers are realising that the Internet is as effective as
any other medium. You hear people say that banners are not effective,
but the truth is there are other formats ... What we need is to find out
which creative executions work and to target specific groups in
demographics," Mr Yap said.
Meanwhile, Internet usage in the workplace remained low as employers
showed reluctance in giving staff access to the Internet while on the
job.
"There are only 26 per cent of Internet workers that log on at work,
compared to 84 per cent who access the Web at home ... It is interesting
to note just how conservative companies are about giving people Internet
access in the workplace," said Mr Louis Boswell, iamasia's COO.
In Taiwan, 28 per cent of employees had Web access at work, compared
with 39 per cent in China. In addition, Shenzhen had the highest Web
penetration in China.
