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Women Online:

The Social Wisdom of Wired Women


Around the World
An eBook and Insights Report Based on Original Research on
Women and Technology, November 2013

About this Report

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.

Table of Contents
2

FOREWORD

METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER 1 - Wired Women Online: A Growing Power Force

8 Women Online: What's their Wisdom?

11

CHAPTER 2 - Wired Women Online: Five Key Learnings

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

Who are Wired Women?

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

CHAPTER 3 - Wired Women Online Around the World

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

Foreword

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, theyd 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.
Its easy to proclaim that technology has ruined family time,
or distilled human interactions. But the thing is, it hasnt. 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 havent seen in years, allowing me
to nurture relationships that may otherwise have fallen away.

Technology is so, so good until you overdo it. And thats


why for me, its a balance a balance between my digital
life and my real life. Finding that happy medium of tech-life
balance hasnt been easy, and Ive had to retrain myself not
to mindlessly scroll through my feeds when Im bored in line
or at a stoplight. Its a process, and I cant honestly say Im all
the way there yet. But its 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 youre 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. Its easy to feel insecure when youre 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

Meet Randi Zuckerberg


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 Randis 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 Cond 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 bachelors degree in psychology from
Harvard University and resides in Palo Alto with her
husband, Brent Tworetzky, and their son, Asher.

Methodology
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 Social Wisdom of Wired Women Around the World | Methodology

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 Zuckerbergs 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).

CHAPTER 1

Wired Women Online: A Growing Power Force

Who Are

Wired Women Online?


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 technologys 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 informationdriven 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 welleducated: 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 groups 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. Threequarters 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

What Wired Women Do Online

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.

Past 30-day Online Activities


97%
Traditional Activities

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.

88%

92%

5%

Read about current events on a news website


75%

79%

88%

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.

Sent or read an email

13%

Looked at clothes from an online retailer but did not buy


56%

23%

Went online to search for more information about a


product / service I was interested in
68%

20%

Went online to compare prices of a product / service

82%
57%

25%

E-Commerce

Went online to search for coupons or discounts


that I used to buy a product / service

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 cultures varying
social norms. In Brazil, for instance, wired women are most
concerned about friends and family posting inappropriate
things online.

70%

46%

24%

Bought clothes from an online site

51%

25%

26%

Used my cell phone / smart phone to make a purchase


via the internet

39%

24%

15%

Used my tablet to make a purchase via the internet

36%

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.

21%

15%

Viewed a comment, picture, or video that my friend /


family member posted online

81%
67%

14%

Social Media

Made a comment on an online site

71%

54%

17%

Made recommendations to my friends / family about a


product / service/ or website that I am now using

59%

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, its really no longer tech contentits
modern living. 1

36%

23%

Uploaded video on an online site to


share with other people

46%

28%

Last 7 days

18%

Last 8-30 days

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

Women Online:

What's their Wisdom?


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?

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.

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.

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

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,

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 studys four
markets said that technology has made their lives more
manageable, and 45 percent can point to technologys
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 womens 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.

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

The New Economic Power of Wired Women

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.

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.

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 were
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

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 study echoed Randis 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.

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.

As Randi Zuckerberg says in her book, Whats the upside?


Were more connected. Whats the downside? Were more
connected. 2

What Social Networks Draw Their Power from Wired Women


Overwhelmingly Facebook
(sites visited at least once a week)

China

Brazil
94%

Qzone

U.S.

SInA Weibo

77%

76%

79%

U.K.

74%

1
2

Randi Zuckerberg, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, HarperOne, page 63
Randi Zuckerberg, Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, HarperOne, page 65

Feelings About Social Media

How Respondents Describe Themselves

Curious
54%

I spend more time with my family and friends via


social media than seeing them in-person

32%
It is my best friends birthday. Social media is the most sincere way
for me to wish them a happy birthday.

29%
I would pay my family members to not use social media when we are
visiting each other in person.

16%
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.

36%
Social media is a theater. Everyone is acting and
most of the news they share is not true.

29%
Social media has made me more empathetic
towards others situations.

32%
Social media has motivated me to participate
in community activism.

27%
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.

12%
Social media is a career resource that is worth paying for, if the social
media sites started charging money to use.

12%

Cost-conscious

51%
Music Lover

47%
Health-Conscious

42%
Intellectual

36%
Outgoing

35%
Label reader (nutritional)

32%
Foodie

30%
Politically aware

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

9%
I would take a pay-cut to accept a job that allows me to post and
share commentary on social media sites.

7%
I would take a pay-cut to avoid the pressure of using social media.

6%
Social media gives me more options of finding romance via public
profiles or my friends contacts.

27%
Environmentalist

25%
Adventurous

23%

14%
I worry that people I date will judge me because of my social media
profile.

12%

Family / Friends

Public / Private

Community

Career

Love

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

11

CHAPTER 2

Wired Women Online: Five Key Learnings

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

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 studys 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 theyve
completed their research.

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, its 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 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

88%

go online to compare prices for


a product or service

79%

of women turn first to


the Internet for information

52%

of women agree that technology has made


their lives more manageable

47%

prefer to check out a product or service


online instead of going to the store

45%

of women believe technology has a


positive impact on their family

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

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

13
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

Qzone

Sina Weibo

WeChat

Tencent Wei

Renren

Kaixin 001

Pengyou

Douban

51.com

Jiayuan

Social Platforms Where Users Are Most


Encouraged by Support they Receive
32%

30%

are encouraged

25%

are encouraged

are encouraged

25%

are encouraged

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

Social Platforms Where


Users Are Most Inspired to be Better
49%

Are Inspired

35%

33%

32%

Are Inspired

Are Inspired

Are Inspired

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

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

Very few reported feeling either envious or intimidated


by others.

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

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

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.

Brazil

47%

China

46%

United States

33%

United Kingdom 28%

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

15

Give Cellphones to Children

Share Passwords with Significant Others

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.

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.

Average Age Women Believe Children Should


Get a Cellphone by Country.

Percentage of women who share passwords to


social media accounts with their significant others.

Brazil

U.K.

U.S.

China

age 11

age 12

age 13

age 14

40%

Brazil

30%

China

23%

United States

19%

United Kingdom

Parent Snoopers or Protectors?

Mobile Phones Vs. Sex

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.

A surprising percentage of wired women would give


up sex for a month rather than their mobile phone.

Brazil 44%

United States

39%
38%

China

45%

China

42%

United Kingdom

United States

28%

Brazil 28%

United Kingdom

18%

What Women Would Rather Give Up Than Their Mobile Phone:

75%

Wine for a month

55%

Coffee/tea for a month

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 didnt lead was
in ownership of traditional cellphones without Internet
connections.

Device Ownership by Market

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.

Brazil

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.

79%

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

53%

Laptop computer

China

82%
United Kingdom

82%
United States

72%
62%

Desktop computer

China
Brazil

69%
United States

62%
United Kingdom

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.

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

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

17

Routine Tasks Wired Women Performed


with their Devices

Smartphone (with Internet access)

China

In the last 30 days

91%
United Kingdom

70%
United States

59%
Brazil

57%

Tablet (with Internet access)

97%

sent or read an email

88%

went online to search for more information


about a product or service

82%

Went online to compare prices

81%

viewed content that a friend or family member


posted online

71%

made a comment on an online site

70%

searched for online coupons or discounts that


they used to buy a product or a service

59%

recommended a product, service or website to


friends and family

51%

bought clothes from an online site at least


once

46%

uploaded a video to an online site to share


with others at least once

39%

used a cell phone or smartphone to make a


purchase from the Internet

36%

used their tablet to make a purchase from


the Internet

China

61%
United Kingdom

39%
United States

38%
Brazil

28%

Device Preference for Bill-Paying

55%

21%
24%

Computer

Smartphone

Tablet

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 groups
differences while further unifying them through their
common discontentment.
More than anything else, wired womens 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.

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%

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.

China

Overall, Brazilian women are more consistently frustrated


by the complications of technology than women from other
parts of the world.

Brazil

16%
Family Members Posting Inappropriate
Things Online
This is the greatest concern of the wired women
in Brazil.

47%
China

20%
United Kingdom

17%
United States

15%

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

19

People Saying Negative Things About


Me Online

Friends/Family Members Posting


Inapproriate Things Online

Brazil

Brazil

47%

39%

China

China

20%

27%

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

17%

13%

United States

United States

15%

9%

Dinner Table Social Manners

How Technology Makes Life Complicated

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.

In addition to complications at the dinner table,


technology also sometimes complicates personal
reputations, romantic breakups and bedroom
activities.

Brazil

27%

Friends or family members posting photos of me


without permission

United Kingdom

23%

20%
overall

United States

Friends and family members posting photos of


my children without permission

19%

19%

China

10%

Having a romantic breakup occur through technology

overall

14%

overall

A significant other or a spouse using a tablet or phone in bed

11%

overall

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

What Wired Women Purchased in the Last


Twelve Months

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.

Personal care products

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.

Health and wellness products


(OTC medications, vitamins, pregnancy tests, etc.)

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.

Shoes and clothing

84%
80%
Food products

79%

62%
Consumer (home) electronics

55%
Prescription medicine

42%
Childrens toys and games

40%
Household furnishings

34%
Major household appliances

28%
Financial services

27%
Sporting goods

26%
Automobiles

13%

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

21
Did You Know:

62%

of wired women in the U.S. have


purchased prescription medicine, a significantly
higher percentage than in any other market

90%

of wired women in the U.K. and China purchased


shoes and clothing

48%

of wired women in China have purchased


financial service products online, significantly
more than in other markets

of women in the U.K. purchased household


furnishings

46%

of women in the U.S. purchased major


appliances, half as many as women
in most other markets

Only
17%

Signature Paths to Purchase

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.

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 Signature Purchase Path Tool


By category of consumer goods and services.
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%
33%

Sources of
Information Used

Online photos

25%

4%

11%

30%

6%

29%

36%

18%

16%

23%

38%

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%
28%

Online magazines

17%

6%

11%

20%

12%

26%

21%

19%

14%

17%

17%

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%

Automobiles

Food Products

Sources of Information Used for


Automobiles

Total
(N=472)

U.S.
(N=119)

U.K.
(N=132)

Brazil
(N=120)

China
(N=101)

Sources of Information Used for


Food Products

Total
(N=1441)

U.S.
(N=358)

U.K.
(N=366)

Brazil
(N=316)

China
(N=401)

Digital/social media [Net]

70%

76%

65%

71%

80%

93%

Influencer [Net]

56%

45%

39%

71%

Online search engines

41%

38%

36%

41%

50%

Friends/family

47%

39%

33%

63%

54%

Online reviews

39%

39%

34%

39%

47%

Store employee

25%

13%

12%

39%

38%

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%
28%

54%

33%

31%

78%

74%

Online search engines

23%

15%

13%

39%

29%

Online reviews

21%

11%

8%

38%

29%

Online ratings of products/services

19%

8%

8%

35%

24%

Buying guide, online

18%

6%

7%

33%

27%

Digital/social media [Net]

Online photos

16%

7%

5%

34%

19%

Online newspapers

15%

9%

4%

33%

18%

Blogs

15%

8%

4%

33%

19%

Online videos

15%

6%

4%

35%

17%

Online magazines

14%

7%

6%

29%

16%

Blogs

15%

5%

3%

28%

Online tutorials

13%

3%

5%

23%

26%

QR codes

10%

1%

2%

18%

23%

Influencer [Net]

56%

48%

46%

69%

60%

Online forums/message boards

12%

5%

4%

20%

20%

Friends/family

44%

36%

34%

57%

53%

Online tutorials

12%

5%

3%

25%

14%

Store employee

27%

18%

20%

36%

37%

QR codes

11%

5%

3%

18%

17%

40%

22%

21%

57%

66%

53%

43%

31%

78%

61%
35%

Traditional media [Net]

Traditional media [Net]

Television

22%

10%

8%

37%

39%

Television

34%

24%

23%

56%

Print magazines

18%

7%

8%

30%

33%

Print newspapers

19%

17%

9%

33%

17%

Print newspapers

18%

8%

10%

30%

28%

Print magazines

18%

16%

10%

37%

13%

Printed buying guide

15%

6%

9%

22%

25%

Printed buying guide

18%

6%

4%

37%

27%

Billboards

15%

3%

5%

24%

33%

Billboards

15%

5%

6%

27%

24%

Radio

13%

3%

2%

23%

27%

Radio

12%

7%

5%

26%

13%

6%

13%

9%

2%

1%

15%

23%

30%

3%

1%

Other

Personal Care Products


Sources of Information Used for
Personal Care Products

Other

Health and Wellness Products

Total
(N=1433)

U.S.
(N=360)

U.K.
(N=363)

Brazil
(N=307)

China
(N=403)

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)
81%

62%

38%

43%

84%

82%

Influencer [Net]

66%

49%

51%

84%

Online reviews

31%

15%

18%

51%

40%

Friends/family

41%

30%

28%

54%

52%

Online search engines

31%

17%

19%

51%

40%

Health care practitioner/doctor/nurse

38%

23%

20%

63%

50%

Online ratings of products/services

25%

12%

12%

48%

29%

Store employee

26%

10%

18%

37%

40%

Buying guide, online

21%

9%

8%

38%

32%

65%

Online magazines

19%

7%

8%

45%

21%

Blogs

19%

8%

5%

40%

24%

Online forums/message boards

19%

8%

8%

35%

28%

Online videos

18%

6%

6%

38%

24%

Digital/social media [Net]

Online photos

18%

8%

6%

38%

22%

Online newspapers

16%

8%

3%

36%

20%

QR codes

14%

5%

3%

26%

23%

Online tutorials
Traditional media [Net]

13%

4%

5%

32%

13%

53%

43%

32%

74%

67%

53%

37%

38%

72%

Online search engines

28%

21%

18%

41%

34%

Online reviews

22%

13%

16%

32%

29%

Online ratings of products/services

17%

9%

10%

35%

17%

Online forums/message boards

14%

6%

7%

23%

21%
16%

Digital/social media [Net]

Buying guide, online

14%

7%

8%

28%

Blogs

13%

7%

4%

25%

17%

Online newspapers

12%

5%

6%

23%

15%

Online videos

12%

6%

4%

25%

14%

Online magazines

11%

4%

6%

24%

12%

Television

35%

26%

22%

51%

41%

Online photos

11%

4%

5%

22%

13%

Print magazines

23%

16%

14%

40%

25%

Online tutorials

10%

4%

3%

24%

12%

Print newspapers

18%

17%

6%

31%

20%

Printed buying guide

18%

5%

4%

41%

26%

Billboards

17%

6%

4%

29%

28%

Radio

14%

6%

4%

30%

17%

Influencer [Net]

50%

41%

38%

64%

Friends/family

41%

35%

31%

Store employee
Other

10%

4%

4%

19%

13%

39%

26%

22%

62%

47%

Television

26%

20%

15%

41%

29%

Print magazines

14%

10%

8%

27%

12%

59%

Print newspapers

13%

6%

6%

22%

16%

51%

48%

Printed buying guide

12%

5%

5%

26%

14%

QR codes
Traditional media [Net]

23%

11%

12%

39%

30%

Billboards

12%

4%

3%

20%

20%

15%

24%

29%

4%

2%

Radio

10%

5%

5%

20%

12%

13%

24%

23%

3%

1%

Other

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

23

CHAPTER 3

Wired Women Online Around the World

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in Brazil


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
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.

20%

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.

(less than in other markets)

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.

(significantly greater than in other markets)

Envious of other users

10%
Intimidated by other peoples social status

9%

(less than in other markets)

Top Online Frustrations of Brazilian Wired


Women
Peoples behavior

26%*
(Social) postings

20%*
Frustrations with sites

17%*
Actions (bullying, bragging, gossip, complaining)

10%*
*All are significantly larger than in any other market

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

25

Automobiles

Prescriptions

80% | 76%

55% | 37%

Health & Wellness

Personal Care Prodcuts

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days:


Brazil
96%
Traditional Activities

Wired Women in Brazil Rely on Digital and


Social Media Significantly More than Wired
Women Across Markets Combined

92%

81%

Sent or read an email


64%

14%

18%

Read about current events on a news website


50%

22%

20%

Looked at clothes from an online retailer but did not buy


29%

21%

31%

Went online to search for more information about a


product/service I was interested in

94%

43%

28%

23%

Went online to compare prices of a product/service

88%

84% | 62%

Food

28%

26%

Went online to search for coupons or discounts that I


used to buy a product/service
E-Commerce

72% | 53%

34%

62%
19%

24%

Bought clothes from an online site

34%

33%

78% | 54%

19%

8%

9%

17%

Used my cell phone/smartphone to make a purchase


via the internet
10%

9%

14%

Used my tablet to make a purchase via the internet

women in Brazil |

30%

women in markets combined

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%

91%

48%

21%

22%

Made a comment on an online site

82%
Social Media

Curious

15%

Viewed a comment, picture, or video that my friend/


family member posted online

Brazilian Wired Women are More Curious


and Politically Aware than Wired Women
in Markets Combined
Leading aided mentions Brazil

7% 8%

36%

22%

24%

Made recommendations to my friends/family about a


product/service/or website that I am now using

78%

24%

24%

30%

Uploaded video on an online site to share with


other people

68%

23%

20%

16 times or more
6-15 times
1-5 times

25%

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in China


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%
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.

To stay informed about current events

71%
To keep in touch with family

53%
*Described as a big part of their social media use

Online Romance is Bigger in China*

44%

21%

13%

12%

China

Brazil

U.K.

U.S.

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

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

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

27
Sites Chinese Women Visit
Sites Visited at Least Once a Week in China

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days:


China

Qzone
Sina Weibo

76%

Traditional Activities

79%

98%

96%

92%

WeChat

26%

13%

Looked at clothes from an online retailer but did not buy


26%

35%

31%

40%

39%

18%

25%

41%

29%

E-Commerce

Went online to search for coupons or discounts


that I used to buy a product/service

88%
20%

33%

35%

Bought clothes from an online site

82%

72%

Pengyou

11%

19%

52%

Used my cell phone/smartphone to make a purchase


via the internet
14%

18%

40%

Used my tablet to make a purchase via the internet

27%

65%

Douban

13%

20%

32%

Viewed a comment, picture, or video that my friend/


family member posted online

23%

89%

51.com

86%
Social Media

Jiayuan

11%

Went online to compare prices of a product/service

31%

12%

57%

95%

59%

Kaixin 001

23%

Read about current events on a news website

97%

Tencent Weibo

42%

64%

Went online to search for more information about a


product/service I was interested in

67%

Rennr

Sent or read an email

32%

33%

24%

Made a comment on an online site


24%

35%

27%

Made recommendations to my friends/family about a


product/service/or website that I am now using

80%

9%

15%

27%

38%

Uploaded video on an online site to share with


other people

68%

13%

26%

16 times or more
6-15 times
1-5 times

29%

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in The United Kingdom

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).

40%

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

18%

of wired women in the U.K. say monitoring


their childs online activities is a part of
why they use social media, lower than in
any other market studied

13%

of wired women in the U.K. say finding


love or romance is a part of why they use
social media

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 markethigh 40 percent of them claiming that such sites are too
theatrical, wherein most members share news that is
inaccurate or not true.

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

29

Products Purchased in the Last 12 Months by Wired


Women in the U.K.

Clothing/shoes

90%
Food products

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days:


UK
99%
Traditional Activities

What they are Buying

86%

84%

77%

83%

86%

Home electronics

77%

16%

11%

Read about current events on a news website


36%

22%

26%

Looked at clothes from an online retailer but did not buy


13%

25%

39%

15%

28%

43%

Went online to compare prices of a product/service

53%

9%

25%

43%

Went online to search for coupons or discounts


that I used to buy a product/service
E-Commerce

46%

72%

Went online to search for more information about a


product / service I was interested in

Personal care products

Household furnishings

Sent or read an email

61%
7%

27%

Financial Services

36%

Bought clothes from an online site

52%

Children's games and toys

43%

18%

3% 9%

40%

Used my cell phone/smartphone to make a purchase


via the internet
3% 7%

17%

Used my tablet to make a purchase via the internet

27%

28%

3% 7%

17%

Viewed a comment, picture, or video that my friend/


family member posted online

Automobile

69%

15%
Social Media

58%

26%

20%

23%

Made a comment on an online site


15%

18%

25%

Made recommendations to my friends/family about a


product/service/or website that I am now using

40%

4% 9%

27%

Uploaded video on an online site to share with


other people

20%

2% 6% 12%

16 times or more
6-15 times
1-5 times

The Wisdom of

Wired Women in The United States


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.

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.

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.

59%

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

32%

of wired women in the U.S. spend more


time with their family and friends on
social media than in person

12%

of wired women in the U.S. say finding


love or romance is a part of why they
use social media

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

31

Products Purchased in the Last Twelve Months by


Wired Women in the U.S.

Personal care products

83%
Clothing/shoes

Frequency of Activities in the Past 30 Days:


US
97%
Traditional Activities

What they are Buying

82%

80%

64%

82%

76%

Health and wellness non-prescription products

70%

15%

15%

Read about current events on a news website


31%

25%

24%

Looked at clothes from an online retailer but did not buy


8%

18%

38%

11%

25%

40%

Went online to compare prices of a product/service

67%

10%

22%

38%

Went online to search for coupons or discounts


that I used to buy a product/service
E-Commerce

60%

67%

Went online to search for more information about a


product/service I was interested in

Food products

Prescription medicine

Sent or read an email

66%
10%

27%

Automobile

33%

Bought clothes from an online site

39%

Home electronics

45%

23%

3% 8%

28%

Used my cell phone/smartphone to make a purchase


via the internet
4% 7%

16%

Used my tablet to make a purchase via the internet

23%

13%

3% 5%

15%

Viewed a comment, picture, or video that my friend/


family member posted online

Financial Services

74%

12%
Social Media

58%

27%

21%

26%

Made a comment on an online site


11%

18%

29%

Made recommendations to my friends/family about a


product/service/or website that I am now using

40%

6% 10%

24%

Uploaded video on an online site to share with


other people

28%

4% 8%

16%

16 times or more
6-15 times
1-5 times

Closing Thoughts

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 uniquelypositioned 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.

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

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 Randis new book, Dot Complicated:
Untangling Our Wired Lives, define the most current thinking
about wired women. We hope you enjoy both!
Stephanie Agresta

33

Meet Stephanie Agresta


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 PRWeeks
40 under 40roster. 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 MSLGROUPs 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 agencys 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 industrys 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).

Designed by MSLGROUP CREATIVE+


For more information, contact:

STEPHANIE AGRESTA

Global Director, Social/Digital, MSLGROUP


@stephagresta

375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014


E. stephanie.agresta@mslgroup.com
M. +1 646.500.7814

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