Media of Influence in Holiday Shopping

COLUMBUS, OH -- (MARKET WIRE) -- December 20, 2006 -- For marketers trying to increase marketing ROI this holiday season, aligning their ad expenditures with what consumers say most influence them to shop a particular store is a great place to start. BIGresearch asked 7,828 consumers as part of their monthly Consumer Intentions and Actions (CIA) survey in December to identify which media most influence shopping at a particular store. Coupons (38.7%), Newspaper Inserts (34.9%) and Word of Mouth (29.0%) topped the list for rank order and interestingly, they also serve to reinforce each other.

The survey also identified cyclical results when media is isolated by category. For example, consumers who are likely to be influenced by Coupons are also likely to be influenced by Newspaper Inserts (57.1%) and by Word of Mouth (44.5%).

Top Media Influences by Category

PEOPLE            Also Influenced    Also Influenced   Also Influenced
INFLUENCED BY:      by Newspaper        by Coupons     by Word of Mouth
                      Inserts
Coupons                57.1%                -               44.5%
Newspaper Inserts         -              63.3%              42.6%
Word of Mouth          51.4%             59.5%                 -

"We are finding a spiral / looping effect among the top three media influencers during the holiday season. Marketers who are utilizing coupons and newspaper inserts over the final shopping days stand a better chance of influencing customers to shop their stores," said Joe Pilotta, VP of Research for BIGresearch.

"By getting coupons and inserts into the hands of consumers, marketers are generating additional buzz, i.e. Word of Mouth. People are more likely to talk to each other in a crowded shopping mall about sales and where to find popular items during the holiday season," said Pilotta.

Additional information on CIA and other BIGresearch samples may be accessed by going to: http://www.bigresearch.com and clicking on Complimentary Top Line Findings.

About BIGresearch

BIGresearch is a market intelligence firm providing analysis of consumer behavior in areas of retail, financial services, automotive, and media. The syndicated Simultaneous Media Usage Study (SIMM) monitors more than 15,000 consumers twice each year to identify opportunities in a fragmented and changing marketplace including the media. They also conduct the Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (CIA) which monitors the pulse of more than 7,000 consumers each month.

BIGresearch's methodology provides the most accurate consumer information in the industry with a margin of error of +/- 1 percent.

Contact Information: Contact: Phil Rist BIGresearch 450 West Wilson Bridge Road Suite 370 Worthington, Ohio 43085 (614) 846-0146 Email Contact