Military Veterans Place Value on Other Aspects of a Brand Besides Price

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA--(Marketwired - Nov. 24, 2017) - Leading military media brand We Are The Mighty and consumer intelligence firm Maru/Matchbox release survey findings revealing brand loyalty and buying habits. Over 1,700 active and retired military servicemen and women were surveyed on attitudes, behaviors and brand use across numerous categories. In addition, 1,500 non-military individuals were interviewed using the same methodology for comparison to census. Topline results include:

Military veterans are confident in their brand choices and place a great deal of importance on brands they feel support them and their country.

• 66% agree that they are "more likely to buy brands that are made in the US" (versus 49% for civilians).
• 61% say that "buying American products is important to me" (versus 44% for non-military).
• More than half (57%) of current and former servicemen and women "seek out brands that support the troops or are militarily friendly" (versus 16% civilians).
• 70% (significantly above the 29% of civilians) "are more likely to buy brands that support US Veterans".
• 61% say that "quality (of a product) is more important than price" (versus 54% non-military).
• 38% are "willing to pay more for a product that supports the causes I care about" (versus 33% non-military).

Military members and their families engage in both online and in-store shopping

• Expect to find military members and their families shopping in superstores like Target and Walmart (80%), drug stores like CVS and Walgreens (57%) and sporting goods stores like Dicks and REI (47% versus 25% of non-military), but also online on Amazon (75%).
• Active wear is also a significant purchase category with 29% making a purchase online (versus 26% non-military) and 55% in-store (versus 45%).

Military is Gaming Industry's Best Consumer

• 73% own a gaming console, well above the 54% of the non-military. 30% plan to purchase a new gaming console in the next year, nearly double the 17% of non-military.
• They are gaming on all devices: 66% play games at least once a week on a smartphone (versus 50% of non-military), 44% on a play games on a computer and 32% play games on a tablet. 17% use a handheld gaming device such as a Nintendo 3Ds.
• Those who purchased games spent an average of $114 in the past year on console games (versus $104 for non-military), $75 for computer games ($66 for non-military), $49 on gaming apps ($43 for non-military).

Servicemembers Embracing Subscription Based Music and Video

• Active and veteran members who engage in each media spend an average of 6.5 hours listening to satellite radio (versus 4.7 for non-military gen-pop), 7.6 hours streaming music from free sites or apps (versus 6.5) and 10 hours streaming music from paid streaming sites (versus 7.6).
• They are also more likely to subscribe to pay services such as Sirius XM (19% vs. 13%), Spotify Paid (17% vs. 11%), Amazon Music Unlimited (13% vs. 9%), Apple Music Paid (12% vs. 7%) and Pandora Paid (9% vs. 6%).
• They spend an average of 9.8 hours a week streaming from SVOD sites like Netflix and Hulu (versus 9.0 non-military). They are more likely to subscribe to Netflix (72% vs. 57%), Amazon Prime Video (45% vs. 36%), and Hulu (29% vs. 21%) than gen-pop.
• 66% watch movies on streaming subscription services like Netflix at least once a week (versus 48% of non-military).
• Military families are also more likely to go "OTT" with subscriptions to stand alone TV services like HBO Now and CBS All Access (12% vs. 5%).

Technology Brands Connect with Those Who Serve

• Nearly half of active and retired military personnel (45%) say they "like to stay up to date on the latest technology trends and products" (versus 40% of non-military).
• They are more likely than general population to own a tablet (63% vs. 59%), a Smart TV (53% vs. 44%), streaming to TV device (40% vs. 34%), an e-reader (33% vs. 24%), a wearable device like an Apple watch or Fitbit (32% vs. 24%) and a connected home device like an amazon Echo or Google Home (17% vs. 14%).
• Besides owning these devices, they are also in the market to buy them, with 38% looking to purchase a new mobile device and 31% looking to purchase a new TV in the next year.

About We Are The Mighty

We Are The Mighty (WATM) is the leading media brand engaging America's military, a large and loyal group who comprise one-third of the country (114 million). WATM's team of veterans and media professionals capture their voice with original and branded content, innovative marketing and events. Our mission is to explore all aspects of military life and culture, and break down stereotypes with stories and experiences that entertain, inform, inspire and celebrate the spirit of service. We work with companies, nonprofits, and veteran service organizations that want to have a positive and meaningful impact on this community while also strengthening the relationship between the military, veterans and civilians.

About Maru/Matchbox

The company began disrupting the market research industry in 2000, as the research arm of Vision Critical. Our cloud-based insight communities broke new ground, adding depth and richness to clients' understanding of what motivates their customers and influences their markets. Now, as part of the Maru Group, we still operate many of the hundreds of insight communities that we implemented then, while also providing sector-specific consulting and research and in-depth qualitative insights.