Of handhelds and decelerators

 
Study I Gruner + Jahr's latest Brand Profiles study divides the German population into six types. 
The digital revolution has changed our media landscape in a very short space of time. The statement that the internet marks the biggest media revolution since Gutenberg is correct. Anyone who assumes that the population can be divided into online and offline users in their purest form is wrong. The population of 14- to 64-year-olds can be sorted into six types of media use, none of which completely rejects the Internet. What's more, new media have not given rise to new mentalities, at least not among adults, according to an analysis by Gruner + Jahr and the Heidelberg-based Sinus Sociovision Institute. The researchers have analyzed, sorted and interpreted the use of media in connection with views and ways of thinking.
All media tend to be used by everyoneThe observations are based on data from the current "Stern Brand Profile 12". Every two years, the Hamburg-based company surveys the attitudes of 10,000 people towards consumption and media use.
As the study also shows, all media tend to be used by everyone. But to a greater or lesser extent depending on the target group. It is important to note that people's different demands and interests drive media behavior and not the other way around.
The authors are of the opinion that the discussion about user-generated content is overestimated. Despite digitalization and broadband, 90 percent of people will consume rather than produce media content in the future.
In addition to media use, the acceptance of advertising also varies. It is striking that poster and print advertising enjoys a high level of acceptance in all six groups. Television advertising enjoys the highest level of acceptance among "digital natives", as does advertising on the internet. These two advertising channels are also well received by the "Doers", while the "Discerning" are skeptical of both.
Christian Lüscher
Stern brand profiles 12
. New media mentalities. Where does your target group go? 740-page report
can be ordered at www.sternbibliothek.de. The six media mentalities of the aspirational can be characterized as versatile educational citizens with the highest quality standards. They are well off, socially and ecologically interested. They are critical of new media and primarily use sophisticated print offerings. They use the Internet competently and selectively. They watch little TV.digital natives are young, mostly male early adopters, socialized on screens and have grown up in the digital world. They are keen to experiment, curious and in search of self-realization. Their relationship with media is often distanced and characterized by a hunger for stimulation. All media channels are used intensively. Entertainment-oriented people can be characterized as younger people from the lower segment of society. They are always on the lookout for entertainment, distraction and affirmation. They are hungry for life, undisciplined and prone to extremes. (...) Excessive stimulus consumption through the parallel use of several channels (e.g. music, TV, Internet) is widespread. The distance to print is based on a lack of analytical skills. The Internet is used intensively and increasingly. Tangible consumers form the mainstream of society striving for security, harmony and comfort and are recruited from middle age, education and income groups. They are conventional, pragmatic and convenience-oriented. They cope with complexity by focusing and fading out. They rarely have high expectations of the media offering. They are rooted in print, tend to watch slightly more television than average and use the Internet for everyday applications. Decelerators are older modernization losers from the traditional segment of society who find it difficult to cope with rapid socio-cultural and technological change. This type of mentality strives for security and order, is frugal and modest. The modern technology and media on offer overwhelms this type of mentality. Print usage is low, while TV usage is well above average. Although multimedia and the Internet are viewed with detachment, 42% of Decelerators have access to the web.Doers are active, professionally and privately highly committed people. They make intensive use of the latest information and communication media. The range of interests is broad, print and Internet are used intensively, TV affinity is low.Source: Stern Brand Profiles 12