NEW YORK, Sep 27, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The number of consumers who are tuning out traditional
media and advertising, and using consumer-to-consumer communication
like blogging, mobile messaging, comparison shopping sites,
word-of-mouth marketing, and peer-to-peer networks continues to rise.
These technologies will have a significant impact on the way companies
uncover consumer insight and accelerate the innovation of products,
services, and design. According to new data unveiled by Forrester
Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) at its annual Consumer Forum:
-- Blogging: Ten percent of consumers read blogs once a week or
more, compared with 5 percent in 2004.
-- Real Simple Syndication (RSS): Six percent of consumers use
RSS feeds once a week or more, compared with 2 percent in
2004.
-- Social networking: Six percent of consumers use social
networking sites once a week or more, compared with 4 percent
in 2004.
"Technology has given consumers an option to tune businesses out
-- and tune each other in," says Forrester Research Vice President and
Research Director Chris Charron. "On the flip side, technology has
given businesses an opportunity to gain greater customer insights at a
lower cost. These insights give businesses an opportunity to use
consumers' ideas and creativity to drive their innovation of products,
services, marketing, and design."
Effective businesses are re-orienting their innovation process
from an authoritarian "top-down" approach to more of a "bottom-up" one
using technologies -- such as smart point-of-sale systems -- and
insights from consumer-to-consumer communication -- such as blogs and
social networking sites -- to incorporate a higher level of customer
input into the innovation process, an approach Forrester calls
"consumer-driven innovation."
Forrester's Consumer Forum 2005 will take place September 27-28
and attract more than 650 business, marketing, and IT executives to
the New York Marriott Marquis.
Keynote speakers include:
-- Greg Joswiak, Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing
for iPod, Apple Computer
-- Vyomesh Joshi, Executive Vice President, Imaging and Personal
Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard
-- Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner, National Football League
-- Gerald L. Storch, Vice Chairman, Target
-- Marise Kumar, Vice President, General Manager Emerging Brands
Categories, Whirlpool
Forum Tracks:
In-depth tracks and roundtable discussions focused on the retail,
consumer products, healthcare, automotive, telecommunications, travel
and leisure, media, and consumer electronics industries, featuring
executives from companies such as AutoTrader.com, Colgate-Palmolive,
Best Buy, frog design, LEGO, Neiman Marcus, Nextel, Nokia, Procter &
Gamble, REI, Stop & Shop, Time, Victoria's Secret, and Yahoo!
The data referenced in this release is from Forrester's Devices &
Access Online Survey of 5,279 North American consumers. The survey was
fielded in July 2005.
SOURCE: Forrester Research, Inc.
Forrester Research, Inc.
Erica Cantwell, 978-985-0443 (mobile, on-site at event)
212-672-1757 (office)
press@forrester.com
