IBM study identifies four distinct personalities in digital space

A survey of the media and entertainment market found that with the increasing uptake of digital devices, companies had to offer a more personalised experience to consumers accessing content online.

The ‘Beyond Digital’ study found that 78% of consumers questioned identified themselves as digital device adopters in the past year, while 50% are moving away from traditional forms of media in favour of online sources.

Crucially, the study identified the emergence of four distinct types of user personality – Content Kings, who frequently play online games and download movies and music; Social Butterflies, who place emphasis on social interaction through networking sites such as Facebook; Content Maestros, who use mobile devices to access games and music and check news, and Efficiency Experts, the largest category of respondents who use digital devices to simplify day to day activities.

Saul Berman, global strategy consulting leader at IBM Global Business Services and co-author of the study, said: "Media companies need to engage with consumers based on their digital personalities, if they are going to maintain a sustainable and connected relationship.

"With the mass infiltration of digital devices, organisations can now enhance, extend or redefine the customer experience within minutes, due to a steady stream of real-time data via social media.

"Future success is dependent upon successfully executing on insights based on this data, to reach the right consumer, at the right time and place, using the right tools."

Media and entertainment companies also had to adopt a flexible and scalable system of payment infrastructures, according to the study – allowing a variety of pricing approaches to attract consumers with different preferences to their content

The survey also found that age was no longer the most important categorisation of digital consumer behaviour, with 82% of digital adopters falling between the ages of 18-64.

IBM surveyed 3,800 consumers from six countries – China, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US – and also met with global representatives in broadcasting, publishing, as well as media service agencies and telecommunication providers to evaluate digital consumption behaviour.

The study is IBM's fourth annual digital survey by the Institute of Business Value, following on from the 2010 'Beyond Content: Capitalising on the new revenue opportunities' and the 2009 'Beyond advertising: Choosing a strategic path to the digital consumer' and 'The end of advertising as we know it' surveys.