The Digi Is On in Europe

Posted on | December 26, 2009 | No Comments

member_7032927This is third in a series of blogs about a December trip to Paris with DePaul University.
logoAlison Jarrett, e-business manager, Europe, at insurance firm Alico, has an interesting story to tell.  I think her presentation was especially meaningful and educational to the DePaul students, many of whom aspire to hold global and corporate positions when they finish their degrees.

Alison came over to France a few years ago with AIG.  Like many of us affected by the economy, Allison has seen some major upheavals but has landed squarely on her feet.  In recent months, she moved over to Alico, which AIG is spinning off as a way to reduce its federal debt.

Citing sources such as eMarketer, Interactive Advertising Bureau and comScore, Alison provided the following digital trends for Europe:

  • Regular internet users in Europe increased from 43% of the population in 2005 to 56% of the population in 2008.  Most use the internet daily and have high-speed access.
  • France has a population of 62 million people, 56% of whom use the internet. Online ad spending totals $59 USD.  In contrast, the US has 305 million people, an internet penetration rate of 74% and online spend totaling $143 million USD.
  • Online ad spending in France is growing by 40% whereas it is growing at a slower pace, 26%, in the US.
  • Of European internet users, according to comScore, a majority use social networks:
  1. UK, 80% of the population use social media
  2. Spain, 74%
  3. Portugal, 73%
  4. Italy, 69%
  5. France, 64%
  • Europe leads the world in mobile penetration.  Usage totals 119% in europe, as some people have more than one phone, compared to an average usage rate of 80% in Japan and the US.
  • In the UK, spending on internet advertising surpassed TV advertising for the first time in October 2009–a reflection consumer behavior.

Alison is certainly an inspiration to me as I make my plans for moving to Paris.  I will definitely attend the next Paris Web Week if I am in town.  So sorry that I missed the one in December.

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Category: Market Trends, Sally On News
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