The Power of Engaged Enthusiasts: Allison+Partners' Study Uncovers New Insight on Consumer Influence in Asia Pacific

There is a powerful category of Asian consumers who have disproportionate influence in their ability to spread brand awareness and drive purchase decisions, according to Allison+Partners’ latest Influence Impact Report. These “Engaged Enthusiasts” are more likely to follow and trust social media influencers and key opinion leaders (KOLs), more receptive to marketing content across channels, and more likely to give recommendations to others. This makes them a critical target for brands seeking word-of-mouth buzz and preference.

Making up 23 percent of total internet users in the region, Engaged Enthusiasts are defined by their openness to influence at large, and potential to influence the opinions of their immediate peers.

• Seventy-nine percent say they are extremely or moderately likely to make recommendations to others, compared with 34 percent of other social media users
• Forty-one percent are likely to post their recommendations on social media, compared with 21 percent of other social media users
• Seventy-three percent trust recommendations or endorsements from influencers or KOLs a great deal or a lot, compared with 25 percent of other internet users

The Asia Influence Impact Report draws on original consumer research conducted in October and November 2017 among consumers in China, Japan and Singapore. It features data on general preferences and detailed information on consumer preferences about products and services in four key categories: consumer electronics and mobile devices; food and beverage; travel and leisure; and financial services.

“Influence comes from many interrelated sources and how marketers select and prioritize influencers for their brand is critical,” said Paul Mottram, managing director of Allison+Partners’ All Told group in Asia Pacific. “While reach is important, it’s not everything. Will those influencers be perceived as credible and an authority for your brand or category? Will consumers trust their recommendations?”

Finding the right influencers takes rigor and a proven process for identification and evaluation. To that end, Allison+Partners’ proprietary Influence Impact Score approach helps define the correct blend of influencers for a brand by quantifying and scoring the complex variables that determine potential impact.

“Influencer engagement programs should be both measurable and accountable,” Mottram said. “The Influence Impact Score gives marketing communicators a valuable new tool to help target and justify their programs accordingly.”

Other research findings in the report include an assessment of the brand attributes Asian consumers value the most. The top two factors that emerged overall are a brand’s social responsibility and the extent to which a brand’s visual style aligns with the consumer’s tastes.

“Asian consumers appear to value brands that not only do good, but also brands that look good – or make the consumer look good by being associated with them,” Mottram said.

The report also contains a wealth of insights and actionable advice on:

• Consumer preferences and social media usage in the region
• The relationship between the influence through “external” sources and the influence that takes place within consumers’ own networks
• Additional insights into consumer preferences in China, Japan and Singapore and within four vertical markets
• Strategies for activating the influence of “Engaged Enthusiasts”
• A proven formula for selecting and prioritizing influencers and KOLs

About the Influence Impact Report

The Influence Impact Report is an ongoing series that explores the dynamic forces that shape and drive consumers in an active ecosystem of influence. Allison+Partners compiled this report based on an online survey of 3,065 Chinese, Japanese and Singaporean internet users between October and November 2017 using the Qualtrics Insight Platform, which also provided the consumer panel. To download the Influence Impact Reports, visit http://www.allisonpr.com/what/influence-360.html.