iPad Owners: Younger, Dumber, Poorer, But Ad Friendly?

'Connected' iPad Owners 'Skew' Younger,

Male, Earn (A Bit) Less, Have Fewer Masters Degree,

But Like And Buy From Ads on the iPad—Nielsen

By Tom Dulaney

Nielsen, the folks who count noses and tell us which TV shows are most watched or products are most bought, published some stats from a survey of 5,000 users of “connected devices” like the iPad.

Summary items and highlights from a much more detailed report indicate iPad users are younger, have greater numbers on the “guys” team, and are more prone to like advertising, especially if it is graphic, “interesting,” and interactive on their iPad.  Plus, Nielsen says, they buy things they see advertised on their iPad.

The survey included 5,000 people who own one or more “connected devices”: iPads, iPhones, eReaders, netbooks, media players or smartphones. The press release did not specify numbers of owners for each device. But the iPad, an obvious hit and new marketing opportunity for the company's clients, got the lion's share of attention in the release. 

Nielsen's announcement did say 400 iPad owners were included in the survey, the only hard number given for any of the connected devices included. The report did not say how many owners of other devices—such as how many Kindle owners, responded.

Nor did the published report detail differences between specific products in depth, such as how many Kindle owners who responded to the survey also own iPads ir iPhones, etc. Planet iPad is asking Nielsen for as much of the full report as they will share. Nielsen clients pay for the full, detailed information, so all we can do is ask.

But from the results published, Nielsen concludes: “The growing popularity of connected devices, from tablet computers to smartphones, portable games players, and eBook readers like the Kindle and the Nook, is already changing how some consumers engage with the media.”

The iPad, both in the released statement and the video linked to the statement online, is acknowledged as an industry- and culture-changing device that breaks open new territory in communications—and advertising opportunities.

Not all the nitty gritty details were revealed in the release, but here are some highlights:

63% of iPad owners are under 35, while 47% of Amazon Kindle owners are under 35.

65% of iPad owners are men, compared to 52% of Kindle owners who are male.

Kindle owners tend to be richer, with 44% making over $80,000 a year. Some 39% of iPad owners make that much or more.

Kindle owners tend to be more educated, Nielsen says, with 27% holding masters degrees or doctorates. Comparisons of those with bachelors degrees were not given.

But the big news for Nielsen's main customers—people who sell products and services via advertising—is that iPad users are more responsive to advertising. “iPad owners are more receptive to advertising on their touchscreen tablet than owners of other devices [in the survey],” Nielsen said.

Other ad-friendly info about iPad owners:

39% say they find ads on their iPad “new and interesting,” compared to 19% who are likewise charmed on all other devices.

46% say they “enjoy ads with interactive features,” compared to 27% of those who like interactive ads on all other devices.

And the “money shot” for advertisers in the report: “iPad owners are the most likely to have made a purchase as a result of seeing an ad on their connected device.”

We see “something new, especially with the iPad,” a Nielsen spokesman said in the video attached the Nielsen report online: The iPad tends to have the lead in the most-wanted (by advertisers) demographic of 18 to 34 year old males. And iPad users are more inclined to spread their attentions across a variety of iPad delivered content—books, music, movies, games, apps and interactive content.

What draws iPad users most, the spokesman said, is the “sound and sight of TV with the interactivity” the iPad allows and encourages.

And, of course, what attracts advertisers most is the iPad's demographic “sweet spot” of men aged 18 to 34 who like iPad delivered ads, buy from them, and are more likely to see any particular advertising on multiple "connected devices."