Emma study results enable advertisers and media agencies to paint richer, more contemporary consumer portraits based on the data.
The Emma study also discovered that Australian eaters not only want to be able to share meals but they want their experience to be an “authentic” one with fresh and local produce on the table.
“Our data reveals that food for Australians today is all about quality and food that tastes ‘real’, which we’re seeing with the rise of people with fruit and vegetable gardens and having chickens at home,” said IPSOS Media CT Managing Director Simon Wake.
The survey’s report says this quest for ‘real’ ‘authentic’ food is leading people to not so much worry what food looks like but to care more about tastes. It is also leading to people being less tricky in the kitchen and just letting fresh produce be the star of their meals.
Those who live in urban areas, have no children and earn a high wage are the ones who care most about the food they eat. They are also the most confident in the kitchen and want to buy fresh produce daily. This group of people usually enjoy cooking and are most likely to use food to show that they care about others.
Young, successful men living in urban centers were most likely to use herbs and spices in cooking. They want to constantly try new cuisines and like to experiment in the kitchen.
Food ‘conversation culture’
The study revealed that Australians like to talk about what they eat more than ever before.
This has been influenced by the increasing presence of social media and people wanting to share pictures of their meals online.
“With Australians increasingly interested in food, and anxious to share their own experiences and learn about others’, it’s likely that online platforms will become an increasingly potent means of engaging key consumer segments for marketers,” said Wake.
The Emma report revealed how food has now become a form of entertainment just like music and sport. For example “Good Food” (published by Fairfax) has had 1,721 per cent year-on-year growth on Facebook (now at 120,000 followers) and 11,000 on Instagram with similar growth, as confirmed from figures supplied to EMMA by Fairfax Media’s National Food and Drink Editor.
Fussy but with a conscience
Across all groups and types of people surveyed, the study found a high interest in eating ‘ethical food’. Many Australian consumers said they prefer Australian products and care where their food comes from. Those surveyed also said they want to know what is in their food and said that they read the food labels.
Some 57 per cent of respondents said that it is hard to get information to help make food and beverage choices.
What is EMMA?
EMMA (Enhanced Media Metrics Australia) is a cross-platform audience insights survey largely based on media readership and content.
It uses a measurement survey developed for The Readership Works by independent research company Ipsos MediaCT, which rates with among the global leaders in local audience measurement. Ipsos conducts national audience surveys that are highly regarded as part of a measurement system in over 40 countries including the UK, Italy and France.
Emma’s methodology is world-leading, surveying 54,000 people a year, seven days a week using sophisticated survey techniques.
Emma provides data for more than 600 newspapers and magazines, including over 150 community titles and over 250 regional titles.
Emma features a number of significant innovations and enhancements including:
- An in-depth database of all newspaper and magazine formats capturing data across print, website, mobile and tablet
- Branded sectional data within newspapers
- Contemporary segmentation and new insights into product categories.
- The Emma Engagement metric answers the What, When, Why and How of readership.
