NEW YORK--- Austin, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Sacramento and San Diego are the Most Digital Savvy Cities, According to Scarborough Research


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NEW YORK--- Austin, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Sacramento and San Diego are the Most Digital Savvy Cities, According to Scarborough Research
5/13/2008 @ 9:29 AM print this article - email to a friend - join our eNewsletter

Austin, TX, is the most "Digital Savvy" city, according to a new analysis from consumer and media research firm Scarborough Research. Twelve percent of Austin adults are Digital Savvy, and they are almost twice as likely as the national average to be in this leading edge consumer segment. Las Vegas, NV, Sacramento and San Diego are also leading Digital Savvy cities, with 10 percent of their residents having this higher level of technological orientation and adoption. Nationally, six percent of all consumers are classified as Digital Savvy. The ranking of Digital Savvy cities is part of a just-released complimentary Scarborough report, "Understanding the Digital Savvy Consumer," available for download at www.scarborough.com/freestudies.php. In terms of purchasing patterns, Digitally Savvy consumers are a luxury-oriented group. They are 56 percent more likely than the average consumer to own or lease a luxury vehicle; 175 percent more likely to have spent $500 or more on men's or women's business clothing during the past year and 49 percent more likely to own a second home. Online, this consumer group is equally high-end in its shopping behavior. More than half (54 percent) of the Digital Savvy spent more than $500 online during the past year, and 35 percent spent upwards of $1,000 during that timeframe. They are far more likely to spend online in high-end purchasing categories, such as automotive and travel, as well as every day items, such as books and clothing. "The most Digitally Savvy markets are known for leading the nation in a variety of hi-tech behaviors. They also typically have the presence of major universities and represent established tech corridors in the U.S.," said Gary Meo, senior vice president, print and digital media services, Scarborough Research. "The Digital Savvy is a consumer segment which is important to monitor -- both locally and nationally. They are early adopters when it comes to fully integrating new technologies into their lives, and their shopping patterns, demographics and lifestyles could presage behaviors of consumers across the country." Politically, Digital Savvy consumers are 25 percent more likely to be "Independent" voters . In terms of other major political parties, they are on par with the national average with being Democrat or Republican. Active lifestyles and on-the-go living are the hallmarks of the Digital Savvy. They are far more likely to enjoy athletic leisure activities including basketball, yoga, free weights training and jogging. The Digital Savvy are 18 percent more likely to have longer commutes -- one hour or more to work each way. Given this active lifestyle, they rely on cell phones for communication and information. More than half (59 percent) of the Digital Savvy use their cell phones for email. They are, on many levels, an active and "on the go" group and their digital savvy is a natural compliment to that lifestyle. Demographically, the Digital Savvy are male, young and wealthy. Fifty-six percent of them are male and 77 percent of this consumer group is below the age of 44. They are 132 percent more likely than the average consumer to have an annual household income of $150,000 or more. In fact, more than half (57 percent) of this consumer group has an annual household income of $75,000 or greater. About the Digital Savvy Analysis Scarborough Research created a special segmentation within its syndicated national study (Scarborough USA+) for the Digital Savvy analysis. Eighteen hi-tech consumer behaviors and purchasing patterns were identified and isolated within the national study. These behaviors included household ownership of certain hi-tech items (such as DVRs, satellite radio or VoIP); consumer likelihood to engage in certain Web 2.0 behaviors (including blogging, downloading music and online gaming); and usage of leading-edge cellular device features (email, text messaging, etc.). For each Scarborough USA+ respondent, the number of the 18 hi-tech characteristics they had was tabulated. Those who satisfied eight or more were classified as "Digital Savvy." More segmentation details, including a Digital Savvy Score distribution, are available in the full report which can be downloaded at www.scarborough.com/freestudies.php. About Scarborough Research Scarborough Research (www.scarborough.com, info@scarborough.com) measures the lifestyle and shopping patterns, media behaviors and demographics of American consumers, and is considered the authority on local market research. Scarborough's core syndicated consumer insight studies in 81 Top-Tier Markets and its Multi-Market Study are Media Rating Council (MRC) accredited. Other products and services include Scarborough USA+ (a national database), Mid-Tier Local Market Studies, Hispanic Studies and Custom Research Solutions. Scarborough measures 2,000 consumer categories and serves a broad client base that includes marketers, advertising agencies, print and electronic media (broadcast and cable television, radio stations), sports teams and leagues and out-of-home media companies. Surveying more than 220,000 adults annually, Scarborough is a joint venture between Arbitron Inc. (www.arbitron.com) and The Nielsen Company (www.nielsen.com). Digital Savvy are defined as those consumers who rank highest on a scoring system that includes higher-than-average ownership of certain hi-tech items (such as DVRs, satellite radio or VoIP); greater likelihood to engage in certain Internet behaviors (including blogging, downloading music and online gaming); and usage of leading-edge cellular device features (email, text messaging, etc.). For specifics, please see the "About the Analysis" section at the end of this report. ** Independents are those in the Scarborough survey who cite their political affiliation as "Independent," "Independent but leaning closer to Democrat," or "Independent but leaning closer to Republican."