Let The Good Times Roll: How Global Consumers are Using Leisure and Escapism to Cope with Recession

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Drivers

Leisure Trends

Chart 1 Top 10 Countries For Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation 2008

Escapism Trends

Outlook

Summary 1 Leisure and Escapism: Opportunities and Challenges for Marketers

DEFINITIONS

Category Definitions for Leisure and Recreation Consumer Expenditure Data

Audio-visual, photographic and information processing equipment
Other major durables for recreation and culture
Other recreational items and equipment, gardens and pets
Recreational and cultural services
Newspapers, magazines, books and stationery
Consumer expenditure on package holidays

DRIVERS

Economic Pressures

Comparisons with the Great Depression
Recovery on the horizon?
Table 1 GDP Growth in Selected Countries 2007-2010

Rising Unemployment

Table 2 Unemployment in Selected Countries 2007-2010

The Feel Good Factor

The pleasure principle
History repeating itself
The desire for fairytale endings
Love conquers all

Celebrity Culture

Celebrities as role models
Implications for marketers
Summary 2 Selected Celebrity Fragrance Launches 2009

The Importance of Leisure

Striving for a better work-life balance
Leave entitlements
Chart 2 Amount of Paid Holidays in Major Markets 2008
Expenditure on leisure
Table 3 Per Capita Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation in Selected Countries 2003/2008
Favourite activities
Hobbies

Sporting Interest

An antidote to stress
Soccer dominates as a spectator sport
Chart 3 Leading Spectator Sports 2007
Implications for marketers
Table 4 Leading Companies Associated with Sports Sponsorship 2007

Demand for Affordable Indulgence

The Lipstick Effect
The price must be right
Anti-ageing remains recession-proof
Size doesn’t matter
Chart 4 Global Sales of “Feel Good” Cosmetics and Toiletries 2003/2008
Indulgence Foods
Chart 5 Sales of Selected Indulgence Foods 2003/2008
Cigarettes and Alcohol
Trading down
Smoking ban restricts tobacco consumption
Table 5 Alcoholic Drinks and Cigarettes 2003/2008

Renting/Fractional Ownership

Luxury without the price tag
Try before you buy
Share and share alike

ESCAPISM IN THE HOME

Cocooning

Home is where the heart is...
...and is more affordable

TV on Demand

Europe’s favourite pastime
Consumers take control
Audiences more fragmented
Table 6 Digital Satellite Pay-TV Subscribers in Europe 2004/2009

Digital Communication and Media

Overview
Trends in consumer electronics
Table 7 Sales of Selected Consumer Electronics 2003/2008

Video Games

Sales hold up well
US leads the way...
...but Asia sees the strongest growth
Chart 6 Sales of Video Games (Hardware and Software) in Leading Markets 2009
Table 8 Global Sales of Video Games (Hardware and Software) 2004-2009
The shift towards casual gaming
Changing demographics
Games companies target women
Move towards on-line gaming
Console price wars
Implications for marketers

MMOPRGs

Virtual worlds offer escape
Two worlds meet
Implications for marketers

DIY and Gardening

Cocooning trend boosts home improvement market
A move towards self-sufficiency
Table 9 Retail Sales Through Home and Garden Specialist Retailers in Selected Markets 2003/2008

ESCAPISM AWAY FROM HOME

Discovering the Great Outdoors

Outdoor socialising
Cycling back in fashion

Travel: The Ultimate Escape

Slowdown in Arrivals
Table 10 International Tourism Arrivals 2004-2009
International Vs domestic tourism
Table 11 Global Tourism Departures – International Vs Domestic 2004-2009
Cheaper options
Camping and “Glamping”
Table 12 Revenues from Campsites in Leading Markets 2003/2008

Day Trippers

Parents prioritise treats for the children...
...but cut down on added expenses
Table 13 Revenues from Theme/Amusement Parks in Leading Markets 2003/2008

Cinema

Lifting the spirits
Attendance soars in the UK, Germany and Spain
Table 14 Cinema Attendance in Selected Countries 2004/2009

Theatre

Mobile Cocooning

Entertainment on the move
Social networking drives mobile web use
Mobile entertainment
Mobile phone penetration
Table 15 Mobile Telephone Subscriptions by Country 2004/2009
Changing Demographics
Implications for marketers

Retail Therapy

Shopping for pleasure
Recession chic the “in” thing
Destination stores
Loyalty schemes

ESCAPISM VIA THE NET

Overview

Low-cost entertainment
Web 2.0 technology

Levels of Internet Usage

Table 16 Number of Internet Subscribers in Selected Markets 2004/2009
Implications for marketers

Blogging

French blog the most
The typical blogger
Table 17 Global Bloggers by Type 2008
Implications for marketers

Social Networking

Member communities overtake email
Facebook edges ahead of MySpace
Table 18 Social Networking Users by Site 2007-2008
Asia-Pacific has most users
Table 19 Social Networking Users by Region 2007-2008
Changing demographics
Implications for marketers

Microblogging

Video Sharing

Digital Music and Video

On-line Shopping

KEY MARKET TRENDS

China

Young people face competitive pressures
Internet gaming causing addiction
Government invests in culture and sport
Staying closer to home
Table 20 China: Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation by Type 2003/2008

France

Law changes may hurt leisure industry
French are proud of cultural heritage
TV remains popular but cinema attendance falls
French cut back on holidaying
Table 21 France: Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation by Type 2003/2008

Germany

Germans enjoy high annual leave
Table 22 Germany: Leisure Habits 2008
Emphasis on the arts
Recession boosts cinema attendance
Table 23 Germany: Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation by Type 2003/2008

Italy

Cultural attractions remain popular
Italians refuse to scrimp on holidays
Table 24 Italy: Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation by Type 2003/2008

Japan

Japanese take leisure seriously
Ageing population leading to more passive pursuits
Smartphones are the ultimate accessory
Pachinko sees surge of interest
Manga goes on-line
Table 25 Japan: Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation by Type 2003/2008

UK

Refocus on the family
Brits devote strong budget to leisure and recreation
Cinema attendance rises
Sport captures interest in run-up to Olympic Games
Table 26 UK: Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation by Type 2003/2008

US

The best things in life are free
Leisure services take lion’s share of expenditure
Demand remains high for electronics
Consumers reluctant to give up spectator sports
Saving on travel
Table 27 US: Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation by Type 2003/2008

FUTURE OUTLOOK

Depressed Economy will Drive Need for Escapism

Recovery Rates will Vary

But Unemployment will Remain High

Table 28 Forecast GDP Growth and Unemployment Rates in Key Markets 2008-2013

Striving for Better Work-life Balance

Travel will Pick up Slowly

Table 29 Forecast Global Tourism Arrivals 2009-2014

Cocooning will Continue Beyond Recession

From Web 2.0 to Web 3.0

The Future of Music is in Streaming

Temporary and Fractional Ownership

Video Games will Move On-line

Table 30 Forecast Global Market for Video Games 2009-2014

Augmented Reality

Cinema Goes Digital

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