It's Valentine's Day in Saskatchewan and Insightrix wants to know how Saskatchewan residents will be celebrating their Valentine’s Day.
So, between February 5–8, we asked 805 Saskatchewan residents from all over the province how they feel about the holiday and how they plan to spend it.
Commercial...
NEWS RELEASE: JANUARY 22, 2018
A new independent poll conducted by Insightrix Research® in partnership with CJME and CKOM highlights a tight race for the top chair in the Saskatchewan Party, and the new premier of Saskatchewan.
Between January 9 and 17, 2018, we conducted an online poll with 1,004 randomly selected Saskatchewan residents from our SaskWatch Research® online panel. Out of these 1,004 respondents, 72 report being a Saskatchewan Party member. To increase the accuracy of our results among Sask. Party members, we conducted additional surveys, targeting only Sask. Party members.
This resulted in a total of 104 Sask. Party members in our study. Note that in select cases numbers do not add precisely to 100% due to rounding.
Who Would Make the Best Premier?
When asked which of the five leadership candidates would make the best premier, a large portion of Saskatchewan residents are unsure (48%).
Ken Cheveldayoff emerges in the lead, but only 16% of Saskatchewan residents name him as the best choice. Alanna Koch follows at 9%, with Gord Wyant and Scott Moe each garnering 5% of Saskatchewan resident responses and Tina Beaudry-Mellor just behind at 4%. One in ten (12%) believe none of the candidates would make the best premier of Saskatchewan.
Of note, among the 104 Sask. Party members polled within our general public survey, the findings differ somewhat. Specifically, equal proportions believe Ms. Koch (22%) and Mr. Cheveldayoff (21%) would make the best premier. Mr. Moe (13%) and Mr. Wyant (12%) earn roughly equal support and Ms. Beaudry-Mellor trails behind at 3%.
A sizable proportion of Sask. Party members (27%) are unsure which candidate would fit the job best and the remaining 3% feel none of the candidates would be the best as premier.
Saskatchewan Residents (n=1,004)
Sask. Party Members (n=104)
Likelihood of Voting for the Sask. Party in the Next General Election Dependent on Leader
Residents were next asked how likely they would be to vote for the Sask. Party in the next general election if each of the candidates were premier. At this point in time, a large proportion state they are uncertain whether they would be more or less likely to vote for the Sask. Party regardless of who is selected as leader (roughly 50%).
However, a greater proportion say they are less likely to vote for the Sask. Party in the next general election regardless of who is leader of the party. This suggests that whoever becomes leader must prove themselves over the coming years to perform well in the next general election.
*Calculated by taking the % of much more and somewhat more likely minus % somewhat or much less likely (example: Mr. Cheveldayoff: 11% + 13% - 9% - 19% = -4)
Voter Intent - Sask. Party Members*
Of the 104 survey respondents who report being a Sask. Party member, voter intentions vary slightly from public opinion on who is believed to be the best premier. Out of the 104 Sask. Party members, 77 say they intend to vote (or have already voted) and have decided on their candidate selections.
In the first round of candidate selections, it appears a fair amount of vote splitting may take place. Specifically, Mr. Cheveldayoff and Ms. Koch are statistically tied with the most votes in our poll, yet Mr. Moe and Mr. Wyant also earn very similar vote counts to each other in the first round. Ms. Beaudry-Mellor trails notably behind. This means second choice candidate selection will likely be important in determining final voter outcomes.
Directionally, our poll suggests comparatively fewer Sask. Party members intend to vote for Mr. Cheveldayoff as their second choice, potentially limiting his impact in gaining momentum in each subsequent round of the voting process.
*Caution is advised in interpreting the above findings due to the small sample size and larger margins of errors. The estimated margin of error on “first choice” is ±11.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. As such, these findings should be considered directional in nature, and actual voter outcomes could differ notably.
Research Details
A total of 1,004 randomly selected SaskWatch Research® panel members participated in the online research study between January 9th and 17th, 2018. Quotas were set by age, gender and region to match the general population of the province and as such the data did not need to be weighted. An additional 32 surveys were completed, targeting only Sask. Party members to boost the sample size to 104 for questions related to Sask. Party member voting intentions.
Since the research is conducted online, it is considered to be a non-probability proportion sample; therefore, margins of error are not applicable. However, had a probability sample been utilized, the margin of error would be estimated to be ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 for questions answered by all respondents (n=1,004). The margin of error on voter intentions among Sask. Party members would be estimated to be ±9.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
About SaskWatch Research
Insightrix began developing its SaskWatch Research online market research panel in October 2007, using high quality techniques including telephone recruitment and referrals from existing panel members. Presently, there are over 18,000 active panel members representing all regions of the province and distributions of the general population. Panel membership closely matches the 2016 Census, based on age, gender, household composition, household income and education. http://saskwatch.ca
About Insightrix
Insightrix is a dynamic, Western Canadian, full-service market research company. It exists to serve businesses and government entities with insights-driven research solutions, and interpretive analysis through leading-edge tools and senior-level expertise across a broad range of industries. Insightrix is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. For a PDF version of this release click here. For full details click here.
For more information, please contact:
Lang McGilp, Research Director
Insightrix Research Inc.
Tel: 306.290.9599
Email: lang.mcgilp@insightrix.dev1.commandbase.ca
Web: insightrix.dev1.commandbase.ca...
Most Saskatchewan residents (93%) intend to buy gifts during the 2017 holiday shopping season.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2017
In a recent independent poll by Insightrix Research Inc., 93% of Saskatchewan residents reported they intend to purchase gifts this holiday season.
During this holiday season, 95% of women polled state they intend to purchase gifts, as do 90% of men.
Ninety-five percent (95%) of residents between the age of 35-54 years state they intend to buy gifts, while a lower number (89%) of those over the age of 55 years report the same.
When will Sask. residents be doing most of their holiday shopping?
When it comes to when residents of Saskatchewan intend to do most of their holiday shopping, half the respondents (50%) had already purchased most of their gifts, and other 14% planned to do by middle of December (1st to the 15th).
Almost a quarter (22%) plan to purchase most of their gifts in the latter half of December (16th to 20th) and 10% plan to do so in the last few days before Christmas (21st to 24th).
Another 2% of residents plan to purchase most of their gifts during boxing week and 2% were not sure when they would get most of their gifts.
How much will residents spend over the holidays?
When asked how much they plan on spending over the holiday season compared to last year, more than half (56%) of those polled report they plan on spending about the same amount as last year. Almost one quarter (24%) state they plan on spending less than last year, and two in ten (20%) state they plan on spending more.
How will they pay for it all?
How Saskatchewan residents plan on paying for their holiday purchases was another question we asked. A larger proportion of those polled (46%) reported they plan on making their holiday purchases with a major credit card, and almost four in ten (37%) state they will be relying on cash put aside specifically to pay for holiday shopping.
Nearly one quarter (24%) of those we polled state they plan on using discretionary income to shop over the holidays, while 17% report they will dip into their savings.
Nearly 1 in 10 (8%) state they plan on delaying payment of bills, and 4% plan on using gift cards.
Three percent (3%) of polled residents state they intend to use a store credit card, and 7% will be relying on other means to make their holiday purchases.
*Note that respondents could have provided more than one response which is why the following numbers add to more than 100%.
Research Details
A total of 801 randomly selected SaskWatch Research® panel members participated in the online research study on December 12 through December 14, 2017. Quotas were set by age, gender and region to match the general population of the province. Since the research is conducted online, it is considered to be a non-probability proportion sample: therefore, margins of error are not applicable.
About SaskWatch Research
Insightrix began developing its SaskWatch Research® online market research panel in October 2007, using high quality techniques, including telephone recruitment and referrals from existing panel members. Presently, there are over 15,500 active panel members representing all regions of the province and distributions of the general population. The panel membership closely matches the 2011 Census based on age, gender, household composition, household income and education. For more information, please visit SaskWatch.ca.
About Insightrix
Insightrix is a dynamic, Western Canadian, full-service market research company. It exists to serve businesses and government entities with insights-driven research solutions, and interpretive analysis through leading-edge tools and senior-level expertise across a broad range of industries. Insightrix is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. For more information, please visit our website.
For more information, please contact
Duncan McGregor, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Insightrix Research Inc.
Tel: 306.657.5640 ext. 240...
PRESS RELEASE: DECEMBER 14, 2017
With the one-year anniversary of the Honourable Charlie Clark’s election as the Mayor of Saskatoon, and the one-year anniversary of the re-election of the Honourable Michael Fougere as the Mayor of Regina having both occurred recently, Insightrix® asked residents to weigh in on how both mayors have performed through the past year.
From December 5 through December 7, 2017, we conducted our own independent poll with 405 randomly selected Regina residents and 405 randomly selected Saskatoon residents from our SaskWatch Research® online panel.
Here is what they told us.
Perceived Levels of Approval for Both Mayors
When asked how good a job they feel Mr. Clark has done over his first year as mayor, 44% of respondents state they feel Mr. Clark has done either a good or excellent job. Thirty-two percent (32%) feel Mr. Clark has done a fair job, while 9% believe he has performed poorly. Fifteen percent (15%) of those surveyed state they are unsure.
Assessments of Mr. Fougere’s performance in his first year returning as mayor of Regina are somewhat less favourable. One third (33%) feel he has done a good job while a similar proportion (32%) say he’s done a fair job, and just under two in ten (17%) believe he has done a poor job as mayor since the most recent election. Eighteen percent (18%) of respondents stated they were unsure.
Perceived Actions that Received Approval for Both Mayors
When we asked residents of Regina what they thought Mr. Fougere had done well over his first year back as Mayor of Regina since his re-election, the top response was that he is professional/good leader (11%), followed by dealt with a difficult budget (9%) and improved/maintained roads (8%). Other responses are noted below.
*Note that respondents could have provided more than one response which is why the following numbers add to more than 100%.
Similarly, when we asked residents of Saskatoon what they believe Mr. Clark had done well since his election approximately one year ago, the most common response was attended the Pride Parade/community involvement (17%) followed by being seen as professional/good leader (13%), transparency/communication (9%) and did not raise taxes/tried to save money (9%). Other responses are noted below.
*Note that respondents could have provided more than one response which is why the following numbers add to more than 100%.
Research Details
A total of 810 randomly selected SaskWatch Research® panel members participated in the online research study on December 5 through December 7, 2017. Quotas were set by age, gender and region to match the general population. Since the research is conducted online, it is considered to be a non-probability proportion sample; therefore, margins of error are not applicable.
About SaskWatch Research®
Insightrix began developing its SaskWatch Research® online market research panel in October 2007, using high quality techniques including telephone recruitment and referrals from existing panel members. Presently, there are over 15,500 active panel members representing all regions of the province and distributions of the general population. Panel membership closely matches the 2011 Census, based on age, gender, household composition, household income and education. For more information, please visit SaskWatch.
Insightrix is a dynamic, Western Canadian, full-service market research company. It exists to serve businesses and government entities with insights-driven research solutions, and interpretive analysis through leading-edge tools and senior-level expertise across a broad range of industries. Insightrix is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
For more information, please contact:
Lang McGilp, Research Director
Insightrix Research Inc.
Tel: 306.657.5640 ext. 229
Cell: 306.290.9599
Email: lang.mcgilp@insightrix.dev1.commandbase.ca
Web: insightrix.dev1.commandbase.ca...
Black Friday is here again - and Saskatchewan is ready for some sales.
It used to be that Black Friday was an Americans-only event, with Canadians only able to get in on the deals by crossing the border and shopping in the United States. In the last decade or so, the shopping event has spread to Canadian retailers hoping to cash in on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
A similar story can be told about Cyber Monday – the first Monday after American Thanksgiving (November 27, this year) that has seen online retailers offer steep discounts to shoppers in an effort to siphon off some of the holiday sales that had formerly gone to brick and mortar retailers. By 2011, the shopping event had become entrenched in Canadian retail culture almost as thoroughly as Black Friday.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Saskatchewan (historically)
In 2015, Insightrix wanted to see how residents of Saskatchewan were participating in Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We ran a poll through our online community, SaskWatch Research, and we found that at that time, only 8% of Saskatchewan residents planned on doing most of their holiday shopping between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In fact, most of the people polled (42%) stated they planned on doing the bulk of their holiday shopping between December 1-15. From this data, it wasn’t difficult to conclude that at this time, these shopping events hadn’t penetrated deeply into Saskatchewan retail culture.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2017
Insightrix was curious to see how these holiday shopping behaviours may have changed over time since the last time we looked into it. So, we ran another survey on the topic through our online community to see what, if any, changes had occurred.
Fast-forward two years, and we see that behaviours around Black Friday and Cyber Monday have changed a great deal. Rather than the 8% who were planning on doing most of their holiday shopping between Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2015, we found that 54% of those polled this year stated they would be doing at least some of their holiday shopping between those dates.
Any guess as to why Saskatchewan residents have cottoned on to both of these sales events would be just that – a guess. One thing is certain, though, and that’s that Saskatchewan residents have included both Black Friday and Cyber Monday into their provincial retail culture.
How much do residents expect to spend?
Black Friday - A higher percentage of respondents (35%) who said they would be shopping Black Friday reported they expect to spend between $101-$250 during Black Friday sales. Twenty-six percent (26%) state they expect to spend between $251-$500 and another 21% said they expected to spend between $51-$100.
Cyber Monday – So, we then asked how much residents expect to spend during Cyber Monday sales and learned 30% of those who state they expect to participate in Cyber Monday sales expect to spend between $101-$250 online during Cyber Monday. Another 30% expect to spend between $51-$100, while 18% expect to spend between $251-$500.
This holiday season, Insightrix is giving back by helping you give back!
Do you want to be part of fun surveys like this one, or others that help you have your say in both business and political decisions in Saskatchewan? Head over to SaskWatch and register!
Right now, SaskWatch Research and Insightrix are holding a promotion – Win free groceries for a month (up to $1000) and the opportunity to make a $1000 donation in your name to your local food bank. All you have to do to enter is register with SaskWatch!
If you’re already a member, there are ways for you to win, too!
Head over to the promotion Facebook page for rules and further information and sign up with SaskWatch today!
...
Who celebrated Halloween this year?
It looks like it was a spooky one this year - roughly two thirds (66%) of the province planned on celebrating Halloween in 2017.
That number breaks down demographically to show more females (72%) planned on celebrating than males (60%). Urban residents (74% in Saskatoon and 76% in Regina) also planned on celebrating much more than Saskatchewan residents living in the north (58%) and those who live in the south of the province (61%). People with one or more children (87%) planned on celebrating more than residents without kids (53%), and people of Indigenous ancestry (78%) planned on celebrating more than those who are not (65%).
How did they celebrate Halloween?
This year, the most popular ways people planned to celebrate Halloween were handing out candy (74%), taking the kids or grandkids trick or treating (49%) and decorating (45%). Some of the other popular ways people planned on spending the holidays were dressing up in a costume (36%), watching a scary movie or TV show (19%), dressing up their pets in costumes (13%) or going to a haunted house (13%).
When it comes to costumes, men are spoil sports - only 30% saying they planned on wearing one at all. Forty percent of women, on the other hand, said they planned on wearing a costume for Halloween this year.
Trick or treating – How old is too old for Halloween?
There has been a lot of discussion about trick or treaters’ ages and whether there is an appropriate age for kids to hang up their masks for keeps. We thought we’d get an idea of how old is too old to be trick or treating.
Most respondents (34%) agreed that 11-13 years old was the right time to retire the pillowcase. Others said that 14 years old (22%) is the correct age to stop, while 7% said 10 years or younger is just right. Another 7% said 15 is when kids should stop trick or treating, and 6% said that kids as old as 16 should be allowed to join in on the fun.
Of note, the second most common response to this question (23%) was that people are never too old to trick or treat – so hang on to those old costumes!
ZOINKS!!!!!!
Since the season is a spooky one, we thought we ask a lighthearted question to break up the mood – little did we guess that the resulting responses would be so spine chilling.
We asked Saskatchewan residents whether they had ever personally seen a ghost. As it turns out, 73% have not and 17% say they are unsure. Eerily, another 17% of the people of Saskatchewan have at one time or another, personally seen a ghost.
Remember that next time someone asks you to grab something from the basement!
Join in on the fun!
Do you want to be part of fun surveys like this one, or others that help you have your say in both business and political decisions in Saskatchewan? Head over to SaskWatch and register!
Right now, SaskWatch Research and Insightrix are holding a promotion – Win free groceries for a month (up to $1000) and the opportunity to make a $1000 donation in your name to your local food bank. All you have to do to enter is register with SaskWatch!
If you’re already a member, there are ways for you to win, too!
Head over to the promotion Facebook page for rules and further information and sign up with SaskWatch today!
...
Did you celebrate Thanksgiving this year?
As it turns out, most Saskatchewan residents did enjoy Thanksgiving this year.
In a recent Insightrix OnTopic poll, we found out 87% of Saskatchewan residents celebrated Thanksgiving.
Kids enjoyed their share of the festivities. In fact, more people with children (92%) celebrated the holiday than people without kids (84%).
How did you celebrate Thanksgiving?
People sure like to eat with their loved ones around these parts.
When we asked Saskatchewan residents how they spent their Thanksgiving, by far, the most popular answer we received was to share a meal at home with friends or family. In fact, 92% of those who celebrated the holiday reported this was the way they spent their Thanksgiving.
Other popular responses were watching football (17%) and decorating one’s home (10%).
So you eat together – what do you eat?
After learning 92% of Saskatchewan residents who celebrated Thanksgiving did it by having a meal with friends and/or family, it begs the question - just what was it that everybody ate?
Of course, the answer came back turkey.
Eighty-five percent (85%) reported eating turkey at Thanksgiving this year. The second most popular dish over the holiday was stuffing (76%).
Where things get a little weird is how residents of the province take their gravy – more people in the province reported eating gravy over the holiday (75%) than mashed potatoes (74%). Now, you could surmise that extra 1% of gravy eaters prefer gravy only on their turkey and stuffing and not on potatoes, but still…
Pumpkin pie is still a popular dish in the province for Thanksgiving dinner, with 68% saying they enjoyed a slice. Incidentally, pumpkin pie maintains its lead over its rival, apple pie, which was only eaten by 24% of those who celebrated Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving appears to be alive and well in Saskatchewan
The story the data told when all the results were tabulated was that Thanksgiving is a bit of a big deal in the province – at least for 87% of the residents of the province. What the other 13% got up to on the 9th of October, we can’t say – but you know they’ve got to be mad they missed out on all those turkey dinners.
The survey was run between October 6 and October 12, 2017 and was made up of a representative sample (800 residents) of Saskatchewan residents.
WIN FREE GROCERIES!
Do you want to be part of fun surveys like this one, or others that help you have your say in both business and political decisions in Saskatchewan? Head over to SaskWatch and register!
Right now, SaskWatch Research and Insightrix are holding a promotion – Win free groceries for a month (up to $1000) and the opportunity to make a $1000 donation in your name to your local food bank. All you have to do to enter is register with SaskWatch!
If you’re already a member, there are ways for you to win, too!
Head over to to the Facebook contest page for rules and further information and DON'T forget to sign up with SaskWatch today! ...
PRESS RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 20, 2017
With the recently announced planned retirement of the Saskatchewan Premier, Brad Wall, from provincial politics, Insightrix was curious to learn how the public feels about his upcoming departure.
Between September 12 and 14, we conducted our own independent poll with 800 randomly selected Saskatchewan residents from our SaskWatch Research® online community.
Here is what they told us.
Perceived reasons for retirement
When asked why Brad Wall is retiring from provincial politics, a mix of sentiments is noted. Respondents provided text responses that have been reviewed and coded into positive, negative and neutral categories. At the overall level, three in ten (30%) residents cite positive reasons for his retirement, while 55% mention negative reasons for his retirement. One quarter (25%) are not sure. Note that respondents could have provided more than one response which is why the following numbers add to more than 100%.
Most commonly, residents believe Wall may be “getting out while he can” before negative outcomes could materialize or further materialize (29%), while others suspect he is doing so because of a loss in popularity (9%) or the potential of losing the next election (7%). Fully 6% specifically mention issues surrounding the GTH as a reason for his exit from provincial politics.
In contrast, three in ten (30%) offer positive sentiments for potential reasons for his retirement, including that it is simply time to move on (16%), a desire for more family time (8%) and having accomplished desired goals during his tenure in office (4%), among other reasons.
Impact of the Premier’s Departure
When asked if Brad Wall’s retirement will be a good thing or a bad thing for the province, and for the SaskParty specifically, opinions are divided.
Four in ten (41%) believe his departure will be a good thing for the province, while one third feel the opposite (32%). One in ten (9%) believe his departure will have no effect on the province, and 19% are uncertain.
In contrast, four in ten (40%) feel Brad Wall’s retirement will be bad for the SaskParty, and two in ten (22%) feel it will be good for the party. One in ten (12%) suspect it will have no effect, and one quarter (27%) are unsure.
A greater proportion of Regina residents feel Brad Wall’s departure will be a good thing for the province.*
Impressions of Brad Wall’s Performance as Premier
When asked to consider everything over the past 10 years, there is a mix of opinions regarding Brad Wall’s leadership of the province. One half describe his performance as excellent or good (52%), while a somewhat smaller proportion (44%) describe it as fair or poor.
Opinions are largely consistent across age and region, although more males describe the performance of Brad Wall as excellent or good (men 58%, women 47%).
Brad Wall’s Legacy
When asked to comment on what Brad Wall will be remembered for (i.e., his legacy), a wide range of responses is noted, with a slim majority (51%) citing positive elements.
Strong leadership and putting Saskatchewan first (21%), as well as economic growth, including making Saskatchewan a “have” province (18%), are most commonly cited.
More than four in ten reference negative aspects such as deficits (8%), corruption and mismanagement (8%), privatization (7%) and the GTH scandal, specifically (7%).
Research Details
A total of 800 randomly selected SaskWatch Research® panel members participated in the online research study on September 12 through 14, 2017. Quotas were set by age, gender and region to match the general population of the province. Since the research is conducted online, it is considered to be a non-probability proportion sample; therefore, margins of error are not applicable.
*For analysis purposes, the province has been divided into four groupings: Regina, Saskatoon and all remaining areas (south and north). The division of north and south are based on the first three digits of postal codes in Saskatchewan. This division is roughly a horizontal line that stretches across the province just south of North Battleford and Melfort.
About SaskWatch Research
Insightrix began developing its SaskWatch Research online market research panel in October 2007, using high quality techniques including telephone recruitment and referrals from existing panel members. Presently, there are over 15,000 active panel members representing all regions of the province and distributions of the general population. Panel membership closely matches the 2011 Census, based on age, gender, household composition, household income and education. For more information, please visit http://saskwatch.ca.
About Insightrix
Insightrix is a dynamic, Western Canadian, full-service market research company. It exists to serve businesses and government entities with insights-driven research solutions, and interpretive analysis through leading-edge tools and senior-level expertise across a broad range of industries. Insightrix is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. For complete details visit: https://insightrix.dev1.commandbase.ca/market-research-industry-blog/
For more information, please contact
Lang McGilp, Research Director
Insightrix Research Inc.
Tel: 306.657.5640 ext. 229
Cell: 306.290.9599
Email: lang.mcgilp@insightrix.dev1.commandbase.ca
Web: insightrix.dev1.commandbase.ca...
There are several Saskatchewan device usage trends marketers need to know about.
It used to be that only the richest and most influential had access to a mobile phone – we called them car phones.
Eventually mobile phone became small enough to be portable – we carried them around in dedicated briefcases and thought we were cool doing it. By the 70s, we got our first look at a real handheld device - the first handheld cellular was over 20 cm long, weighed over 2 pounds and took over 10 hours to recharge after only 30 minutes of use. Ah, the dark days of early adoption.
By the 90s, things began to change – personal cellphones, while still far from common, were starting to appear much more often.
By the early 00s, being able to access the internet became a critical feature for cellphones. Soon we adapted more smart technology, and in just a few short years, the cellphone quickly became the smartphone.
In 2015 (roughly fifteen years after Zach Morris made his mark on the world), smartphone ownership became the norm with 68% of Canadian households owning a cellphone.
Now fast forward 2 years (according to the 2016 Saskatchewan Media Habits Syndicated Study), and 84% of Saskatchewan households have a smartphone!
That’s a pretty fast adoption of device technology for a province that has admittedly been one of the low-tech adopters (in rural areas) in the wireless internet, 5G and the race to build accessible LTE data networks.
In Saskatchewan, smartphone ownership fluctuates across demographics but it becomes pretty apparent that it declines with age ↘
For matures (68+) in Saskatchewan, smartphone adoption hasn’t really penetrated, as only 58% of residents reported owning a smartphone – far below the national average (even from 2 years ago).
Unlike matures, baby boomers in Saskatchewan (49 – 67) tend to be better with adopting new tech as 79% of those we surveyed claim to own a smartphone.
In contrast, youth have quickly adopted mobile technology. Respondents under the age of 48 are likely to be carrying around a smartphone (94% ownership) – which is much higher than the provincial average of 84% smartphone ownership.
In teens (14 – 17), smartphone ownership accounts for 99% of the residents we surveyed.
Let that sink in a bit. And that’s just talking about smartphones!
In a changing landscape of devices, each with their own screen and internet hookup, it is important to have the right information to know how to plan your strategy. Do you find yourself asking…
What is the average screen time people are putting on their devices?
Which devices are getting the most play?
What kind content are people engaging with on these devices?
Below are a few key consumer trends you need to know about device usage in Saskatchewan.
1. It turns out that Saskatchewan residents, who are under the age of 32, use their smartphones more than 20 hours per week! ????
That is nearly one full day a week devoted to screen time – and that does not include time being spent on other devices (laptops, desktops and tablets).
For those who are over the age of 32, the amount of time spent on a smartphone for personal use decreases as they get older (see the chart above).
*Interesting to note - time spent using devices other than smartphones (laptops, desktops, and tablets) doesn’t vary by age in the same way that smartphone usage does.
2. People are putting more screen time in than last year ↗
When it comes to the amount of time people are spending on their devices, usage is starting to peak.
We asked respondents if they spent more time than last year on their devices and found that when it comes to smartphones and 43% of respondents stated they spent more time on them than last year.
The story is similar with tablets, as 19% say they spent more time on their tablet than they did the previous year.
Desktop and laptop screen time is also on the rise. Fifteen percent (15%) say they use them more than last they did the previous year.
Even that old, standby television is still getting action. As a common household device, it still remains popular with residents.
3. Content choices vary across devices ▶
Now if you’re talking about what residents are watching on their screens, we found that choice of content varies depending on which device they are using.
Residents reported they tend to use their smartphones very little to view movies or television shows, stating they spend only 4% of their time on the device viewing each. Identical viewing times (4% each – movies and television shows) were reported on tablets, as well.
Desktop and laptop computers received greater amounts of screen time – respondents stated they spend 12% of their time on the devices watching movies, and 9% watching television shows.
Television still dominates in content viewership by quite a large margin. Respondents reported that 80% of the time they spend on their televisions is spent watching movies, and 83% watching television shows.
Interesting to note: Televisions are also changing how content can be viewed – televisions have become “smart” and now allows viewers to access the internet, stream movie applications (such as Netflix or Hulu) or even check their social media.
In fact, what we call “televisions” have changed and evolved so greatly over the past several years that they are almost unrecognizable when compared to televisions of the 1980s and 90s.
These changes, including PVRs and the earlier mentioned “smart” connectivity have allowed television to remain a dominant medium while still coming in second in use to smartphones.
Looking Forward: 3 Key Takeaways
✅ Smartphones are the most used device and the one on which most of people’s time is spent, especially by younger age groups. Smartphones have changed user behaviour as consumers now connect to internet from everywhere.
✅ There is a rapid adoption of new technologies and devices, especially among younger generations. This is changing media consumption habits and preferences among Saskatchewan consumers. The change in viewing habits on multiple devices gives marketers an opportunity to reach out to these consumers across different platforms.
✅ Media plans must expand across multiple channels as markets develop.
For more information, download your Saskatchewan Device Usage Report. ...
Digital marketing through social media is quickly changing the landscape of advertising in Saskatchewan. It is especially changing how marketers handle their overall marketing mix in influencing consumers to engage with their brand online. We marketers can no longer expect a marketing campaign to succeed without understanding our target audience, their demographics and their buyer journey.
In order to figure out our audience segments, we have to cognize their motives - an apt way to do so is by employing basic market research behind your strategies.
Insightrix Research is dedicated to equipping professionals with real insights from their customers in order to strengthen their brand.
To help with this, take a look at some insights from a recent study revealing how generations in Saskatchewan – from teens to seniors – use social media and what they expect from the brands they follow.
Nearly everyone in Saskatchewan is on Facebook
In Saskatchewan, across all generations, Facebook dominates the media landscape by far, with 9 out of 10 using it daily ????????
But does that really come as a surprise to you?
While it is probably safe to determine social media is here to stay, interestingly enough, nearly half of Saskatchewan residents (48%) believe they spend too much time on social media - yet more and more people are frequently accessing it!
Regardless, since 2015, social media has seen a slight lift (4%) in users across all platforms ????
Though Facebook dominates the social media landscape in our province, it is not a favourite among teens.
For example…
Of the teens on social media, only 63% claim to use Facebook as often as other favourite social platforms, while 1 in 4 (73%) endorse Snapchat as their No. 1 platform, followed by YouTube (64%) and then Instagram (57%).
Of gen-Xers (32 to 48) on social, 92% indicated that Facebook is their go-to platform, yet few gen-Xers (17%) admit they use Snapchat.
Interestingly enough, we also discovered that a number of gen-Xers (11%) claimed to have stopped using Snapchat in the past year.
What encourages Saskatchewan residents to use social media?
Understanding a particular generation on social is a must for today’s businesses, as more and more corporations recognize the value of these digital tools.
Because social media is no longer utilized for the sole purpose of marketing or making friends - it has evolved to help educate and actively encourage consumers to engage with businesses or brands online.
So, by determining a generation’s motives for using social media, you can begin to assess what causes social media users to engage with your content.
For example…
While 80% of the SK population on social platforms claim to use these platforms to keep in touch with friends and family, it’s interesting to note that millennials (aged 18 to 25) flock to social media to find information (43%) regarding entertainment or events online.
And…
Gen-Xers (47%) use Facebook groups try to get rid of unwanted household items.
Those baby boomers are somewhere in between, looking for a healthy mix of shared family photos (53%) or to get information on current events (50%).
And matures 68+ (47%) are always on the lookout for those new recipes…
What do followers want from brands?
We discovered that about one third (35%) of social media users in Saskatchewan follow particular businesses or brands ????????
And, while there are many reasons cited in the research as to why residents follow brands on social media, 1-in-5 millennials admit they follow a particular brand or business for the simple fact that they “like” it!
Because we know almost 8-in-10 residents who follow brands do-so on Facebook, the real question is… what do consumers want from the businesses or brands they follow?
The answer is in the discount!
Nearly 1-in-4 Saskatchewan residents claim discounts would likely get them to follow a business on social media ????‼
While 83% of millennials who follow brands on social media (aged 26 to 31) admit discounts encourage them to follow particular brands, only 42% of matures (68+) say it would likely make them hit the “like page” button.
Interestingly enough, half of all residents who follow brands on social media (50%) flock to brand-specific channels for product/brand information and tips and advice.
The influencers in Saskatchewan consumer buyer decisions are…?
We discovered personal recommendations – including those within one’s social circles – play a major role in influencing buyer decisions of social media users in Saskatchewan.
78% of residents on social media claim recommendations from a friend, a family member or a known acquaintance have influence on their buying decisions ???? ????
Further, 1-in-3 social media users in Saskatchewan claim family and friend recommendations have a “high influence” on their purchasing decisions. Younger generations are twice as likely as older generations to be influenced by someone within their social circle during their buyer journey.
It is also worth noting that 60% of millennials (aged 26 to 31) claim an online review or a recommendation from someone within their social media circle as influential, while only 38% of baby boomers use social media recommendations to influence purchasing decisions.
All generations may be represented on social and some are probably following your brand, but your segments will have different expectations from you.
As we have come to see it - teens in Saskatchewan use social for, well, social reasons; millennials use social to do their research and ask questions; Gen Xers use it to coordinate life events and make their day a little easier overall; baby boomers are observers and tend to use social as generalists and matures… matures love recipes.
✔ Want to know more about this Syndicated Report?
Click here!
...