FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

theAsianparent.com survey reveals that the Asian mum has gone digital, is mobile-first, and the new “Chief Household Officer”

A new survey from theAsianparent.com reveals that Asian mums increase their use of the Internet once they become mothers, are increasingly mobile-first and are primary decision makers for household purchases.

SINGAPORE, March 17, 2014 – theAsianparent.com, Southeast Asia’s largest online parenting destination, with a reach of over 1.2 million mums, today announced exclusive new insights: The Asian mum has gone digital with over 80% of women in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia increasing their usage of the Internet once they become mums.

The “2014 Asian Digital Mum” survey found that digital channels attract more mums than traditional channels like newspapers, TV and magazines. The survey revealed that mums increasingly surf on-the-go with their phones to check email, visit parenting sites and use social media, and, are the primary purchase decision makers of their households.

These insights were revealed in theAsianparent.com’s “2014 Asian Digital Mum” survey which offers marketeers new insights into how mums in the region engage online from over 10,000 respondents. The online parenting company also announced the launch of its new market research arm, theAsianparent Insights. The Insights group will work with marketeers and agencies to tap into the knowledge of over 1.2 million mums who are now one of most important consumer group in the South East Asian region.

“Asian mums influence 89% of all household purchases, yet most respondents told us that marketeers need to do a much better job in understanding what mums want and need – whether its about the most opportune time to reach them or about the right platform,” said Roshni Mahtani, CEO of Tickled Media, the publisher behind theAsianparent.com. “We created theAsianparent Insights to help brands and media agencies better understand the Asian digital mum and how to effectively reach this highly-coveted audience”, she added.

“After becoming a mum, I really do not have the time nor interest to read magazines or newspapers. Watching TV is also out, as I believe babies should have no screen time until they are at least one years old. As a new mother, my baby is mostly with me”, shared theAsianparent.com Associate Editor, Justina Goh, 33, mother of a 15-month old baby girl.

Highlights from the “2014 Asian Digital Mum” survey

The Internet is the key platform for mums across Southeast Asia

  • Digital channels attract more consumers than more traditional ones like newspapers, TV and magazines.

  • 80% of Asian women increase their Internet usage once they become mums. TV, meanwhile, faces significant loss as 58% of mums spend less hours watching TV after entering motherhood.

Southeast Asian mums are mobile-first and they surf on-the-go

  • While they connect online using a variety of devices such as PC, laptop, tablet and mobile phone, 99% of Asian digital mums own a smartphone.

  • Asian digital mums use their smartphones for various Internet activities: checking email (85%), visiting parenting websites (83%), using social media (81%), shopping online (73%) and browsing the Internet (72%).

Social media is the preferred conversation platform for Southeast Asian mums

  • 88% of mums use the Internet primarily to check social media sites while 99% own at least one social media account.

  • Facebook and Google+ are the two most used social platforms.

  • Whatsapp and Line are the two most used messaging apps.

Southeast Asian mums are primary decision makers for their household purchases

  • 89% of digital Asian mums deem themselves as the primary decision makers for purchases in their households.

  • Before the Asian mum clicks to buy, she taps into social networks for recommendations.

  • 91% of mums in Singapore have made a purchase based on recommendations received through social media or other online channels.

Survey goals and methodology

The goal of the 2014 Asian Digital Mum survey was to offer marketers new insights into how mums engage online. Spanning four markets in Asia, the research findings include Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. The survey documented the behaviour of 10,000 expectant mothers and mothers with kids up to the age of 16 and explored what media and social channels she is using, what makes her share content with other mums and what influences her purchasing behaviour.

About theAsianparent.com and Tickled Media
Tickled Media Pte Ltd is the largest digital parenting publishing house in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore since 2009, the company runs theAsianparent.com, Kidlander.com and Pregnant.sg. The flagship brand, theAsianparent.com, is Southeast Asia’s largest digital parenting destination and reaches over 1.2 million mums in the region. The company is backed by venture capital from LionRock Capital, Tigris Capital and prominent angel investors. For more information, please visit www.tickledmedia.com.

For more information on this press release, highres photographs or a copy of the full report, please contact:

Neetu Mirchandani

Vice President of Strategic Alliances & Communications, APAC

Tickled Media Pte Ltd

+65 6344 2865

[email protected]

Images

Left to right: VP of Strategic Alliances & Communications, Tickled Media, Neetu Mirchandani with mum panelists, Meri Rosich, Holly Lam and Mantazh Khanna.

Left to right: Mum panelists, Mantazh Khanna, Meri Rosich and Meiling Wong with CEO of Tickled Media, Roshni Mahtani.

Left to right: Marketing Executive, Tickled Media, Danni Siew-Stevens, Communications Manager, Google Asia, Sana Rahman, Chief Marketing Officer, Google Asia, Simon Kahn and HR Manager, Tickled Media, Dana Cohen.