More than half of the people on the internet, irrespective of what their motivation for being there are, are multi-tasking. In an increasingly connected and multi-tasking world this means, that brands need to create strong somatic markers for themselves. Building on this, Shubha George, Chief Operating Officer, MEC South Asia said, "MEC introduced the concept of Paid, Owned and Earned media last year and the interplay amongst the 3 types of media is most significant in the digital world. The digital world today is an amalgamation of multiple digital touch points, often simultaneously. For holistic campaigns, brands need to activate all aspects of digital media to engage the multitasking consumer."

The study also captures insights on usage patterns across devices and finds that 34 per cent of smartphone usage is primarily for seeking information and content sharing, while 33 per cent of notebook usage isfor transactions and entertainment.

But the insights gleaned from this survey suggest that by understanding how, when and where the potential consumers spend their time, advertisers can then better engage with their target audience. It is no doubt that advertisers definitely have to work harder to get people's attention with better targeting and creative strategies.

Commenting on the study from the launch in Mumbai, Neville Taraporewalla, Director - Microsoft Advertising, Microsoft India said, "The rapidly changing dynamics of internet usage in India, offer a fresh set of opportunities and challenges for advertisers. 'Living with the internet' clearly underscores that as the internet grows to a scale and size, consumers are adopting a time-efficient, planned and deliberate approach towards internet usage, which in turn implies that marketers will have to work harder to reach the consumer on the go. With our proven expertise, we at Microsoft Advertising are geared to not just help advertisers understand audiences and their evolving usage patterns better, but also deliver engaging and creative platforms and content to help create long lasting engagements with these audiences."

Powering Engagement - Matching moods with modes

The study essentially identifies certain moods associated with the different motivations for using the internet, pointing to agencies and brands, the kind of content or communication that might engage better in that particular mode of access. For instance, in an open state of mind, they are more attuned to communication and seeking information, listening to music while in a good mood, more prone to a transactional mode in a serious frame of mind and so on.

Smartphones and notebook both have a different role to play in online usage

Besides understanding usage behavior, the study also sought to identify which portable devices consumers are using, allowing brands to modify their content by device. It also unearths evidence to demonstrate the growing importance of mobile usage in communication and creation as smartphone ownership continues to explode. The study shows that in India, the use of smartphones at 34 per cent surpass notebooks which stands at 33 per cent as the main method for accessing information. Except for information seeking and content creation, however, notebooks remain the main device used for transactions and entertainment.

"This is our honest and humble attempt to bring some method to the madness. Internet is now one of the basic utilities like electricity, gas etc., and it needs to be looked on the back of popular culture we are getting into," said R Gowthaman, Leader, Mindshare, South Asia.

In short, the study has been successful in throwing light on some important consumer trends and its implications on how marketers will shape their communication campaigns in a relevant and engaging manner. The key is to adopt a smarter approach to online media by making a brand's presence fit more naturally into a user's experience.

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