What's in a Label?

SINGAPORE, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- There has been much written about the increased spending power of Asian consumers, in addition to their penchant for fashion and brand names, many of which have launched or expanded in Asian markets over the last decade. Now there is evidence that not only are people in India and China more brand-conscious than their counterparts in Europe and the U.S. - they also are quite open in their passion for brand names in the context of fashion.

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In fact, almost three-quarters of adults in China (72%) and in India (74%) admit that brand names are important to them when purchasing clothing and accessories, compared to just one-quarter in the U.S. (26%), Great Britain (24%), and even in the country known as the world's fashion haven - Italy (28%)!

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll conducted online by Harris Interactive among 9,222 adults in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and India (June 1 and 10, 2011), the U.S. (May 24 and 26, 2011) and Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy (May 25 and June 1, 2011).

Trendy vs. Classic

There are indications that in certain markets purchasing classics is more important than being trendy. 74% of Americans tend to purchase classics versus trends; a practice which is shared among adults in China (71%), India (70%), France (60%), the UK (58%), Germany and Italy (57% each).

However, in China and India, 63% indicate that they "like to be the first out of their friends to have the latest trend" whereas a quarter or fewer in all the other countries agree (between 9% and 24%).

In most of the markets studied there is a strong belief that good brand names translate to quality products; 9 in 10 adults in India (89%) and China (92%) believe that brand names provide better value due to quality, a thought shared by majorities in Singapore (75%), the U.S. (65%), Italy (63%), and France (53%) as well. However, in Spain (41%), Great Britain (48%) and Germany (47%), fewer than half think this is the case.

In Singapore (77%), India (72%), Great Britain (68%), the U.S. (66%), Spain (65%) Italy (64%) and Germany (63%) there is also a fondness for bargains, even if they are not brand names "as long as it is trendy." In Singapore where shopping is a national pastime - and on the heels of the Great Singapore Sale - 41% report the main reason for their last purchase as "I was just browsing and it caught my eye." One in five adults in Singapore said they made their most recent purchase because "it was on sale and I just couldn't resist a bargain."

Brands of What Exactly?

In Europe, branding is important when it comes to cosmetics and fragrances. In France 61% indicate that brands are important in for cosmetics and fragrances and many adults in the UK (46%), Italy (61%), Spain (48%) and Germany (41%) say the same. In Italy and Spain majority said brand names are important for sunglasses (60% and 52%, respectively).

In China and India, brands of watches are important, with 83% in China and 87% in India indicating this. 79% in China indicate that jewelry brands are important yet only one in five in France (22%), the U.S. (20%) and Germany (19%) agree .

In terms of their most recent clothing purchases, Indians were most likely to have made their recent purchase for a specific occasion, with 25% indicating this, which is not surprising given the number of family events, weddings and celebrations that their country is known for. Adults in India also indicate that brand names are important for formal wear, with 79% saying so.

So What?

While brand names may always be important, there are different values associated with these recognizable labels depending on the culture. Majorities in many countries agree that brand names are generally good quality, but in some places trendiness and the love of a bargain can trump the benefits of a well-known label.

In markets like China and India, conveying an interest in brand names is paramount, especially when it comes to status symbols like formal wear for a wedding or a shiny watch. With the growing buying power of consumers in these markets it will be important for brands to continue to tailor their products to appeal to their consumers' specific cultural values and beliefs.

TABLE 1 FEELINGS REGARDING SHOPPING FOR CLOTHING "We would now like to talk about your shopping habits. Which of the following statements best describes how much you like or dislike shopping for clothes?" Base: All adults
	United States	China	India	Singapore	Great Britain	France	Germany	Spain	Italy
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Likes shopping for clothes (NET)	39	79	92	69	53	38	47	60	60
I love shopping for clothes.	14	32	58	26	26	11	14	22	15
I like shopping for clothes.	26	46	34	43	27	27	32	38	45
I neither like nor dislike shopping for clothes.	30	19	8	30	24	32	33	29	25
Dislikes shopping for clothes (NET)	30	3	1	1	23	30	20	12	14
I dislike shopping for clothes.	19	2	-	1	14	20	15	10	11
I hate shopping for clothes.	12	1	1	-	9	9	5	2	3
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 2 IMPORTANCE OF BRAND NAMES "How important are brand names to you, if at all, when purchasing clothes and fashion accessories?" Base: All adults
	United States	China	India	Singapore	Great Britain	France	Germany	Spain	Italy
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Important (NET)	26	72	74	36	24	26	22	29	28
Very important	4	19	23	4	7	3	3	2	2
Important	21	53	51	32	17	22	19	26	26
Not important (NET)	74	28	26	64	76	75	78	72	72
Not that important	48	24	21	54	41	49	49	50	51
Not at all important	27	4	5	10	35	26	29	22	21
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 3 LAST MADE A CLOTHING PURCHASE "When did you last make a clothing purchase yourself?" Base: All adults
	United States	China	India	Singapore	Great Britain	France	Germany	Spain	Italy
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Within the last month (NET)	45	78	80	57	63	50	52	53	52
In the last week	18	42	44	25	30	23	21	25	23
More than a week ago but in the last month	26	36	36	32	33	28	31	28	29
A month or more ago (NET)	55	22	20	43	37	50	47	47	48
More than a month ago but less than three months ago	25	15	13	25	21	29	24	27	26
More than three months ago	31	7	7	18	16	21	23	20	22
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 4 TYPE OF RECENT CLOTHING PURCHASE "Thinking about your most recent clothing purchases, which one of the following best describes the main reason you made those purchases?" Base: All adults
	United States	China	India	Singapore	Great Britain	France	Germany	Spain	Italy
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
It was a necessary purchase.	36	19	23	21	34	41	43	49	49
It was on sale and I couldn't resist the bargain.	20	15	10	20	16	20	11	13	14
I was just browsing and it caught my eye.	19	40	22	41	23	22	27	23	24
It was for a specific occasion.	15	9	25	11	18	10	11	10	7
It was the latest trend; I absolutely had to have it.	2	17	18	4	3	2	2	1	2
Another reason	9	1	2	3	5	5	7	4	3
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 5 AGREEMENT ABOUT STATEMENTS "To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?" Summary for those who agree (Strongly agree + somewhat agree) Base: All adults
	United States	China	India	Singapore	Great Britain	France	Germany	Spain	Italy
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
I tend to purchase classics versus trends.	74	71	70	53	58	60	57	40	57
I love to get a bargain, even if it's not a brand name as long as it's trendy.	66	39	72	77	68	44	63	65	64
I believe good brand names provide better value due to quality.	65	92	89	75	48	53	47	41	63
I need my fashion to be branded.	16	67	77	30	23	17	16	27	24
I like to be the first of my friends to have the latest trend.	16	63	63	24	23	9	13	21	13
I keep up with the latest collections announced by fashion houses.	15	63	66	30	22	15	14	24	29

TABLE 6 IMPORTANCE OF BRAND NAMES FOR VARIOUS ITEMS "How important are brand names to you, if at all, when purchasing each of the following types of clothes?" Summary for those who said it is important (Very important + Important) Base: All adults
	United States	China	India	Singapore	Great Britain	France	Germany	Spain	Italy
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Shoes	46	85	85	61	36	43	42	47	61
Jeans	41	70	77	46	32	36	38	40	40
Cosmetics/Fragrances	39	80	83	64	46	61	41	48	61
Watches	34	83	87	69	38	40	35	46	59
Lingerie/Underwear	29	61	76	39	28	33	21	35	34
Casual wear	27	70	63	37	29	22	28	31	30
Formal wear	27	85	79	60	31	39	23	40	43
Sunglasses	22	65	77	47	27	39	23	52	60
Bags	20	75	66	49	25	22	17	23	32
Jewelry	20	79	70	51	24	22	19	25	31

TABLE 7 BRANDED ITEMS ON SALE "If you were to get a branded item on sale, which one of the following would you be more likely to do?" Base: All adults
	United States	China	India	Singapore	Great Britain	France	Germany	Spain	Italy
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
I would be more likely to tell my friends about the great deal I got.	89	89	90	88	84	92	83	87	88
I would be more likely not to tell my friends and let them believe I paid full price.	11	11	10	12	16	8	17	13	12
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Methodology

This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States (from May 24 to 26), Singapore, Hong Kong, India and China (from June 1 to 10, 2011) and Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy (from May 25 to June 1, 2011) among 9,222 adults (aged 18 and over). The number of people surveyed in each country is as follows:

Country	People surveyed
China	500
India	500
Singapore	300
United States	2,309
Great Britain	1,293
France	1,179
Germany	1,058
Spain	1,019
Italy	1,064

Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive.

The Asian Harris Poll^® #2, June 23, 2011

By Asha Choksi, SVP, Research and Operations, Harris Interactive Asia

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com or contact [e-mail].

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Asha Choksi / Amrita Banta
Harris Interactive Asia
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SOURCE Harris Interactive