5 killer stats to start your week

We arm you with all the stats you need to prepare for the coming week and help you understand the big industry trends.

1. Britons upbeat about jobs and house prices

More than half of the Brits think their financial situation will stay the same or improve in 2018.

The number of people who think their job will be secure in 2018 hit 41%, up from 38% a year ago. While those who think their job will not be safe fell from 14% to 12%.

Another 41% believe house prices will rise, while 14% think they will decline.

When asked about their household finances, 13% think things will improve, while 40% believe their situation will stay the same.

Source: YouGov

2. Brits to return £2.5bn in unwanted presents

The post-Christmas hangover has struck, with Brits expected to return a staggering £2.5bn in unwanted gifts.

Shoes have by far the highest return rate at 28%, followed by clothes (20%) and homewares (15%).

The typical online order costs retailers £2 to £3 more to process than an in-store purchase.

Source: LCP

3. The UK economy will slow further in 2018

UK growth is predicted to slow to 1.5% in 2018 according to economists, as business investment remains on hold, consumers limit their spending and interest rates rise.

More analysts think the strain on household finances will ease this year though, with around 30% suggesting it will become easier compared to around 20% who think it will get harder. Just over 45% think the situation will remain the same.

 Source: Financial Times

4. UK consumers make more Christmas searches than any other nation

UK shoppers make more internet searches for Christmas than anywhere else in the world, with searches starting in August.

UK internet users have made the highest number of Christmas searches for the past four years.

Ireland comes in second, followed by Slovakia and Italy. The US comes in sixth, with search interest in Christmas almost a third lower than in the UK.

Source: Google

5. Consumers want to hear local voices in advertising

While demand for English voice overs continues to dominate, the desire for localised voices – those that have an accent or dialect – across all languages, is increasing.

Demand for English with a British accent rose by 12%, while English with an Australian accent grew 22%. Meanwhile, demand for Spanish (Latin American) grew 11%, compared to French (Canadian) at 3%.

There are five factors advertisers look for when choosing a voice over artist: they must form an emotional connection, add personality, match the brand’s voice, reflect the sound of their target market and sound aspirational.

Source: Voices.com

 

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