As we discuss all things digital, it is easy to focus too much on the digital experience and imagine digital engagement in a bubble; something people do when they need information, want to research or buy something, or engage with friends and family. However, consumer digital engagement is not a siloed activity, but rather an adjunctive activity. Consumers are often multitasking while surfing the Internet (see Figure 12). This finding suggests enormous potential for marketers to think about digital engagement differently, from content “push” to digital “participation”. Surprisingly, three out of every five people admit to watching TV while surfing the Internet, and nearly half surf while listening to the radio. Why? Increasingly,
consumers in LATAM are adopting the habit of sharing and discussing what happens in traditional media on social media. Consumers create posts, hashtags, and topics about their favorite TV programs. For example, in Argentina, the final episode of “Graduados” generated over 145,000 tweets during its airing, a stunningly high number given only 34% of online Argentineans use Twitter.

Some companies have already begun to capitalize on this trend. TWEEV is an app developed in Venezuela that works as a second screen, allowing users to log in with their Twitter account and comment about their favorites programs as well as interact with others users and see their comments on different TV shows. There is an opportunity for marketers to use this platform to develop campaigns that integrate a brand’s product with consumers’ favorite TV shows. The tool also offers performance analytics for assisting in Return on Investment (ROI) measurement.

Latin Americans are also using social networks—their new passion—to share their football—the age-old passion. They celebrate goals and taunt their opponents’ fans online, generating discussions and jokes. In Argentina, the last match between Boca Juniors and River Plate generated over a quarter of a million tweets and re-tweets, among over 150,000 users.

In some markets, particularly Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela, digital multitasking is also used as a mechanism to unwind. Daily life in these markets is a hard, repetitive grind. On a daily basis, consumers experience what some describe as a state of chaos. This is mostly driven, particularly in major cities, by traffic jams, safety concerns, overpopulation, inefficient transportation systems, and long working hours. All of this, compounded with a feeling of wasted time, causes high levels of stress. Just moving around within a city generates stress. And because so much time is wasted, time becomes a rare and valuable commodity for Latin Americans. They
can get angry and frustrated when something wastes their time. As the adage goes: “Time is money”. In these markets, multitasking is more of a necessary coping mechanism than a manifestation of entertainment driven engagement.

While a number of the examples presented here suggest that
engagement online is largely a frivolous, entertainment-driven
endeavor, data suggest otherwise (see Figure 13). Latin Americans
have experience across a wide spectrum of digital activities, some of
which are indeed frivolous, but many which have utilitarian goals.
While the numbers for digital activity trial are surprisingly high, the
vast majority having many diverse experiences online, the real
surprise is in daily usage numbers. A large number of users is going
online for music, academic pursuits, news, sports, weather, gaming,
exploring, and job searching. Ten percent of all the people surveyed
engage in online dating daily and eighteen percent in online activism
every day!

Active communication via e-mail (84%) and social networking (76%) dominate the daily routine. Why? Latin Americans find comfort in the way these tools allow them to easily connect with others.

While e-mail and social networking are the most dominant digital activities across LATAM, there are significant local variations in daily Internet activities in each market caused by various social, economic, and political trends. For example:

News, Sports, Weather:

Checking news, sports, and weather is a particularly prevalent activity in Argentina, where more than three-quarters of those surveyed stated that they do so each day. This is largely driven by a thirst for news. The economic situation in Argentina is continually changing, affecting currency values, debt, unemployment, corruption, government disagreements, etc. This changing environment creates a sense of instability among Argentineans and has led people to monitor the latest news and crave the information that will help them determine how to navigate their world when they wake up the next morning.

Academic Activities:

For the past 10 years, Ecuadorian universities have been developing online offerings in an effort to reach more students nationwide. Today, nearly all universities offer online courses in addition to their traditional offline courses. The best example is Universidad Técnica de Loja which, for the past year, has marketed its long distance classes. Currently, at least 60% of the courses in the program are offered online. Our data reflects this reality with Ecuador over-indexing on online academic activities, 21% higher than the rest of the region.

Online Gaming:

As a result of their unique ties to the United States, online gaming activities are more popular in Puerto Rico than in other markets. These ties have helped create a more developed gaming market, giving Puerto Ricans more immediate access to new gaming technology and products. This is a result of launch dates in Puerto Rico mirroring those in the U.S. rather than the later release dates experienced by the rest of LATAM. Puerto Rico is largely bilingual, more so than other LATAM markets, which has boosted the gaming trend, since many U.S. originated games are only available in English.

Functional Tasks:

Online users in Peru over-index on the more functional, task-based activities when compared to other Latin Americans (e.g., search, academic/networking, pre-purchase research, and personal tasks). Jeffrey Henning, founder of the marketing research company Vovici, has said, “…the web has evolved from a library to a mall to a public square.” Peruvians have yet to catch up with this progression and still see the web primarily as a source of knowledge to be used to answer questions and solve information problems.

More consumption than creation

While Latin Americans are voracious consumers of online
content—watching videos and downloading music in high
proportions—a much smaller proportion are actually creating original
content (see Figure 14).

Streaming content online—be it TV shows or radio—is a growing space, and one that marketers should keep their eye on, especially in Mexico and Puerto Rico:

In Mexico, streaming and downloading are quickly replacing traditional TV. Fifteen years ago, Mexicans were forced to wait at least six months to listen to international artists or see a foreign TV show or movie. Street markets filled the gap by providing Mexicans with the latest international hits at a low cost; in an alternate scenario, someone who visited the United States would bring back the latest selections for their friends. For Internet users today, however, movies and music are delivered on demand for roughly 100 pesos a month (US$7.68), for unlimited content. Over the last six months, more than six streaming services, from Netflix, Walmart’s Vudu and Telemex’s Claro Video have launched in the market with both international and domestic offerings. As result, 78% of Mexicans use a computer to view TV content-spending twice the amount of time online than they do on open TV (Source: CNN).

Streaming radio is particularly common in Puerto Rico. While it may sound trite and stereotypical, Puerto Ricans love music. It’s an important part of their culture. Music brightens their day and makes them feel good — even in chaotic times. And since Puerto Ricans are almost always connected to the Internet, this connection between music and the web is a natural one. In fact, Pandora Internet Radio alone has over 500,000 registered users in Puerto Rico — more than one-fourth of all Puerto Ricans with Internet access. Puerto Ricans tend to connect to Pandora on their mobile devices while commuting to work and while at work (through both mobile and desktop devices).

Online Value Exchange

There are many value exchange models being used and tested in LATAM and across the digital world: pay walls, requests for personal information, ad viewing, “liking” a brand, etc. Our data reveals that, while consumers are willing to engage in value exchange, their preference is for passive exchange, primarily by viewing ads or commenting on or sharing content (see Figure 15). Relatively few are willing to share personal information or pay a fee, and one out of every four people would refuse any type of exchange outright, opting instead for alternative content. This is an important lesson for marketers and content owners when deciding how best to engage with users online. For marketers in search of data, this suggests caution in asking directly, even if there is a “reward” for the user. It will likely turn off users. It also underscores the value of big data — usually collected more passively, and where insight and value need to be subsequently derived, rather than requested. It also suggests that marketers likely need to improve what’s on offer if they hope to have a more active, deeper exchange. This likely signals that social media — where engagement starts (or should start) more benignly, is an opportunity to begin a process of value exchange.

Brazilians are the least likely to participate in any form of value exchange and display a cultural predisposition to “play the system”. They call it “The Jeitinho Brasileiro” or, the Brazilian way of “making it happen”. The “Jeitinho” is a unique cultural phenomenon which manifests in the way Brazilians deal with nearly all aspects of their daily lives, from problem solving to social interactions, invoking the creativity of people to overcome adversity. The probable origin of this phenomenon is the scarcity that many Brazilians face in many sectors: healthcare, education, telecommunications, and infrastructure in general. Jeitinho is positive. But sometimes when it doesn’t cause direct harm to others, Brazilians find non-conventional and occasionally illegal ways to gain an advantage. As a result, piracy has become an issue in Brazil. From music, movies, and pay TV, to cosmetics, Brazilians invoke the “Jeitinho” to obtain products and services. Thus, when it comes to paying or having to share personal information for content online—especially for things which Brazilians are used to having for free—they will try to find a way around it.

However, while Brazilians may be the least willing to exchange for value online, if that service comes as a cheaper alternative to another more expensive one, it will likely be well received. In Brazil, thought needs to be put into the online value exchange equation in order to understand just how much value is being offered in the exchange. For example, Brazilians are willing to pay $8 (USD) a month for Netflix in addition to their Pay TV packages. So far, it’s not a replacement for TV, but time will tell. So, why do we think so few Latin Americans are willing to pay for or provide personal information in exchange for content? Throughout LATAM, digital anxieties run high. Eight out of every ten people express concerns about what online companies are doing with their personal information (see Figure 16). Where does this fear come from? Cyber-crime. This is especially pronounced in Mexico and Puerto Rico.

A stunning 80% of Mexicans report having been a victim of a cyber-crime. And it’s only getting worse. Cyber-crimes in Mexico increased 40% over the last year alone, according to a survey by Symantec. Only China and South Africa have higher rates. As Puerto Rican Internet use has soared over the past few years, so have cyber-crimes such as identity and data theft. In 2010, 75% of these cyber-crimes were predatory crimes against children and women.

While this is a daunting problem, there is also an opportunity here for brands that rely on digital platforms to address Latin Americans’ digital insecurities head-on through education and information. Being transparent in addressing the issue can help develop a stronger relationship with customers.

For example, Banco Popular in Puerto Rico develops specific initiatives to help convert and drive non-digital customers to their digital services and platforms through education, while maintaining a leadership position in technology. Despite the high awareness and concern regarding cyber-crime, Banco Popular’s website is today one of the most visited online platforms in Puerto Rico.

Social Networking

As in many parts of the world, Facebook is the king of social networking in Latin America, with nine out of every ten people connecting every day. Twitter and Google+ distantly follow in second and third place (see Figure 17). Latin Americans are not only checking in on their friends’ status updates. They also tend to exhibit extremely active behavior; three-fourths of all people regularly “like” posts or articles or comment on other people’s pages, and more than half post their own updates and share articles.

LATAM’s engagement in social media, as in other parts of the world, doesn’t seem to be a passing fancy; more than four out of every ten users state that they feel addicted to social networks. Not surprisingly, the youth of LATAM are even more likely to express this sentiment, with more than half stating so. Why? Before social networks, the time-honored way to stay in touch was to personally visit or call friends, a personal interaction that held high value in Latin culture. With the advent of social media there has been a marked macro shift away from these traditional methods of contact. Many, especially the youth, have lost—or, more accurately, abandoned- this tradition, relying instead on social media and text messages.

For many, it is sufficient for them to simply check-in online with what their friends are doing to stay up to date on their lives.

As a result, Latin Americans have now created two circles of friends - two distinct pools; one circle with whom they only interact digitally, and another circle with whom they interact both digitally and through live interactions. The result of this phenomenon is that it brings those who are close, closer, while still allowing you to maintain a basic understanding of the events happening to acquaintances with whom you are willing to maintain a more distant relationship.

This trend especially pronounced among the youth segment in Chile, where Facebook and WhatsApp texting have become the young person’s primary and most effective way of communicating with friends. In fact, getting these social tools is often a primary driver for young Chileans to purchase smartphones with mobile Internet capability. By noticing this trend, telecom marketers have made this connection benefit a primary feature of mobile Internet plans targeted at youth. If a young Chilean is offline for a day or so, they experience more than just discomfort. They feel that they have completely lost touch with their social circles.

They become overwhelmed by FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), assuming they are being left out of important conversations or events, and worse, feeling helpless to do anything about it.

But as we’ve seen with other dimensions of the digital world in LATAM, there are also a number of more localized micro trends driving consumers to social media in the region.

Dating:

Argentinean and Mexican consumers are on social media looking for love:

• Nearly half (45%) of Argentineans admit that they’ve used social networks to look for a partner.¹
• 69% of Argentineans find flirting online easier than in person.²
• And hope springs eternal in Argentina, as a full 60% believe they will find the love of their lives online.³
• Many Mexicans see social media as digital peacock feathers; four out of every ten people admit to using social networks to increase their appeal to future lovers.

Smart brand marketers with their finger on the pulse of Argentinean youth have already begun to capitalize on this. Movistar, and later Doritos, created Facebook apps in which people could indicate with which of their friends they would like to have a date. If the opinion from the other person matched, both were contacted by a message which gave them a possible time and date for getting together. Creative leveraging of culture such as this can endear brands to their consumers.

Networking:

Mexicans use social media as a professional tool more than other Latin markets. Eighty percent of all companies in Mexico indicate that they are using traditional social networks such as Facebook or Twitter—those not designed for professional networking—to search for potential job applicants. The practice is so prevalent that services such as TwiCVer have sprung up, offering users assistance in writing their CV in 10 tweets or less.

Impartial News:

Consumers, especially in Mexico and Venezuela, turn to social media, particularly Twitter, for an unbiased view of news and current events; a crowd-sourced view, if you will: Information delivered through traditional mass media in Venezuela is limited, and there’s a sense among many people, especially the young, that the information they do receive is often biased by the government who maintains a high degree of control over content and its editorial slant. At the same time, Venezuelans have a strong desire to be well informed of current events in their country and around the world. Twitter addresses both of these issues head-on by aggregating news and information from multiple resources that is unbiased, or perceived to be less biased, in real-time, offering consumers the latest news.

A media duopoly with strong political ties, a high level of corruption, and drug cartels placing prices on the heads of journalists have led Reporters Without Borders to name Mexico as one of the most dangerous places for journalists. As a result, Twitter and YouTube played a significant role during the last election cycle in Mexico. Users flocked to these digital platforms to mobilize protests for media transparency, among other things. The movement began with a YouTube video and a hash tag #yosoy 132 (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7XbocXsFkI).

Social Connections

On average, adults in Latin America have over 200 connections on Facebook, well above the global average of 119.1 A large majority (70%), however, admit that there are some people in their social network that they don’t know very well. In fact, most speak with less than 20% of their social network on a regular basis (see Figure 18). Why? Obviously, the barrier to adding connections on social media is low, and Latin Americans tend to be socially extroverted, extremely open and welcoming:

Expanding your social sphere is a cultural norm in Puerto Rico, applying to both the offline (celebrations, dinners, among other things) and online world. For instance, it would be considered culturally acceptable in Puerto Rico for someone to attend a Christmas party even if they didn’t personally know the party host and were invited by friends of friends — often without the host’s knowledge. It is customary to unexpectedly invite coworkers or friends of friends to have lunch at someone else’s home.

Brazilians are also highly inclusive socially, open to meeting new people and integrating them into their social circle — something Brazilians call the “instant friend”. It is not unusual for tourists, friends of friends, and other recent acquaintances to be invited to someone’s home to “hang-out”, a social openness that is less apparent in other cultures.

Some of this over-friending is probably also explained by what we refer to as “digital social envy”, with nearly half of Latin Americans feeling that they have fewer social network connections than other people (see Figure 19). In the offline world, it is easier to understand your social standing in the community. In the online world, the impression of your social status is easy to determine, while the truth is more elusive.

This “instant friending” may also be driven by the Latin American desire to cultivate a certain “digital brand” on social media (see Figure 20). Latin America tends to be an image-driven society, and most believe that social media mirrors reality. As a result, users often portray an image of themselves that doesn’t necessarily represent their personal reality, but more what they aspire to be and have, or more probably, how they want others to see them. It doesn’t matter what you do, just what people think they know you are doing.