Will technology kill us or make us stronger? McCann Truth Central presents a new global research study – The Truth about Wellness
McCann Truth Central, the intelligence unit of McCann Erickson, has released a new global research study, “The Truth About Wellness”, an online global study based on a quantitative survey of 7,000 respondents in the US, UK, Brazil, China, Japan, South Africa and Turkey and supplemented qualitatively in the US, UK, Japan, Peru and Brazil.
“There is an exciting technological revolution in the wellness arena today which is empowering consumers, and transforming our health. However, with obesity seen as the number one threat to future health, there are also concerns that technology is encouraging bad behaviors,” said Daryl Lee, McCann’s Global Chief Strategy Officer. “The good news is that 94% of consumers say brands have a role in supporting their wellness needs. There has never been a better time for brands to lead positive change.”
Amar Urhekar, Executive Vice President, McCann Health Asia Pacific commented, “The definition of wellness has evolved – wellness is no longer aspirational, it’s the norm of the day. Like all things associated with technology and social media, I believe consumers expect brands to be honest and upfront with them, and want to see the efforts taken to ‘keep them well’.
“In the healthcare space in particular, wellness is a potent global trend. It’s a time of transition for healthcare professionals and the majority (66%) of people are looking for doctors to focus on prevention as well as curing illness. The choice for marketeers is if they will constructively and conclusively offer wellness engagement – be it mental, physical, spiritual or even financial. The true opportunity for wellness now substantially lies far over and above the standard health and fitness companies.”
Dave McCaughan, Director of Truth Central for Asia highlighted the unique health culture across the region, “Asian cultures are imbued with a strong belief in ‘balance in health’. A similar McCann study in 2000 revealed that Asian people were the most likely to say that the best way to obtain wellness is through a combination of traditional and modern medical care and a healthy preventative lifestyle. Again in 2013, this more balanced expectation prevails, particularly with many people now expecting to live longer.
“Throughout our study, people in Asia were the most inclined to believe that they will live longer lives, but recognized they will need a balance of technology and human care to achieve a happy, well life. They are also more inclined to believe that wellness needs to be physical as much, or more so, than mental. In markets from Japan to Thailand, we heard that physical wellness is fundamental to maintaining mental strength. While many Asian markets have aging populations, respondents believe there is no shortage of mental stimulus in our fast-changing world, but are concerned that unless they can maintain their physical wellbeing, they will become a burden and fall behind.”
1. Young men worry more than women that Facebook is making them fat. Globally, 25% of young men (aged 18-24) vs. 17% of same age women worry that their obsession with technology and social networking is encouraging more sedentary living (and therefore obesity). One in ten people globally think that Facebook is making them fat and in Brazil this rises to two in 10, thereby redefining the term “couch potato” for the iPad generation.
Dave McCaughan offers Asian insights, “Across Asia, people of all ages believe that the increased use of technology – be that social media, gaming or excessive ‘screen time’ – can be detrimental to physical health and acknowledge that they should be doing more exercise. But at the same time, they also need to “keep up, be involved, and to keep motivated”, which invariably justifies tech time.
“Of course while this was more relevant to younger adults, even Japanese women in their 50s admitted that social media time with their families was essential to ‘my staying happy’.”
2. Chinese consumers are terrified of aging. Only 7% like the idea of getting older versus 39% in Brazil and 26% globally. Long has it been assumed that aging is revered and welcomed in China yet in a period of rapid change Chinese consumers fear being left behind. This is an important insight for brands moving into the world’s largest marketplace.
Asian Insight: “A philosophy of ‘being forever young’ is strongly evident in China, where people of all ages strive to stay young at heart. Older generations in particular are keen to keep experiencing life to its fullest, especially experiences they may have missed in younger years.
“People of all ages in Japan seem less worried about ageing than other markets – perhaps no surprise given the age profile of the country. Generally, we found that people have now been surrounded by people who are “older” for all their lives – many current cultural heroes, including the mainstreams of the entertainment industry like SMAP, are now around forty.”
3. Depression is #1 diagnosis for “Cyberchondriacs.” Globally, one in four people think that our obsession with health is making us unhealthy. After depression, “cyberchondriacs,” or people who look for health information online, are most likely to diagnose themselves with obesity-related illnesses, allergies and migraine in that order said the study.
4. Brazilians are obsessed with happiness. The happiest countries are thought to be: Brazil, US, Australia and Switzerland (and the majority of Brazilians agree! They have a huge level of confidence in their own happiness. 65% see themselves as most happy vs 33% of Americans). Unsurprisingly, the British think the Australians are the happiest.
Asian Insight: “Asian countries tended to have a relatively high reflection of their own happiness – Japan at 15% and China at 19%. In Thailand people talked about the natural happiness of the country. Similarly in China we saw a comparatively high number thinking they live in the happiest country, and that no other nation was seen as coming near to “home” in terms of happiness. Despite all the macro-questions about China’s economy etc., for most people times are still relatively good, and we hear people talking directly about a simple formula : ‘it’s better than it was when I was young, therefore it’s pretty good, therefore I am pretty happy’.”
5. Death by cancer is our greatest fear but 20% of Brazilians think that urban violence will get them first. Globally, the # 1 thing people think will kill them is cancer (27%). The British are most concerned about heart attacks and the Japanese are most concerned about Alzheimer’s Disease. Despite their impressive level of happiness, Brazilians are also very sensitive to the unique risks in their society.
6. 21% think doctors will be obsolete in the future. Globally, four in 10 people already feel more in control of their health as a direct result of technology and a third trust technology more than their instincts. But 66% think that if doctors can focus more on preventing illness rather than curing it they’ll continue to be valuable to consumers in the future.
Asian Insight: “Despite Japan being the country with the highest levels of robotics and technological health services in the world, there is more of a symbiotic relationship with technology which we don’t see in many other countries. Technology and human healthcare is more integrated – rather than technology being a replacement for doctors, it is recognized as the best way to extend their effectiveness.
“In a country where you can already own a toilet which monitors vital health signs, as well as link to your Wii Fit regime to provide your doctor with a dynamic update on your health, it’s unsurprising that many Japanese people also believe that technology helps you feel more in control of your health.”
7. Only 5% of humanity would like to have a clone. But many consumers are already gearing up f
or a science fiction future where technology will bring a host of health benefits. If they could, 32% of consumers would choose to remain the same age forever, 26% would erase unpleasant memories, 18% would insert a microchip to constantly measure their health and 12% would eliminate their need for sleep.
8. 49% of people regularly do brain exercises. In the past, your heart, liver, and kidneys were the “star” organs whereas now that Alzheimer’s is on the rise, the brain has been added to the “A” list of organs that consumers need to keep healthy. If forced to choose, UK, Brazil, US and Turkey would preserve their mental health over their physical health.
Asian Insight: “Asian markets seem more focused on the need to stay physically fit than other nations globally – a combination of concerns over the costs of health care, the lack of pensions in China, and a desire to be seen as independent for as long as possible. In addition, we have seen the growing popularity of stories of “old” or “aging” physical excellence. In countries like Japan where literally dozens of people turn 100 every day, there are always stories of extreme physical prowess among the aged.”
9. If you’re 34 it’s all downhill (unless you’re Japanese). Globally, people agreed that the optimal age to achieve wellness is 34 (although in Turkey they think it is 23 and in Japan it is 44). Most people think it is twice as easy for women to achieve wellness as opposed to men.
Asian Insight: “With largely older and ageing populations across Asia – including some of the fastest ageing markets in the world and Thailand potentially the fastest – and a strong cultural heritage of respect for the aged, we can expect to see the ‘optimal age’ to achieve wellness continue to rise in this region.”
10. The average person thinks they’ll live to 79 (but hopes to live to 87). In China, people “think” they’ll outlive the rest of the world by living to age 84. However, it’s the Americans who “want” to live the longest, to age 92 (79 in Turkey). The quest for longevity is surprising given that, on average, people feel that they start to lose quality of life at around 65 years of age (73 in the U.S).
Download The Truth about Wellness Data File: The Truth about Wellness_DATA.DOCX