Iraqis Fear Unemployment Above Security Problems
36% of Iraqis say economic issues – unemployment (21%) or financial insecurity (15%) – are the biggest problems they face today. This compares to 16% who believe security problems are their greatest difficulty.
“Today’s Iraqis are looking to the future, gradually their concerns are less about violence and more about how ‘I am going to provide for myself and my family’”, says YouGov’s Managing Director in Iraq, Stefan Kazsubowski. “There are number of indicators coming out of Iraq showing improvements to security. As security conditions improve, the economy takes centre stage. People want jobs, decent services and the improvements to quality of life that these things provide.”
1561 Iraqis responded to the survey which was conducted between 22nd and 30th December 2009 across all 18 governorates of Iraq.
// Despite the improved security conditions, the population is split on the direction the country is taking with 44% of Iraqis saying ‘right direction’ and 46% saying ‘wrong direction’.
The report also includes findings on the use of the internet in Iraq. 22% of people use the internet and 22% of those users would ‘find it difficult to do without the internet’. 79% of internet users ‘wish they could access the internet more often’. More than half of all Iraqis (56%) believe the internet can improve their lives.
“There is significant demand for better internet services in Iraq. Just as mobile phones have been adopted incredibly quickly we expect demand for internet access to grow quickly. Information like this is crucial for companies around the region doing or considering doing business in this fast growing economy. YouGov is able to provide insight into the country’s hard to reach populations. ” continues Stefan Kazsubowski.
More than 1 million have paid mortgage or rent by credit card
A recent YouGov poll on behalf of Shelter has indicated that more than 1 million householders have used credit cards to pay their mortgage or rent in the last 12 months.
8% of those who pay their rent or mortgage through credit card were from working class professions (C2DE social grouping), but the poll also showed that the ABC1 category are falling victim, with 4% of respondents saying they use credit cards in this way. 1 in 12 Londoners are resorting to plastic to pay their mortgage or rent.
Shelter has expressed serious concern about this situation, since adding high-interest credit card debt on top of over-demanding mortgage payments will only add to household debt in the long term. A spokesperson commented: ‘It is absolutely vital that every single person using credit cards in this way seeks advice urgently to get the help they need to ensure they don’t lose their home.’
Half of UK Adults regret throwing something away
50% of respondents to a recent YouGov survey, on behalf of self-storage company Safestore, regret throwing away old clothes, photographs and other family memorabilia due to lack of space.
The research has attracted some press attention: Ray Connolly, writing in the Daily Mail, argues that “Decluttering may make a home look pristine, super-cool and efficient. But it isn’t necessarily good for us.” He continues, “the baggage we collect through life brings with it little jolts of memories.”
Jessica Fellowes draws a similar conclusion in The Telegraph, citing a wonderful story of the writer and director Julian Fellowes, who, on throwing out his late Aunt Isie’s old suitcase, fortunately changed his mind:
“In the middle of the night, I panicked and ran out first thing, only to discover that it contained an entire correspondence between my aunt and Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s daughter.”
Among other items we wish we had held on to are old games consoles, sports equipment and musical instruments. Old coins, wedding dresses and, bizarrely, Persian rugs were also on the most-missed list.
71% of Welsh would donate their organs to help others
Research by YouGov on behalf of The Kidney Wales Foundation has found that 71% of respondents would donate their organs in order to help others.
Two thirds of respondents supported a ‘system where people were presumed to want to donate organs unless they, or after death their family, said otherwise.’
The Kidney Wales Foundation has been campaigning for a change in the law for some time, and has welcomed the announcement from Edwina Hart AM, Minister for Health and Social Services, that the Welsh Assembly Government will move to a system of soft opt out for organ donation.
‘Soft opt out’ assumes a Welsh Resident’s consent has been given unless:
• They have joined an opt out register
• They cannot be identified
• The person’s place of residence cannot be identified
• The wishes of the deceased can be proven to be contrary after relatives have been contacted
• Immediate relatives object.
The charity has high hopes for the scheme. When Belgium introduced the opt-out system in 1986 its national rate of organ donation rose by 55% within five years. Belgians can take themselves off the Register at their local town hall, but only 2% have done so since the law was introduced.
Kate Winslet has the most desirable celebrity body
A recent YouGov poll for Slimming World has shown that Kate Winslet has the most desirable celebrity body, with 16% of respondents ranking her number one. The curvy Kelly Brook came a close second with 15%.
The most popular were as follows:
Kate Winslet
Kelly Brook
Halle Berry
Cheryl Cole
Beyonce
Megan Fox
Lily Allen
Keeley Hazell
Sienna Miller
Kate Moss
Jordan (Katie Price)
Victoria Beckham
E-Readers not a Christmas must-have
There is a lot of debate at the moment about how the print media industry will evolve to meet the challenges of fast, free online content. Newspaper circulation is on the wane, and many people get most of their news and commentary from free online sites like BBC News.
One of the suggested solutions is the E-reader – which would combine the usability and convenience of a newspaper with the constant updates of online news. Books, magazines, and newspapers could all be read on a single device (There is a great demo of how this will look for Sports Illustrated here.)
However, the idea does not appear to have captured the public’s imagination. A YouGov poll for The Bookseller found that only 11% of respondents would consider purchasing an e-reader for a friend or family member as a Christmas present. E-readers fell behind all other listed gifts including a digital camera, digital photo frame and games console. Even when asked what they would like to receive as a Christmas present just 14% of respondents said they would prefer an e-reader.
The main reason for such a lack of enthusiasm appears simple: they cost too much. Of those surveyed, 56% were only prepared to pay less than £150 for an e-reader, with just 9% prepared to spend more than £200. The mean expected cost was £110.50. However, consumers could be left disappointed with Sony e-readers priced between £139 and £249 and the Amazon Kindle around £156.
Where do young people get advice? Where should they?
It is clear from some optional questions that we ran that family structures are very important in people’s opinion of where young people should get advice on careers, relationships, and life decisions.
93% of respondents said that they should get advice from parents. 57% thought it should come from friends, 33% from government services, and 29% from non-religious charities.
Only 16% thought that young people should turn to religious sources for guidance on these important issues.
When we asked where people thought young people actually were getting their advice from, the results were very different. 78% said they were getting it from friends, while only 52% thought it was coming from parents.
Government sources (22%), non-religious charities (13%), and religious sources (11%) were deemed even less relevant.
The Optimism of Youth? Young people more optimistic about job prospects
This article first appeared in Stephan’s City AM column.
Salary predictions
Looking to the year ahead, there are some indications that the credit crunch has impacted older workers more than younger workers. YouGov polled 1,135 UK adults who work full or part time on behalf of consultancy firm Croner, and the responses to the question ‘Are you expecting a salary increase in 2010?’ indicated a strong inverse correlation between age and the hope of increased salary. 57% of 18 to 24 year olds expected a salary increase next year, while only 33% of over-55s were so hopeful.
For all we have heard about the ‘betrayed generation’, the young are certainly much more optimistic about their career prospects than their parents: 32% of 18 to 24 year olds feel more positive about their career prospects in 2010 than they did in 2009, while only 13% of over-55s agree. It is difficult to ascertain whether this difference is down to an inherent optimism within young people (or pessimism in the old); or whether the realities of their economic prospects are fundamentally different.
Nintendo
Nintendo can look forward to strong trading in the run up to Christmas, if their average November BrandIndex scores are anything to go by. The Wii and the DS comfortably outscore Sony’s PS3 and PSP models, as well as Microsoft’s XBox 360. BrandIndex scores are calculated across seven measures of a brand’s strength, and provide a powerful insight into exactly how consumers relate to a brand. A pan-European YouGov poll released this week has also found that Mario is the most popular videogame character ever.
Nintendo’s strength lies in its appeal beyond the traditional young, male videogame demographic, and the success of products such as Wii Fit, as consumers become more fitness-conscious. Many traditionally gender-specific brands have attempted to move beyond their core demographic, but this run the risk of alienating their keenest supporters. The BrandIndex scores suggest Nintendo has been successful in this gamble.
Malware can lurk behind a brand you trust
Research by YouGov on behalf of internet security firm Symantec has found that internet users, although aware of the dangers of opening unsolicited emails, will click on images of brands they recognize. 21% would click on social networking site brands, 16% on music store brands, and 5% on banking brands.
The results indicate that if cybercriminals hide malware behind popular brands or other recognizable images they stand a reasonable chance of gaining access to the public’s PCs.
Symantec has launched a campaign to warn and educate consumers about the various online pitfalls: www.everyclickmatters.co.uk
Mario best-loved videogame character of all time
Nintendo’s Mario has been named as the best-loved videogame character of all time. The Italian plumber has been around for 28 years, featured in more than 100 games, and recorded sales of more than 222 million. A pan-European YouGov survey saw Mario see off competition from Lara Croft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and The Master Chief from Halo.
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