New findings from BBC Magazines claim there is a huge section of British society currently being overlooked by media research, with 20 million ‘hidden influencers’, dubbed Big Britain, revealed by its latest study.
Comprising qualitative and quantitative research, the BBC’s research identifies a mass of conscientious consumers with a spending power of £238 billion. The newly classified consumers are united not by demographics, the Corporation claims, but by common values.
According to the research, Big Britons are an open minded bunch, eager to find alternative solutions and break from the norm in search of bettering themselves and improving quality of life. The group are motivated by substance and wants to simplify life, as well as to make environmentalism more mainstream.
Big Britain wants to trust, the Corporation says, with the group displaying a healthy level of protest against injustice and the desire to create a feel good factor.
“Understanding the views and demands of these ‘hidden influencers’ can help organisations, businesses, brands and even political parties succeed,” the BBC states, explaining that “Big Britons know exactly what kind of world they want to live in and they are taking steps to make that happen.”
Peter Phippen, managing director of BBC Magazines explained the significance of the findings, stating: “This is an incredibly important insight into the values and attributes of a vast and powerful proportion of the UK population. We all sense that society has changed and yet so much of the time we talk as though it hasn’t. The smart companies, smart politicians and smart commentators are the ones who have embraced this change. Those who choose to ignore this group, should do so at their peril.”
Roger Silverstone, professor of media and communications at the London School of Economics, added: “This is, in many respects, a significant and indeed a hopeful piece of research. It reveals the emergence of a dynamic, socially-engaged and environmentally conscious consumer at the heart of British culture which should have real consequences for the ways in which commodities are bought and sold, and media are consumed.”
The research was commissioned by the BBC and carried out by brand consultants, Your Future. Qualitative consumer insight, future trends and quantitative corroboration with BMRB (TGI) were used throughout the study, while nine focus groups were held, followed by three mixed consumer workshops of respondents aged 25-55. A further 1,000 respondents aged 25-70 were surveyed by TGI, creating a total of 1,150 people.
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