New research supports claims of expanding regional youth market for digital technology

A research study, commissioned by digital lifestyle product supplier, BenQ and conducted by ACNielsen was conducted to determine category drivers and shopping habits of computer hardware users in the age group of 15-49 years with a specific focus in the age group of 15-29 years. Men and women under the age of 29 contribute as much as 65% of the total population of many Middle East states.

According to ACNielsen in the Middle East, "An increasing number of multinational companies have come to us in the last several months wanting to learn more about their customers IT spending habits, and, more often than not, those customers tend to be classified as 'youth,' or under the age of 29,".

"The most significant findings from the BenQ-commissioned study are that young consumers are aware of and appreciate brand equity - they are prepared to invest their money in well-marketed IT brand, particularly on laptops, digital cameras, and DVD writers," added a spokesperson. "These consumers are looking for Compact and sleek designs when buying a computer hardware and peripheral product."

The research was designed as a quantitative survey using a structured questionnaire, which posed a mix of closed and open-ended questions to respondents in their native languages. All fieldwork was conducted in the summer of 2003.

In Saudi Arabia - a country of more than 24 million people in which more than 65% of all men and women are under the age of 29 - 40% of all respondents indicated an intention to purchase a laptop in the next few months. A further 37% suggested they would purchase a digital camera in the same space of time, while 35% of respondents agreed that buying a DVD writer was high on their list of purchasing priorities in the coming months.

For BenQ, a company with major IT market share in the Kingdom among the youth segment, the ACNielsen findings could not have come at a better time.

"We have a good idea already of IT customer buying-habits across the region, but we were surprised and delighted to learn of the massive potential of the Saudi market," said Manish Bakshi, director and chief of operations, BenQ Middle East.

"BenQ is expanding rapidly in the Kingdom, so it's critical that we were able to learn that scientific research has bolstered our own internal claims that the region's youth IT market is booming," added Bakshi.

BenQ's Jebel Ali plant has become the nerve-centre of its operations in the Middle East, shipping quality lifestyle products to countries across the GCC, Levant, North Africa and South Africa.