Electronics and apparel purchases driven by new media

While traditional forms of advertising still wield the most influence over consumers, new media's role is increasing, according to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation and BIGresearch.

"As new technology places itself on the market, [it] is diverting attention from the typical newspaper and magazine advertisements," said Pamela Goodfellow, senior analyst at BIG Research, via Ad Age. "It's up to retailers to be nimble in knowing what the latest and greatest is to reach their customers."

The study looked into the role of new media in the purchasing decisions of 18-34 year olds, particularly with regard to electronics and apparel. Among these younger consumers, product placement was effective, with 18% of shoppers saying it effected their electronics purchases and 16% saying it influenced their choice of clothing.

In-game ads, blogs and text messaging channels were key influencers of electronics purchases with 14%, 11% and 9% respectively.

Tags: apparel, BIGresearch, blogs, electronics, in-game ads, National Retail Federation, new media, product placement, traditional media