Influentials are talking about vehicle brands!

“Influentials” are US adults who describe themselves as either “very” or “extremely knowledgeable” about vehicles. They are much more likely than ordinary consumers, referred to as “Non-influentials,” to say they know many people who are also knowledgeable about vehicles. And, they are more likely to talk to other knowledgeable people about the vehicles they are considering. With this in mind, Harris Interactive decided to take a closer look at “Influentials” in the automotive market.

Overall, one in five US adults (19%) fit into this category. Males (82%) dominate the Influentials. The average age of Influentials is 45, which is in line with Non-influentials. Influentials have higher incomes, with more than half (53%) earning $75,000 or more compared to 40 percent of Non-influentials.

Who Do Influentials Know and Talk To?

Close to three in five (57%) Influentials know many people who are at least very knowledgeable about vehicles, compared to just 18 percent of Non-influentials. Influentials talk about vehicles mostly to family (60%) and friends (58%), while Non-influentials are less likely to talk about vehicles with family (38%) and more likely to talk with friends (65%). While Influentials talk to each other about vehicle choices, Non-influentials actively seek out advice from Influentials. Slightly more than half (55%) of Non-influentials initiate conversations about their vehicle choices with Influentials “always” or “most of the time.”

Stephen A. Lovett, Director of Automotive & Transportation Research at Harris Interactive, states: “Consumers who take part in spreading the word can be extremely influential, so it is important to understand who they are and the level of impact they have on their social network. Influentials develop communities, which they are likely to rely on to make their vehicle choice. Non-influentials seek out Influentials for vehicle advice, but they are more likely than Influentials to rely on their shopping experience to make their final vehicle choice.”

Influentials are more likely to indicate usage of traditional media (television, newspaper, magazines) as sources of vehicle information and are also more likely to use the Internet as a source (63% Influentials vs. 36% Non-influentials). However, they are less likely than Non-influentials to rely on other people (family, friends, acquaintances) and are less than half as likely to use a dealership salesperson as a source of information (17% Influentials vs. 38% Non-influentials).

Non-influentials are equally as likely to get vehicle information from each of their top sources – friends/family members/acquaintances (40%), the Internet (36%) and a dealership salesperson (38%).

What is the Impact?

On a seven-point scale about likelihood to change vehicle brand choice, 10 percent of Influentials are at the top of the scale indicating they are “much more likely” to change their vehicle brand choice as a result of conversations with Influentials, while only 2 percent of Non-influentials indicate this.

Lovett concludes, “While Non-influentials tend to rely on their shopping experience to make their final decision, we must be aware that Influentials can and do help determine which vehicles make it onto the shopping lists of Non-influentials.”

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For more information at http://www.harrispollonline.com