Dentsu Aegis Network has recently led a worldwide study regarding people’s perception of technologies during the Covid-19 crisis and the future expectations of buyers and companies.
Techlove or Techclash? Here are the answers:
Techlove: 4 Reasons Why Technology Stays Attractive After The Covid-19 Crisis
- Emotional Value: Let’s Keep In Touch!
29% of the sample think that technology allowed them to stay connected with their family, friends, and the world during quarantine. The study shows that women tend to use technology to keep in touch with their relatives more than men, especially in East and North Europe, for example in Poland and Finland.
- Cerebral Value: The Use Of Technology To Develop New Skills
The study shows that emerging markets’ population learned new skills and improved their knowledge with the rise of digital solutions and online courses.
46% of South Africa, 44% of Mexico, and 43% in Brazil took advantage of their time spent at home to learn and improve with the help of technology. But only 18% of the sample from the United Kingdom and 24% from the United States used technology to learn new skills through webinairs and or educative apps.
- Health Value: Heal Society And Improve Our Well-Being
29% of the sample worldwide thinks that technology allowed them to relax and to stay entertained in this highly stressful time. In South Africa, people have used technology to keep track of their physical and mental health more than in any other country. 29% of the sample said they regularly use tools such as health apps.
People are overall optimistic regarding the part technology now plays in society. A big part of the population believes in technology’s capacity to solve problems linked to society or health. This opinion has become more popular after the Covid-19 crisis: 48% in 2018, 45% in 2019, and 54% in 2020.
- Implication Value: Make Brands More Responsible Regarding Their Impact
People’s expectations keep getting higher and higher when it comes to brands. The pandemic forced the companies to reconsider their relationship with the consumers.
66% of the sample declares wanting organisations to use technology in a way that doesn’t harm society or the environment. Brands must, therefore, work on developing products and services that improve the consumers’ well-being and health, especially in emerging markets.
Techlash: Technology’s Dark Side
The study also shows that some people don’t always trust technology. Some countries are less inclined to rely on technology than others.
- Technology Evolves At A Very Quick Pace
57% of the sample think that technology’s evolution is too quick, and are afraid that we might someday lose control. This indication is stable since 2018.
- Technology Might Increase Inequalities
Almost half of the sample think that digital technologies are increasing the gap between the rich and the poor. This opinion is especially strong in countries such as South Africa, China, and France. 57% of the sample from France consider technology to increase inequalities.
- A Negative Impact On Health
Even if people from emerging economies countries have easily gotten used to technology during quarantine, they are the ones that have the most pessimistic vision on technology. It is especially the case in Asia, where 64% of the sample from China, 47% from Singapour, and 41% from Honk Kong think that technology harmed their health and well-being.
- Technology induces stress
Even though social media helped people to stay connected during quarantine, 17% of the sample living in the United Kingdom and 14% from the US noticed that technology made them more anxious. Those numbers are higher than in the rest of the world.
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