The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) has released the findings from its first Business Confidence Index (BCI). The Index is created from an anonymous survey of the 158 member companies of the Forum. It is a look into the sectors of the mobile entertainment industry that are expected to succeed by the MEF during the recession. Respondents represent interests in all parts of the mobile entertainment value chain, and are from all areas of the world.
Consultant company KPMG, which is a member of the MEF, sent the survey to all members in the first week of January. The results were compiled into the first BCI. This is the first of what will be a quarterly updated version of this index – and it will continue to be published until the MEF it feels it’s clear of any more problems from the recession.
What were the results?
The findings of the inaugural BCI show a huge amount of confidence in the mobile entertainment industry. Mark Harding, Mobile Entertainment Forum Board member and director at KPMG believes the value of these results is that the numbers are coming from the right places, not just marketing figures. He also stressed that this survey is concerned with setting benchmark figures and creating trends for later BCIs to be based on.
Here’s a sample of some of the more interesting results from the survey:
What is the predicted performance of the mobile entertainment industry for 2009? The average predicted growth is 27%. As Mark said, this very bullish and very confident, but current statistics hold it up from a headcount and marketing point of view.
In the next 12 months how do you expect head-count to change? 88% of respondents predicted no change of headcount, or an increase. Only 12% believed they would reduce headcount in 2009.
Where did your revenue come from geographically in the last 12 months, and where do you predict it will come from in the next 12 months? There is a definite movement towards increasing turnover in “Central and South America” and “China” – both are predicted to double in the next 12 months.
Do you feel that Mobile Entertainment is a “luxury” purchase that might not be effected by the recession? 50% of respondents were optimistic that mobile entertainment sales will rise during the depression (20% of those were very optimistic). 30% said it will have no effect. Only 20% believe it will have a negative impact.
And, perhaps most interestingly:
What do we think are the content types that are going to sell in 2009, and which will perform disappointingly?
MEF members have confidence that social networks, music, video, games and infotainment (ESPN, reuters) will perform well in 2009. The Members felt that ringback tones, ringtones and wallpapers will be no-sellers, with most saying they had no confidence at all in wallpapers.
