Surveying 53,954 people in 79 countries around the world, 'Wave 9 – The Meaning of Moments' from UM builds on ten years of global social tracking and is the largest and longest-running study of its kind. This year’s study demonstrates that understanding how consumers feel in everyday ‘moments’ gives advertisers a powerful leverage in framing the right message via the right touchpoints.

1. 1
the meaning
of moments

2. 3
BETTER SCIENCE
BETTER ART
BETTER OUTCOMES
Wave is part of
um's commitment
to better science
We are a creative media agency, committed to blurring the lines
between media and creativity, between data and content, between
science and art.
And we believe that better science through our data and the better
art of our planning deliver better outcomes for our clients, in the
media moments that matter most.
The Wave project is proof of that commitment. Each Wave study
unites over 70 UM offices around the world and helps deliver the
science that drives our art. This collaboration is driven solely by UM’s
collective culture of commitment to better outcomes for our clients.

3. 5
CONTENTS
Welcome to Wave 9: The Meaning of Moments
What is Wave?
Executive Summary
The Wave Story
The Rise and Rise of Smart Technology
We Live in The Moment
Moments
The Meaning of Moments
7
8
9
12
17
28
38
52

4. 7
the meaning
Of moments
Foreword
If we learnt one thing from our last study, Wave 8 - The
Language of Content, it’s that consumers are inundated
with content. Music, movies, games, books, art, photos,
blogs, tweets, posts, videos all created by world class
studios, publishers or broadcasters and housed within
technology that’s deliberately designed to first distract
you and then maximise your “time on site”.
This creates a huge challenge for advertisers. How to
connect with consumers when it’s so difficult to capture
and keep their attention?
With Wave 9 we are able to find those moments when
the consumer is receptive to our messages and, just as
importantly, understand their digital context. That’s why
we have called Wave 9 – The Meaning Of Moments and
it has taught us that, even though content is still king, it
is more appropriate than ever to say that context is now
king too.
And we believe an understanding of this context, how
consumers feel and what they want, is vital to creating
communication that can cut-through.
GLen parker
Head of Mediabrands Marketing Sciences, EMEA

5. 9
executive summary
The smartphone is driving people to do more things,
more often online, and it’s a trend that isn’t going to
stop anytime soon.
But it’s leaving them feeling overwhelmed by the sheer
amount of content now available so they are actively
managing it more than ever. And with content streams
being culled or curated it’s becoming increasingly
difficult for people to stand out in the social space and
for brands to connect with consumers there too.
So distinctive moments that cut through the noise
are becoming ever more important and the digital
platforms that deliver the best “in the moment”
experiences are growing the fastest. These cut-
through moments can be huge, global and iconic or
small, personal and everyday but they mean different
things to different people. Wave 9 - The Meaning Of
Moments has shown us that understanding those
meanings is the key to understanding how
to communicate in these moments.
• Wave is an online research survey
that has run every 1-2 years since
2006.
• All surveys are self-completed. The
data collected is purely quantitative.
• We research the Active Internet User;
those who use the internet every day
or every other day.
• They drive adoption of platforms
and tools and they will determine
which tools and platforms become
dominant.
There is much more data available in
the study that we are not able to make
available here. If you need any more
information, please do not hesitate to
contact us. Our details are at the end
of the report.
what
is wave?
GLEN PARKER
Head of Mediabrands
Marketing Sciences EMEA
HOLLIE BISHOP
Research Manager
EMEA
LIZ HAAS
Research Director
EMEA
TOM STANTON
Research Executive
EMEA

6. 11
53,954respondents 79countries
1.5BNActive internet users
worldwide
representing
The Wave 9 universe
represents the world
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Belgium
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cote d’Ivoire
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Ireland (ROI)
Israel
Italy
Japan
Kenya
Kuwaitt
Latvia
Lebanon
Lithuania
Macedonia
Malaysia
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Norway
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
S. Africa
S. Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
UAE
UK
USA
Uruguay

7. 13
the wave story
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Wave 2
2007
Showed how social media
moved from a text-based
medium of bloggers and
comment posters to a fully
audio-visual one full of
content creators and sharers.
Wave 1
2006
Demonstrated that
social media was
living up to the hype;
there was a large and
active community
communicating online.
Wave 3
2008
Charted the democratisation
of influence, how social media
was driving greater means and
opportunities for consumers to
influence their peers.
Wave 4
2009
Examined the reasons behind
the huge growth in social
media by understanding the
motivations behind the use of
different social media platforms
- showing that consumers
engage with a platform because
it meets specific consumer
needs and all platforms meet
these needs differently.
2011
Wave 5
2010
Told us there was a huge
demand for social interaction
with brands. However, the
nature and depth of this
interaction varied widely from
person to person and category
to category. Those brands that
created the right experience
benefitted enormously -
generating brand loyalty,
endorsement and sales.

8. 15
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
THE BUSINESS
OF SOCIAL
Social media tracker 2012
CRACKING THE
SOCIAL CODE
The Story of Why
A B C D
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THE LANGUAGE
of CONTENT
1
the meaning
of moments
Wave 6
2011
Showed us that meeting
different consumer needs
delivers different outcomes
for brands. For example,
some will create loyalty,
whilst others will deliver sales.
Therefore actually knowing
what consumers need and
how brand objectives can be
met is the key to long-term
social success.
Wave 7
2013
Told us that the insights we get from
an understanding of social behavior
aren’t just relevant in the social space
but are, in fact, inherent human truths
that underpin consumers’ relationships
with products and brands. We
therefore need to understand how
to leverage these insights using all
brand assets, both above the line and
in the digital social space, to create a
coherent and compelling whole.
Wave 8
2015
Showed us that, in a world
of ubiquitous content,
consumers use content
as part of their everyday
language. It is understanding
this language that lies
at the heart of creating
inherently viral content.
Wave 9
2017
Showed us that in different
moments in their lives,
consumers have different needs
that they are seeking to fulfill,
and that by understanding
these moments, we can better
target consumers with the right
message, via the right medium,
in the right moment.

9. 17
the rise
and rise
Of smart
technology
We expect our technology to come smart. So it’s no surprise
to anyone here that we see the continued rise of smart,
connected devices. Smartphones, Smart TVs and wearable
technology are the fastest-growing devices in terms of
penetration.
It is of course the smartphone that now dominates; globally
89% of active internet users own one.
Desktop
Smartphone
Mobile phone
Laptop/Convertible
Touchscreen
Full-size Tablet
e.g. iPad
Mini Tablet e.g.
iPad Mini, Amazon Fire
Portable Games Console
e.g. PS Vita
Portable mp3/
video player
Smart TV/connected
set-top box
Any wearable device
e.g. iWatch, Fitbit
Games Console
69%
69%
70%
82%
78%
79%
65%
64%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
19%
33%
39%
44%
45%
20%
25%
27%
84%
88%
73%
70%
53%
40%
32%
38%
35%
36%
27%
26%
48%
48%
39%
33%
22%
30%
34%
44%
24%
7%
21%
22%
27%
Wave
2011 2013 2015 2017
6 7 8 9
Devices owned
Q: “Please select which of the following devices you own?”
Base: Global

10. 19
GLOBAL
44.8% 76.3% 86.1% 88.1%
BRAZIL
34.7% 58.4% 77.5% 87.4%
CHINA
59.5% 90.6% 99.3% 95.9%
FRANCE
37.8% 69.5% 76.5% 87.0%
GERMANY
39.1% 74.3% 82.8% 91.0%
INDIA
36.6% 68.4% 81.8% 89.2%
ITALY
41.3% 72.9% 85.4% 90.7%
RUSSIA
28.5% 62.4% 72.7% 83.9%
UNITED KINGDOM
52.5% 77.3% 81.7% 86.3%
UNITED STATES
43.8% 67.5% 76.7% 81.9%
JAPAN
22.0% 46.1% 57.9% 66.5%
MEXICO
44.9% 66.3% 83.1% 88.1%
SPAIN
44.1% 80.6% 89.9% 93.7%
smartphone
ownership
Q: “Please select which of the following devices you own?”
Base: Global
6 7 8 9Wave
2011 2013 2015 2017

11. 21
Q: “Please select which devices you have used to do these activities” [Smartphone]
Base: Global – Own a Smartphone
?!@*!
How to build a fence
by DIY DAVE
4,989,062 views
activities done on smartphone
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%0%
13%
Wave 7 8 9
14%
43%
46%
55%
39%
42%
48%
34%
36%
43%
34%
36%
40%
13%
16%
22%
44%
46%
47%
53%
66%
71%
38%
45%
20%
30%
21%
Upload Video
Watch Video
Play Multiplayer Game
Share Location
Use Instant Messaging
Upload Photo
Share Temporary Photo
Manage Social
Network Profile
Visit Official
Company/Brand Site
Visit Message
Board/Forum
2013 2015 2017
We are doing
more with our
smartphones
than ever
It’s not the rise in smartphone penetration that is having
the most impact. It’s a fact that people are doing more
with these devices than ever.
More people are uploading and sharing content and more
people are watching content via their smartphones.
The more we use our smartphones, the more we come
to rely on them; however, this relationship is bittersweet.
Globally, 24% feel anxiety when they find themselves
checking their device too often, rising to 43% in Central
and Latin American countries.

12. 23
Q: “Thinking about using the internet, which of the following activities have you ever done?”
Base: Global
Even though social networks have been a large part of
the digital landscape for over a decade, the percentage
of global active internet users who say they have actively
managed a social network profile has continued to rise to its
current high of 85%.
In fact, 50% worry about missing out if they don’t visit their
social network, increasing to 55% amongst 16-34 year-olds.
We are actively
managing our
social networks
more than ever57%
66%
74%
77%
81% 82%
85%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
1 2 3 6
WaveWave
3
Wave
4
Wave
5
Wave
7
Wave
8
Wave
9
2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2015 2017
% who have ever managed their social network profile

13. 25
-34%
social media
isn't (just)
fun anymore
fun &
entertainment
make
money+38%
There has been a fundamental shift in the role that social
platforms play.
We have seen a huge decrease in the percentage of
people saying that social networks are good for “having
fun and being entertainment”. This has dropped 37%
since we first asked that question in Wave 4 in 2009.
At the same time we have seen an increase in the number
of people saying that social platforms are good for
“making money” (+38% since Wave 4).
There is a clear link in consumers’ minds between their
online persona and financial gain. 59% think it is important
to maintain a social profile for professional reasons. 40%
of people say they “would like to become famous online”
vs. 38% in Wave 8 (in 2015).
FOLLOW ME!
Q: “How good are the following social platforms when you want to… [ Social Network e.g. Facebook ] ?
Base: Global - Managed a social network profile, Wave 7 (2017) vs. Wave 4 (2009)

14. 27
Through Wave we have always known that different
platforms serve different needs. For Wave 9 we looked at
the platform brands themselves and we found that each
social platform brand plays a different role. Facebook
primarily drives influence amongst existing friends.
Twitter, however, is far more likely to influence a broader
group because its more adversarial nature means that
you are more likely to see content you don’t agree with,
particularly as Twitter content frequently becomes the
subject of widely shared news items.
However, with the ongoing convergence of features
(Facebook introducing stories for example), the question
to ask is whether social platforms will begin to lose this
uniqueness, leaving a less rich and diverse environment for
both consumers and advertisers.
Different
platforms
play different
roles
what each
social platform
stands for
Q: Which of the following statements do you think describe each of the platforms below?
Base: Global– use each platform at least once every 4 weeks
talked about
within my circle
of friends
fun to use
fun to use
fun to use
a positive place
trustworthy
talked about
within my circle
of friends
influences
world
opinion
62%
55%
48% 43% 56%
55% 47%
46%

15. we live in
the moment

16. 31
We constantly
need to be
'in the know'
Because consumers now have almost instant access to
new content, it becomes hard for them to tear their eyes
away. They feel they should be constantly up-to-date with
what’s happening and this can be a source of stress.
50% of consumers worry about missing out in the social
spaces and 21% of 16-24 year-olds have experienced
checking their device too often.
50%
52%
I worry about missing
out about something
on my social network
It's important to seem
active on social media
Q: “Below are a list of statements, please answer reflecting your opinion”
Base: Global

17. 33
84.8%
69.4%
Wave 8 9
2015 2017
Q: Which of the following have you done in the last 6 months?
Base: Global
When we look at the fastest-growing platforms in
our survey we can see that those which offer instant
feedback are growing the fastest.
85% of active internet users globally use an instant
messaging service, an increase of 15.4% from Wave
8. Instant Messaging was a platform that felt like it
would die away, killed off by other richer forms of
social media, but it’s making a comeback.
no waiting
+15.4%

18. 35
Increasingly, consumers can access content without even
having to pick up a device.
61% of global active internet users have tried voice services
such as Apple’s SIRI or Google Assistant on a smartphone,
or Amazon Echo or Google Home.
This will have a fundamental effect on the search strategies
of advertisers as they try to connect consumers with their
brands in a fundamentally different environment.
For consumers, however, voice services are enabling them
to gather knowledge without breaking the flow of their
everyday lives.
Q: Use an online service that uses voice commands – Have ever done
Base: Global
in the
moment
means right
now
Listening...
FLOUR

19. 37
31%
22%
14%
12%
30%
26%
17%
15%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Wave 8 9
2015 2017
It has
raised our
expectations…
As consumers become accustomed to instant
gratification of their needs it is also changing their
expectations of brands.
When we ask the question “what do you want from
brands?” we see a decrease in the percentage of
people who just want to hear the latest product
news and an increase in the percentage who want
something deeper, such as help or advice, escape and
relaxation or something worth sharing with others.
Q: “Which three of the following interactions would you like to have with brands or companies that you purchase from?”
Base: Global

20. moments

21. 41
This desire for constant connection is not going away;
in fact it will increase. 58% of active internet users globally
believe that they will spend more time on their smartphones
than PCs in the future. As we have already seen, the more
time we spend on our smartphones, the more things we do
online. We won’t be able to put them down either. Despite
24% of people feeling anxiety when they check their phones
too often, many more say they feel stressed when they
don’t have internet access.
We will spend
more and more
time online
Q: “Below are a list of statements, please answer reflecting your opinion”
Base: Global
53%
54%
55%
56%
57%
58%
59%
60%
55%
58%
57%
60%
Wave 8 9
2015 2017

22. 43
Q: “Below are a list of statements, please answer reflecting your opinion”
Base: Global
Perhaps one of the most surprising things we have
found it in Wave 9 is that nearly half of the active
internet universe feel overwhelmed by the amount
of content available online. It’s not just less digitally-
savvy people who feel this way either. In fact this
number is even higher for teens (52%).
It seems that despite their sophistication, the more
knowledgeable a person is about the extent of what’s
available to them, the less able they feel to manage it.
And it is
leaving us
overwhelmed
“I feel overwhelmed by
the volume of things
available to me online”
48.1%

23. 45
6
WaveWave
3
Wave
2
Wave
1
Wave
4
Wave
5
Wave
7
Wave
8
Wave
9
6
WaveWave
4
Wave
5
Wave
7
Wave
8
Wave
9
27%
36%
57%
64%
72% 75%
78% 76%
71%
57%
66%
74%
77%
81% 81%
85%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Create a profile on a social network Manage a profile on a social network
People you are in contact with on social media
44
48
60
70 69
65
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2015 2017
2009 2010 2011 2013 2015 2017
Q: “Thinking about using the internet, which of the following activities have you ever done?” Base: Global
Q: “How many people are you in contact with (Social media network)?” Base: Global
we are trying
to manage the
content stream
This has led to a fundamental shift in behaviour, as we
try to manage the amount of content we are exposed
to. We are less likely to create a profile on a new social
network, a figure that has been falling now since Wave 7
in 2013. We are also editing out people from our existing
social networks too. Once we signed up more and more
contacts on social media, like it was a popularity contest.
Now we are culling them. In fact we are, on average,
likely to be in contact with less people on our social
networks now than we were two Waves ago.
What’s up mate?
Look at this!
This album looks awesome
@UCL this looks cool
@matt8 you ok?
Hi Veera it’s mum...
@matt8 No way!
% who have ever created or managed a social network profile
contacts on social media

24. 47
It’s clear that despite this deluge of content, some moments
capture the attention of everyone.
Here are the Top 10 Google searches globally in 2016.
Whether it’s the chance to get super-rich on a US lottery
Powerball game, the sad and touching moment of a revered
musician passing, or even the swift rise and fall of a game
like Pokémon Go or Slither.io, it’s clear that some moments
cut through.
When The Economist wanted to unlock a new audience
for their publication, they leveraged newsworthy moments
like these by using dynamic creative to place a thought-
provoking and relevant marketing message next to online
news articles. These dynamic display ads were comprised
of Economist content and built in real time to match the
context of the page and our viewer profile. As a result, over
3.6 million people tried The Economist for the first time.
Creating moments is also becoming increasingly important
to individuals, as they attempt to stand out. When you
look at all the platforms that have grown since Wave 8,
you can see that it is those which allow you to create and
share moments that have grown the fastest; whether that’s
creating a video and then uploading, or sharing a photo. In
fact, the act of creating a standout “selfie” has become so
extreme that over 70 people died in the last year alone from
accidents that occurred whilst they were taking them.
Some
moments can
be incredibly
powerful
it's increasingly
important to be able
to share those moments
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Upload my photos to a photo sharing site Create a video to upload online Upload a video clip to a video sharing site
6
WaveWave
3
Wave
2
Wave
4
Wave
5
Wave
7
Wave
8
Wave
9
Wave
1
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2015 2017
71%
59%
53%
Q: “Thinking about using the internet, which of the following activities have you ever done?” Base: Global
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_selfie-related_injuries_and_deaths

25. 49
One of the fastest-growing platforms that exemplifies
this is Snapchat, which allows you to share a photo
which will be deleted once it’s seen.
Snapchat Stories has been an incredibly popular (and
much-imitated) feature, allowing people to share their
day moment-by-moment with others. It also shows
how these moments can come and go in an instant.
how fleeting
these moments
can be
53.2%
45.6%
Wave 8 9
42%
44%
46%
48%
50%
52%
54%
2015 2017
Hen
Party19.11.16 Hannah’s Hen!
Nuts :)Nuts :)
Q: Which of the following have you ever done?
Base: Global
+16.7%

26. 51
As moments become important to consumers
and brands as a way to cut through, our challenge
then is to find those moments - moments when an
audience is open to messages which are relevant
and meaningful to them and which respond to
their needs in these moments.
our challenge
then is to
find those
moments

27. the meaning
of moments

28. 55
To identify the key moments in peoples’ lives we worked
with Amobee, our digital behavioral partner. Amobee
captures 60bn online interactions each day, including
searches, purchases, conversations, content consumption,
location and email content. Working with Amobee, we
clustered this huge behavioural dataset to identify 3,000
consumer moments. From which we selected the 138 most
important to analyse further in our study.
We added over 138 of
those moments to Wave
Amobee provides us with incredibly strong broad
behavioural data, but we wanted to find out more about the
consumers’ feelings and motivations within each moment.
The Wave moments range across many categories, from
technology moments such as wanting the latest device, to
finance moments like managing your bank account.
We then used Wave to investigate these 138 key moments,
providing deep dive attitudinal and behavioural survey data
for each moment.
we started with
behavioral data
My Name is...
My Name is...
NEW!!
iMobile
16
Get Started...
Your Bank Account
£
SHOPPING
e.g. discovering
a new product
at the store
HOBBIES
e.g. playing a
console game
FAMILY
e.g. a family
wedding
TECHNOLOGY
e.g. wanting the
latest device
WORK
e.g. attending a
work-related event
SOCIALISING
e.g. attending
a festival
LOOKING
AFTER
YOURSELF
e.g. taking part
in sports
FINANCE
e.g. managing
your bank account
TRAVEL
e.g. planning
a holiday
60bn 3000ONLINE
INTERACTIONS
PER DAY
MOMENTS

29. 57
Looking at each moment in this way provides us with a
framework for understanding moments and making them
more actionable.
We first understand how big each moment is in the lives of
our target audience.
Then we find out how they feel in those moments – are
they optimistic, anxious, bored, happy?
Then we look at the needs that they are seeking to fulfil
in those moments – when they are managing their bank
account, do they want to learn something new so that
they can do that task better? Are they looking to share
the knowledge that they already have? What is it that they
want to do?
Then once we understand these needs which consumers
are looking to fulfil, which platforms, connected devices
and content types best fulfil those needs for consumers?
The anatomy
of a moment
In the key moments
in consumers’lives...
Which feelings
do they experience?
Which needs are
they seeking to fulfil?
Which social platforms,
connected devices and
content types best
fulfil those needs?

30. 59
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Sneaky Online Shopping at Work
Researching Online for a New Product
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Junior Members
Senior Management
For example, we can use this framework to investigate the
anatomy of different types of shopping moment.
We’ve covered various shopping moments in the survey –
shopping in-store, online, returning a product…
Here, we are comparing two essentially similar behaviours
but where our Wave data shows their context makes them
radically different. Researching online for a new product vs.
sneaky online shopping at work.
When we ask consumers how they feel in these two
moments we can see they are very different experiences for
consumers.
In moments of sneaky online shopping at work, people feel
joy, they feel relaxed as they take a moment away from the
working day, they feel boredom which they’re attempting
to relieve, and a few feel anxiety – they might get
caught!Whereas researching a new product online is a very
positive experience; consumers feel intrigue, inspiration,
optimism and anticipation as they find out more about the
item they are going to buy.
When delving deeper into the shopping moment
of sneaky online shopping at work, we can see how
differently the moment is experienced for different
audiences too.
For the junior level employee, this behaviour is seen
as an unexpected joyous moment, however filled with
anxiety – this fear of getting caught is exemplified!
In comparison, the senior employee uses this moment
as a opportunity for relaxation and inspiration, as
well as a way to deal with the monotony of the day
(boredom).
By framing the emotional state of consumers in
moments, we are equipped with the knowledge to
better connect via media.
All behavioural
moments are
not the same
Moments are
experienced
differently
by Everyone
Q: Which of the following moments have you experienced in the last 6 months?
Which of the following best describes your feelings during this moment?
Base: Global – all who experienced each moment
Q: Which of the following moments have you experienced in the last 6 months?
Which of the following best describes your feelings during this moment?
Base: Global – all who experienced each moment,
Junior Members – Administrator/Executive | Senior Management – Head of department or higher
feelings in a moment - sneaky
online shopping at work
feelings in two shopping moments

31. 61
When we dig into which needs consumers are seeking to
fulfil in each of the shopping moments, we can see that in
some moments like Christmas shopping or sneaky shopping
online at work over on the right of the graph, consumers are
looking to have fun and escape.
And in some moments like sneaky online shopping at work
or even when doing the weekly shop towards the top of the
graph, consumers are seeking to relax or escape from their
everyday lives.
Whereas, as we saw in the previous chart, researching online
for a product at another time is about inspiration.
This gives us enormous insight into how to optimise the
experiences at each moment and clearly demonstrates how
different those experience need to be. Entertainment during
the working day, inspiration at other times.
Consumers are more
receptive in some
Shopping moments
25%
20%
Researching a
product online
Discovering a new
product in-store
Organizing a
shopping list
Impulse
shopping
Sneaky online
shopping at work
Christmas
shopping
Excitement over a
new product you just got
Weekly
shopping
15%
10%
13% 17% 21% 25%
5%
0%
Q: Which of the following moments have you experienced in the last 6 months? : Which needs do you think are satisfied in these moments?
Base: Global | Bubble size = % of people who experienced each moment in the last 6 months
needs satisfied when
i experience a moment

32. 63
Wave also tells us which platforms best communicate that
experience
It’s a fact that when you dig into the anatomy of a moment,
you find out that the real meaning of a moment lies in how
people feel when they experience it, and what they want
to achieve – which needs are they seeking to fulfil in that
moment.
In fact, those same five real, human and fundamental needs
that underpin moments also drive all social behaviour:
learning, relationship, diversion, progression and recognition.
Nine Waves of research have told us that it’s these five
same needs which we can use to explain all of our behaviour
within social media; why we use each of the social platforms
and connected devices that we do and why we share some
types of content online and not others.
These needs are as true within a moment as they are in the
social space.
photo & video sites, twitter
& social networks fulfil
the need for escapism
Have Fun or Be Entertained Relax & Escape
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Q: Which of these media channels is good when you want to…?
Base: Global – all who use each platform

33. 65
Having a greater understanding of what consumers
are looking to achieve within a moment enables us to
identify new opportunity moments for brands.
Because so many brands want consumers to share
their content, we decided to dig into our Wave data
to find the moments in which consumers themselves
want to share and to express their emotions.
We found something interesting.
Within the list of the moments in which consumers most
want to share their emotions, there are big moments –
weddings, the birth of a new baby – moments when lots of
brands already target consumers – but also there are small
moments, like talking online with family or friends, or even
the simple pleasure of eating together – and it’s in these
little moments that we see real opportunities for brands to
encourage their audiences to share.
Moments don’t have to be big to be important – the biggest
opportunities lie in small, frequent moments.
…which creates
opportunities
for brands
Looking at how brands can encourage their audiences to
share their content, it’s clear that brands can succeed by
giving people tools to help them share these little moments
– this is key to the success of brands like Snapchat and
Instagram.
It also works for FMCG brands. Coke have a very strong
record in encouraging their consumers to share. In their
latest campaign ‘Share a Song’, they have provided
consumers with the tools to share this moment of sharing a
Coke together.
people want
to share their
emotions
in moments
both big
and small
41%
32%
32%
31%
29%
29%
28%
27%
26%
26%
26%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Q: Which of the following moments have you experienced in the last 6 months?
Q: Which needs do you think are satisfied in these moments?
Base: Global – all who experienced each moment
moments when i want to
express & share emotion

34. 67
In the ten plus years we have been conducting Wave we
have seen many trends but also come to know a more
important truth. That there are 5 real and fundamental
human needs that drive all online behaviour: learning,
relationship, diversion, progression and recognition.
We thought this had huge relevance for how we
communicate in the online space but maybe less so in
other media; however, when we began Wave we were
investigating a small digital niche. Today that niche is now
the dominant medium, growing fastest in both consumer
consumption and advertising investment.
The insights from Wave let us understand more about
the ‘why’ that drives consumer behavior on and offline.
Putting these insights at the heart of our plans helps us
identify the moments that matter for brands to make
meaningful connections.
Hamish Kinniburgh
Global Chief Strategy Officer
putting digital
understanding
at the heart of
moments planning Seek opinion
Keep up to date
Explore
Belong
Share knowledge
Stay in touch
Hang out
Have Fun
Be creative
Build a career
Make money
Earn respect
Change opinions
Express yourself
Self-promotion
Escape
Learn

35. 69
Wave 9: The Meaning of Moments is part of
UM’s ongoing research programme aimed at
exploring the huge changes taking place in
communication technologies.
If you have any questions about the report,
please contact:
EMEA
Glen Parker
Head of Mediabrands Marketing Sciences, EMEA
glen.parker@umww.com
Liz Haas
Research Director, EMEA
liz.haas@umww.com
North America
Huw Griffiths
Global Chief Product Officer
huw.griffiths@umww.com
APAC
Craig Harvey
Head of Insight. APAC
craig.harvey@mbww.com
Latin America
Mario Mejia
LATAM Regional Strategy Lead
mario.mejia@umww.com
Contact
details
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