Irish Diaspora SurveyDecember 2010

“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too

late the one that is opening.” (Alexander Graham Bell)

In association

with

2

Introduction

The Research Programme

The Survey Findings

The Opportunities presented by the Global Irish Market

Questions & Answers

Presentation Structure

3

At every level we face huge economic challenges:

– As people, as citizens and as taxpayers,

– As businesses and organisations as we seek new markets for

survival,

– As a Country and an Economy as we seek new markets and

additional revenues.

Requirement for organisations to seek out new opportunities and

markets.

Role of the Global Irish frequently mentioned, often thought about.... but

not much done.

The Economic Context

4

Amárach has always sought to point the way into new markets:– eCommerce and the Internet,– Sponsorship Evaluation,– Income & Wealth,– Ethnic Research.

The Irish Abroad:– 70m worldwide – the majority in the United States.– Three countries have this opportunity: India; Israel and Ireland.

Aiming to undertake an International Irish omnibus survey on a monthly basis from January.

Relevant to key sectors: – Tourism,– Education,– Banking and Finance,– FMCG,– Charity sector.

Other research products will be developed and launched in 2011 –focused on key niches.

Our New Research Programme

5

http://www.irishcentral.com/

Founded by Niall O’Dowd.

Irishcentral.com is a U.S. based information website aimed at Irish and

Irish American visitors. The site focuses on news, entertainment,

politics and sport.

Irishcentral.com achieves 500,000 unique hits per month and dispatches

almost 70,000 newsletters to visitors several times a week.

Our Programme Partner -

Irishcentral.com

6

The survey is conducted online:

– Via a link on the Irishcentral.com website,

– And through distribution of the survey link to

weekly,Irishcentral.com newsletter recipients.

The survey was conducted between November 30th and December 6th.

The highest proportion of responses were received within the first 4 days

of launch – with close on 2000 responses being logged. In total we have

2,400 responses.

Our Programme Partner -

Irishcentral.com

7

Survey Respondents(N= 2404)

Age when left Ireland

U18 30%

18-24 42%

25-34 23%

35-44 6%

45-54 1%

55-64

65+

45-54

35-44

25-3418-24

U18

American Born

Irish Born

Gender:

Age:

8

Survey Respondents(N= 2404)

Living together

62%

5%

13%

12%

6% 1%

Married

Single/never

married

Divorced

SeparatedWidowed

Marital Status:

9

Survey Respondents(N= 2404)

4 year college degree

Professional Degree (MD,JD)

Less than high school

Masters degree

High school/ GED

Doctoral degree

2 year college degree

Some college

C2DEF

ABC1

Education:

Those with Children:

Social Class

10

Survey Respondents(N= 2404)

Work full

time

Retired

Work part time

Self employed

Homemaker

Unemployed/ seeking a job

Other

Student

Income

€10,000 or less $13,000 or less 4%

€10,001-20,000 $13,001-26,000 6%

20,001-30,000 $26,001-39,500 9%

€30,001-40,000 $39,001-52,500 11%

€40,001-50,000 $52,501-66,000 10%

€50,001-60,000 $66,001-79,000 8%

€60,001-75,000 $79,001-98,500 9%

€75,001-

€100,000$98,501-130,000 8%

€100,001+ $130,001+ 8%

Prefer not to

answer

Prefer not to

answer28%

11

Survey Respondents(N= 2404)

Within last year 1-3 years ago

3-5 years ago

5-10 years ago15+ years ago

10-15 years ago

Have never travelled abroad

Age

U18 1%

18-24 1%

25-34 3%

35-44 8%

45-54 21%

55-64 36%

65+ 31%

(N= 1826)

Ever Visited Ireland:

Last Trip Abroad:

12

3%

5%

1%

7%

1%

–

–

1%

1%

1%

2%

8%

1%

4%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

3%

2%

7% 1%

3%

6%

2%

16%

1%3%

3%

2%

1%

1%

2%

3%

Distribution of Sample(N= 2404)

2%

13

Topics of Focus

Irish Links & Connections

Tourism

Banking

Education

Demand for Irish

Slide 14

Slide 19

Slide 23

Slide 25

Slide 28

14

Irish Links & Connections

15

Strong

Strengths of Links with Ireland

Family members

living in Ireland

with whom keep

in regular

contact

*Mean score of

7.7 on a scale of 1- 10

61%

Neutral

32%

Weak

7%

32%

Strong emotional bonds between the Irish in America and Ireland despite

what appear to be weak on-the-ground connections; a clear opportunity

to extend our hand, connect and make the relationship 2-way.

16

Membership of Irish Focused

Organisations

Those involved with Irish

focused organisations in the

U.S.

24%

1 in 4 reinforce their sense of culture and belonging through

involvement in Irish focused organisations.

The ‘United States of America’ remains a concept in the psyche

of those living there. Origins and ancestry lie at the heart of

individual and familial identity.

There is scope to involve the 2 in 4 not affiliated with Irish

organisations in the U.S.

17

Interest in Current Events

Once a week or more

1-3 times

per month

Once a month or less

Frequency of going online to

find out what is happening in

Ireland

Websites visited

–

%

An appetite for and curiosity about what is happening in

Ireland.

18

Greatest Concerns About Ireland

Recent unemployment

Overall health of the nation/how the country is

being run

Strain of debt/paying off loans

The prospect of migration of young people

Potential unemployment

Strain of reduced income

Political situation in Northern Ireland

IMF stepping in to sort out finances

Quality of healthcare

Level of crime in the country

Housing crisis

%

We are not alone.

Results show an interest in sincere and real-time issues

affecting us on home soil.

19

Tourism

20

Ireland as a Holiday Destination

Perceptions of Ireland as a

vacation destination*

How Ireland compares to

other destinations visited*

Poor

Worse

Excellent

Better

%

*Of those who have visited Ireland

(N=1826)

A strong pre-disposition towards Ireland means that potential

for word-of-mouth recommendation, the ‘holy grail’ of all

marketeers, already exists.

21

Perceptions of Ireland

... as a place to vacation

... as a place to bring up a

family

... as a place for education

... as a place to retire

... as a place to do business

Mean

Score*

9.4

7.5

7.6

7.4

6.6

*On a scale of 1- 10

Ireland holds appeal across all stages of the lifecycle. A

chance to expand our view beyond a focus on tourism and

short stay opportunities.

22

Our Best & Our Worst

%

Sports

amenities

Visiting friends/

relatives

Attitude of

the people

Landscape/

countryside

Getting around

42

35

6

36

Range/variety

of tourist

attractions

Stick shift cars

Cost of living

The weather

Driving on left hand

side of road

Entertainment

Cost of flights

Beyond the barrier of cost, problems getting around while in Ireland may undermine our

tradition of hospitality.

Do we entice and welcome the abandon our guests, leaving them to ‘find their own way’?

23

Education

24

5 53

Ireland as a Place to Study

Consideration of Ireland

as a place to send son or

daughter to study ....

No Yes

To encourage connection with heritage and

family

Ireland is good environment to study/develop

high standard of education

The high quality/standard of education

Cost of fees relative to U.S.

Reasons why ....

%

%

(*Those with children)

1 in 2 (47%) believe that education in Ireland is cheaper than in the U.S. but

the appeal of an Irish education for children does not lie in dollar and cent.

The concept of affording children the chance to connect with their heritage;

in an environment conducive to learning resonates more deeply.

25

Appeal of Courses

19

24

60

55

Not

Interested InterestedInterest in distance

learning course by

Irish university ...

Consideration of a

course (recreational/

hobby) or to study ...

No Yes

%

%

The student is willing, the tools are at hand. The time is now.

Over half of respondents tell us they would consider a distance learning course.

A further 3-in-5 would consider on-the-ground and non-academic courses.

26

Banking

27

Bank Accounts

Those with bank accounts in Ireland ....

Checking account

Neither

Deposit account

Many of those born in Ireland still hold bank accounts here.

28

Demand for Irish – An

Untapped Market ....

29

Purchasing Gifts for People in Ireland

Books

CDs/DVDs

Gift baskets

Flowers

Housewares/crystal

Vouchers for stores in

Ireland

Vouchers for pampering

sessions

Vouchers for weekends

away

%

Have purchased for friends or

family living in Ireland at times

such as Christmas, using the

internet ......

(70%)

(30%)

7 in 10 of the 2400 respondents have taken advantage of the convenience of the

Internet to buy ‘special occasion’ gifts for friends of family in Ireland ....

30

Purchasing Methods

Online via a non-Irish site (e.g.

Amazon)

Buy directly and then post

Online via Irish sites

Call store in Ireland directly and

give credit card details

Friends/family in Ireland do actual

shopping for me

Usual purchase methods.....

%

With over a third of sales gracing the accounts of non-Irish web sites and

likely impacting both cost and delivery times.

31

A Demand for Irish

Desire for easier access to

Irish products such as .... Basic foodstuffs

Clothing

Confectionery

Jewellery

Books

Meats

Art

Crystal

Newspapers/magazines

Antiques

%

When asked what Irish products they would like but do not have easy

access to, respondents highlighted opportunities beyond FMCG goods to

include art, antiques, clothing, jewellery and newspapers/magazines.

32

Investment Products

Interest in an Irish

investment product (e.g.

government savings bond,

National Solidarity Bond

promising a 10% gross return

over 10 years)....

No Yes

%

63 37

Some interest in Irish investment products.

33

Scores represent ‘mean score’ on a scale of 1 to 5

4.7

4.7

4.4

4.3

3.3

3.1

2.7

2.6

2.3

2.1 2.12.1

Familiarity with Irish Brands

2.1

The survey can help gauge performance in the ‘Brand Stakes’; How aware

the Irish American market is of a product or service and how likely they

would be to consider them.

Waterford Crystal and Bailey’s are the current frontrunners, followed by

Aer Lingus and Jameson Whisky.

34

We have dipped our toe in the water and a door does appear

open to us …. if we are willing to explore, examine and expand

our horizons.

Strong opportunities to tap the Irish-American community and to

leverage bonds between it and Ireland.

Transportation (either to or within the country) poses the

greatest risk to fully enjoying a stay in Ireland.

There is a ripe market for marketing Irish education in the U.S. –

for both on-the-ground training and distance learning.

That just 15% purchase gifts for family or friends in Ireland using

home-grown websites flags a gap that is calling to be filled.

With books and CDs a favourite purchase, clothing and basic

foodstuffs are in demand but unavailable to Irish Americans.

Summary

35

Thank You

A summary of results can be found on the Amárach Research website.

To enquire about putting question on this survey, contact Orla Murphy at

01-4105250 or by e-mail at orla.murphy@amarach.com

“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is

closing that we see too late the one that is

already open.” (Amárach Research)