ITUNES REACHES 14 PERCENT OF ACTIVE INTERNET UNIVERSE,

Nielsen//NetRatings: iTunes Users Prefer Distinct Consumer and Media Brands, Including Volkswagen, Wired Magazine and

Cartoon Network. US. That traffic to Apple’s iTunes Web site and use of the iTunes application has

skyrocketed 241 percent over the past year, from 6.1 million unique visitors in December 2004 to 20.7

million in December 2005, reaching nearly 14 percent of the active Internet population.

Teens are disproportionately represented among iTunes users; 12 to 17 year olds are nearly twice as

likely to visit the iTunes Web site and use the application as the average Internet user. iTunes users are

also more likely to be male; the site’s traffic is 54 percent male and 46 percent female.

The rapid growth of iTunes is an important phenomenon in the online media marketplace,. Consumers have clearly indicated that they are

eager to control their own music libraries, one song at a time,” he continued. n iTunes users form a distinct target audience with identifiable

brand preferences (see Table 1). Their favorite car make is Volkswagen, which they are 2.2 times more

likely to own than the average Internet user. Other popular car makers among the group include Audi and

Subaru. In terms of beverages, their alcohol of choice is hard cider, followed by imported and domestic

beer.

iTunes users also have decided media preferences. Among magazines, they are 3.3 times more likely

than average to read Wired, 2.6 times more likely to read Rolling Stone and 2.5 times more likely to read

FHM. When watching television, they flock to the Cartoon Network at 1.4 times the average rate, and to

HBO and BBC America at 1.3 and 1.2 times the average rate, respectively.

More: iTunes Users Prefer Distinct Consumer and Media Brands Publ 20060119