When selling cars to Canadians, don’t overlook the value of promoting the car’s audio entertainment features. A new study finds that 70% of Canadian drivers say music is the key to a stress-free summer road trip.
The study from SiriusXM Canada and Leger Marketing survey found that almost half of Canadian drivers agree that audio entertainment helps combat stress.To decrease frustration when driving, 50 per cent choose to crank the music and a third sing out loud. In addition, a third of survey respondents say they would suffer more road rage than they currently do without audio entertainment.
“XM Radio subscribers tune in 85 per cent of the time while driving and music is by far the most preferred listening genre,” said Danielle Brown, Director, Automotive Marketing, XM Canada. For those Canadians planning to hit the road for the summer road trips, SiriusXM audio entertainment provides various music options when behind the wheel.
Top Five Ways to Stay Cool in Hot Situations on the Road this Summer:
1. Blast your tunes (50 per cent);
2. Belt out your favorite summer anthem (33 per cent);
3. Bring a buddy (31 per cent);
4. Breeze it up – roll down the windows (26 per cent);
5. Be part of the fun – listen to sports/news/comedy/audio books (25 per cent).
Hitting the Road
• 70 per cent of Canadian drivers surveyed say they couldn’t do a summer road trip without good music;
• Individuals who are single are the most likely to believe that a summer trip is impossible without good music (76 per cent);
• 79 per cent of 18 to 34 year old drivers state they couldn’t do a summer trip without music.
Additional Fast Facts:
Start Your Engines
• 3 in 5 Canadian drivers are gearing up for a road trip this summer;
• A passion for taking road trips is more common among men than it is among women (61 per cent vs. 53 per cent);
• Drivers with children are also apt to enjoy the open road, with 63 per cent indicating that they are planning a summer road trip, while only 54 per cent of drivers without children say the same;
• Road trips are also more popular among Canadian drivers aged 44 or less (62 per cent).
Life is a Highway
• Younger Canadian drivers are the most likely to experience stress on the road, with 51 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds reporting that they sometimes feel raged;
• Older Canadian drivers (55 years+) are more likely to be stress-free while behind the wheel than younger drivers aged 44 or less (87 per cent vs. 79 per cent);
• Men are more likely than women to report incidents of road rage (44 per cent vs. 32 per cent);
• Cranking up the music to alleviate in-car stress is most popular among 18 to 34 year olds (66 per cent).
Across the country
• Albertan drivers are the most likely to elect to bring along a friend to alleviate their stress (41 per cent);
• Drivers in Quebec tend to be more likely to embark on road trips than Ontarians and British Columbians (65 per cent vs. 53 per cent and 51 per cent);
• Atlantic Canadians are in high spirits while driving, with 89 per cent reporting calm rides on the open road;
• Ontario drivers are the most likely to crank up the tunes and sing out loud while driving (56 per cent and 37 per cent respectively);
• Interestingly, cranking up the music was the most popular stress reliever on the east coast (31 per cent).
The survey was completed on-line from June 13, 2011 to June 15, 2011 using Leger Marketing’s online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 1,501 Canadians. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of 2.53%. Panel members are randomly selected to receive email invitations to the individual surveys.
