iTunes Users Drive VWs, Read Wired

According to a recent study by Nielsen/NetRatings, the average iTunes consumer is a Volkswagen driving, hard cider drinking, Wired reading, Cartoon Network viewer. The findings were released as part of the organization's monthly report on the most heavily trafficked Web sites for the month of December.

The survey also found that teens 12 to 17 are more than twice as likely as the average Internet user to visit the iTunes Web site, and are more likely to be male by a 54 to 46 percent margin.

Neilsen/NetRatings says that the brand preferences of iTunes consumers should play into the decisions of networks as to what programming is added to the service, as well as any advertising that would be included therein.

iTunes users are 2.1 times more likely to own a Volkswagen, followed by Audi at two times the average rate and Subaru at 1.8 times. In terms of alcoholic beverages, hard cider is preferred 2.3 more than average, with imported beer twice as likely to be consumed, and 1.8 times for domestic beer.

Tech magazine Wired sees the greatest penetration of any brand in the survey, with a user 3.3 times more likely to read the publication. Rolling Stone and FHM are also favorites, with readership rates of 2.6 and 2.5 times the average, respectively.

However, perhaps what is of most use to iTunes, and a figure that programmers may be interested in for the video portion of the store is network viewership. The Cartoon Network takes the lead here, with users 1.4 times as likely to watch the channel, followed by 1.3 times for BBC America and 1.2 times the average for premium network HBO.

"The rapid growth of iTunes is an important phenomenon in the online media marketplace," said Jon Gibs, director of media analytics, Nielsen//NetRatings. "Consumers have clearly indicated that they are eager to control their own music libraries, one song at a time."

Beyond iTunes, December's survey found that the top Web property remained Yahoo, with 103.8 million unique visitors during the month. Microsoft came in second with 97.2 million, and MSN in third with 90.9 million. Rounding out the top five were Google with 86.6 million, and AOL with 76.7 million visitors.