British teenagers are turning the bathroom digital
AccClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.ording to new research released today, increasing numbers of consumers across the globe are using digital products in their bathroom - from wireless devices and portable music players to computers and even accClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.essing the internet. The study of more than 5,000 consumers in fourteen countries reveals that UK teenagers are some of the most technologically savvy, with 79% of those surveyed agreeing they would spend more time in a digitally enhanced bathroom – the highest figure from all countries surveyed in the EMEA region.
The research commissioned by Ideal Standard International, a leading provider of innovative and design-driven bathroom solutions, also reveals that one in ten UK teenagers is already using the internet as well as gadgets such as electric game consoles in their bathrooms at least once a week. Younger Brits (15-20 years old) are using other digital devices such as mobile phones and portable music players in the bathroom significantly more often compared to older age groups.
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ccClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.ording to the online poll, British men are living up to their gadget loving stereotype and make more use of electronic products in the bathroom than women with almost a quarter (37%) using radio, TV, computer and internet all from the sanctuary of their bathroom. In contrast, one out of three British women surveyed are more interested in buying digital products that help to be environmentally friendly, such as taps with special ‘
clickCLICK technology.
The single lever basin mixer and bidet mixer
incorporate a CLICK feature that encourages
water saving – the user lifts the handle until they
feel a slight resistance. This resistance informs the
user that the fitting is delivering only 50% of its
maximum flow potential. Lifting the handle
further enables the fitting to deliver maximum
flow. CLICK technology is available on Idyll Two,
Ceramix, Ceraplan and Melange.' technology that control water flow and reduce water wastage.
This image depicts existing and futuristic digital aspects of the bathroom. Included are: mirror/screen with digital time display, mirrors with integrated lighting system, digitized power shower and hammam with MP3 connection incorporated, digital sensory taps, but also more regular features such as a wireless landline, personalized weight scales, PC and television set.
Key findings include:
1. Gender: Overall, women almost use digital products as often as men but for different reasons. For men, the digital items used in the bathroom are more often linked to entertainment and time saving, such as PDAs, computer games, DVD players and the internet. Women use telephones, personal weight scales and portable music players most often. When it comes to watching TV in the bathroom, men (11%) and women (3%) have very different scores!
2. Motivation: The number one reason why people would use digital products in the bathroom is "to be entertained" (30% in the UK). Mostly used for entertainment are TVs, radios, DVDs and CD players, portable music players and electronic game consoles. The main reasons why people use their mobile or wireless landline phone in the bathroom are: to save time (46%), to be more available (29%) and to have more privacy (29%).
3. Age: 43% of British people in their twenties are most drawn to electronics for entertainment . Moreover, 40% of families with teenage children say they are more inclined to buy digital products for the bathroom.
4. Device: TVs are most popular in South Korea, where 30% of consumers already have one in their bathrooms compared with only 6% in the UK. Looking at the use of mobile phones in the bathroom, South Korea leads by 65% closely followed by Russia (60%) and Greece (56%) with the UK lagging behind at 26%, although this is on the increase. The radio is also popular with one in four people in the UK already having the device in their bathroom.
5. Potential: Six out of ten UK consumers indicate that they would spend more time in the bathroom if they had more digital products – especially if they were products designed for entertainment (32%), wellness (24%) and communicating (14%). Overall, eight in ten British consumers are interested in buying one or more types of digital products developed for the bathroom.
The next-generation bathroom
Ideal Standard International has long been an advocate of forward-looking design and the company's vision is to "bring the digital age into the bathroom creating a life space of pleasure and relaxation". Ideal Standard International works closely with a team of established designers to translate consumers' needs into actual bathroom furniture and ceramics. "Digital implies a better way to control our environment through discrete embedded technology," says
Robin LevienRobin Levien RDI is one of Britain’s
most consistently succClick and Clean. The lower wheels and panels can be released to expose the for thorough cleaning. Panel then easily clicks back into position to ensure a water tight seal.essful product
designers of the last 25 years. In 1999
Robin set up Studio Levien with his
wife Tricia Stainton to design domestic
products for leading companies all over
the world. He was made non executive
Design Director of Ideal Standard in
the UK in 2003., an established designer who has been working with Ideal Standard International for 28 years. "We understand that the human interface 'fuzzy logic' is just as important as the technology, and, therefore, it is key to develop products that communicate with the consumers on levels that they care about, such as health."
A trend for the future – the bathroom turning digital!
"The results of the survey show an important evolution in our society," says Paul Frankish, UK Marketing Director at Ideal Standard International. "The bathroom is often considered as the last safe haven in a stressful environment. This survey confirms that digital products are not considered as intruders, but rather have been welcomed to a permanent spot in the bathroom. The only thing now is for the UK to catch up with the rest of the world and discover the amazing advantages a digital bathroom can offer."
If currently the main reasons for using digital tools in the bathroom are entertainment, saving time and privacy, the future reveals a widening scope of areas in which consumers would welcome digital devices for health and safety in the digital bathroom.
-Ends-
Notes to Editor
For more information, visit www.idealstandardinternational.com or contact the Ideal Standard UK press office at Hill & Knowlton:
Jo Walsh / Nuala O'Neill
0207 413 3242 / 020 7973 5923
idealstandard@hillandknowlton.com
To find out more about Ideal Standard International's range of digitally enhanced products please visit our online press release archive:
• SimplyU: create your "Ideal" bathroom with a simple
clickCLICK technology.
The single lever basin mixer and bidet mixer
incorporate a CLICK feature that encourages
water saving – the user lifts the handle until they
feel a slight resistance. This resistance informs the
user that the fitting is delivering only 50% of its
maximum flow potential. Lifting the handle
further enables the fitting to deliver maximum
flow. CLICK technology is available on Idyll Two,
Ceramix, Ceraplan and Melange.• Ideal Standard International pioneers integrated design solutions concept and new mirror range and Ideal Standard mirror range, a reflection of the future
• Tonax : Showering in colours, sounds and sensations
• Soft Bath, a glimpse into bathtubs of the future
• Jado unveils next-generation bathroom products
About Ideal Standard International:
Ideal Standard International, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, is a privately-owned company, operating independently in Europe, Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific. The company also has presence in Central and South America via a joint venture called Incesa. With bathroom solutions as its core business, the company provides bathroom furnishings, fixtures and shower enclosures for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Its products are sold under its strong international brands Ideal Standard, Jado and American Standard (Asia/Pacific and Incesa), as well as leading local brands including Incesa Standard (Incesa), Armitage Shanks (UK), Ceramica Dolomite (Italy), Porcher (France and Incesa) and Vidima (Eastern Europe). The company employs some 17,300 people and is operational in over 30 countries. Ideal Standard International is governed by a Board of Directors.
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