A visual review of the week. In numbers. Click the image to view the full map:

All the links in the map:

http://bit.ly/aY2SEE

http://bit.ly/ajHldX

http://bit.ly/9yg0cs

http://bit.ly/azCFkn

http://bit.ly/aMKPE6

http://bit.ly/cGpuiH

Source: State of the Internet

Source: State of the Internet

Two key factors are to be taken into consideration in a broader evaluation of the prospects for virtual events in the Latin American markets: broadband quality and internet usage. Broadband quality determines what technologies can ensure a consistent audience experience and, therefore, the type and format of a virtual event. Internet usage reflects the cultural aspects that have an influence on the adoption of virtual events as marketing and communications tool.Internet usage:According to the study Broadband Quality Score 2009 by Cisco, Brazil, Chile and Mexico are the region´s “Broadband Leadership Movers”, when combined broadband quality and penetration indicators. Internet usage and penetration indicate the cultural readiness for the adoption of virtual environments and show the current and future prospects for virtual events.Here Brazil deserves a closer look. According to the study State of the Internet by comSCORE, the country has the fastest and largest growth in Internet audience in the LatAm region (27% growth in 2007-2008). Brazil has also the largest online population in the region (37%) and Brazilians are among the heaviest Internet users in the world, outpaced only by the USA, Canada and Israel. Brazilians spend 26.8 hours online per visitor. Americans spend 44,2 and Canadians 31.8 hours.Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela are also heavy Internet users, but the Internet in the region is dominated by the young population. In Mexico, 71% of the online population is under 34 years old. In Brazil, the average age of Internet users is 27,6 years.
Brazil again stands out of the crowd in Social Media usage. Social Media sites reach 84.3% of the Brazilian audience, one of the highest rates in the world. Here is important to consider that Orkut reaches 79.1% of the Brazilian audience, compared to 1.4% for Facebook.
Communication and multimedia content are the main purposes of Internet usage in the region, but in Brazil 7% of Internet users made an online purchase and 70% visited a retail site at least once in 2008. This is comparable to the USA, where 77% of Internet users visit retail sites during the same period. Brazilians, as much as Americans, use the Internet for comparison shopping and research, showing the prospects for virtual events as a lead generation tool.Also important to consider is that the local language is by far prefered in the region, specially in Brazil.

Broadband quality:
According to the Broadband Quality Score, these are the today´s and tomorrow´s bandwidth requirements:

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Source: Broadband Quality Score 2009

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All Latin American countries included in the study -Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico- are below today´s applications requirements. This means that the bandwidth available in the region is just enough for LD video streaming and webinars, but not for live HD video streaming, sharing of large files, telepresence and visual networking.
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Source: Broadband Quality Score 2009

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Overall, the success of a virtual event in the region depends on the right combination of solutions and applications with no overload and great focus on engagement techniques and tools. In terms of the audience, Brazilians are as culturally ready as Americans and are ahead not only in the region, but also compared with some European countries such as Spain and Italy. As a matter of fact, some virtual events formats are already being incorporated into local physical events, not necessarily in a strategic way, but certainly because of the region´s dynamism in adopting and adapting to new trends.

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Les deseo un Feliz 2010!!!! Más que eso, creo que cada uno lo tiene que desear (querer y, por lo tanto, poder) por sí mismo. Empieza un nuevo año de una nueva década de nuevos tiempos en los que se conforma un nuevo orden social a partir de nuevos paradigmas y sobretodo nuevas realidades… o más bien multiples realidades… ¿Cuál es la tuya?

Optimismo from … . . Transreality . … …. on Vimeo.

Gracias a las personas inspiradoras que participarón en este vídeo:
+joanjimenez
Carlos Blanco
Vero Gran
Ana Martinez
Derek Fenix