Digital agency ZenithOptimedia has named the UK as among the world's leading markets for digital adoption in their New Media Forecasts report for 2012.

Combining factors of budget, expenditure, adoption of new technologies and market penetration of digital initiatives were all used to rank each country's consumers. Online advertising, e-commerce and social media, as well as devices such as IPTV, smartphone and tablet usage, are all key facets of digital acitivity equated in the report.

Scandinavia was the strongest region of the Western European-dominated table, with 65% of Norwegians owning a smartphone compared to the market average of 44%.

The highest-ranked market from outside Western Europe was Canada, in sixth, whilst Hungary leads Central & Eastern Europe at 16th. The leading market in Asia Pacific was Australia in seventh, whilst Brazil in 17th place is the only Latin American market among the top 19 market leaders.



Whilst the UK fared reasonbly well in the report, Ireland in 11th position is forecasted to overtake Britain's digital enthusiasm in two years time. Similarly, The United States is also expected to slip down the rankings by 2015.


Rank
Average penetration (%)

1 Norway 38.8

2 France 35.7

3 Netherlands 35.1

4 Sweden 31.3

5 Denmark 31.2

6 Canada 30.5

7 Australia 24.6

8 Spain 24.4

9 South Korea 23.1

10 UK 23.1

11 Ireland 21.0

12 USA 19.4

13 Israel 18.5

14 China 14.3

15 Germany 13.2

16 Hungary 12.9

17 Brazil 11.2

18 Japan 9.8

19 Russia 7.3