New research conducted by TNS on behalf of Orange in the UK, France and Spain, has revealed the different ways that teenagers and adults use mobile media. Orange Exposure 2012/2013 - the latest in a series of annual reports that started almost five years ago - compares smartphone and tablet usage side-by-side.

The report found that 83% of teenagers in the UK had a smartphone, while BlackBerry penetration amongst teenagers in the UK was twice as high as the overall mobile media user population.

The full announcement is below.

Orange today announces the results of Orange Exposure 2012/2013 – an annual independent study by TNS into mobile media habits across UK, France and Spain for the advertising industry. Orange Exposure is the only research of its kind to compare smartphone and tablet usage side-by-side. Now in its fifth year, the survey cuts through the complexity of consumer mobile media habits to reveal distinct contrasts in mobile media behaviour between teenagers and adults in this year’s findings.

Teenagers view mobile as their primary screen

The research provides rare insight into the mobile media habits of 11-18 year olds and firmly establishes mobile as the primary screen of choice with smartphone penetration very high among this age group – 83 per cent have a smartphone in the UK and 95 per cent have one in Spain. In addition, 92 per cent of teenagers in the UK say mobile is a “way to always have a media device at hand” and 55 per cent of teenagers in the UK say that they prefer their mobile over other equipment because its “mine and no one else’s” so “I can access what I want, when I want,” clearly indicating that teenagers value the personal quality of mobiles highly.

Other findings include that BlackBerry penetration amongst teenagers in the UK and Spain was two and three times higher respectively than the overall mobile media user population, with iPhone penetration being unsurprisingly low within the age group because of its cost. Advertisers must not write off BlackBerry if they are to successfully engage with a younger audience.

The research also demonstrated that teenagers are very savvy when it comes to advertising, only engaging with brands and advertisements that meet their specific needs and exclusivity criteria. In the UK, 19 per cent would answer to an ad message – with ‘trust in the sender’ and ‘appeal of the offer’ the two main factors influencing response rate.

The research also revealed a voracious appetite among teenagers for social networking and social TV (interactive apps linking live TV with social networks) with teenagers in the UK spending on average ten hours a week on social networks.

On average three-quarters of teenagers across UK, France and Spain discuss what is being watched on TV using social networks from a mobile device and 8 out of 10 go on the internet while watching TV. Overall, the research indicated an opportunity for brands to engage with teenagers with promotions and offers that are personal to them and exclusive, as long as they do so in responsible ways.