Press Release | Gütersloh, 06/08/2016

Study: The Internet Makes People Creative

• 71 percent of Germans, 73 percent of French, and 63 percent of Britons are creative, including online
• Videos, photos and online tutorials especially popular
• Creative industries in core European countries generate €135 billion in gross value added and employ 3.5 million people

The majority of people in Germany, France and Britain see themselves as creative. According to a recent, representative survey by the London-based trend research firm Enders Analysis commissioned by the international media, services and education company Bertelsmann, 71 percent of all Germans, 73 percent of French people and 63 percent of Britons see themselves as creative people.

Two thirds of respondents said that they use the Internet and its social networks as a platform for creativity. The most popular creative online activities include uploading and editing pictures and videos and the customization of gifts and photobooks. Over a third of the German and British respondents, and half of the French Internet users surveyed indicates they seek inspiration from online tutorials. About a quarter of respondents in France indicated they publish blog posts; users in Germany (12 percent) and Britain (15 percent) are a bit more reticent in this respect.

Published today, the Enders Analysis survey of Europe’s creative hubs confirms the economic relevance of the creative industries in Germany, France and Britain. The 430,000 companies in the creative sector in these countries generate gross value added of about €135 billion a year, and employ 3.5 million people. The industry therefore contributes significantly to value creation, employment and social inclusion in Europe.

Thomas Rabe, Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “Europe is and will remain a creative center of the world. Creative companies, including Bertelsmann as the European market leader, are significant contributors to value creation, employment and social inclusion in Europe in the digital age. To keep it that way requires a reliable political and regulatory environment.”

As the Enders survey shows, Germany – as measured by economic size – remains the leading creative hub in Europe (approx. €52 billion gross value added in 2013), followed by Britain (approx. €51 billion) and France (approx. €33 billion). 1.1 million people work for companies in the creative sector in Germany, and 1.2 million each in Britain and France. The creative industries in Germany and Britain grew faster than average for the overall economy. The creative industries in Germany, Britain and France showed growth of 15.5 percent, 27.6 percent and 0.2 percent respectively, while their national economies grew by 14.7 per cent (Germany), 16.8 percent (UK) and 9.2 percent (France) in the same period.

This shows that Britain’s creative industry developed very strongly compared to the overall economy. Creative industry growth in Germany was relatively moderate, while in France it lagged behind the growth of the overall economy.

65 percent of Germans feel media companies are important or very important to the overall economy, compared to 57 percent of respondents in France and 37 percent of Britons in relation to their respective countries.

For the study, the opinion research institute YouGov interviewed a total of 5,267 people in Germany, Britain and France on behalf of Bertelsmann regarding their views on the creative industries, and their personal use of the Internet.

The complete study can be found in the right-hand column under “Materials”.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 117,000 employees and generated revenues of €17.1 billion in the 2015 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.