Don't Underestimate the Gift of Gab This Holiday Season; 8 out of 10 Canadians judge a person based on his or her "social currency," according to an M

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Nov 18, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- With holiday parties and festive staff functions on the horizon, it may be more important than you thought to be up to date on your current events. In fact, a survey released today by MSN.ca and Harris/Decima revealed that 79 per cent of Canadians judge one another based on their knowledge of what's happening in the world around them.

Since the holidays are a time filled with various social gatherings, Mary-Ellen Anderson, Executive Director/Producer for MSN.ca, believes it's a crucial time to ensure you're up-to-date on the information you need for all your conversations. This is because 40 per cent of Canadians are deeply interested in collecting information and knowledge on various topics, while 37 per cent consider themselves "Connectors" - bringing people together and spreading information.

Unfortunately, not all Canadians have as much general knowledge as they would like. Almost half (47%) of Canadians have frequently or sometimes wished they knew more information on a particular topic so they could actively participate in a conversation happening around them.

"The holidays are a time of giving, but this survey reveals if there's one present you should give yourself it's the gift of information," said Mary-Ellen Anderson. "Whether you are on your way to see your family or heading to the office party, MSN.ca is Canada's one-stop shop for the latest news, politics, movies, music and celeb gossip. Not to mention what's the coolest gadget to buy that special someone."

According to Debra Fine, conversation expert and American best-selling author, being that 'go to' person for current events and reliable information can really raise your status or 'social currency' among co-workers. This is also important in social circles - people will respect you more if you are 'socially current' and knowledgeable on a variety of topics.

Debra suggests the following tips and tricks for impressing colleagues and friends with your socially current knowledge:

Get More Information For Your Conversations: Since 79 per cent of Canadians are apt to judge one another on their 'social currency' and 90 per cent feel it's important to be up to date on what's happening in the world, a great trick is to skim all the latest headlines for each genre of news i.e. - news, autos, entertainment, finance, etc. You'd be surprised how knowing a little bit about each topic will make you look like the star of the holiday party.

- Find Common Ground: Almost nine-in-ten (86%) Canadians consider themselves to be 'in the know' on a variety of subjects. This is great news because chances are you'll be able to find conversation topics that interest both you and your friend/cousin/colleague etc. For instance, if you know your boss is a car fanatic, check out the Autos Channel on MSN.ca to truly connect with him/her.

- Get Addicted: For almost two-in-five Canadians (38%), a day without their news source is like a day without their morning caffeine fix -they function much better with it. Become a News Junkie and get high on information. You will crave "being in the know" and being the one everyone comes to for socially current conversations this holiday season.

MSN.ca conducted this survey in support of its recent Talk MSN Campaign. The site recently launched its own independently run MSN.ca and is currently the #1 most visited portal in Canada (according to Experian Hitwise, Most Popular Websites in Computers and Internet, Portal Front Pages, ranked by Visits for the week ending November 7th). The site boasts exclusive columnists, trusted experts and amazing content partners.

About MSN and Windows Live

MSN attracts more than 440 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 42 markets and 21 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering compelling programmed content experiences to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. Windows Live, a new set of personal Internet services and software, is designed to bring together in one place all the relationships, information and interests people care about most, with enhanced safety and security features across their PC, devices and the Web. MSN and Windows Live will be offered alongside each other as complementary services. Some Windows Live services entered an early beta phase on Nov. 1, 2005; these and future beta updates can be found at http://ideas.live.com. MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com. MSN worldwide sites are located at http://www.msn.com/worldwide.ashx.

About Microsoft Canada

Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit news.microsoft.ca.

About the Survey

Harris/Decima surveyed 1,013 Canadians from October 8th to 11th, 2009 through teleVox, Harris/Decima's telephone omnibus. Results for a sample of this size are considered accurate +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.

Contacts:
For more details regarding the survey results
or to speak to Debra Fine please contact:
High Road Communications
Elisa Wegenast
416-644-2261
ewegenast@highroad.com

High Road Communications
Meghan Neufeld
416-644-2278
mneufeld@highroad.com
SOURCE: MSN Canada

mailto:ewegenast@highroad.com
mailto:mneufeld@highroad.com
Copyright 2009 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

Source Citation
"Don't Underestimate the Gift of Gab This Holiday Season; 8 out of 10 Canadians judge a person based on his or her 'social currency,' according to an MSN.ca and Harris/Decima survey." Internet Wire 18 Nov. 2009. General OneFile. Web. 20 Nov. 2009. .

Gale Document Number:A212274813

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