Admit It, You’ve Taken A “Selfie,” Survey Shows 53% Of Canadians Have Taken A Selfie

BY: 

Dave Forde
December 3, 2013

Joseph Ottorino selfieAccording to Oxford Dictionary, the 2013 Word of the Year is “selfie.”  For those who may not know, a “selfie” is defined as “a type of self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone.” Even Justin Bieber’s getting in on the act in a big way.  We were able to get Joseph Ottorino, Managing Director, Virgin Mobile Canada to send us the latest “selfie” he’s taken, which is pictured to the right.

Well according to Virgin Mobile, more than half of Canadians who they surveyed have taken a selfie with a staggering 53 per cent have snapped one, with 76 per cent of those selfie-loving Canadians specifically in the 18-34 age range. Whether it’s front row at a concert, hanging with a BFF in class, or a little solo-action, selfies have struck a chord with Canadian millenials, and become the hottest picture-perfect trend of the year.

Joseph adds, “Like many Canadians, I care about instant access, getting the right angle and embodying the YOLO mantra. With our phones attached to us at all times, it makes sense to see people using them to capture moments as they happen.”

So why do Canadians take selfies? It’s one part nostalgia, one part good sense and a pinch of vanity. Forty-four per cent of Canadians, who have taken a selfie, say they take them to capture a memorable moment; 33 per cent take selfies because they don’t have someone else to take the photo and 31 per cent take selfies to share a good photo of themselves. And apparently Canadians have some self-snapping skills, because 55 per cent say they only take between one to three shots before they’re satisfied enough with the shot to hit send.

Virgin Mobile Canada sat down with selfie expert Jen Kirsch to identify five sure-fire ways to know if you’re a selfie lover:

  1. Selfie Overload: You have been un-friended or had your social feeds blocked on more than one occasion.
  2. Hello, are you there?: When you’re out somewhere and focus more on taking photos than everything happening around you.
  3. ‘Til death do us part: Your phone is in hand at all times because you can’t stand missing a good photo opp.
  4. Selfie by choice: When given the option to have someone take your photo, you decline in favour of the selfie.
  5. Gallery of thy selfie: All of your photo galleries are dominated by selfies.

“Looking at Facebook or Instagram in the last year, it’s obvious that there’s a growing number of selfies being taken,” said Jen Kirsch. “With more photo sharing apps at our disposal, a growing number of scandalous celeb selfies and perhaps an increased desire to show off what you got and who you’re with, there has never been a better time to look into selfie habits.”

A Few More Selfie Stats:

  • Selfies are gender ambiguous – men (78 per cent) and women (79 per cent) who are familiar with the concept of a selfie photo are equally likely to have taken one
  • 71 per cent of people who take selfies rarely or never share them, 29 per cent do share
  • Men are less likely than women to share their selfie, 75 per cent rarely or never share
  • 67 per cent of people familiar with selfies, don’t care about celebrity selfies
  • Canadians want to see Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Kim Kardashian take less selfies at 46 per cent , 41 per cent and 40 per cent respectively

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Dave Forde


Dave “The Connector” Forde has been involved in the marketing, public relations and technology industry across Canada for over 20 years in various sales and marketing roles, he launched The Connected One network of business sites which connects buyers to the right sellers. Profectio and PR In Canada covers news about the marketing and public relations industry each day helping professionals advance their career and businesses. He also serves as an advisor to a number of businesses across the country. Find Dave on LinkedIn and Twitter.


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