Despite a 75% increase in the number of Australians purchasing products and services which involve carbon offsetting as part of the offer over the last year, consumers are increasingly sceptical about carbon offset programs and fewer believe they effectively help reduce global warming, according to the latest annual Ipsos study on carbon offsetting. For more info email amanda@accesspr.com.au

The fourth annual BrandZ^TM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking by Millward Brown Optimor has Google is number one position with a value of $100 billion. Microsoft is number two at $76.2 billion, and Coca-Cola enters the top three for the first time at $67.6 billion. For more info email miquet.humphryes@uk.millwardbrown.com

OzTAM has released estimates for digital terrestrial television (DTT) households in the five mainland capital cities as at March 2009. The figures show the percentage of households in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth - as well as a five-city figure - that can receive standard definition or high definition free-to-air digital television. The five metro market average is 43.4%. For more info visit www.oztam.com.au

More than one in five American homes are cellphone-only, according to the latest figures from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The study found that 20.2% of homes were without landline telephones in the period between July and December 2008, up from 17.5% in the first six months of the year. Researchers said this 2.7-point rise was the largest six-month increase observed since the NHIS began collecting data on cell-only homes in 2003. In total, 41 million adults and 14 million children live in wireless households. For more info visit http://www.research-live.com/news_story.aspx?pageid=30&r=y&e=t&newsid=6279

By March this year, according to the latest Ipsos Mackay Mind & Mood report, not only had consumers lost any confidence they might have been clinging to as recently as February, many had also given up hope that a recovery is likely this year or in the near future. Instances of wide job losses among friends, workmates, neighbours and family members have intensified consumers' anxieties and made them feel increasingly vulnerable about their own jobs.

According to TNS' recent State of the Nation study conducted in March, the global financial crisis has had little impact on the happiness of Australians. On a 10-point scale, where 10 is the highest, a mean general happiness level of 6.7 emerged, with two in five Aussies rating their general happiness very high (between 8-10). Compared to 12 months ago, only one in five (18%) say they are unhappier now, with all others stating their happiness level is the same or higher.  For more information on the State of the Nation study email chris.byrne@tns-global.com.

Australians' job confidence has slumped in the past six months, with just 27% of Australian consumers saying local job prospects in the next 12 months looked good or excellent (down 36 points from October 2008), according to Nielsen's latest Consumer Confidence and Sentiment survey. Job security ranked as the second highest concern for Australians behind the economy. For more info visit www.nielsen.com

According to the latest Roy Morgan Research Single Source data the percentage of Australians 18+ who gambled in the last three months has decreased from 72% in year ended December 2002 to 65% in year ended December 2008. For more info visit https://store.roymorgan.com/australia-tourism/

Qantas is the most-blogged airline by online Australians, with more than one third (39%) of consumer discussion online around airlines focusing on the iconic Australian carrier, according to analysis by online measurement company Nielsen Online. For more info email Deanie.Sultana@nielsen.com

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