2005
(06/06/2005) Cars and boy's toys are British men's top gear while women prefer photographs and sentimental items - New research
- British men say the car is their most treasured possession (15%) while women prefer photographs of special occasions (28%)
- Britain's status as nation of animal lovers largely female driven, with a quarter (24%) of women naming pets as most treasured possession compared to just 10% of men
- Wedding rings ranked highly by both men (6%) and women (8%) - although 1% of men say love letters from a past relationship are their most treasured possession
Stereotypes about men and their motors appear to be true, with British males saying the car is their most treasured possession, according to new research from insurance company AXA.
Around 15% of men selected their car as the thing which means the most to them, while women opted for photographs of a special occasion, ranked most treasured possession by nearly one in three (28%).
Pets also rated very highly with women, with around a quarter (24%) ranking them above any other possession, compared to just 10% of men.
"It's intriguing to see how men and women vary when asked to choose the single item that they treasure the most - women generally went for lower value items that evoked memories and had sentimental meaning, while men have opted for traditional boys' toys," states AXA's Paul Bennett. "Despite the differences, it demonstrates that everyone has a possession that enriches their lives and from which they would be loath to part."
Despite their love affair with cars, British males showed they do have a softer side, with 14% stating that photographs of a special occasion mattered to them most. CD and music collections also ranked highly with 11% of men naming them as their number one, and 6% said their wedding ring was the possession they treasured the most.
Women also valued their wedding rings, with 8% saying it was their most prized possession, with a further 8% opting for additional jewellery.
| Q: Apart from your home, what is the your one most treasured possession - ie the thing that matters the most to you, rather than the thing which is the most valuable? | |
|---|---|
| Men | Women |
| Car (15%) | Photographs of a special occasion (28%) |
| Photographs of a special occasion (14%) | Pet (24%) |
| CD / music collection (11%) | Wedding ring (8%) |
| Pet (10%) | Jewellery (8%) |
| Wedding ring (6%) | Car (7%) |
| Book collection (5%) | CD / music collection (3%) |
| Computer / laptop (4%) | Antiques / family heirlooms (2%) |
| Marriage certificate (3%) | Souvenirs from travels / a special holiday (2%) |
| Musical instrument (3%) | Book collection (2%) |
| Antique / family heirloom (2%) | Clothing / shoes (1%) |
| Jewellery (2%) | Letters from partner / family / friends (1%) |
| Sports equipment (2%) | Toys / toy collection / childhood toys (1%) |
| Memorabillia from film / band / theatre (2%) | Musical instrument (1%) |
| Letters from partner / family / friends (2%) | Marriage certificate (1%) |
| Souvenir from travels / special holiday (2%) | Painting / art (1%) |
| Love letters from a past relationship (1%) | Computer / laptop (1%) |
AXA recently launched its Protection Account, which provides a comprehensive range of home, personal, life and income protection policies in a menu-based account.
- Ends -
Notes to Editors
The research was carried out by TNS amongst 1,109 UK adults aged 16-64 in February 2005
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AXA is a world leader in financial protection. AXA's operations are diverse with major operations in Western Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific area. AXA employs 120,000 staff and tied agents and, as of 31 December 2004, had €869 billion in assets under management. Reported total revenues for 2004 were approximately €72 billion. Our previous company performance is not a guide to how we may perform in the future.
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