LG Discovers President Obama is on par with Superman as a Global Hero

LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobile communications, today announced the results of its 2009 Holiday Survey. U.S. President Barack Obama, UN Ambassador and actress Angelina Jolie, Academy Award nominated actor Brad Pitt, DC Comic’s Superman and our parents have emerged as the world’s key heroes in 2009.

“Through our annual holiday survey, we wanted to highlight the heroic contributions people have made in society this year,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “As we enter the holiday season, we hope people will utilise LG’s Dear Hero website to send a word of encouragement to those unsung heroes in our communities.”

Peaceful Heroes and Superheroes

LG surveyed 10,737 people from around the world regarding what makes a “hero”. Participants were united in a desire for world harmony, with 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner Obama and a previous winner, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, dominating the votes. Obama claimed over 37 percent support to be named Global Hero for 2009, mirroring how we define “heroic” with 35 percent singling out “contribution to world peace” ahead of “contribution to human rights” as our favourite heroic quality.

In the battle for Fictional Hero of 2009, Superman closely fought off Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man and Batman with 31 percent of the vote, but Australians preferred Marvel’s Wolverine and France, the iconic French cartoon hero Asterix. When asked about preferred actions of superheroes, “Bring world peace” and “Keep the bad guys off the street” were most popular.

Family also emerged as a strong theme in the survey with 38 percent selecting parents as Unseen Hero of 2009 ahead of fire fighters at 20 percent. The importance of family was reiterated through the choice of Jolie and Pitt – well known for their parenting and adoption – to head off media personality Oprah Winfrey as top philanthropic Celebrity Hero with 29 percent support although musician and activist Bono was popular in Brazil , France and Mexico .

By nation, Nobel Prize winners featured prominently for heroism with both Hong Kong and Mexico choosing their country’s prize winner, respectively, as their National Hero while those who risked their lives were unsurprisingly seen as heroic with Australians selecting Victorian fire fighters and Taiwan saluting its heroes of Typhoon Morakot.

Australia’s heroes

In Australia , other heroes that received attention aside from our heroic fire fighters were our first female Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn and charity campaigner and cricketer Glenn McGrath. To our favourite heroes, 69.1 percent of Australians surveyed wanted to say “Thanks mate” and “Well done” to encourage them.

But not all our heroes were high-profile figures. Of the countless unseen heroes in our everyday lives, 37.8 percent globally chose parents as our Personal Hero of 2009, while 25.1 percent of Australians singled out local volunteer workers instead for making a heroic contribution in our neighbourhoods with “You make a big difference” the number one choice of encouraging message.

“The annual holiday survey highlighted the popularity and importance of local heroes in Australia . It is these people who make life good for others in their own unique way,” said Nathan Dunn, General Manager, Mobile Communications, LG Electronics Australia. “At LG we are proud to have the opportunity to help give these everyday heroes the recognition they deserve. LG’s philosophy is also about making life good for others, further benefitting consumers by continuing to produce stylish, smart products that fit their lives.”

Messages to Our Heroes

Our attitudes toward expressing support to our heroes showed a third of us favoured a simple thank you note, with “You make a big difference” regarded by 34 percent as the most encouraging message to send to our global heroes and “I’m very proud of you” the favourite expression of gratitude to our unseen heroes (18 percent). In France , Spain and Mexico , a hug was also considered a worthwhile way to help the heroes in our lives but financial support was the least favoured method around the world.

Survey Background

Running from November 6th to 20th, LG Mobile’s second annual online holiday survey was conducted over five continents throughout France , Spain , Brazil , Mexico , UAE, Australia , Hong Kong , Taiwan and South Korea . Australian participants also voted for the LG handset that most suited their hero with the LG GD900 Crystal topping the list that included the LG Viewty Smart, LG KP500 and the LG Webslider KS360 as the most exciting mobile LG released this year.

As a follow up to the survey, LG is offering everyone around the world the opportunity to thank their heroes and be in with a chance to win an LG handset. To send a personalized message of support to the heroes in your life this holiday season, please visit dearhero.lgmobile.com.

Survey Results

1. Who is your favourite comic book superhero?

1st Superman --------------------------------31.4%

2nd Spider-Man -------------------------------19.9%

3rd Batman -----------------------------------19.6%

2. What is one favour you would like to ask your superhero?

1st “Bring world peace” ---------------------------------24.6%

2nd “Keep the bad guys off the streets” ---------------22.1%

3rd “Save the planet” ------------------------------------18.0%

3. What qualifies someone as a global hero?

1st Contribution to world peace -------------------------------------34.7%

2nd Contribution to environmental preservation---------------------17.8%

3rd Contribution to human rights ------------------------------------16.9%

4. Who deserves to be the Global Hero of 2009?

1st Barack Obama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2009 --------------------------37.6%

2nd Dalai Lama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 1989 -----------------------------23.8%

3rd Bill and Melinda Gates, founders of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -----22.5%

5. What is the most encouraging gift you could give to your global hero?

1st Thank you message --------------------------------36.5%

2nd Spending time with family-------------------------26.9%

3rd A big hug or a kiss ---------------------------------17.3%

6. What is the one thing you want to say to encourage your global hero?

1st You make a big difference --------------------34.2%

2nd You are my inspiration ------------------------18.4%

3rd Don’t give up, hang in there -----------------13.6%

7. Who is your favourite philanthropic celebrity hero?

1st Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt --------------------28.6%

2nd Oprah Winfrey ----------------------------------19.9%

3rd Audrey Hepburn --------------------------------19.8%

8. Who is the most significant unseen hero in your life?

1st My mother and father----------------------------37.8%

2nd Local fire fighters --------------------------------20.2%

3rd Local volunteer workers -------------------------19.0%

9. What would be the best way to express your gratitude to your unseen hero?

1st Sending a thank you message ------------------------23.8%

2nd Lending a helping hand -------------------------------23.7%

3rd A big hug or a kiss ------------------------------------20.4%

10. What is one thing you want to say to encourage your unseen hero?

1st I’m very proud of you ----------------------------------17.8%

2nd You make a big difference ----------------------------14.6%

3rd You are the best----------------------------------------14.1%