When a mobile phone company asks us what we’d like to do for the very first time we start to think… Swim with dolphins? Ride an ostrich? Abseil down the Shard? Take tea with the Queen?
To mark the launch of Pitch Your First – an initiative to make people’s ambitions of achieving something for the first time a reality – Vodafone Firsts asked people in 10 countries to reveal their dream first experiences. Top of the list – in the UK and around the world – is travelling the world.
In the UK, driving a hearse was listed as one of the more unusual first ambitions. The most popular first experiences in Britain included riding the Orient Express (7%) and swimming with dolphins (6.4%).
A desire to go shoe shopping with Oprah Winfrey and participate as a contestant in a survival reality TV show were among the less conventional choices in South Africa. However, they showed an entrepreneurial spirit, wanting to start their own business (10%). Starting a business was also a top-five choice for Hungarians, Qataris, Romanians and Egyptians.
South Africans, along with the Dutch, showed a romantic side, citing “experiencing unconditional romantic love”, “experiencing real love” and “meeting a soul mate” among their dream first experiences.
Travel and flight also featured high on the list of ambitions in the Netherlands, from the unsurprising – flying in a hot-air balloon, going on safari and travelling the world, all appearing in the top five – to one Dutch person’s less attainable desire to take a flight on Harry Potter’s broom.
In Spain, hugging a lion, meeting an alien and being elected President were among the more unusual dreams listed. Politics also featured in Germany, where having dinner with Angela Merkel was highlighted alongside owning a mountain and looking like a prince.
In Italy, witnessing a miracle and walking on clouds were a couple of the more bizarre first ambitions. Although, most Italians preferred to keep their feet firmly on the ground, saying they wanted to buy their own home (7%). Owning a home also featured as a dream first time experience for Germans, Hungarians, Egyptians, Qataris, Spanish, South Africans and Romanians.
Despite the practical outlook from Romanians and Hungarians (buying a property and starting a business both top five preferences), there were some wild choices. Appearing in a tiger act at the circus and riding an ostrich both featured in the Hungarian study, while the Romanian survey mentioned walking on coals and a wish to be President for the day.
The results from the Vodafone Firsts Survey
UK – Top 10
1. Travel the world (21%)
2. Ride the Orient Express (7%)
3. Swim with dolphins (6.4%)
4. Go on safari (5%)
5. Experience zero gravity (5%)
6. Drive a racing car (5%)
7. Buy a home (4.5%)
8. Write a book (4.2%)
9. Start own business (4%)
10. Walk Great Wall of China (4%)
The Top 10 from respondents in 10 countries
1. Travel the world (26%)
2. Swim with dolphins (8.5%)
3. Buy a home (6.6%)
4. Start own business (6.1%)
5. Experience Zero gravity (4.2%)
6. Drive a racing car (4%)
7. Ride the orient express (3.9%)
8. Pilot a jet (3.8%)
9. Dive the Great Barrier Reef (3.4%)
10. Go on safari (3.3%)
You can Pitch Your First here: www.firsts.com. You need to be over 18, a resident of the UK, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Romania, Spain or South Africa. Your First must be achievable between October 1 and December 31 2014. And all pitches should be in by 8pm on August 7.
