The marketing world is on the cusp of a revolution — one that will create entirely new business models, technologies, and channels that will find brands interacting with their customers with new levels of relevance and immediacy. The advent of big data promises ever more insight into consumer behaviours, attitudes, and aspirations. Couple this data explosion with a rapidly expanding array of communications channels, and we may herald the arrival of a new golden age of marketing. Or, if marketers chase short-term monetization of data and exploit these new channels regardless of consumer preference and control, then we might find ourselves in a marketing dystopia. But how can we know that we’re on the right path?
To help marketers divine the proper strategy for navigating the digital future, Aimia has conducted a research study designed to understand consumers’ current attitudes and opinions about data sharing and control, the role of digital media in their lives, and about the nature and frequency of digital marketing communications. To collect our data, in the summer of 2012 we conducted a consumer survey in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, using SSI nationally representative online panels. In total, we received slightly over 6,000 responses — approximately 2,000 respondents in each country.
This report reveals a subset of those survey responses. In each country, we found a consumer population eager to engage online, actively seeking real relationships with their favourite brands, but wary of over saturation and frustrated by the lack of value and relevance in most marketing communications. Some of our specific findings include:
- Consumers are increasingly connected online through multiple devices.
- While they’re willing to engage with brands online, the marketing messages they currently receive often fail to meet their expectations.
- Although consumers are concerned about the increasing frequency and volume of digital communications, they do accept some responsibility for the increasing frequency and volume of digital communications they receive.
- Whilst consumers indicate a strong preference for email messages over other digital channels, they delete a third of emails unopened.
- While consumers express a strong desire to be rewarded for sharing data with marketers, they generally do not feel so rewarded.
- Relevance will be the crucial point of differentiation for future digital relationships. Consumers define relevance in part by how well marketers tailor the offer, frequency, and channel for individual consumers.
- Only organizations that prove themselves trusted and responsible managers of consumers’ data will be rewarded with their loyalty. Unfortunately, trust is low for many of the new stars of the digital world.
Most importantly, our survey finds that marketing success in the digital future will depend upon how well marketers use data to build relationships dependent on two primary variables: the degree of engagement, and the degree of consumer control over their personal information. Aimia has identified four possible “futures” for digital marketing based on these variables. While all four futures are possible — and indeed already exist — only one offers a path to long-term profitability: the future of Real Relationships. It’s our hope that this survey provides a few useful signposts to guide you along the way.