Retail Technology
| Log in | Subscribe



Subscribe | Log in
Retail Technology
Subscribe

Survey: consumers prefer brands that communicate principles

By Retail Technology | Tuesday June 24 2014

Results from a recent brand advertising survey reveal that consumers are more likely to buy from brands that communicate with purpose

A recent study by Google, TNS Global and Ogilvy & Mather has revealed that consumers prefer brands that regularly give useful information in their advertising and share news, updates and special offers. 

During the study, which surveyed 2,458 purchasers over a six month span (from September 2013 to March 2014), brands that demonstrated their principles over time seemed to do better than brands that didn’t.

Three categories – auto vehicles, beauty products and smartphones – were examined and the results showed little correlation between the usage of a particular advertising platform and its influence, just that the quality of the communication was key.

During the research, consumers who pursue interests online were seen to be most likely to have purchased something online in the last 6 months and were 1.6 times more likely to have rated a product or service online in the past week.

Consumers shop like they consume content

Consumers were also seen to prefer engaging with content that is personally relevant to them. The survey showed that consumers are now applying the same principles to shopping as they do to content consumption.

The results suggested that brands need to make advertising share-worthy to ensure it breaks through. They also need to show how products fit with consumers’ lives: those who provide consumers with an ownership-like experience win at the point of purchase.

Consumers surveyed were 1.5 times more likely to choose brands that engage them on their passions and interests than items that simply urge them to buy the product being advertised.