Today, Vanessa DiMauro and I release the findings from our forth research collaboration since 2009, as part of our fellowship with The Society for New Communication Research.
In this study, The Social Consumer, we explored the factors that inform, impact and shape trust, loyalty and preferences of the digitally connected consumer. We tested the belief that brands which can tap into the emotions about and awareness of their values (human/social) are most likely to inspire positive action and loyalty from consumers.
Our view is that the super-connectedness of global communications has challenged how companies interact, engage and maintain relevance and trust with their key audiences and the public-at-large. Consumers are more discerning about the companies they choose to do business with and support. We are now in a “so what”, “show me” or “can I trust what you say” business, political and social economy.
The findings from The Social Consumer study reflect a number of surprising and validating insights, informed by surveys completed by 927 respondents mostly from the U.S. with about 10 percent from rest-of-world, with great distribution and balance across age and gender. The study explored:
- Expectations for brands by digitally engaged consumers
- Characteristics of the relationship factors between a consumer and a brand
- Whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) influences consumer behavior
- How strongly do perceptions of a brand’s "making a positive difference" shape consumer preferences to purchase or affiliate with the brand
- The rewards (e.g. product offers, discounts, CSR) that consumers favor most from brands
- The impact of rewards on a consumer’s digital behavior (e.g. purchase, endorsement, vote, rate, etc.)
The complete report can be found here. We encourage you to read, share and comment.
Here is a summary of our key findings:
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