Living up to a brand promise – Nielsen | International Association of Digital Marketing Professionals (IADMP)

By Adam

It’s no secret that brands have shifted their efforts to create personalized messages and offerings to earn consumers’ attention and wallets. However, personalization tactics alone won’t be enough to foster more meaningful, long-term relationships with their customers. According to SME’s fifth Annual Marketing Report, which surveyed marketers from around the world, 36% of consumers are increasingly looking for more than just products or services from their favorite brands, and they want to buy from companies that prioritize social causes, diversity and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

The responsibility of marketers to establish relationships with their consumers is greater than ever because consumers now have more choice. In response to consumers’ demands for more transparency from brands and that brands align with important social causes, marketers must not only make a meaningful brand promise, but also deliver on it, to attract consumers and increase loyalty.

How to navigate the two-way relationship between consumers and suppliers

Previously, the relationship between brands and consumers was purely one-way and transactional—brands provided a good or service for which consumers paid. With more buying power, consumers are now able to advocate and critique brands through their networks. As a result, marketers have had to pay closer attention to consumer sentiments to ensure consumers’ expectations were being met, especially when it comes to brands supporting social causes.

SME Scarborough data reveals that 52.3 percent of American consumers buy products that give back. 36% more expect their brands to help social causes. Global marketers responded that diversity, equality, and inclusion are important aspects of their marketing campaigns. They also emphasize diversity and inclusion when ad content is purchased. Although marketers are prioritizing these efforts, consumers aren’t convinced: More than half (55%) of consumers feel as though brands are not making true progress when it comes to championing social causes.

Marketers have to establish trust with customers and let them know how brands live up to their social responsibility commitments. Authentic, consistent messaging through a mix of channels can help establish and fortify brands’ purpose to consumers, shedding light on direct actions that keep the brand’s promise.

Influencer marketing and social media can amplify brand messaging

According to SME’s 2022 annual marketing report, 64% of global marketers agreed that social media is the most bankable channel, with many finding success on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The effectiveness of social channels in evangelizing brands and making clear their social causes is a key factor. They can also be combined with other media to amplify the message.

To reach right people on social media, marketers might consider investing in influencer market. Though not necessarily a new channel, influencer marketing’s popularity has grown as consumers have sought more interpersonal connections, and global consumers rank it as a credible marketing tactic, along with recommendations from family and friends, branded websites, ads on TV, and TV program product placements.

Marketing strategies that use influencer marketing must be effective. Marketers need to identify people who …read more

Source:: Social Media Explorer