Tug of love: How technology is changing the relationship between consumers and brands – and what marketers can do about it

Abstract

The digital age is accelerating the opportunity for brands to truly engage with consumers across all channels. Equally, the risk of getting contact strategies wrong and wasting budget is increasing. From smartphones and tablets to dynamic content on billboards and interactive TV ads, consumers and marketers are getting to grips with a seemingly endless supply of new technology. This is leading to constant shifts in the way people buy and interact with brands, changes that will only accelerate as media fragmentation continues. Intrigued to understand how consumers are finding their way around this multichannel landscape, and tasked by marketers who want to know how technology is changing people's attitudes towards brands, global marketing services and technology provider Acxiom commissioned a study focusing on the relationships between organisations and individuals across several industries. The result is some vital findings for marketers who want to stay ahead of the curve by understanding how comfortable people are with new technology, and whether it makes them feel more in control of their interactions with brands. In other words, is new media quickening the shift from push to pull marketing?