Newsroom
January 26th, 2012
Global brand experience agency Jack Morton Worldwide today published new research proving the power of brand advocacy. The research was conducted among more than 2,400 consumers in the US, Brazil, China and India.
New Realities 2012 reveals that recommendations from friends and family are the most powerful influence on consumers across all geographies–and that the best way to get consumers talking to their friends and family is for brands to provide direct, positive experience. Research highlights include:
- People are the most powerful ad medium: more than 50% of people said friends and family are the #1 influence on consumer awareness and purchase.
- Giving people something to talk about trumps “going viral”: 75% of consumers only advocate brands they have great personal experiences with.
- All forms of advocacy are not the same: consumers’ views on social media impact are contradictory and only one in five use social networks to make brand recommendations the same way they do “in the real world.”
- Consumers are strongly influenced by in-store brand experience: 72% agree that unique customer experiences make them purchase one brand over another.
The research also offers insights into consumers’ varying perceptions relating to different product categories and types, including considered purchases (automobiles, insurance, banking, computers, software) and nominal purchases (OTC pain relievers, household cleaning, fast food, snacks). Additional results will be released at a later date.
According to Jack Morton’s Chairman and CEO, Josh McCall, “This research reinforces the importance of brand experiences that get people talking. Investing in creating unique experiences is one of the most important things brands can do to stand out, drive awareness and create customer advocacy.”
Jack Morton works with leading clients like GM, Dell and SUBWAY restaurants to help them build strong experience brands. The agency published the research in the form of a white paper that is available to read online on the agency’s Slideshare channel at http://www.slideshare.net/jackmortonWW/jac-knew-realities or on its web site athttp://www.jackmorton.com/thinking/default.aspx. New Realities is based on a survey sponsored by Interpublic Group and conducted between September 26 and October 10, 2011. Additional insights from the New Realities study will be released at a future date or may be requested by contacting Jack Morton.