Survey: Retail marketers shift to digital, personalized campaigns
Westlake Village, Calif. - Senior retail marketers report that 38% of their total marketing spend is now devoted to digital. According to a research study released by Conversant, nearly 20% of retail marketers reported that digital accounts for 50% to 75% of their total marketing budget.
The new study found strong retailer interest in personalized marketing and advertising. Eighty-six percent of senior retail marketers said that individualized messages can be more effective than mass messages.
Nearly three-quarters of the participating marketers said that one-to-one communications represent the future of retail digital marketing. But 59% also said that omnichannel consumers make personalization marketing more difficult.
Additional findings from the study include:
• Retailers rely on many partners for their digital advertising needs, in fact, nearly a third report working with 11 or more vendors. Furthermore, almost half report that finding the right digital vendor is difficult.
• The group has a high interest in measurement, with 57% saying they are using or plan to use a marketing attribution platform in 2014. Last click measurement remains the most frequently used, with more than two-thirds responding that they use last click for at least some of their measurement efforts.
• 62% of respondents report they are concerned about cookie blocking and deletion, and their effects on user identification and measurement.
The respondents to this survey represented 81 senior-level marketers at leading retailers (brick-and-mortar and e-tailers).
“Today’s consumers demand communications relevant to their personal needs and interests,” said Scott Eagle, CMO at Conversant. “They are tired of being served ads that don’t have relevance to their everyday lives. In order to ensure each interaction is a positive one, brands must engage with consumers in an individualized manner, one that acknowledges each consumer’s behaviors, needs and interests.”