Survey Reveals Significant Differences in Consumer Expectations and Marketer Priorities in 2021
A study released by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a global provider of marketing and business communications, reveals that traditional marketing channels — including word of mouth, direct mail and in-store signage — are largely untapped by marketers. The study, based on surveys of both marketing professionals and consumers, uncovers significant differences between marketer assumptions and what consumers say actually influences their brand awareness and purchase decisions.
After a year of volatility and transformation, consumers value traditional marketing channels. For nearly a third of consumers (28%), word of mouth is the preferred method for learning about a new brand, product or service — outpacing social media (23%), cable TV (12%) and online/digital ads (11%). At the same time, a mere 4% of marketers identified word of mouth as a consumer preference for learning about new brands, products or services. The study also revealed that word of mouth has a higher research-to-purchase ratio (40%) than social media (30%), online/digital ads (27%) or print ads (16%).