Consumers want personalized brand communication
Not just personal, but personalized to individual interests and needs. This is how consumers in Germany would like to see communication between brands and customers. This is the result of a recent study by Adobe.
According to the study, a good third of respondents (35 percent) still find the classic division into age groups useful. At the same time, however, the vast majority (87 percent) would like to see more granular differentiation within their age group based on individual interests and needs.
Interests develop dynamically - and with them the demands on brands
The study also shows that interests and preferences are constantly evolving. On average, respondents try out a new hobby or develop new interests six times a year, with the under-25s doing so as often as ten times a year. More than three quarters of consumers (80 percent) change their tastes every few months and expect brands to keep up with their interests.
The past two and a half years in particular have had a major impact on interests and personality formation: more than half of the respondents (53 percent) say they have undergone fundamental changes during the pandemic.
Personal data versus personalized experiences
Consumers largely see the sharing of personal preferences as give and take. Significantly more than half (61 percent) expect personalized customer experiences in exchange for their information. For brands, this investment pays off: More than half (58 percent) are happy to recommend companies that offer them personalized experiences.
"New interests or hobbies - people are constantly trying things out and evolving," said Christoph Kull, Vice President & Managing Director Central Europe at Adobe. "Brands need to keep up with this dynamic to stay relevant. Competition in the market is becoming increasingly fierce; online in particular, the competition is always just a few clicks away. The only way to succeed is to be up to date on the interests and needs of your customers at all times and to address them with personalized experiences."
However, the respondents are not satisfied with the current status of personalized experiences. Less than one-fifth (17 percent) gave companies a good report card in this respect. For consumers, it's not about big campaigns. The decisive factor for more than half (54 percent) is constant, interest-based contact.
For the study "Make it personal. Why consumers today cannot be reduced to stereotypes". Adobe surveyed 2,000 consumers in Germany.
