Digital marketing is not meeting the needs of consumers according to new
research released today from Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE).
The U.S. study, Click
Here: The State of Online Advertising exposes new insights into
the beliefs of both consumers and professional marketers that
traditional marketing is still more effective than online marketing. The
research is based on interviews with a nationally representative sample
of 1,000 consumers and 250 professional marketers.
The study revealed that two-thirds of consumers believe that television
commercials are more effective than online advertising and that online
banner ads do not work (54%). Further, respondents prefer to view
advertising in their favorite print magazine (45%) or while watching
their favorite TV show (23%) compared to the stark 3% who state they
prefer to view ads via social media and 0% who like ads in an app.
Attitudes toward online advertising were overwhelmingly negative, with a
large percentage of consumers saying they found online ads to be
“annoying,” “distracting” and “all over the place.” While advertising
created by pros is widely seen as the most effective form of
advertising, 27% of marketers and 28% of consumers believe that
user-generated content is the best form of online advertising.
“This study is a wakeup call for marketers. We know there’s a tremendous
opportunity – online, on mobile, in social – in terms of where consumers
are spending their time and money. But as marketers we’ve yet to really
break through,” said Ann Lewnes, chief marketing officer, Adobe.
“Serving customers relevant content, delivering experiences that are
engaging instead of intrusive and, just as importantly, measuring what’s
working and what isn’t so that we can improve our marketing are all
critical. When marketers begin to master these things we’ll turn the
corner – consumers will start to notice and we’ll start to capitalize.”
The Value of a “Like”
Not surprisingly, the majority of the study’s respondents use social
media. More than half of the respondents said they are communicating
their personal tastes and interests when they “like” a brand or product
and 43% explicitly state they are recommending that product to their
friend and families. Yet, 53% wish there was a dislike button to express
their unhappiness with a product.
Still, the “likes” get attention, with 29% of consumers commenting that
“likes” encourage them to “check out” a product. Only 2% say it drives
them to makes a purchase.
Companies investing in branded social media sites and activities are
also facing an uphill battle, with just 2% of respondents believing
information about a brand from a company’s social media site is credible.
While Strategic to Business, Marketing is Least Valued Profession
When asked to consider the value of marketing, more than 90% of
consumers and marketing professionals agree that it is strategic to
business and nine out of ten also recognize that marketing is paramount
to driving sales. Yet, advertising/marketing ranked below nearly every
other profession, including banker (32%), lawyer (34%), and
actor/actress (13%) by consumers. And when asked if marketing benefits
society, only 13% of people agreed. Furthermore, the majority of
respondents think that most marketing is “a bunch of B.S.” (53%).
Lewnes continued, “Marketers are some of the most creative people in the
world. Now that we have data insights to back up instinct, these
outdated perceptions of marketing are going to change. When marketing is
personalized for the consumer – and online experiences are rewarding –
the impact on brands’ bottom line is going to be huge.”
About Click Here: The State of Online Advertising Study
The data points referenced above come from a study commissioned by
Adobe, produced by research firm Edelman Berland and conducted as an
online survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults,
18 years or older, and 250 professional marketers in the United States.
Interviewing took place from October 8 to 16, 2012. The margin of error
is +/-3% for consumers and 6% for marketers.
Adobe also unveiled a new marketing campaign and outlined the Adobe
Marketing Cloud (see
separate media alert). Join the conversation via Twitter at
#MetricsNotMyths.
About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more
information, visit www.adobe.com.
web feeds
