Marketing professionals live installed in a scenario of continuous change. Companies have never had so much information about the tastes, preferences and even the opinions of their customers. A flood of data that is essential to try to offer what consumers want. One of the difficulties that condition their work is related to the human factor and the fact that even throughout the day our purchasing decisions change based on a multitude of circumstances.
A recent study by Accenture delves into what professionals from this consultancy have called ‘the human paradox’. An investigation carried out from 25,000 interviews carried out in 22 countries and which reaches a series of surprising conclusions to define a new paradigm in the relationship between brands and consumers. The bottom line is that companies should focus on the person instead of the consumer. To find out how marketing teams adapt to the new scenario, ‘Diálogos en La Vanguardia’ brought together an outstanding group of experts.
One consequence of this change in focus is that the image that brands have of consumers and the way in which they make their decisions is, to put it bluntly, more inconsistent. In the opinion of Xavier Mas, Director of Marketing Strategy at CaixaBank, “the reality is that it is more emotional.” Mas explained that “we tend to choose more what we want than what we need and, often, a rational justification is sought that fits with an emotional decision.”
For her part, Judith Palmés, Managing Director of the study’s conclusions: “Two thirds of consumers are aware that their opinions and values ​​are changing based on aspects of reality that they do not control, such as inflation, war or the climate change, and that affects their purchasing decisions.†Palmés clarified that the majority of consumers who admit to behaving in a contradictory manner believe that this paradox is as human as it is acceptable. For the consultancy, this situation forces brands to see their clients as “multidimensional beings that evolve and must understand the best way to offer them the most relevant solutions”.
Marketing professionals are clear that it is essential that each brand have a clear purpose and that all their actions are consistent with it. Ana Laura Fleba, Digital Marketing
There are many variables that surround the relationships between brands and consumers. One of the most important has to do with the speed with which changes occur. This makes it “very relevant that we are close to society, following the evolution of consumer groups, and when we detect a trend we must be able to get on it”, assured Javier Pejito, VP Marketing at Danone Spain. A dynamic world demands “having agile structures and empowered teams capable of acting quickly,†he noted.
Silvia Heras, Head of Customer Office at Zurich Seguros, referred to the importance of “being willing to continually change” and stressed that the key to transformation within companies “depends a lot on the teams.” Heras valued the importance of being attentive “to what customers tell us by constantly listening” and highlighted the need “to be consistent in messages once we have decided on our path”.
The certainty that everything changes very quickly “cannot serve as an excuse for not making decisions and proposing things”, clarified Fleba, who stressed that “brands must be consistent when it comes to communicating our values”. But she referred to the growing importance that large companies “disseminate our values ​​well and coherently so that consumers perceive them and become emotionally attached to them”.
According to Palmés, “we have a lot of data, but it is necessary to read all this information by humans and be able to send simplified messages that make life easier.” For Pejito, “an approach focused on everything that happens to today’s consumer will be of great help to be able to connect with the consumer of the future.” While Silvia Heras confirmed that the pandemic “has generated greater sensitivity in society and offers the opportunity to make an impact through values ​​such as sustainability.”
