However, it’s worth noting that low-quality content can turn consumers away or even make them distrust a brand. Again, according to the Dynata and Celtra survey, 52% of consumers avoided purchasing a product they might have considered buying because of a poorly designed ad, and 60% of consumers say they distrust a brand when ads or content don’t match the website, app, or in-store experience.2, 3 These datapoints are especially important to consider since the ways consumers use their phones while shopping continue to evolve.
“Showrooming”, consumers using their smartphone or mobile devices to compare prices while in-store, is not a new concept, but consumers shopping in-store today are more incentivized—even by brick-and-mortar retailers themselves—to use their phones while in-store. Whether using a retailer’s app, reading reviews, picking up an order in-store, contactless payment, accessing loyalty programs, and scanning those ever-present QR codes, mobile devices have become a crucial part of the shopping experience.
According to a recent survey, 70% of U.S. consumers use their mobile devices to access loyalty cards or coupons, while 68% use their devices to compare prices or visit the retailer’s website.4 The evolving use of smartphones in retail illustrates the connections between digital branding, content, and the in-store experience.
Retailers and brands are making efforts to adapt and invest in both channels. CVS plans to invest $3 billion to improve consumer experiences online just as it begins to close 900 stores.5 At the same time, many brands traditionally sold by retailers are investing more in direct-to-consumer sales (DTC), both online and through their own stores, in pursuit of higher margins.6 Regardless of the approach, deploying consistent messaging and branding across all channels and touchpoints is critical. Doing so not only reinforces and maintains a brand’s identity, but, as research shows, can also help gain consumers’ trust and loyalty.4
While brands are often their own best stewards, ensuring that content does not deviate from a brand’s established identity across multiple digital and brick-and-mortar retailers can be a daunting exercise. An agency like Compass Marketing can be a useful tool to accomplish that task. Our Creative Agency and Digital Practice teams have extensive experience in both auditing and optimizing content across a variety of platforms and channels. If you would like to learn more, contact us today.
SOURCES
- Amazon Advertising Report: 2021. Jungle Scout. https://www.junglescout.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Jungle-Scout-Amazon-Advertising-Report-2021.pdf
- (2021, March 15). “Celtra Consumer Chronicle Finds Cohesive Branding to Drive Consumer Trust & Sales”. Celtra. https://celtra.com/blog/celtra-consumer-chronicle-finds-cohesive-branding-to-drive-consumer-trust-sales/
- (2020, November 2). “Consumers Want More Creative Variety from Brand Advertising”. Celtra. https://celtra.com/blog/consumers-want-more-creative-variety-from-brand-advertising/
- (2021, November 4). “New Global Consumer Survey Finds Nearly Two-Thirds Will Use Retailers’ Mobile Apps to Meld Digital and Physical Shopping Experiences This Holiday Season.” Airship. https://www.airship.com/company/press-releases/new-global-consumer-survey-finds-nearly-two-thirds-will-use-retailers-mobile-apps-to-meld-digital-and-physical-shopping-experiences-this-holiday-season/
- Walk-Morris, T. (2022, February 11). “CVS to spend up to $3B on digital features”. Retail Dive. https://www.retaildive.com/news/cvs-to-spend-up-to-3b-on-digital-features/618717/
- Salpini, C. (2021, November 11). “These traditional brands are shifting to a DTC model. Here’s how.” Retail Dive. https://www.retaildive.com/news/these-traditional-brands-are-shifting-to-a-dtc-model-heres-how/607646/
