Winning over today’s ‘connected’ consumers
As the world of connected consumers grows, brands face a more challenging, complex environment today, according to the Tetra Pak Index 2017.
In Asia Pacific – now home to more than half the world’s internet users and 54 percent of the world’s social media users, winning over today’s well informed and empowered consumers requires brands to go beyond the traditional rules of engagement.
In a report themed around “The Connected Consumer,” the 10th edition of the Tetra Pak Index explores the world of digital and online consumers, and how they are connecting with food and drink brands.
Effectively reaching and engaging with this growing consumer group are critical, according to the report.
In the second quarter of 2017, the Philippines alone accounted for 60 percent of total growth in global internet users, making the country just 10 percent behind internet penetration in the Asia Pacific region. Accordingly, an average Filipino spends nine hours online daily with Facebook being the most dominant media platform, with 63 million active Filipino users. This means that understanding the rapid digital growth rates and having a strong presence online will help brands to talk easily and reach out directly to their consumers.
The report also shows how the customer journey is shifting from a relatively linear process to a complex network of multiple touch points.
Consumers today search for product information before, during and after buying, referring to at least four information sources pre-purchase – many of which are beyond the control of brands.
Greater connectivity and the proliferation of online platforms present a challenge for brands, as consumers expect a consistent experience and messaging across all the touchpoints where they interact especially on social media.
The third-party, user-generated content is becoming ever more important with digital now accounting for 65 percent of media time for the average global consumer and independent customer reviews being the second most important marketing influence, according to the report.
Specifically for the Philippines, 58 percent of the total population access the internet, with 46 percent browsing the web through their mobile device and 54 percent through their desktop.
Moreover, Filipinos are now aggressively embracing the online market as well.
“With the rapid increase of connectivity through devices that carry multiple digital platforms and the rise of millennials and generation Z as the next set of power-spenders, brands need to understand the attitude and behavior of these connected consumers in purchasing a product and create a seamless brand experience that translates well both online and offline, according to John Jose, marketing director, Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
In addition, the report demonstrates that packaging has an important role to play in offering a gateway to greater consumer engagement. For example, digital codes printed on packages can improve transparency of traceability, allowing consumers to access information about the product right down to the source.
The package can also be transformed into a platform for two-way information flow where brands can capture specific, valuable data about their consumers as well as share more information about the product itself.