Marketing has always had a critical role in attracting and retaining customers, building brands, and shaping product and service propositions. Shifts in consumer behaviour and expectations are now influencing not just what marketing does to grow your business, but how it does it. Growing responsibly is a differentiator in a world of endless choice, transparency, and consumer influence. Tom Adams, Partner and Experience Consulting Leader at PwC, states that

“There is no better time to rethink marketing to create responsible growth through genuine customer connections as a strategy for differentiation and success.”

Nevertheless, this does not have to be a trade-off. Organisations have the potential to be closer than ever to the people who matter – customers.

The Decline of Third-Party Cookies

The accelerated growth of digital engagement, constant innovation in marketing technology, and new sources of real-time data and insights have created opportunities to connect with consumers, clients, patients, citizens, and/or students. It is easier to reach new individuals and to personalize their experiences which means brands can be more relevant to them and respond to their needs more rapidly. However, the imminent demise of third-party cookies could change all this by disrupting how marketers target new customers but also affecting understanding of a consumer’s end-to-end journey. Ironically, this offers a genuine opportunity for marketing to rethink its role and approach. This is the right set of circumstances to make better use of the data companies already own to create more relevant experiences, communications, and services. Brands that provide a poor experience fail to deliver across four (coherent, personal, engaging, and distinctive) key dimensions will suffer.

The Brands to Be

A brand that is very coherent is Amazon. They are effortless, connected, effective, and are a service designed to be easy, seamless, and hassle-free. Prime has exceptional service at just a click of a button. There are more and more places you can return items to. The self-help app is great with the customer service team being able to see your account and item which means they can see what you are talking about when you need help. 

When it comes to the personal dimension, Netflix is commonly called as the benchmark. They are tailored, anticipatory, inclusive, and rewarding. Consumers are empowered to adapt the experience to suit their needs. The streaming giant caters for all ages by providing a whole array of content. Netflix Children for example which provides family content and creates a safe environment for young viewers. In addition, a customer can have their own profile to watch things individually without disrupting someone else’s program. 

Digital is Changing the Game

Digital has opened so much potential to reach and engage audiences. However, the well-informed and conscientious global customer is asking for new value exchange and companies need to be transparent. One that explicitly makes use of their data for the customer’s benefit as part of more accurate targeting, better personalization product services, and experiences that genuinely reflect their wants and needs. This in turn will create preference and loyalty that will drive growth but in a responsible way. Arguably, brands that do this today will be the brands that lead tomorrow. 

GDS Summits are tailored 3-day virtual event conferences that bring together business leaders and solution providers to accelerate sales cycles, industry conversations and outcomes. Regarding our recent CX Innovation Summit, 86% of delegates said the overall experience of the Digital Summit they attended was either above average or excellent, and 71% of delegates said the Digital Summit provided them with actionable outcomes to support their current initiatives.   

For more, click here to hear from attendees on how GDS has helped them to achieve their business outcomes.  

Continue the debate at an upcoming GDS CX Innovation Summit, where we bring together senior marketing executives who are actively seeking to share, learn, engage, and find the best solutions.  

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