Blue Moose: Why Consumers are Becoming Turned Off by Brands on Social Media

Many people are beginning to find social media ads too intrusive, Blue Moose investigate how brands can engage with consumers.

A recent study by Kantar TNS found that 40% of Brits ‘actively ignore’ social posts or ads from brands, this figure is extremely high, prompting industry experts to develop new ideas and strategies to engage with customers.

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Michael Nicholas, Global Director at Kantar TNS, says; “Some brands are getting it spot on – in the past years we’ve seen the likes of Disney, Starbucks and McDonald’s use Snapchat’s filters to engage consumers in a way that doesn’t feel intrusive”. In the last two years, the number of Snapchat users has doubled. Blue Moose believe this tactic will be used by other brands in the future, organisations have found a way to interact with consumers in a fun way which can then be shared around the world.

One of the issues surrounding social media ads is the sheer amount of them. Recent statistics state a person can be exposed to as many as 5,000 adverts a day, this overwhelming number dilutes the quality of adverts. Brands need to focus their efforts on creating engaging content or viral videos rather than overproducing ineffective adverts. Blue Moose refer to the classic phrase ‘quality not quantity’ in their approach to marketing; the firm employ empathetic contractors to represent brands and personally interact with customers.

A further negative of social media campaigns, related to the previous point regarding the number of adverts, is that the audiences aren’t being targeted specifically. The current approach is to release as much content as possible in hope it will reach millions of users. However, figures show a 47% increase of 55-65 year olds on social media sites which means brands will need to consider a variety of demographics for their campaigns. It is important to consider people from all ages and backgrounds when promoting a product and ensure each group has a tailored message, otherwise, the public become detached from the brand as they feel like ‘just another customer’.

The Kantar TNS study found trust levels between brands and young people are decreasing as consumers believe businesses will falsely advertise their product in order to make sales. Bloggers and reviewers have become the biggest influencers for 16-24 year olds, YouTube vloggers recommend skin care products, fashion items and the latest gadgets in videos seen my millions of subscribers. Their success is due to the personalised element they provide. Viewers see an ‘ordinary’ person like themselves enjoying the products and can relate to them.

Blue Moose, based in Liverpool, describe their direct marketing methods as unique, the firm dedicate their time and effort in creating personalised campaigns for brands and ensure a positive interaction with customers. They provide face-to-face communication which is essential in receiving feedback on products and increases the trustworthiness of a brand. Blue Moose believe it is possible to get a higher Return on Investment through direct marketing than online campaigns and the quality of their interactions lead to higher rates of customer acquisition.