New Study: Traditional Marketing Fails to Gain Consumer Trust

Research shows that consumers are losing trust in traditional
marketing and instead seek their own credible sources when making buying
decisions

SALT LAKE CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Experticity, the largest
network of influential brand experts, released a new study today that
reveals a major disconnect between marketers and the consumers they seek
to influence. The study suggests a major shift is needed in the
prioritization of marketing dollars if companies want to stay ahead.

Data from the study shows that the vast majority of marketers are out of
touch with which sources consumers turn to and trust when it comes to
deciding what to buy. Key findings include:

• An overwhelming majority of marketers (83 percent) believe that
  traditional advertising is the most effective means of influencing
  buying decisions, yet advertising was almost
  the very least trusted source according to consumers, with
  only 47 percent saying they trust brand advertising.
• The majority of marketers (82 percent) believe social media is
  extremely or somewhat effective in influencing buyer decisions, yet
  only 49 percent of consumers reported that they trust brand social
  media campaigns.
• The majority of consumers ranked family or friends (72 percent),
  online reviews (72 percent) and third-party experts (61 percent) as
  their top trusted sources when making a buying decision.

“Consumers clearly value interactions with credible, trustworthy people
much more than traditional advertisements,” said Tom Stockham, CEO of
Experticity. “Across the board, marketers are overvaluing traditional
advertising and not placing nearly enough emphasis on actual people—who,
it turns out, are what actually impact consumers most.”

According to the research, marketers are highly overconfident,
especially in the advertising tactics they think will resonate with
consumers. The majority of marketers (between 78-86 percent) report
their company is somewhat to extremely skilled in every marketing tactic
listed in the survey, yet their confidence and priorities do not line up
with what consumers respond to, showing marketers may not understand
what really impacts buying decisions.

“Consumer trust is the most powerful asset marketers have when working
to influence purchases, yet trust in traditional marketing tactics is
overwhelmingly low. It’s vital that brands engage with customers in ways
that build trust instead of breaking it down,” said Stockham.

To see the methodology and full survey results, visit http://impremedia-network.go-vip.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/09/consumer_trust_survey.pdf

About Experticity

Experticity has built the
world’s largest community of influential category experts and connects
them with 700 of the world’s top brands to create a new breed of buying
experience — one that is informed, genuine and mutually beneficial.
Experticity’s community of nearly 2 million experts is comprised of
industry professionals, category opinion leaders and influential retail
sales associates that are actively sought out for trusted
recommendations on what to buy. Founded in 2004, Experticity is based in
Salt Lake City and led by Tom Stockham, a CEO with an impressive track
record of championing companies like Ancestry.com
and Ticketmaster. To learn more about Experticity and how its
rapidly-growing community of brands and experts are transforming today’s
buying experience, visit experticity.com.

Contacts

Experticity
Helen Langan, 801-641-6569
helen.langan@experticity.com
or
Method
Communications
Jessica Hutchison, 801-461-9779
jessica@methodcommunications.com