This could be one more reason for marketers to go back to the drawing board if they want to reach out to the Singapore consumers.

A new study reveals a disconnect between marketers and their target audience, with consumers saying they are suffering from information overload, causing them to ignore marketing messages altogether.

The study by Experian, the global information services company, revealed that three out of 10 Singapore consumers, or 30 percent, ignore marketing materials sent through e-mails, direct mail, and other social media messages because of the high volume of marketing information they are getting. Another 44 percent said they have stopped engaging with four or more brands because of poorly targeted campaigns.

Experian said the study, which involved a little more than 1,000 Singapore consumers, "reveals a clear disconnect between the communications consumers want from brands and the way they are being targeted by marketers".

Media relevance

This disconnect is further manifested by the conflicting notions about marketers and consumers about the importance of media in campaigns. For 28 percent of marketers-respondents, print media is one of the least important tools for connecting. On the other hand, 86 percent of consumers said they consider print media as the second most valued communication medium.

"Singapore consumers are moving beyond traditional to online media, changing the way marketers interact with them. However, consumers are not responding well to some brands due to high volumes of irrelevant marketing information they receive online and offline," said Graeme Beardsell, chief customer development and marketing officer, Experian Asia Pacific.

The study also revealed that consumers have become frustrated with being unable to unsubscribe from unwanted communication (such as e-mail, newsletters, direct mail, SMS alerts, social media messages), and content that is irrelevant or not helpful at all or badly formatted.

Some 76 percent of respondents said they read marketing communications sent to them that is "personally relevant". The rest is deleted or thrown away.

Brand engagement

To engage with a brand, 65 percent of Singapore respondents said they prefer giveaways or incentives. Other favourite means to engage with Singapore consumers, according to the study, is through brand experiences, stunts and interactive content (54 percent) and social media (43 percent).

"Today's consumers are more demanding and expect brand engagement to be relevant. In order to turn consumers into loyal brand evangelists, marketers need to listen to consumers and evolve their communications strategies according to individual needs," Beardsell continued.

Beardsell said one solution that marketers can use for their campaigns is the Experian Cheetahmail, a tool that can help marketers target their audience by maximising the relevance and precision of their communications.

Experian Marketing Services offers data, analytics and platforms for consumer engagement around the globe. It helps marketers more effectively target and engage their best customers through e-mail, digital advertising, customer data management, customer and competitive insight, data enrichment and list rental, modelling and analytics, and strategic consulting.

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