• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, November 11, 2011

Asserting that "digital waste" from misguided marketers is "polluting" the online world, WPP's TNS unit just released what it calls a "Digital Life" study that appears to be an indictment against modern digital marketing practices.

Among other things, the study found that nearly 60% of social network users in the U.S. do not want to engage with brands online.

"This leads to misguided digital strategies that are generating mountains of digital waste, from friendless Facebook accounts to blogs no one reads," the report asserted. "When combined with ever-increasing content produced by consumers – the study shows that 47% of digital consumers now comment about brands online. The result is huge volumes of noise, which is polluting the digital world and making it harder for brands to be heard – presenting a major challenge for businesses trying to enter into a real dialogue with consumers."

And it’s not just brands that are cluttering the brand communications environment online. The TNS report finds that nearly half (47%) of digital consumers comment about brands online, contributing to “huge volumes of noise,” which TNS North America Vice President of Marketing Cheryl Max described as a “cacophony” that “risks alienating potential customers.”

Highlights of the study, which is based on surveys of more than 72,000 consumers in 60 countries, can be found at tnsdigitallife.com.