• by Ray Schultz , May 30, 2017

Email ranks in the top three tactics used by marketers to drive brand experience, according to a study released today by Freeman and SSI.  

Of over 1,000 marketers surveyed worldwide, 58% use Web sites, 57% social media and 51% email marketing. But they’re not utilizing “game-changing” technologies like interactive touchscreen technology (cited by only 22%) and virtual reality (8%), the study continues.

The survey covered CMOs, brand managers, event planners and marketers in both B2B and B2C, and found that companies involved in 20 or more events per year are more likely to use the newer technologies.

Specifically, 20% of these firms use interactive screen technology, and 21% deploy location-mapping/beacons. In addition, 16% utilize virtual reality and 16% gamification in some form.

From a geographic standpoint, Asia seems to be ahead. Of the Asian marketers polled, 42% use sensory interaction to personalize the brand experience, compared to 28% in North America and 13% in Western Europe. Plus, 31% use virtual reality, compared to 9% in North America and 7% in Western Europe.

Meanwhile, companies expect to spend more on brand experience. Of the CMOs surveyed, 33% plan to allocate 21% of 50% of their budgets to the discipline.

In contrast, 28% of the B2B marketers and 18% of the B2C will budget the same amounts.

In Asia, 32% of marketers anticipate spending more than one-fifth of their budgets on brand experience, compared to 23%of the European firms and 27% of the North American outfits.  

Freeman found that a positive brand experience supports these goals:

• Lead generation – This was listed by 54% of the B2B marketers and 53% of brand managers
• Making customers feel valued – This was cited by 61% of North American marketers and 56% of Western European counterparts
• Increased sales – This goal is pursued by 56% of North American marketers and 50% of Asian firms.