Conclusion and future prospect

As marketing and communications professionals are well aware, marketing has never been more difficult, but, at the same time, it has never been so exciting. If it is, and must be, in the service of the consumer, then today we have entered an era when this is so. Some authors and specialists even see in this a degree of “revenge” by customers, long treated “en masse” (in the sense of mass marketing) and in some cases, on occasion, “mistreated.” The digital world, with its interactivity and immediacy, appears to be rebalancing the power relationships between the brand and its customers. More informed than ever, customers have also never been so “resistant” to advertising and its influence. Customers are now “mediavores,” that is, they consume ever more media, but in an increasingly fragmented way. They are constantly connected through multiple screens (computers, tablets, and phones), and although their average TV consumption is not decreasing, their online consumption continues to increase, reaching a minimum of 20 hours a month in most developed economies and growing fast in developing economies. Ever more eager for interactive and social experience, customers immerse themselves in digital in all its forms. Switching from email messaging in favor of social networks, they become increasingly difficult to locate and reach; the customer is a constantly moving target. The exponential growth of mobile connections – for example, during the first quarter of 2013, tablets were the most popular connecting device sold, in other words, people now buy more tablets than PCs; and, in 2012, there were more than 25 billion application downloads from the Apple’s App Store – has revealed a major trend that brands must adapt to: SoLoMo. SoLoMo refers to the social-local-mobile character of today’s consumers: they connect with friends wherever they are, access information while on the move, and want information that is increasingly personalized and relevant, particularly in relation to their locations, desires, and needs. So should we give up? No, of course not, because although they are very demanding, these customers can recognize brands that progress and make the effort, and will respond positively to them with loyalty and by making recommendations on their networks.