Most marketers believe that personalization of the consumer experience is important, but their attempts at personalized communications might run into disinterested – or worse, annoyed – consumers. According to a new study [pdf] sponsored by Lyris and conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), only 32% of consumers in the US and UK agreed that greater personalization of marketing messages benefits consumers, while 43% disagreed. Moreover, 70% agreed that many of the personalized messages they receive are annoying because the attempts at personalization are superficial.
Part of the problem seems to an over-abundance of personalized messaging. 81% agreed that they receive more marketing messages that include their name than they did 5 years ago. 76% said the same about messages containing customized offers or invitations, and 70% about messages that include personalized content.
That increase means that personalized messages are now falling on deaf ears (blind eyes?) to some extent. 63% of respondents believe that they receive so many messages that use their name that it no longer makes any difference to them. By comparison, just 14% appreciate receiving messages addressed to them personally and are more likely to read them.
About the Data: The results are based on a survey of 409 consumers conducted in March 2013.
