The Tetra Pak Index: the Connected Consumer

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Source:Tetra Pak

Editors:Doris Xu / Vicky Gan

On September 6, 2017, Tetra Pak released Tetra Pak Index 2017- The Connected Consumer. The report shows that third-party, user-generated content is becoming increasingly important, and is often more convincing than direct communications from brands. In addition, Super Leaders have great influence on customers, so if brands want to have vigorous development, companies should focus more on the interactions with Super Leaders. And the Customers Journey is transformed from traditional linear model to network model. The communication of packaging matters more and the digital packaging is the key access for personalized interaction and mutual connections.

1. Global Overview

As consumers everywhere do ever more online, so their expectations of brands are rapidly evolving. The digital world is an autonomous, self-governed, highly democratic community where every voice can be influential. Brands need to understand how to initiate, join and help shape connected conversations in order to thrive.

A World of Consumer Commentary

Digital media, blogs/forums and social media are all on the rise. In an online world where everyone has a voice, brands can’t speak loud enough on their own. They need to engage proactively, cultivating user-generated content, learning from and partnering with bloggers, and harnessing the power of Super Leaders to spread and amplify their messages.

• Connected consumers globally see social media as a means of brand interaction, with 48% seeing it as the preferred platform for expressing an opinion on a brand.

• They also see it as a medium that’s substantially more believable than advertising (62% versus 38%).

Mobile is King

The online world is increasingly mobilecentric, particularly in developing markets, which often skipped desktops altogether. China is notably advanced: to study the latest trends, look here. Brands need to start with a mobile-first strategy – in fact, in the US, some are shifting to “mobile-only” to “keep pace with on-the-go consumers”.

Trust, tone & Influence

With institutional “trust in crisis”,consumers increasingly trust “people like us” who share their values, priorities and outlook on life. Brands need to show that they share these traits too; to be more transparent and speak with greater honesty and authenticity, while leveraging “real people” as brand advocates. “The public believes that companies should lead the way and will rally behind them for a cause they believe in.”

2. A New Framework

While everyone online has a voice, some speak louder than others. Understanding how people behave online requires a new kind of segmentation framework. At the “top of the tree” are the Super Leaders, the most active and most social group of all. The earliest of adopters, the influencers and the trendsetters, they are a vital key to unlocking the connected mass market, now and in the future.

Segmentation & Super Leaders

Online behavior transcends conventional demographics and requires a new kind of consumer segmentation framework. The most active and most social group of all connected consumers are the Super Leaders: the earliest of adopters, the influencers and the trendsetters. Well connected and highly vocal, they can be a golden source both of brand advocacy and market insight.

Where & How to Engage

Super Leaders are strikingly open to engagement: almost half have daily interactions with brands on social media. They strongly expect brands to respond to their reviews and comments, most of which tend to be based on a positive experience; such responses have a very good impact on brand perception, underscoring the importance of engagement.

3. Redefining The Customer Journey

With the offline and online worlds becoming increasingly blurred, managing the customer journey is becoming much more complex as consumers come to expect a seamless experience across all channels, via mobile, desktop and in-store.

Consistency is Crucial

As channels proliferate and ever more links in the value chain interact directly with consumers, brands need to work harder to create consistent messaging and a seamless customer journey across multiple touchpoints. Mobile is increasingly the “glue” that connects this “omnichannel” experience.

From Push to Pull

The vast majority of Super Leaders search for information at least once on their purchasing journey, mainly before buying (81%) when they look at an average 4.4 sources. Social mediahas a strong role to play throughout, but the “traditional” brand website remains a vital information source.

• The vast majority (87%) of Super Leaders search for information at least once as part of their food and beverage purchasing process, mainly before buying (81%) when they look at an average 4.4 sources.

• In China, 82% of Super Leaders also search for information while buying.

In-Store Still Pivotal

Food and beverages are still overwhelmingly purchased offline and in-store marketing remains critical to product campaigns. But digital is key here too, influencing more than half of all in-store purchases.

Rise of E-Commerce

E-commerce is rising everywhere and is forecast to account for 10% of all food by 2021. It is causing disruption across the value chain, with major players such as Amazon promising much more to come. Mobile is “firmly on the march toward becoming the online shopping tool of choice”.

• While 14% of connected consumers buy groceries online, 59% are open to doing so.

• 65% of consumers in China shop online via their mobile at least monthly while only 12% have never done so, compared with 28% and 46% respectively worldwide.

• Looking ahead, 59% of Chinese consumers say that their mobile will become their main tool for purchasing items, compared with 34% worldwide.

Packaging Matters

As consumers now look for personalised experiences from brands, unique digital packages, AR and custom printing provide new opportunities for brands to engage and deepen relationships – and, crucially, to connect directly with them.

• 40% of millennials want to participate in co-creation of products and brands.

• In 2015, 45% of shoppers spent money on personalising a product or experience – and were happy to pay signifcantly extra.

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