34% of customers say most companies treat them as an individual (versus as a number).
47% of customers say most companies don’t use their personal information in a way that benefits them.
63% of customers say most companies aren’t transparent about how their data is used.
“Now consumers are asking: how are you using my data, how can I turn this off, and how can I control it?” Numbers from the 2020 State of the Connected Customer report “The average consumer is much more aware - they’re pulling back the curtains on something us marketers already knew was going on,” one marketer shared. The challenge for marketers is to balance consumers’ trust with business priorities - after all, trust can be easily broken, and difficult to regain. While some experiences are perceived by marketers as “effective” in getting consumers to engage with a product or advertisement, they carry long term negative impacts on a brand overall. One key area of difference did emerge - the perception of effectiveness. Instead, we found consumers and marketers are already aligned about both their concerns and perceived benefits of personalization. We expected our research to show differences in how groups think about the benefits of personalization, such as the use of sensitive data. Our R&I team conducted an in depth study with both consumers and marketers to understand their perspectives on personalization and data usage to inform responsible marketing practices. Consumers and marketers are aligned in all but one key area Our Research & Insights (R&I) team partnered with Marketing Cloud product teams and our Office of Ethical and Humane Use to understand how ethics-by-design helps us achieve a more responsible marketing standard. And amid today’s intersecting health, social, and economic crises, it’s crucial to understand how our products impact end users. Personalizing consumer data has implications for all four of our company values - trust, customer success, innovation, and equality. With the current trust revolution building in marketing and retail, especially when it comes to the collection and use of personal data, adding transparency and responsible personalization into your marketing process will be key. However, only 27% of consumers understand how companies use their personal information and data. According to our 2020 State of the Connected Customer report, 52% of consumers expect their offers to be personalized - up from 49% in 2019. Consumers want to be recognized, treated uniquely, and have their personal information curated carefully.