Research reveals the kings of multichannel marketing

Consumers have ranked supermarkets as the leading industry for multichannel marketing in the UK, a new study commissioned by 3radical has revealed.

Surveying consumer attitudes towards marketing in different sectors, the research found that 80% of respondents believed supermarkets’ marketing across different channels to be most effective in “encouraging purchase”.

Tech companies were close behind - 79% of respondents said technology brands were deemed effective at multichannel marketing.

In the lower echelons of the study, 50% of UK consumers cited banks and finance brands as producing the most ineffective marketing, followed closely by fashion and beauty brands, at 38%.

Supermarket swipe

The majority of the UK’s leading supermarkets have hit a purple patch in the last 12 months.   

Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco all reported an upturn in financial performance over Christmas, with Morrisons attributing an improvement in customer service as a key factor in their changing fortunes.

However, multichannel marketing campaigns have also been integral in most cases, with the sheer diversity of channels supermarkets now cover appearing to pay dividends.

Marks & Spencer now credits 30% of its online traffic to its mobile phone app, while 62% of its online sales are now picked up in stores.

Tesco has had further success by applying more focus to simplifying the path to purchase in less traditional channels such as social media, with the recent announcement that it was trialling chatbots on Twitter as part of its multichannel focus.  

And loyalty schemes continue to drive purchasing decisions in supermarkets, despite reports of some major schemes faltering in other sectors.

93% of Brits have at some point signed up to be a member of a loyalty programme. Alongside this, where they find a scheme they like, three quarters of respondents (75%) reported being an active member for more than 12 months.

“Whilst mobile and multichannel approaches have been part of the sales priorities for many years now, 2016 really saw this forming an integral part of consumer marketing in a huge way,” said David Eldridge, CEO at 3radical.

“The brands that embrace a multi-layered approach – that combines mobile, loyalty, interactivity and creativity – are emerging as clear winners in consumers’ eyes.”

Alongside digital channels, traditional advertising methods continue to offer a return for the biggest brands. Sainsbury’s announced record Christmas sales of more than £1bn over the festive period, with this year’s advertising campaign revered not just in the UK, but across the globe too.