Unveiling the Truth: Shocking Stats to Kickstart Your Week

Marketers believe performance budgets most likely to increase

Senior marketers expect their performance marketing budget to be increased in the next 12 months, with 44% of those surveyed believing that the percentage allocated for performance marketing will rise. In contrast, only 28% of respondents anticipate an increase in the proportion of their budget dedicated to brand marketing. The majority (59%) expect their brand marketing budget to remain unchanged, while 13% foresee a decrease.

According to the survey, marketing technology is expected to be the second most probable category for budget increase. Approximately 41% of the respondents anticipate an upward revision in this area within the next year.

As a result of inflationary pressures, budgets continue to be constrained. In fact, 40% of marketers claim to have more frequent budget discussions with finance compared to previous years, while 56% state that the frequency remains unchanged.

Over a third (35%) also report finance teams are challenging decision-making on marketing investment more versus previous years.

Source: Wunderkind

Fear of ‘greenwashing’ puts marketers off sustainability projects

Research from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) reveals that nearly half (49%) of marketers hesitate to engage in sustainability initiatives due to concerns of being labeled as 'greenwashing'.

Despite this, consumers are increasingly expecting companies to be transparent and open about their efforts towards sustainability. Approximately 63% of consumers anticipate businesses to be more vocal about the sustainability of their offerings.

Consequently, a significant number of marketers have dedicated their efforts in this domain. In the last five years, 76% of marketers have actively participated in sustainability initiatives. Almost half (45%) of them have expressed feeling compelled to convey their company's or client's sustainability credentials.

Currently, just 40% of marketers state that their company has publicly declared commitments to sustainability. According to CIM chief executive Chris Daly, it is crucial for marketers to utilize their distinct skill sets to exert influence, alter behaviors, foster innovation, and establish communities that can truly bring about impactful collective action.

Source: Chartered Institute of Marketing

Most UK shoppers buy alcohol-free drinks alongside alcohol

Data from Kantar reveals that an impressive 99% of UK shoppers who have purchased low- or no-alcohol drinks within the past year have also bought alcohol. Additionally, separate research conducted by Kantar highlights that nearly half (47%) of UK adults are seamlessly transitioning between alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks during the same occasion. Interestingly, approximately 40% of UK adults attribute this behavior to their desire to moderate their alcohol consumption.

In a collaborative effort between retailer Waitrose and drinks maker Diageo, the research findings indicate a noteworthy 20% growth in sales of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages at Waitrose over the previous year.

Commissioned by Diageo, the research reveals that a significant majority of 70% of adults in the UK express a desire for improved accessibility to these products during their shopping experiences.

Source: Kantar/Waitrose/Diageo

Four in 10 Twitter users now interested in using a competitor

A significant majority of Twitter users, 41% to be precise, express their willingness to embrace a rival service following the rebranding of the platform as X. Surprisingly, only a mere 6% have actually transitioned to Meta's competing service, Threads.

The rebrand to X, initiated by its owner, Elon Musk, has garnered predominantly negative feedback. A staggering 68% of respondents dislike the new X logo, while an additional 20% find it confusing.

However, 34% of Twitter users who engage with the platform for several hours daily express a favorable opinion towards the logo. Nevertheless, confidence in Musk has declined significantly. In December 2022, after the billionaire acquired the platform, 40% of surveyed users had faith in his ability to enact positive transformations on Twitter. Presently, only 25% hold this belief.

Source: Zappi

Majority of brands and agencies want ‘more adventurous’ ads

A total of 81% of brands and agencies express a desire for advertising to be more daring, according to research conducted by payments platform Bango. Moreover, the study also reveals that currently, a significant number of advertising professionals feel unprepared to meet this expectation. Specifically, 60% state that identifying the appropriate target audiences for their online advertisements has become increasingly challenging.

To help remedy this, 83% report actively exploring new sources of data for targeting ads.

Source: Bango