68% of 18-24 year olds ‘not bothered’ about how much data they share with brands
Nearly three-quarters (68 per cent) of 18-24 year olds have said they are unconcerned about how much data they share with brands, according to a new study by Webtrends.
Less than a quarter (23 per cent) of the same age group believe data sharing will be viewed negatively in the future.
There is slightly more caution around data sharing for consumers aged 55 and over, with half objecting to sharing data with brands completely and 49 per cent believing it will still be an issue in the future.
John Fleming, Webtrends marketing director EMEA and APAC, said that the common perception is that Britons are terrified of ‘Big Brother’ watching them.
“But this isn’t quite the case when it comes to brands,” he said. “Younger generations have grown up in a far more connected, data-centric world and often recognise the benefits of sharing personal info with their favourite brands. And with only 19 per cent of respondents saying they don’t like receiving personalised content from brands, it paints a clear picture that attitudes are continually evolving.”
The research found that what encourages Brits to share data is discount on clothing (36 per cent), free delivery of product (31 per cent), discount on a holiday or travel (28 per cent) and discount on books (18 per cent).
They are most willing to share basic information like their name and email address with retailers (64 per cent) but will share more detailed information such as income and job title with financial services and banks. People are most reluctanct to share detailed information with charities, with only five per cent of those surveyed saying they would.
“Brands often have to compete with legacy perceptions – for example, people may have had a bad experience with a charity using their information for persistent communications and telemarketing,” explained Fleming. “Consumers also forget to uncheck the marketing tick box and then get deluged with irrelevant and untimely offers.”
“However companies can overcome this. Through smarter use of the data they have, brands can personalise their communications, time them more appropriately and engage with their customers in the way they prefer, which leads to greater brand perception, loyalty and trust – a win-win-win.”
The Webtrends research canvassed 2,000 Britons aged 18 and over.