Two-thirds of consumers in Ireland find it 'creepy' when their smartphones deliver adverts based on conversations they have, according to Deloitte's 2022 Global Marketing Trends Consumer Survey.

Some 11,500 consumers, including 500 in Ireland, were questioned with the survey and presented with a number of ways in which brands and organisations access and use their data.

With regards to 'active listening - smartphones targeting consumers with adverts for products or services they were heard talking about - two out of three respondents described the practice as creepy.

Similarly, 44% of the respondents are unsettled when they are targeted with adverts after an internet search, compared to 29% who find it helpful.

Conversely, 67% find it helpful when they are notified of items from a brand they regularly shop with going on sale.

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Three out of four smartphone users said they expect a brand to seek their express permission for all use of their personal data, and a similar proportion are alarmed by the extent to which brands are tracking and using their data.

"Brands need to build a human-first data experience, prioritising strong customer relationships – you can’t lead with deeper tracking methods before the consumer trusts you," said David Conway, partner lead for Deloitte Digital.

"Empowering the consumer with choice, embedding feedback mechanisms along the way and always being transparent about why specific personal information is needed, will go a long way to fostering trust."

Elsewhere, the survey found that online is now the preferred purchasing channel for consumers in Ireland across most categories, including travel, where 81% of people who made a purchase in the past six months did so online compared to 10% who did so in-store or in-person.

Similarly, more people favoured online over in-store when making purchases involving clothing and footwear (67%/30%), banking (63%/23%), furniture (55%/42%), and motors (48%/46%).

In-store shopping for household appliances is preferred by 66%, and beauty and personal care products by 62% of consumers.

Social media platforms are the most popular alternative purchase channel, with almost a quarter of respondents having made a purchase through a social media channel in the previous month, rising to 39% among 18-25s and 32% among 26-45s.

"Following the rapid digitisation that has occurred over the last two years, consumers in Ireland are increasingly using alternative channels to interact with and purchase from brands. Marketing executives should embrace hybrid purchasing solutions, going to where their customers are instead of waiting for customers to come to them," Conway added.

When choosing a brand to shop with, price and quality remain the two most important considerations, but 68% of consumers in Ireland are more willing to shop with brands that take actions to support their communities.

Shoppers also favour brands that strongly align with their personal values (65%); brands that commit to addressing climate change (61%); brands that commit to addressing social inequities (58%); and brands that take a public stance on social issues (53%).

When it comes to advertising, younger consumers are more likely to notice diverse or inclusive advertising at time of purchase consideration, with recognition highest among the 18-25 age group in beauty and personal care (28%), travel (27%), furniture (21%), banking products and services (19%) and clothing and footwear (18%).

"Although price and quality are undoubtedly the most important determining factors in a purchase decision for consumers, when we look deeper, we see other important factors coming to the forefront that are nuanced to demographics and categories," Conway explained.

"Investing in understanding what their target demographics want and need – and taking action to respond to those wants and needs – will allow brands to become more competitive.

"Establishing KPIs to support this can help to ensure that brands continuously keep their purpose front and centre, and can also help to prevent brands from leaning into areas for which they are not ready."

(Pic: Getty Images)