Study Shows What Brands Can Do to Avoid Consumer Disengagement and Spark Social Creativity with Fans

NEW YORK, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Brand fans are widespread on Facebook, with a majority rating fan pages extremely favorably. Thirty-six percent declare they are more likely to buy the product, and 92% are more likely to recommend the product since they have subscribed to the brand's fan page. But as the novelty wears thin, brands should beware and closely monitor benefits, content and frequency of communications or they will see those same fans quickly disengage.

In a study of more than 1,600 consumers in Europe, the U.S., Latin America and Asia Pacific, DDB Worldwide's Paris agency teamed with Opinionway (www.opinionway.com), a leading research institute, to examine the curious relationship between Facebook and brands. (Click here for an excerpt of the study http://bit.ly/9M1ndL.)

According to the report, 36% of brand fans have already unsubscribed from a brand's fan page, and that number could increase as Facebook markets mature or if brands fail to correctly identify frequency of communications or fall short of providing quality content and sustaining interest.

"Fan status is indicative of high purchase intent, especially when compared to any traditional form of advertising, and is an even greater predictor of advocacy with over 90% noting that being a fan has a positive impact on recommending a brand to friends," said Catherine Lautier, Director of Business Intelligence at DDB.

"But unsubscribers, at 36%, are something to watch out for. And though the majority of fans now unsubscribe by deleting a brand from their friends list, brands, when trying to measure the value of their community, are going to need to be more mindful of those who just hide the brand's message in their newsfeed," Lautier noted.

Such loss of a brand's fans is a greater risk in mature markets like Chile than in newer Facebook markets such as France, Lautier said. "But sooner or later, every market Facebook is in will present the same challenge."

DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc (www.ddb.com) ranks among the top five consolidated advertising and marketing services global networks, according to Advertising Age. Consistently one of the most creatively awarded networks globally, DDB was Campaign's 2009 Global Network of the Year, the Spikes Asia Network of the Year, and captured both the Cyber Grand Prix and Film Craft Grand Prix at the 2010 International Advertising Festival in Cannes. With more than 200 offices in over 90 countries, the DDB Group helps grow the value and influence of leading brands around the world. We believe that creativity is the most powerful force in business, allowing us to develop the ideas that people want to play with, participate in and pass along. We call this Social Creativity, which results in ShareValue, the powerful combination of influence within social communities and tangible business performance. DDB Worldwide is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC).

SOURCE DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc

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