London, 21 October – Blis, the trusted leader in location-powered advertising and analytics has today launched a new global report, ‘Behaviour change is real: how brands can harness it’, in advance of the upcoming holiday season. The report looks at three key indicators for behaviour change that are impacting consumers and being impacted the most: geographical location, modifications to mobility and the psychological need for interaction.

The analysis highlights how these three factors interact and impact consumer behaviour, as seen both in our foot traffic data and sentiment surveys. This research pairs real-world behaviour with survey data from consumers and media industry professionals across Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore, UAE, UK and US.

The report outlines how there is no one approach that fits all, given vastly different consumer need states and risk appetites. Consumers are out of their comfort zones. They are cocooning, and thus spending less, but in fact, appear to be splashing out more. As a result, brands also need to keep a close eye on the early embracers in any one vertical, as they are likely to be the harbingers of the next vertical to recover as well.

Key findings include:
Geography: Patterns of behaviour vary at a localised level and confidence vs. caution varies geographically, so brands need to take a micro approach and develop more granular strategies.
Mobility: Public transit users are the early embracers and offer the best cues for brands about potential new targeting opportunities.
Psychology: The rate of return to ‘normal’ varies, not just region to region, but also person to person, where our intrinsic need for personal interaction drives more confident consumers out into daily life. Brands need to segment audiences into risk appetite.

Alex Wright, Head of Insights at Blis said, “With regions around the world exiting and entering lockdowns at different stages there is an abundance of uncertainty. This mix of confidence and concern, as well as adoption of new habits is creating bigger challenges for brands who are looking to deepen their understanding of their changing customers. This report sheds light on some of these key behaviour changes and the difference between perception and reality for consumers. Understanding the impact of geography, mobility and psychology is key for brands to reach and engage consumers in this unusual time.”

But, throughout all of the restrictions, people are continuing to live their lives, moving when and where they can and trying to maintain routine. We’ve been tracking trends in movement throughout the year to help brands better understand how people are engaging with the world around them. This report analyses those trends, deep dives into the impact of mobility, geography and psychology on consumer behaviour and provides recommendations, not only for the upcoming festive season, but also looking ahead to next year.”

With the holiday season already beginning for some and many yearning for a level of ‘normal’, it’s imperative for brands to pay close attention to how their audience has, or hasn’t, adapted their behaviour. In such a disrupted environment, understanding the different anchor points of a consumer’s day and how they have changed will provide key insights into their mindset.

The report also highlights the cyclical path that consumer behaviour is taking as markets experience different stages of impact from COVID-19. With full recovery not yet on the horizon, a return to stability is key for bedding in new behaviours and even reverting back to old habits not long forgotten. Learn more and read the full report here.

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For further information please contact:
Blis: Marian Brannelly, marian.brannelly@blis.com