Digital consumer connections: an alternative to direct consumer contact

Barbara du Perron and Anja Kischkat

Online communities offer many opportunities to involve consumers in the daily business of marketers, and to use them as a source of inspiration instead of evaluation.

Digital consumer connections: an alternative to direct consumer contact

Barbara du PerronNPD & Innovation, Metrixlab, Netherlands

Anja KischkatUnilever Europe, Netherlands

INTRODUCTION

Direct consumer contact is a great way of bringing marketers closer to their consumers. It offers the marketer the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of consumers and how they go about their daily lives. For most marketers, this is an inspiring and enriching experience as it transforms the abstract notion of 'consumers' into real human beings who are more than just numbers buying their product.

However beneficial direct consumer contact is to the individual marketer, it...

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