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digital branding agency releases study supporting digital branding

Surprise, surprise.

RazorFish’s Feed 2009 report has recently hit the net to some muted fanfare, raised eyebrows and the occasional cheer. In brief: consumers with broadband access are more likely to engage in online activities. In other news, the sky is blue, fish can swim, and there is apparently a war going on in Iraq.

Okay okay okay–snark aside, there are some really interesting takeaways. Some brief notes, to be consumed and chewed on for a later date:

A. Folks who engage with a brand online are more likely to purchase and recommend that brand to their friends and peers. Moreover, they’re much more likely to be swayed by that brand’s online presence and the digital experiences they might provide. However…

B. The vast majority of people apparently engage with a brand online either because they’re current customers or because they’re looking for a good deal.

C. People don’t download branded applications. Probably because most branded applications inevitably suck, often too busy trying to sell a product to be entertaining or useful.

D. People who participate in a brand-sponsored sweepstakes, event, or produce content for a contest are more likely to either purchase a product or service from that brand or to consider the brand when they’re in the market for that product or service. HOWEVER…

E. See Point B. Those that are most swayed most likely belong to the choir already.

F. The vast majority of respondents either SOMETIMES or NEVER engage with brand activities online. Most consumers only rarely watch commercials or video advertisements on YouTube (74%), read brand blogs (73%), play browser-based brand games (75%), post brand reviews (64%), provide feedback (72%), interact with mobile ads (86%), or blog about a brand (78%). However, most people will still hunt down information about a brand online. See question 16 for the full breakdown.  The takeaway? While the number of people who NEVER engage with a brand online is statistically significant (hovering between 20 and 30 percent on average), the more intriguing concern is just what the term SOMETIMES actually means.

G. A thought about questions 17 and 18–just what the heck’s a “digital experience,” anyway? That’s a little vague, innit guv?

H. Based on the data, RazorFish’s conclusions about the fundamental nature of the internet can be considered questionable at best, and massive extrapolations at worst.

Now don’t get me wrong: a strong digital brand presence that actively engages with its consumers is a very, very important aspect of any successful marketing strategy. But it’s not the end-all be-all, and it’s not a silver bullet that will magically solve all your problems in a puff of faerie-dust and unicorn farts. Basic brand-building fundamentals should not be ignored in favor of dumping the entirety of your budget into YouTwitFace.

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