Connected Life report shows Consumers in Nigeria Trust Online Content And Brands

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  • One in three Nigerians (28%) are concerned about social networks control over what users see in their feeds
  • 40% of consumers globally are concerned about the level of personal data brands have on them, this is not very far from the ratings in Nigeria at 32%

Today’s connected world is driving a ‘consumer trust divide’ between suspicious minds in developed nations and more accepting attitudes in emerging countries, according to Kantar TNS’s latest Connected Life research.

53% of Nigerian consumers consider the content brands post on social media relevant.

Kantar TNS surveyed 70,000 people across 56 countries and conducted 104 in-depth interviews as part of the 2017 Connected Life study. The research explored consumer trust in brands in relation to four themes: technology, content, data, and e-commerce. The findings show that while European and US consumers’ trust in brands, this is being undermined by the poor deployment of advertising and content, consumers in countries across Asia and Africa, in contrast, appear to be embracing brand content and messaging.

The findings also show that many consumers are choosing privacy over convenience, preferring a greater say in decisions that impact them even if that means compromising on speed or ease: 38% of consumers in Nigeria object to connected devices monitoring their activities even if it makes their lives easier.

The research also reveals that mistrust is prevalent in many markets but that it is not universal. While 14% of UK consumers consider the content, they see on social media reliable, in Nigeria, 56% of consumers trust the information they consume on social media.

Trust in large global brands varies significantly between emerging and developed markets: in China and Nigeria, more than half of consumers (57% and 54% respectively) trust big global brands, but consumer trust falls significantly in developed markets like the USA and France, where just 21% and 15%, respectively, trust big global brands.

Commenting on the findings, Aggrey Maposa, Managing Director for Kantar Nigeria, Insights said:

“The mobile marketing tide has begun to turn positive for Nigeria. In spite of being a mobile first market, Nigerian brands have, over the years trailed other markets in building digital engagement, driven by access barriers amongst others.  This year, however, we see a positive uplift in consumer interaction with brands online and an even bigger opportunity for brands to build digital engagement in Nigeria given the consumers’ favourable disposition to brand content. Having said so, it remains important for brand builders to respect consumer privacy and ensure content relevance in their digital initiatives.”

Michael Nicholas, Global Lead of Connected Solutions, Kantar TNS added:

“We are now living in a connected, post-truth world where the default for many consumers is suspicion, not acceptance. In developed countries, the connection that brands have strived to have with consumers –whether reaching them through new technologies, sharing brand content, targeting them based on their personal data or widening the scope of e-commerce – appears to be eroding trust, not building it.”

When it comes to data, people are becoming increasingly aware of the price they are paying for their connected lifestyles, and many feel on the losing end of an unfair exchange. 40% of global respondents expressed concern about the amount of personal data that companies have on them, but it was especially high in some markets: almost three-quarters (72%) of Polish consumers are concerned – more than any other nation – and the majority of consumers in the United States (60%) and South Korea (59%) share that view. However, concerns are much lower in other markets, including Nigeria (32%), China (34%) and Indonesia (22%), where consumers have more transactional expectations from brands (for example, rewards in exchange for data).