The North's leading advertising agency

There is no such thing as the average customer and no customer wants to be told they are, or made to feel, average. 2012 will be the year when retailers need to treat customers more as individuals or lose them. These shoppers have been seeking richer retail experiences for years; in 2012, their minimum expectation is for them to be personalised – both online and in the real world.


Retailers are getting better at using personal data to target customers more effectively, harnessing digital marketing to reach different customer segments with marketing messages directed solely at them as individuals, rather than as a homogenous whole.


And we are increasingly seeing the power of the F Factor – when friends, fans and followers influence how and why consumers buy, in ever more powerful and sophisticated ways. These trusted curators ensure that shoppers with limited time are presented with completely personalised recommendations of products and services that are most relevant to them – in the online space.


We believe the next big step is for retailers to deliver the same level of personalisation they are achieving online in the real world of the high street. Time-starved consumers will value those bricks and mortar retailers who serve them when it best suits, and will want more help to make the right choices in the shortest amount of time.


Retailers will need to deliver more localised shopping experiences, with consumers starting to see only local information that is relevant or interesting to them personally. Stores have an opportunity to be more flexible, offering tailor-made packages, solutions and services that are based upon people’s time. By recognising the detailed make-up of the high street throughout the day, and working the window communication to reflect the real-time nature of the audience, retailers can genuinely deal with shoppers, hour by hour.


Digital signage and mobile are bringing the online personalisation experience in store, using face detection and demographic analysis to present targeted ads to people as they shop in the real world. This looks set to take centre stage for retailers in 2012 and beyond. Face detection technology has even evolved to recognise whether you’re smiling or not…





So, 2012 will be the year when the offline world plays catch-up with online. By joining up a personalised shopping experience across stores, web, social and mobile, retailers will create genuine consumer engagement and ultimately drive sales.


If you’d like to hear more about how you can ‘make it personal’, please contact Alex Thompson on 0113 284 44 98. Our next Retail Trend for 2012 will be published in our newsletter and on our blog in March.