Observed Signal · Apr 23, 2026 · Research Study · Source: Adzine · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Brands Misprioritize Social Over Email for Loyalty
A Getresponse loyalty study reported on by ADZINE (23 April 2026) finds a significant mismatch between consumer preferences and brand loyalty strategies. The survey covers 2,400 consumers and 600 companies across six markets. Consumers nominate email as their most important loyalty channel (~22%), while brands prioritize social media (~20%) and place email second (~15.5%). Product quality (≈34%) is the top driver of brand loyalty for consumers, ahead of discounts and promotions (≈21%), yet many brands still emphasize price-led promotions. High interest in recognition and VIP programs (over 93% of consumers open to them) contrasts with only about 12% of companies offering such concepts. Sixty-seven percent of consumers feel brands focus more on new-customer acquisition than retention. The study recommends reweighting channel strategies toward email, increasing personalized/value-driven content, introducing visible recognition mechanics, and simplifying reward systems.
Study quantifies a widespread misalignment between brand channel strategies and consumer loyalty preferences (email vs social), providing actionable insight for MarTech and loyalty programs but not a platform-level or regulatory shift.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Getresponse conducted a loyalty study surveying 2,400 consumers and 600 companies across six markets.
- Consumers name email as the most important loyalty channel (~22%); companies prioritize social media (~20%) and place email at ~15.5%.
- Product quality is cited by ~34% of consumers as the top loyalty driver; discounts/promotions account for ~21%.
- Over 93% of consumers are open to VIP/recognition programs, but only around 12% of companies actively offer such programs.
- 67% of consumers perceive that brands prioritize new-customer acquisition over retention.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
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Redefining Loyalty: Personalization and Trends Shape Customer Retention
In an interview with ADZINE, David Hable discusses changing customer loyalty dynamics: loyalty remains crucial across retail, e‑commerce, consumer brands, travel & hospitality, telco and B2B subscription contexts, but “True Loyalty” has fallen while volatile “Trend Loyalty” has risen. He stresses measuring interactions across the full customer lifecycle and all channels (email, mobile, web, SMS, social, in‑store). Key metrics include repeat-purchase rates, loyalty program usage and multi‑touch engagement. Hable highlights the role of AI and automation to personalize timing and channel selection, the importance of breaking data silos for effective AI, and the continuing role of paid media as an acquisition tool. He notes privacy sensitivity in German-speaking markets and forecasts 2026 as a year of renewed focus on loyalty, emphasizing targeted, timely personalization over mass messaging.
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