New research from SAP Emarsys reveals that 25% of consumer product brands have cracked the code and entered an ‘Engagement Era,’ focusing on product, while others struggle to connect. The 2025 survey of over 2,000 consumers shows that over half (57%) of British shoppers ignore the brand, as long as a product meets their needs.
This shift underscores the need for consumer product brands to work smarter, breaking down silos, accelerating operations, and engaging customers more meaningfully. To thrive in the ‘Engagement Era,’ as defined by SAP Emarsys, brands must establish a robust data foundation across their entire business. Embracing AI-driven, omnichannel strategies is crucial, transforming fragmented data into actionable insights, building long-term relationships and achieving ‘true’ customer loyalty and lifetime value.
These results are similar to some recent US research, suggesting that from online to in-store, brands need a maximum-effort approach to keep products visible and relevant in the eyes of consumers. Larger brands can continue to acquire upcoming brands, like the successful Jimmy’s Iced Coffee range. Smaller brands must refocus their products to meet consumer needs or appeal to their sense of values.
The technology behind the brand behind the product
The research also spoke to 100 marketing leaders, revealing that 25% of these consumer product brands have well-established engagement technologies and strategies — making them an elite group of leaders. This ‘Engagement Era,’ success depends on a personalised omnichannel approach across the entire customer lifecycle with leading brands in real-time engagement — like SAP Emarsys customers Molton Brown and Ferrara, with its 35+ candy brands, already implementing these strategies.
Naresh Krishnamurthy, senior manager of business transformation at Molton Brown, explains: “Our customers are our top priority, so the technology we use is critical to our success and operational efficiency. Our collaboration with SAP Emarsys has been exceptional from the start. It has empowered us to transform customer engagement by delivering seamless experiences across both digital and traditional channels, keeping our customers at the centre of our business.”
Meanwhile, the remaining 75% of brands are falling behind, still struggling to turn data into meaningful customer connections and struggling to reach consumers. The research reflects this, finding two-thirds (67%) of consumer product marketers agree it’s becoming harder to connect with customers in a meaningful way.
And it’s no surprise that consumer brands are struggling. As Brits continue to grapple with the cost of living, 62% have switched to own-label alternatives because they are more affordable — and over half (58%) think the quality of own-label alternatives is comparable to branded ones.
As consumer apathy towards brands grows, marketers recognise the need for change, with 82% needing to significantly transform their customer engagement approach. Nearly half (45%) are prioritising greater omnichannel efforts, introducing new channels for engagement, while 43% are prioritising increased engagement across existing channels.
Looking to a product-centric consumer engagement future
However, questions remain about the data that fuels these strategies. Less than half of marketers (44%) think their businesses can personalise marketing content and campaigns using customer data. Of more concern, barely a quarter (27%) actually do so.
Commenting on these findings, Sara Richter, CMO at SAP Emarsys, said, “UK consumers aren’t just becoming less loyal to brands—they’re ignoring them entirely. That’s a wake-up call for marketers. Without a strong data foundation, it’s impossible to deliver the real-time, personalized experiences needed to win that all-important ‘true’ loyalty. Molton Brown and Ferrera are outstanding examples of brands achieving this and hitting their business goals while winning the hearts and minds of customers by making every interaction count.”
For retail brands, further waves of own-brand and cheap online versions will pressure them to evolve faster. Yet few consumer/FMCG brands have online apps for products to engage their smartphone-obsessed audience. Some make use of bar code or QR scanning to share information or engage, but few seem to want to engage digitally in a meaningful way at the product level. Once a company hits gold with this approach (a 21st-century Barcode Battler, anyone?), that will change fast and brands will need to be ready to move as consumers ride a brief, but valuable, wave of next-level engagement.