Wunderman introduces ‘wantedness’ brand concept

The global digital agency conducted the research with Penn Schoen Berland among 2,000 18- to 65-year-olds in the US.

As a consequence it has identified the concept of ‘wantedness’ in terms of how brands need to approach consumer engagement in today’s climate.

The agency defines wantedness as the degree to which a brand proves its commitment to earning a customer’s business across every touch-point and throughout the entire path to purchase.

The research also identified that the competitive landscape has shifted and that 87% of US consumers now evaluating brands against leading companies like Amazon, Uber and Netflix, which have effectively set new standards of excellence that extend beyond traditional product categories.

Ninety per cent of respondents believed that mobile helps them make better purchase decisions and 89% said they are loyal top brands that share their values.

Jamie Gutfreund, global CMO of Wunderman, said: “With expectations at an all-time high, brands are required to operate in consumer culture and not just within their own category.

“It used to be that brands had the luxury of customers conforming to their business models, which worked for many years. But the tables have turned. Today, consumers expect businesses to adapt to their needs and our findings are consistent across all generations, geographies and genders.”