Consumers buy the product, not the brand: 54% of Americans ignore brand names when buying consumer goods 

New SAP Emarsys data reveals that 19% of consumer product marketers have cracked the code and entered the ‘Engagement Era’ while others struggle to connect. 

Las Vegas, March 25, 2025 — When it comes to consumer products, more than half (54%) of Americans don’t pay attention to the brands they’re buying if the product meets their needs. That’s according to the latest research by SAP Emarsys in association with Deloitte, which surveyed more than 2,000 United States consumers and 150 senior marketers at multinational brands on shifting attitudes towards consumer products. 

The Consumer Products Engagement report, launching today at Shoptalk in Las Vegas, introduces the Customer Engagement Maturity (CEM) score, ranking consumer product brands on their customer engagement strategies. The new SAP Emarsys research, in association with Deloitte, builds on Bain & Company’s findings, which highlight a major industry shift toward ERP and SAP S/4HANA. This shift underscores the need for consumer product brands to break down silos, accelerate operations and engage 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, as it transforms fragmented data into actionable insights, building long-term relationships and achieving ‘true’ customer loyalty and lifetime value. 

Forming an elite group of leaders, just 19% of brands excel in the new engagement-driven landscape while the remaining rest are falling behind. This ‘Engagement Era,’ success depends on a personalized 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 putting these strategies into action. 

Optimizing engagement in real-time: 43% of CP brands say they can engage with consumers at the moment—but only 26% of brands are doing so. 

Predicting future consumer behaviors: 35% of CP brands say they can predict future consumer behaviour but only 17% are doing so. 

“At Molton Brown, our customers are our top priority, so the technology we use is critical to our success and operational efficiency,” Naresh Krishnamurthy, Senior Manager of Business Transformation at Molton Brown, explains. “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 center of our business.” 

It’s no surprise consumer brands are struggling. As Americans continue to grapple with the cost of living, 57% have switched to own-label alternatives because they are more affordable—and more than half (55%) think the quality of own-label alternatives is comparable to branded ones.  

As consumer apathy towards brands grows, 88% of marketers think they need to overhaul engagement strategies in 2025 – yet only 32% believe their company can effectively personalize marketing, and of more concern, just 24% are doing so.  

US consumers aren’t just becoming less loyal to brands – they’re ignoring them entirely.” said Sara Richter, CMO at SAP Emarsys. “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 achieve that all-important ‘true’ loyalty. Molton Brown and Ferrera are outstanding examples of brands hitting their business goals while winning the hearts and minds of customers by making every interaction count.” 

Where Does Your Brand Stand in the Engagement Era? 

The Customer Engagement Maturity (CEM) Index reveals three types of brands: 

Brands in the ‘Predictive’ category are demonstrating that to truly excel in the Engagement Era, a robust ERP foundation, bolstered by a customer engagement platform, is essential. Yet, many brands are behind with just 35% of CP marketers integrating customer engagement data with their financial and operational systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). 

For those clinging to outdated strategies, investing in AI-driven, real-time engagement is no longer a luxury—it’s an essential. This investment could be the critical factor in whether a brand achieves its revenue targets in the Engagement Era. 

Meet Sara Richter at Shoptalk! 

Join Sara Richter, CMO of SAP Emarsys, at Shoptalk North America (March 25–27, 2025, Las Vegas, Booth 1945). Get an exclusive sneak peek at our latest Consumer Products Engagement Report and discover how your brand can thrive in the Engagement Era. 

Visit us at Booth 1954—let’s talk about your next steps to customer loyalty! 

Not at Shoptalk? Read the full Consumer Products Engagement report here.