Introducing the Workday Consumer

A crucial aspect of successful marketing is predicting behaviour and meeting consumers where they are. This has never been a straightforward task, but there have always been certain assumptions we could rely on. For example, traditionally we could assume that adult consumers spent Monday to Friday immersed in work and left personal tasks to evenings and weekends. 

However, as with many aspects of marketing, this assumption has been de-stabilised by the pandemic. As we transitioned to working from home, those clearly defined lines between work and personal time have begun to break down. According to a new study published by Microsoft Advertising, this blurring of lines has resulted in the emergence of a new consumer – the “workday consumer”.

The workday consumer can be defined as someone who mixes work and personal tasks during work time. According to the study, this is true for more than 60% of workers.  The study found that 62% of respondents regularly research and purchase goods and services during work hours. These purchases tend to be in high-consideration types, such as financial products, travel, and appliances. While this is by no means a new phenomenon, it is a behaviour that has been exacerbated by the shift to remote work. 

Further, more than half of respondents indicated that the number of purchases they make during work hours has increased since before the pandemic, and 44% of respondents indicated that they expect the number of purchases they make during work hours to increase in the next 12 months. As the flexibility necessitated by the pandemic seems here to stay as we settle into our “new normal”, marketers need to reformulate their approach in order to meet the workday consumer where they are. 

These findings confirm the fact that, in the wake of the pandemic, marketers need to question our previous assumptions about consumer behaviour. We need to go beyond standard demographic and attitudinal characteristics to truly connect with buyers on a human level, and understand the emotions that drive consumer decision making. Understanding those difficult-to-measure factors, like the online behaviour and mindset of the workday consumer, will be essential for a successful marketing strategy as we move further into the post-pandemic world.

Reach out to your ADMATICian today for help in reaching the Workday Consumer.