Companies that empower consumers by involving them in important processes such as product development shouldn't also try to influence them through social media, according to a new university study.
The Dual Role of Power in Resisting Social Influence was published in the Journal of Consumer Research. Authors Mehdi Mourali (University of Calgary) and Zhiyong Yang (University of Texas, Arlington) wrote in a press release that empowering the consumer has become a popular business practice. M&M's, Mountain Dew and other brands have sought to empower consumers by giving them some control over product development — customers vote on new colors, flavors, brand names, etc.
Previous research had assumed that empowered consumers either pay no attention to the opinions of other consumers or dismiss them entirely when judging a product, the authors noted. However, the research found that consumers who were made to feel empowered didn't always ignore the opinions of others. In fact, some empowered consumers deliberately expressed opposing views and rebelled against attempts to influence them.
"Peer-to-peer marketing and consumer empowerment may not be compatible," wrote the authors in a press release.
Companies that succeed in empowering their customers may find it difficult to implement a successful social media campaign. Empowered consumers will either ignore or rebel against any perceived attempt to influence them.
"Many companies have embraced the concept of consumer empowerment," the authors concluded. "However, they should consider whether attempts to integrate social influence (word-of-mouth marketing, social network marketing, buzz marketing) might backfire with empowered consumers."