6 surprising consumer electronics marketing trends for 2024 (with examples)

In 2024, the global consumer electronics market generated $950 billion in revenue. This figure alone shows just how big the demand for black goods is.

Demand may be high, but competition is even higher. That means your company needs a winning consumer electronics marketing strategy if it’s going to go up against the big guns like Apple and Samsung.

These six trends in consumer electronics marketing in 2024 will keep your brand top of mind in a competitive market.

1. Social commerce 

Social media has become the place for buying and selling electronics. Why? Because it brings the entire shopping experience – from product discovery to checkout – right to your favorite social platform.

This certainly isn’t a new phenomenon, but we’re seeing consumer electronics brands invest big in social commerce strategies. As a result, the lines between social interaction and shopping are more blurred than ever.

A solid social commerce strategy includes the following elements:

• High-quality product images and other shareable content
• Shoppable posts, pins, or videos
• Customer stories and testimonials
• User-generated content (Go Pro gives a masterclass in UGC)
• Live shopping events and product demos

Not sure which channels to target? These stats from Shopify can help you decide:

• Instagram has the highest average order value ($65) of the “big four” social commerce sites (IG, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest)
• Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube all have a conversion rate higher than 1%
• Almost two-thirds of all social media visits to Shopify stores come from Facebook

Logitech G’s powerful social strategy makes it one of the best-known consumer electronics brands

Source: Instagram

Logitech G has over four million followers on Instagram. And after a quick snoop on its grid, I can see why.

Here’s how Logitech is leveraging social media to drive brand awareness and sales:

• High-quality product images
• Videos of its customers using its products
• A link in the bio so followers can easily find and buy the products they see
• All of its content targets a niche audience – gamers

2. Experiential marketing campaigns

Experiential marketing is getting bigger and more personalized in the consumer electronics industry.

In 2024, we’re seeing an increase in:

• Emotive storytelling that connects with consumers on a deeper level
• Immersive experiences like VR showrooms and demos
• Tailored product recommendations based on individual preferences (and behaviors)

There are some pretty obvious reasons behind this shift, just check out these experiential marketing stats:

• 86% of consumers report that experiential marketing activities make them feel closer to the brand
• Experiential marketing can enhance brand recall by as much as 70%
• Experiential marketing increases brand loyalty by 47% 

Samsung’s “Try Galaxy” app shakes up the consumer electronics market

Source: Samsung

Samsung knows a thing or two about experiential marketing. It hosts live-streamed product launches, real-time demos, behind-the-scenes footage, live shopping events, and virtual store experiences.

But its “Try Galaxy” campaign is a stroke of genius.

In a bid to lure iPhone users over to the Galaxy ecosystem, it launched its own app. Users can download the app and test out standout Samsung features from their iPhone. 

It works because it creates a memorable experience. Its audience can try before they buy right from their phones and people download the app just to see how it works. 

Get inspired by these viral marketing campaigns from other industries. 

3. The ROPO effect

The ROPO effect is when consumers research a product online and purchase it offline. It’s a big trend in the consumer electronics industry, which makes sense when we’re talking about big-ticket products like laptops and phones. 

Here are some interesting statistics about the ROPO effect:

• 82% of German consumers study product information online  before buying
• 21% of Australian consumers always check out a product online before buying offline
• 81% of global consumers research products online before making a purchase

Not conducting a ROPO analysis can impact your sales. For instance, you might scrap an ad that you think isn’t engaging your audience because online sales aren’t moving. But in actual fact, the ad is working and compelling shoppers to buy in-store.

The ROPO effect also makes it tough for brands to track the impact of their digital marketing processes. To understand this buying behavior, you need to track metrics like:

• GPS data
• How many people clicked to view product in-store availability 
• Data from loyalty programs

Conducting in-store surveys can also give you a better understanding of how customers discovered your product.

Best Buy’s loyalty program stands out in the consumer electronics industry

Source: Best Buy

Loyalty programs are one of the easiest ways for your business to track customer behavior and data across different (online and offline) channels. That’s probably why there are an estimated 3.3 billion loyalty program memberships in North America alone.

Consumer electronics leader Best Buy has a particularly interesting rewards program. The program is made up of three tiers:

• “My Best Buy” – Free to join. Offers members free standard shipping.
• “My Best Buy Plus” – Costs $49.99 a year. Offers members free two-day shipping, exclusive access to sales, and a 60-day return window.
• “My Best Buy Total” – Costs $179.99 a year. Offers all the perks of tier two, along with VIP member support, 20% off repairs, and 24/7 tech support.

What’s really interesting is how many reviews the two paid tiers have. “My Best Buy Plus” has over 16 thousand, and “My Best Buy Total” has more than 21 thousand reviews. This shows just how many consumers are interested in the premium rewards program and buy into the experience.

4. Omnichannel presence

Consumer electronics companies need to keep up with a growing global trend: omnichannel customer experiences.

I’m not just talking about multichannel retailing, this is a step above. The main difference? Omnichannel retailing integrates all sales channels, marketing campaigns, and customer support.

You’ll see a “Where to Buy” button on almost every branded website, and big electronics companies are building a presence across multiple social channels.

Here are some pretty compelling stats about omnichannel strategies:

• Using three or more channels in a campaign can generate a 287% higher purchase rate than a single-channel campaign
• Customer purchase frequency is 250% higher on omnichannel platforms than single channels (causing a 13% increase in average order size)
• Omnichannel consumers have a 30% higher life value for brands

Beats’ “real and real-time” marketing model dominates the industry

Source: Instagram

I’m not going to sit here and attribute the outrageous success of Beats by Dr Dre to one strategy. It has been breaking patterns and shaking up the industry since it began, thanks to strategic marketing and insanely good positioning.

These are just some of the reasons for its success:

• Lightning-quick responsiveness to social media trends, major events, or cultural moments
• Data-driven marketing decisions that help the brand understand consumer behavior and offer personalized experiences
• A close alignment with pop culture thanks to strategic influencer and brand collaborations
• Top-class brand governance across all its social media channels

Buutttt … I will say that its guerilla-marketing approach across multiple social channels has done a lot for the brand.

Beats knows how to get its products in front of the right people (in this case, famous athletes and musicians). Even if there are obstacles.

Even though Bose had deals with the major sports leagues, Beats found a way. It delivered headphones to the athletes in their locker rooms.

It also created a very clever link with the music industry by getting top artists to wear its headphones.

Here are some stats about Beats’ social media performance:

• Instagram – 10 million followers and a 5% engagement rate
• Twitter – 5 million followers and a 3% engagement rate
• YouTube – 2 million followers and a 7% engagement rate

Beats continues to surprise us, popping up in unexpected channels. 

5. Sustainability 

A recent report revealed that 80% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. This trend is impacting every industry, consumer electronics brands included.

Apple has introduced greener packaging materials. Microsoft is prioritizing sustainability in its supply chain. And we’re seeing a rise in eco-friendly consumer electronics companies.

And in case you’re wondering why, here are some numbers for you:

• Consumer electronics waste is growing at a rate of 6.5% per year
• Only 20% of electronic waste is efficiently recycled
• The electrical, machinery, metals, and manufacturing sector is responsible for 10% of all consumption of key raw materials

With this in mind, it may be time to update your marketing strategy to include:

• Full transparency about your brand’s commitment to sustainability
• Sustainable packaging and eco-friendly materials
• Participation in the circular economy (by introducing recycling and reuse programs) 

The House of Marley’s green music tech playbook

Source: The House of Marley

The House of Marley is keeping Bob Marley’s legacy of love alive. It’s one of the most popular eco-friendly consumer electronics brands to enter the market thanks to its unique positioning and mission statement.

Its sustainability practices play a huge role in its differentiation. The brand uses eco-friendly materials like bamboo, reclaimed organic cotton and hemp, and recycled aluminum for its electronic products.

On top of its ethical and sustainable products, the Project Marley initiative supports global reforestation and ocean preservation. 🌱

6. Influencer marketing

Source: GoPro

Influencer marketing is not a new trend. Big consumer electronics brands have been successfully collaborating with influencers for years, but these campaigns have become a larger part of marketing strategies.

Here are a few standout examples:

• GoPro’s “Be a Hero” campaign – created one of the most successful user-generated content strategies of all time by making its target audience influencers and “heroes”
• Beats by Dr Dre – collaborates with hip-hop stars and athletes so its consumers can “hear what the athletes hear”
• Samsung’s “victory selfies” campaign – collaborates with Olympic athletes to take selfies of them on the winners’ podium

These collaborations work because they feel authentic. Each of these consumer electronics brands has chosen partners who align with their values and who resonate with their target audience.

Canon’s “Bring It” YouTube influencer marketing strategy

Marketers in the consumer electronics space can learn a lot from Canon’s “Bring It” campaign. It teamed up with popular YouTube photographers and filmmakers and asked them to share tutorials and vlogs showcasing the key features of its products.

Canon’s target audience loved the content, which showed them how to get creative as well as the technical features of the camera. 

Here are the results: 

• Increased brand presence on YouTube
• Higher engagement rates
• Stronger brand loyalty amongst its target audience

In 2023, Canon made another smart choice by partnering with social media creator Emma Chamberlain.

Chamberlain was the perfect choice because she made her name as an influencer by taking pictures on her dad’s Canon EOS Rebel T2i camera.

In an interview with The Drum, Chamberlain has this to say about the collaboration:

“This is definitely a huge full circle moment, which is my favorite type of collaboration … Going from being a truly organic customer in every sense of the term … and learning about it as a consumer is so impactful.”

She goes on to say, “It really just allows a partnership that’s so incredibly genuine … With Canon, this was a tool in my toolkit that got me to where I am.”

Marketing best practices for the consumer electronics industry

While competitive prices remain a major selling point, there are other key drivers in the consumer electronics industry. Consumers go for personality over commodity, choosing to pay more for electronics products from brands that align with their values.

A solid digital marketing strategy can get your business out in front in a highly competitive market.

Here are some tried-and-tested strategies for consumer electronics brands. 

• Share shoppable content on social media platforms so your audience can easily buy your electronic products
• Use data analytics to understand your customers’ behaviors (online and offline) and make informed decisions
• Find ways to offer consumers memorable experiences like live events 
• Create a presence across multiple social media platforms to build brand awareness and reach new audiences 
• Build a rock-solid creative review process to maintain brand consistency across all touchpoints 

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That’s what’s new (or trending, at least) in consumer electronics marketing. If we can learn anything from the big players like Beats and Samsung, it’s the power of knowing your consumers.

So, before jumping on the latest trends, make sure you understand your audience. This will help you choose when to invest and when to hold back.

The right content marketing tools can help you achieve this and create a targeted content strategy. That includes data analytics tools, content creation tools, and a robust online proofing tool to manage assets.

Are you looking for a platform to consolidate all your content assets and feedback? Start a free seven-day Filestage trial today.