Technology has changed not just how people communicate with one another, but also how they connect with brands, said Kara Manatt, executive vice president of intelligence solutions at Interpublic Group’s Magna Global.
“I work on a team at Magna that conducts custom research in-house focused on helping our clients make better buying decisions,” Manatt said in an interview with Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan. “We recently completed a project called ‘The Future of Conversations,’ which looks at how technology has changed human dialogue.”
The study examined how conversations are evolving both between individuals and between individuals and brands. One standout finding: 86% of social media users are open to receiving messages from brands on apps like Snapchat and Messenger.
“I was really surprised at how many people are actually open to hearing from brands through direct messages,” Manatt said. “We immediately looked into whether this was an age thing, and found that age is not a factor. It’s simply how people communicate today.”
She added, “People are using direct messages with friends, family and acquaintances, so it’s natural that they’re open to hearing from brands in that same environment. That’s a great opportunity.”
Brands must learn the etiquette of one-to-one messaging
While the opportunity is clear, Manatt cautioned that marketers must approach direct messaging with sensitivity. “First and foremost, they need to know that consumers are open to it,” she said.
She pointed to Snapchat’s new Sponsored Snaps product as an example of how platforms are enabling these one-on-one interactions.
“Agency teams and clients have been asking to do this for a long time, and Snap has now delivered,” Manatt said.
Still, she said brands must tread carefully.
“Conversations are personal and intimate,” she said. “It’s important that brands learn quickly and follow guidelines so they don’t overstep. They should only do it when it makes sense and when they’re actually providing value to users.”
Search behavior is fragmenting across tools and platforms
Beyond messaging, Manatt’s team has also been researching how artificial intelligence and new discovery tools are transforming search.
“This afternoon, I’m talking about The Future of Search,” she said. “The presence of AI has grown tremendously and it’s driving big changes in consumer behavior.”
But she noted that the shift isn’t just about AI. It’s also about fragmentation.
“There are more tools than ever for people to use when they’re searching for information,” Manatt said. “Search is multifaceted today.”
Among the key findings: there’s no single starting point for search anymore.
“People don’t just go to a traditional search engine, type something in, and move on,” she said. “On average, people use four different search tools a day.”
Even more striking, 77% of consumers switch tools mid-search, bouncing between platforms like Google, TikTok, Amazon, and AI chat interfaces.
“They start with one, shift to another and maybe to another,” she said. “That constant switching shows how fragmented the search journey has become.”
Personalization and adaptability are key
Whether through direct messaging or search, Manatt said the findings point to one overarching truth: brands must meet consumers where they are, across multiple channels and in more personalized ways than ever before.
“Conversations and search are no longer linear,” she said. “They’re dynamic, multifaceted and constantly evolving, and that’s where the opportunity lies for brands willing to adapt.”
Ad Overexposure on Connected TV Harms Brands & Streaming Platforms: Magna’s Kara Manatt