Start Site Página 172

Reflections for Consumer Day

A few years ago, consumers habitually bought on impulse, without much research, blindly trusting advertising. Now, think of this same consumer in 2025. It compares prices in real time, reads reviews, demands fast delivery, and more than ever, wants to know the socio-environmental impact of what they are buying. That's how the game has turned. And the market is adapting – or falling behind.

Consumer Day, celebrated on March 15th, is no longer just an excuse for promotions and marketing campaigns. It became a thermometer of consumer relations, highlighting a constantly changing scenario. According to the National Confederation of Commerce (CNC), retail sales in the digital sector grew by 12% in 2024, while physical retail advanced by only 3%. This reinforces what we already knew: those who are not digital are losing ground.

Another interesting fact comes from the Brazilian Association of Electronic Commerce (ABComm). About 78% of consumers abandon their shopping carts before completing the transaction (2023). The reason? Bad experience, long delivery times, and prices incompatible with the market. In other words, winning a client has never been so difficult, and losing one has never been so easy.

And there is an even more significant phenomenon: the rise of the conscious consumer. A Nielsen (2024) study indicates that 73% of Brazilians prefer brands with clear environmental and social commitments. The "sustainable" label is no longer a differentiator and has become a requirement. Companies that do not demonstrate responsible practices risk being discarded without hesitation.

What does this mean for the market? Simple, either adapt or become irrelevant. Those who invest in technology, efficient logistics, and sustainable practices are riding this wave. A good example is the rise of marketplaces, which offer multiple options in a single environment and challenge traditional retail to elevate its level of service. Meanwhile, companies that ignore these changes become prisoners of an increasingly unviable business model.

The consumer experience is also being redefined. If brands used to set the rules, now consumers are in control of the narrative.ChatbotsWith artificial intelligence, personalized loyalty programs, and ultra-fast deliveries are shaping this new reality. But it is important to pay attention, as technology without humanization can generate distrust. Personalization should go beyond algorithm-based recommendations – it needs to create a genuine connection.

In the end, Consumer Day 2025 should not be remembered only in terms of consumption. We must reflect on a market that needs to evolve to keep up with an increasingly demanding, informed, and conscious customer. The game has changed, and only those who understand this new dynamic will stay on the board.

Clicks on Consumer Day ads jumped 29% in 2025, Microsoft reveals, showing high interest in the date

According to a survey conducted by Microsoft, clicks on ads related to Consumer Day throughout February this year increased by 29% compared to the same period last year. The data indicate a growing importance of the period for consumers and reveal to advertisers the need for prolonged campaigns to capture buyers' attention. The research also shows that searches for promotions may continue until the week following the event (March 15).  

Previously, a survey by E-Commerce Brasil showed that Consumer Day already ranks fourth (31.1%) in customer preference among commemorative dates involving financial planning, surpassing Children's Day (21.9%) and only behind Black Friday (54.7%), Christmas (46.7%), and Mother's and Father's Day (33.7%).

During March 2024, the most searched purchase categories, according to Microsoft, were electronics (62%), followed by travel and tourism with 17%, clothing with 12%, and retail in general with 2%. In the case of 'travel and tourism,' 'clothing,' and 'retail,' the peak of search interest occurred after the main date, while electronic items and personal care products, such as beauty and aesthetic products, had more searches the week before and continued to appear in searches after the date.

The searches throughout the entire period (March 2024) showed a different trend. According to the survey, 57% of user searches did not contain specifications, meaning they only mentioned the desired product or service, which may indicate that consumers are open to different brands while searching for offers. The terms that stood out most in the searches within the mentioned categories were: "cell phone," "airfare," "bag," "gaming laptop," among others.

According to José Melchert, Ads Director at Microsoft Brazil, brand differentiation is essential, but there are other strong appeals such as competitive prices and targeted ads, which help capture indecisive buyers. "The diversification of ad formats and the use of audience networks based on users' interests and behaviors are essential to reach an engaged audience, increasing the visibility and effectiveness of campaigns," he explains.

According to Microsoft's survey, 35% of retail conversions on this date can be attributed to so-called "Audience Ads," which consider users' behavior and interests on the internet to reach a specific audience, highlighting the effectiveness of this strategy.

Opportunities with Generative AI 

For Melchert, on dates like Consumer Day, the use of artificial intelligence is essential for strategy development and data analysis. "We have several advances in ad segmentation and personalization, driven by AI, which offers brands new opportunities to optimize campaigns and stand out on Consumer Day. For example, it is possible to analyze large volumes of data in real time to identify consumer behavior patterns, resulting in personalized recommendations that significantly increase conversion rates," he says.

A Microsoft announcedat the beginning of the month, new features for advertisers aimed at increasing audience engagement. Among the news is theMicrosoft Showroom Ads, recreating the experience of a physical showroom in the digital environment, allowing users to explore products in an immersive and interactive way. The Dynamic Filters solution helps facilitate conversion by allowing users to refine their searches quickly and intuitively, presenting more relevant product options based on individual preferences, such as specific physical characteristics.

Another innovation is dynamic ad generation (Dynamic Search Ads – DSA), which uses search history to create personalized ads, improving click-through rates and campaign effectiveness. Microsoft Advertising also expanded app campaigns to include popular games and integration with the Windows Start menu and the Microsoft Store, allowing for increased campaign reach.

"The future of customer experiences is conversational. More and more, consumers are using Artificial Intelligence tools, such as chats and searches, to inform themselves and make decisions. Being prepared to join this conversation as a facilitator of the decision-making process is a great opportunity for brands. We are talking about 'promptable brands,' which provide content combined with ads, increasing the visibility and effectiveness of campaigns," analyzes Melchert.

Consumer Day: check out essential tips to improve your relationship with your customer through Artificial Intelligence

One of the most anticipated dates of the year is Consumer Day, celebrated on March 15th, which falls on the third Saturday of the month. According to the Federation of Commerce of Goods, Services, and Tourism of São Paulo (FecomercioSP), the recommendation for general commerce is that Consumer Week this year be held from March 9 to 15. The period is also called the Black Friday of the first semester, since many stores offer consumers the opportunity to purchase products and services at discounts.

However, with the AI revolution combined with customer protagonism, it is increasingly common for customer service to be one of the pillars of this date. Conversational commerce is essential for brands to capture customer attention, which is increasingly difficult, as well as to serve them with excellence through the tools offered by artificial intelligence. In other words, for this to happen, brands will need to elevate their level of creativity and relevance to capture interest amidst the competition, integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence into their customer engagement strategy, creating conversations that strengthen a deep connection between them.

According to the Business Messaging and the Future of Customer Experience in Brazil report, produced by Gupshup in 2024, more than half (52.7%) of Brazilian respondents identify "the ability of both parties to listen to each other" as the most important quality of a genuine conversation. This shows that the new era of AI seeks more genuine, empathetic, and human online relationships, like those consumers have with a trusted friend.

To learn more about how to use Conversational AI adoption this Consumer Day to interact with customers, qualify leads and optimize operational costs, check out the tips that Renata Martins, from Gupshup, has put together:

1. Focus on your customer’s attention

In an increasingly competitive world, speaking to the consumer in a more precise and personalized way is gaining more and more strength, and capturing the customer's attention is one of a brand's main differentiators. For this, AI tools must understand the signals that make conversations more natural and engaging, as it is essential to strengthen this connection with your consumer.Furthermore, effective communication is one of the key strategies to increase engagement.

With the large volume of available information, it is necessary to use these technologies to better understand the consumer and personalize the user experience. Companies can use machine learning algorithms to identify consumer behavior patterns and offer content and products that are more relevant to them. Furthermore, data analysis can help identify opportunities to improve the user experience and the offering of products and services.

2. Know that every conversation matters

Conversations play a crucial role in business growth, as they build trust, break down barriers, inspire new ideas, and drive innovation. To truly create a conversation that is relevant and arises from any interaction, the authenticity of the content becomes increasingly important to retain the consumer.

Companies should focus on producing genuine and personalized content. This can help build consumer trust in the brand and create a stronger emotional bond with them.At Gupshup, there is the principle of transforming the customer experience through meaningful dialogues. After all, every conversation matters!

The great lesson from this is that the evolution of AI has become a fundamental tool for understanding the customer. This increases the role of the salesperson with assisted sales because, with exclusive, different content focused on the consumer's experience, the conversation plays a crucial role in discovering the interests of this still unknown customer.

3. Uses and abuses of agentive AI

Agentic AI is essential for creating personalized conversations, as it allows artificial intelligence systems to make autonomous decisions and adapt their responses with more context, naturalness, and relevance. One point to highlight is that AI can learn from previous interactions, adjusting the tone, language, and topics based on the person's preferences. This creates a more engaging and personalized experience.

Unlike traditional AIs that only respond based on a single input, an agentic AI can store relevant information and maintain context throughout the conversation, making the dialogue more fluid and coherent. She can make proactive decisions, suggesting relevant topics, adjusting the conversation style, or even anticipating the user's needs without them having to explicitly request it. Personalized conversations require dynamic and adaptable responses, something that agent AI can do better by recognizing patterns and emotions in communication.

In other words, the agentic AI makes interactions more realistic. For example, among our clients who already use agentic AI are the Saudi automotive company Petromin, with a customer service solution via WhatsApp; the Brazilian fashion retailer Reserva, with an agent for product discovery and customer engagement; and an Indian spice brand, which created an agent that provides food recipes. All of them use the Agêntica AI.

4. Avoid cart abandonment rates on WhatsApp

Finally, the goal is to understand how to convert that consumer who needs to create a connection to feel secure and make the purchase. Making e-commerce less impersonal through personalization is the major paradigm shift brought about by agentic AI. This escalation, capable of making messaging channels more humanized, makes the cart abandonment journey as humanized as possible, closer to a real-time experience with a salesperson. This is only possible precisely because it responds to the questions consumers asked when they put a product in the cart but did not purchase it, and with the arrival of agent AI, it becomes easier to advance in this conversation until there is overflow, giving a little "push" to that indecisive consumer. Without a doubt, it is a very fertile territory to explore.

Demand for AI professionals is expected to grow 150% by 2025; learn how to take a free course in the field

In Brazil, the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) professionals is expected to grow by 150% in 2025, according to a survey by the Brazilian Software Companies Association (ABES). In this context, Qualifica SP, a program of the Secretariat of Economic Development (SDE), has one million open spots in the free course "AI for Everyone," offered to literate residents of the state of São Paulo, with no minimum or maximum age requirements.

The qualification is offered in partnership with StartSe in an online asynchronous format, allowing the student to complete it whenever and wherever they want. The learning journey is divided into four modules, and the course has a total of four hours and can be completed in up to three months.

Interested parties must register by March 31st on the website:www.qualificasp.sp.gov.brAfter registration, the start is immediate. In the end, students will receive a certificate issued by StartSe.

Successful partnerships

In 2024, Qualifica SP had already established other partnerships for AI courses with Google Cloud; and cloud computing with Microsoft, providing free training for those seeking knowledge in new technologies.

It was the case of Guilherme Camargo, 22 years old. Resident of the city of Piedade, in the Metropolitan Region of Sorocaba, he has a degree in Information Technology (IT) and participated in one of the AI courses through the program. "AI is very popular nowadays. My main motivation for taking the course was professional growth, and I believe that, in the future, with this qualification, it will also be possible to further improve my salary," says the former student.

The young man also explains that he has observed a growing demand for professionals with expertise in AI in the market. According to him, the idea is to specialize more and more so that he can meet the needs of companies seeking skilled labor. "More and more, AI is being integrated into the market. Several companies are already implementing requirements regarding this," he emphasizes.

Yasmin Alves Nascimento, 25 years old, had a similar motivation. A resident of Jacareí, in the Paraíba Valley, she is also an IT professional and, like Guilherme, is attentive to new technological trends. Through Qualifica SP, the young person completed courses in AI and cloud computing.

"In terms of technical knowledge, both courses are extremely relevant to the IT market. I had the opportunity to work on real projects, using platforms employed by the industry, such as Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure. Cloud computing and artificial intelligence are at the heart of digital transformation in companies; most of them already use these technologies. Now, I have an intermediate level of knowledge that allows me to delve even deeper and, in the future, seize opportunities in the field," he explains.

CleverTap Recognized in Gartner® Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines

CleverTap, a platform specialized in digital marketing and user engagement, was recognized by Gartner® as a Niche Player in the Magic Quadrant™ for personalization engines. The assessment was based on specific criteria that analyzed the Integrity of Vision and the Company's Execution Capacity. The reports are based on rigorous, fact-driven research in specific markets. They provide a broad view of the relative positions of suppliers in high-growth markets with strong differentiation among competitors.

This recognition reflects CleverTap's strengths in delivering personalized experiences to customers, as well as its innovative AI-driven capabilities and focus on sectors such as financial services, retail, and entertainment. The company's customization toolkit includes a customer data platform (CDP), user and product analytics, experimentation, and digital interaction orchestration.

The comprehensive approach to personalization allows brands to adopt different levels of personalization, increasing conversion by up to seven times, as the correct implementation generates real and meaningful experiences.

CleverTap's leadership in advanced personalization is evidenced by its impressive growth and rapid expansion of its customer base. This progress is due to your comprehensive platform, which integrates a CDP with the ability to create and execute automated and personalized customer journeys across major channels such as web, mobile apps, email, social media, and paid media.

Regarding recognition, Anand Jain, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of CleverTap, states that being included in the Gartner Magic Quadrant is a moment of pride for the company. We believe this reflects our commitment to enabling brands to create personalized and memorable experiences for their customers. We feel that this validation reinforces our focus on innovation and customer-centricity, especially our advanced AI – Clever.AI, which drives features such as automatic journey routing (IntelliNODE) and emotionally intelligent messaging (Scribe). We remain steadfast in our mission to empower brands to scale meaningful engagement across multiple channels, driving both emotional connection and measurable growth.

Suppliers are classified into four quadrants: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, and Niche Players. This research allows companies to make the most of market analysis by aligning it with their specific business and technology needs.

Accessherea complimentary copy of the Magic Quadrant report to learn more about CleverTap's strengths and considerations, as well as other vendors' offerings.

Companies achieve returns of over 30% on innovation, but still face challenges in measuring ROI, research finds

Although innovation is a strategic priority for many companies, measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) in innovation remains a challenge for many organizations. According to the study "ROI in Innovation – Benchmark Report 2025," conducted by Match IT, with support from ABES, Hotmilk, NR7, and Octua, more than half of the companies monitoring ROI achieve a return of over 30% in less than two years. However, 30% of companies still do not have structured mechanisms to measure these results.

The survey interviewed executives from various sectors between February and March 2025, and indicated that the average maturity of innovation initiatives in the Brazilian market is only 2.7 on a scale of 1 to 5. Although 88% of respondents claim to have dedicated teams for innovation or R&D (research and development), only 27% have a centralized area for governance and monitoring of results.

“ROI management is essential to provide visibility to the impact of initiatives and justify investments. It helps to make gains tangible in numbers and demonstrate that innovation pays off, whether through direct savings, increased revenue or operational improvements,” highlights Rose Ramos, Founder & CEO of MatchIT.

The data also revealed that the main motivation for innovation in companies is efficiency gain (70%), followed by the development of new products and channels (48%). Open innovation, with collaboration between startups and research institutes, is present in 43% of companies. However, only 36% seek transformative or disruptive innovations, and social innovation, focused on ESG practices and environmental impact, appears in only 25% of cases.

The research also showed that 66% of executives expect a return on innovation investments within two years. Among the main challenges reported are the difficulty of aligning cost-benefit in long-term projects (41%), the lack of appropriate financial models for innovative initiatives (26%), and internal cultural resistance that pressures for immediate results (25%).

Although 71% of companies apply financial metrics to evaluate innovation, ROI management is still nascent: 52% of companies started measuring this indicator less than two years ago, and only 5% have been doing so for more than five years. Among the most adopted metrics are cost and labor hour savings (48%), investment payback (30%), and traditional indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) (25%). Another critical point identified is the lack of advanced technological tools for monitoring: more than half of the companies (57%) still use traditional methods, such as Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations, to consolidate ROI data.

Even in a challenging scenario, 61% of companies indicate that investments in innovation should increase in 2025, driven by technological advances such as AI, 5G, and blockchain, as well as growing consumer demands and the macroeconomic environment. "Innovation is essential for the competitiveness and growth of companies. Technological advances and the need to adapt to the market make investment in innovation a priority," concludes Rose Ramos.

The full report is available for consultation at thislink.

KaBuM! releases discounts of up to 80% OFF on Consumer Mega Day

And you there thinking that the Consumer FortnightKaBuM!couldn't get any better! Well, Ninja had another trick up his sleeve, and the largest technology and gaming e-commerce in Latin America will be offering up to 80% off onConsumer Mega Daybetween this Friday (14) and Monday (17)!

There will be endless offers for all categories, as well as discounts for PIX payments and installment payments in up to 10 interest-free installments on the card. And KaBuM!'s gifts for loyal customers don't stop there: during Mega Day Friday, exclusive hourly coupons will also be available to ensure the best price for that upgrade to your setup.

Those looking for more than an upgrade and want to ensure their dream gaming PC during Mega Day are also in luck, as KaBuM! has prepared an exclusive gift for those who secure their machine through the Monte seu PC tool. And for hardware enthusiasts on duty, an unmissable opportunity: this Friday at 4 p.m., atKaBuM! YouTube channelThere will be a live event featuring a very special drop, the newest NVIDIA release available on the e-commerce, the RTX 5070 Ti graphics card.

Lu, from Magalu, does a marathon of advertisements during Carnival and the brand is the most engaged in retail on social media

Lu from Magalu showed what it means to be one of the world's biggest virtual influencers during Carnival 2025. Between trips to enjoy the festivities in Salvador and São Paulo, the Magalu spokesperson was responsible for several advertising posts for major companies such as Uber (WK agency), Mastercard (WMcCann agency), Zé Delivery (Monks Brasil agency), Motorola, and FTW (ProfitlogiQ agency). Magalu reached first place in social media engagement, driven by its content and exposure. According to data from the Sprinklr monitoring platform, Magalu's total engagement share when compared to the main retailers and sponsor brands of Carnival was 19%. In the comparison only among retail companies, the number rises to nearly 30%.

The influencer split her time between the blocks of singer Bell Marques in the Bahian capital and the Bar Brahma VIP area in São Paulo. Between trips from the airport to home, he took an Uber at Congonhas and, to get to the electric trio, he rode an Uber Moto in Salvador. To withstand the peak, he took pre-workout from the supplement brand FTW. When hydrating on the Baiana hills, she paid for the water bottle using Makeup Payment, a new, more secure payment method tested by Mastercard.At the beach, he took photos with the Motorola Edge 50 Neo, and to end Carnival, he ordered ice and drinks through the Zé Delivery app. By the end of Carnival, Lu's actions reached over 30.9 million users on social media.

"The Magalu Ads team focused efforts to make this period a lot of work for Lu, and we are happy with this marathon," says Celia Goldstein, the vertical director.This result is already part of the fruits of the strategy to enhance Lu's presence as an influencer and as a monetization source for the company.

Besides revenue generation, another success metric is the engagement generated on the company's social media platforms during the period. According to data from the Sprinklr monitoring platform, on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), during Carnival, there were over 143,000 interactions with the company's profiles and posts. "Carnival is a period of exposure and visibility for many influencers. With Lu, it's no different. This is the third time she has taken advantage of this period to strengthen her role as an influencer and build successful partnerships with other brands through Magalu Ads," says Aline Izo, Magalu's branding and communication manager.

Furthermore, recently, at the premiere of her new 3D modeling, the influencer was the poster girl for a Burger King advertisement and also starred in a campaign about WhatsApp security.

How to get results that meet expectations?

When we think about the results we aim to achieve after a certain period of work in a company, we imagine the positive points and how these results will meet expectations overall. However, defining the desired outcome is the part I consider easiest; the real challenge lies in outlining the strategies we must establish to achieve them.

Firstly, the manager leading the process must have prior and comprehensive knowledge of the context in which they are involved, especially, the mastery of the action being executed at that moment, if applicable. Furthermore, the manager must be well prepared to handle the potential difficulties that will likely arise along the way and not lose sight of the medium/long-term goal.

The ideal is for leadership to bring the team closer so that together they can discuss the best ways to achieve the results that were previously established, or even involve the team in defining which results should be achieved and to what extent. And some questions that I consider essential must be asked: did all the members understand what needs to be achieved and accomplished? Do all team members have the necessary skills and tools to perform their respective tasks?

Depending on these answers, the manager will know if they can proceed with the process to achieve the results. Ensuring that employees understand everything and know how their respective performances impact the overall details is essential, as this way they can become increasingly engaged, since they will be working literally for results.

In this sense, my biggest recommendation is to adopt management by OKRs – Objectives and Key Results –, as the manager and employees will be able to have more clarity and focus to achieve the expected results, in addition to teamwork, which makes the process more motivating, as each person has their merit when it comes to making the company's wheels turn.

Furthermore, the tool also allows potential errors to be recognized and identified more easily and quickly, as it encourages frequent adjustments to the strategy execution plan, since it has shorter and more frequent cycles, usually three months. Thus, recalculating the route and changing the path is not as painful as in other situations.

Putting these things into practice will already generate more results, and to generate even more results, it would be the case of falling short of expectations, as we set goals that are difficult to achieve, those that give us butterflies in our stomach and motivate us to give our best.

Reflections for Consumer Day

A few years ago, consumers habitually bought on impulse, without much research, blindly trusting advertising. Now, think of this same consumer in 2025. It compares prices in real time, reads reviews, demands fast delivery, and more than ever, wants to know the socio-environmental impact of what they are buying. That's how the game has turned. And the market is adapting – or falling behind.

Consumer Day, celebrated on March 15th, is no longer just an excuse for promotions and marketing campaigns. It became a thermometer of consumer relations, highlighting a constantly changing scenario. According to the National Confederation of Commerce (CNC), retail sales in the digital sector grew by 12% in 2024, while physical retail advanced by only 3%. This reinforces what we already knew: those who are not digital are losing ground.

Another interesting fact comes from the Brazilian Association of Electronic Commerce (ABComm). About 78% of consumers abandon their shopping carts before completing the transaction (2023). The reason? Bad experience, long delivery times, and prices incompatible with the market. In other words, winning a client has never been so difficult, and losing one has never been so easy.

And there is an even more significant phenomenon: the rise of the conscious consumer. A Nielsen (2024) study indicates that 73% of Brazilians prefer brands with clear environmental and social commitments. The "sustainable" label is no longer a differentiator and has become a requirement. Companies that do not demonstrate responsible practices risk being discarded without hesitation.

What does this mean for the market? Simple, either adapt or become irrelevant. Those who invest in technology, efficient logistics, and sustainable practices are riding this wave. A good example is the rise of marketplaces, which offer multiple options in a single environment and challenge traditional retail to elevate its level of service. Meanwhile, companies that ignore these changes become prisoners of an increasingly unviable business model.

The consumer experience is also being redefined. If brands used to set the rules, now consumers are in control of the narrative.ChatbotsWith artificial intelligence, personalized loyalty programs, and ultra-fast deliveries are shaping this new reality. But it is important to pay attention, as technology without humanization can generate distrust. Personalization should go beyond algorithm-based recommendations – it needs to create a genuine connection.

In the end, Consumer Day 2025 should not be remembered only in terms of consumption. We must reflect on a market that needs to evolve to keep up with an increasingly demanding, informed, and conscious customer. The game has changed, and only those who understand this new dynamic will stay on the board.

[elfsight_cookie_consent id="1"]