From doomscrolling to thumb-stopping: How brands aim to combat digital fatigue

Unplugging from the digital world has become a growing desire for today's consumers, as they grapple with the relentless bombardment of online content. 

A recent study by Ipsos revealed that digital Indians are increasingly yearning for a simpler, offline existence, with 45% wishing for a less complicated life and 37% seeking a slower pace. 

And then for those who are tuned in, screen burnout is all too common. A report cited that only 53% of viewers will watch a digital video all the way through to the end.

With these developments, brands are facing a daunting challenge to capture and retain their audiences' attention

We spoke to brands and digital agencies to understand the solutions they have to curb saturation in the digital ecosystem and have an effective brand recall amongst digital netizens. 

Less is more

As digital saturation is on the rise, Naresh Krishnaswamy, head of fitness services, cure.fit, has decided to take a concise and purpose-led approach by understanding its target audience and creating solutions that can shield them from burnout. 

Krishnaswamy emphasised that the brand's core metrics revolve around fan satisfaction, helping them avoid the constant race for content creation and churning creatives merely for the sake of creativity. 

“We’ve always been succinct. That reflects in the amount of content we push out through our channels. This is significantly lesser than several other players in the market and therefore contributes less to the problem of digital fatigue. To provide detoxing experiences during scrolling hours, we have introduced properties like 'slow Reels' and 'tapbooks.' Moreover, our core business of providing an outlet for people to combat burnout acts as a natural solution to the problem of fatigue”, shared Krishnaswamy. 

Prashant Kohli, chief marketing officer, Wiggles, shared that the brand's strategy to tackle digital fatigue is keeping its long-term vision at the core and avoiding the fear of missing out (FOMO) in the digital ecosystem. 

Kohli stated, “Running after every trend can be exhausting and lead to compromising the quality and depth of content, ultimately making a brand blend in with others in the category. Instead, we consciously choose to speak up only when we have something meaningful to say, avoiding jumping on every momentary trend or fad in the digital spectrum. Our digital presence is carefully curated, focusing only on platforms where we can deliver authentic and impactful content.” 

Kartikeya Tiwari, national creative director, FCB Kinnect, believes that for digital platforms the holy grail should be emphasising quality over quantity.

Tiwari explained, “We’ve been adopting an impact-first strategy for most of our brands. New-age, social-first brands continue to depend on a high volume of content for their digital presence. But a larger set of brands are focusing on either revenue-driving or big-impact activities on digital.” 

Discussing the challenges of digital burnout, Shradha Agarwal, co-founder and CEO, Grapes, shared, “Although time spent on digital platforms is at an all-time high, the importance of qualitative campaigns and brand image can combat fatigue. Tailoring messaging to the target cohorts and investing in lower funnels are crucial strategies to capture audience attention. Furthermore, creating impactful and relevant campaigns can generate word-of-mouth promotion and build brand recall.” 

Strike a balance, don’t be overwhelming

Poulomi Roy, chief marketing officer, RSH Global, raised concerns about the abundance of diluted and insubstantial user-generated content (UGC).

“There’s uncertainty around the large volume of UGC showcasing numerous lifestyle influencers without proper subject matter specialisation. Hence, we have been very judicious in our approach to using digital content and influencer marketing. While remaining optimistic about the potential for captivating and meaningful content, there is a slight concern that we may encounter a temporary dip amid an era filled with excessive, diluted, and insubstantial content and interactions. Nevertheless, in India, we will continue to utilise digital as an 'AND' medium, complementing other channels, rather than letting it replace any medium for us”, Roy said.

Kohli pointed out that the varying levels of engagement with digital technologies across different user groups in India can create a lasting impact.

“While the urban affluent segment experiences digital fatigue due to over-exposure, the majority of the Indian masses are still discovering and embracing digital. We have adopted a Facebook-led community approach, targeting customers and key opinion leaders (KOLs) beyond metros and tier-one cities”, said Kohli.

Agarwal’s advice to brands is to be selective with content budgets. 

“Brand should not be spreading their resources thin on numerous content buckets. Sometimes there is too much focus on cashing in on topical posts, losing sight of the importance of impactful approaches," Agarwal highlighted. 

Tiwari advocates focusing on activities that have a tangible impact on revenue or brand growth. 

He shared, “While a high frequency of posts may have worked for some brands in the past, personalisation and targeting parameters are crucial in preventing overwhelming messaging from inundating the audience. Striking a balance between volume and relevance is key to avoiding digital fatigue. The balance maintains meaningful connections with the target audience."

Address consumers at the grassroots 

Gautam Madhwan, founder, MAD Influence, emphasises the importance of offline activations to create better recall. 

“We recognise the significance of offline interactions with both clients and influencers. To strengthen relationships and foster engagement, we frequently arrange events and workshops tailored for our influencers on our roster, intending to reach out to different cohorts.” 

On the other hand, Kohli chooses to focus on creating thought-provoking content for their brand.

“To have a layer of credibility, being a pet care brand, our digital content undergoes scrutiny by experts in the field, including vets, behaviourists, and nutritionists. This approach ensures that our content not only stands out from the noise but also provides valuable insights to pet parents that go beyond generic information easily accessible through online searches,” said Kohli. 

Brand metrics vs a unified measurement system 

Speaking on his stance on digital measurement, Tiwari shared that they are moving away from platform-driven metrics and moving towards brand and business metrics with every passing year. 

Tiwari stated, “Clients find it meaningful to determine impact by brand metrics as opposed to platform metrics since it measures true impact and doesn’t confuse everyone with vanity metrics. Brand metrics are more dependable and tested in virtue over the years."

Roy stressed the importance of having a consolidated approach to the digital ecosystem. 

“Consolidation will lead to the emergence of well-researched and high-quality content creators, creating a balanced digital ecosystem. As a brand, we have prioritised our long-term vision rather than merely following trends and the crowd. Our approach involves meticulous selection of relevant brand associations and properties that we believe will ensure sustainability in the long run," she said.