New SAP Emarsys report reveals the gap between AI-led marketing and real customer expectations
As SAP Emarsys CMO Sara Richter gears up to speak at the Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit in Amsterdam, fresh data is bringing a key issue into focus: most consumers don’t want more AI in their brand interactions—they want better, more personal experiences.
Marketers Love AI. Consumers? Not So Much.
The numbers tell the story.
- 80% of FMCG marketers say AI is essential for attracting new customers.
- 83% rely on it to retain existing ones.
But only 8% of consumers say they want more AI-led engagement. Instead, 40% say they’d rather get personalised offers and deals—not scripted chatbot conversations.
“The best personalisation should feel invisible,” says Sara Richter.
“When a brand gets it right, it just feels natural. People appreciate relevance—but they don’t want to feel like they’re stuck talking to a robot.”
Brands like John Frieda and Versuni (formerly Philips Domestic Appliances) are doing it right. They’re using AI not to replace human interaction, but to enhance it—working quietly in the background to tailor experiences in a way that feels seamless.
UK Brands Struggling With Fragmentation
In the UK, many FMCG marketers are still facing a common hurdle: complexity behind the scenes.
According to the report, 31% of UK-based marketers cite internal silos, disconnected tools, and fragmented workflows as the biggest obstacles to better customer engagement.
That’s where the new Customer Engagement Maturity (CEM) Index comes in.
What Is the CEM Index?
Created by SAP Emarsys, the CEM Index is a benchmark tool that helps brands figure out where they stand in terms of customer experience maturity. It looks at things like:
- Data integration
- Omnichannel strategy
- Personalisation capabilities
- Team and tech alignment
In other words, it shows brands how to move from scattered efforts to a connected, customer-first approach—what Emarsys calls the Engagement Era.
What Success Looks Like: The Versuni Example
Versuni, a global home appliances brand based in Amsterdam, is a strong example of what a high-CEM business looks like in practice.
They’ve integrated SAP Emarsys with their ERP and customer identity platform, which lets them connect consumer data across every channel—B2C, mobile, and even B2B.
The result?
They can personalise at scale and offer a consistent, intuitive customer journey without the usual friction that comes from working with disconnected systems.
“It’s not about using more AI for the sake of it,” says Richter.
“It’s about using it the right way—behind the scenes—to make the entire experience smoother and more relevant. That’s the real competitive edge now.”
The AI Engagement Paradox
The SAP Emarsys Global Consumer Products Engagement Report, developed with Deloitte, includes insights from over 14,000 consumers and 750 marketers worldwide.
The takeaway is clear:
- AI is everywhere, powering everything from product recommendations to customer support.
- But trust and loyalty still come down to how that AI is used.
This is what the report calls the AI Engagement Paradox—consumers rely on AI-driven features, but they want the experience to feel human.
Only one in four brands is currently operating at a high-CEM level. The rest? They’re at risk of falling behind unless they rethink their approach—blending data and automation with genuine, human-led storytelling.
Download the Full Report:
SAP Emarsys Global Consumer Products Engagement Report 2025 (UK)