Despite the widespread adoption of SMS text messaging in personal communications, most (86%) people prefer to receive promotional offers from brands via email rather than text, according to a survey from Ipsos OTX and Ipsos Global @dvisor.

Similarly, most business professionals prefer email over text messages when receiving promotional offers from brands.

Below, additional findings from Socialogue, a 24-country survey conducted by Ipsos OTX. 

Among Americans surveyed, only 14% prefer to receive promotional messages via text messaging. 

However, younger and lower-income audiences tend to prefer receiving such messages via text: 

• 21% of people under age 35 prefer to receive promo messages via text, compared with 14% of adults age 35-49 and 6% of adults age 50-64.

• 23% of adults in low-income brackets prefer to receive messages via text, compared with 9% of those in medium-income brackets and 13% of those in high-income brackets. 

Preferences of Business Professionals

US business audiences also tend to prefer receiving email communications over text: 

• 84% of senior decision-makers prefer to receive promotional messages via email , compared with 86% of all others adults.
• 82% of business owners prefer to receive messages via email, compared with 87% of those non-business owners. 

World Stats 

Fully three-quarters (75%) of adults worldwide say they prefer to receive promotional offers from brands via email rather than text. 

North Americans (89%) are more likely than residents of Asia-Pacific (69%), BRIC countries (Brazil, Russian, India, and China) (67%), and Middle East and African (68%) countries to show a preference for email communications.

About the study: Findings from Socialogue, on ongoing publication from Ipsos OTX, are based on a 24-country survey of 19,271 online people age 16-64, conducted by Ipsos OTX and Ipsos Global @dvisor in the first three weeks of January 2012. Respondents from China, India and South Africa comprised a more affluent (i.e., non-representative) population.