How should brands respond to consumers' digital burnout?

For years, marketing has been obsessed with leads , funnels, and automation. But while we optimize every click, every impression, and every campaign, something is happening quietly: digital fatigue .

And it's not just a perception. It's real. Twilio confirms it in his Age of Distraction report :

Adults between 36 and 50 years old are the most digitally overloaded group .

It makes perfect sense. This generation is in the most demanding stage of their professional lives, trying to balance work, family, and personal responsibilities… all competing on the same screens, the same inboxes, and the same constant notifications.

The result:

📌 Pressure to always be available.

📌 Less emotional benefit in each digital interaction.

📌 More need to disconnect… even though it seems impossible.

Data that should wake any brand up

• 44% of people between 36 and 50 years old feel pressure to always be connected (compared to 28% of young people aged 18 to 25).

• Only 36% get any emotional benefit from messages and video calls.

• 1 in 5 have tried a digital diet this year.

• 83% of your energy is actually recharged when you spend time alone, away from screens.

This is no longer a trend that is "coming". It is a warning that is already happening.

And it's a warning directed straight at the brands.

What does this mean for businesses?

We can no longer act as if more messages equal more impact . Because today, this is not our reality.

Every unnecessary impact on an exhausted person not only doesn't add up... it subtracts from trust .

Human behavior expert Catherine Knibbs sums it up like this:

"The self-sufficient generation that grew up without technology now lives in a world dominated by digital demands."

And it is precisely that generation that today makes purchasing decisions, hires services, chooses suppliers and drives the economy.

If it's out of stock, brands must act accordingly .

What should brands do in the face of this digital fatigue?

1. Respect boundaries and offer control

Let people choose how, when, and through which channel they receive communications . Not everything has to go through email, WhatsApp, or constant notifications.

2. Shift from quantity to quality

Sam Richardson, from Twilio, puts it clearly:

"Those who pursue quantity risk being ignored."

3. Create purposeful interactions

No more empty messages or "just in case" notifications. Communications should be:

✔️ useful

✔️ customized

✔️ timely

✔️ connected to a real need

4. An intelligent hybrid: digital + human

Don't give up on human contact when it adds value. In-person meetings make a difference. Calls or video calls are only useful when they truly contribute. Technology should simplify, not overwhelm.

5. Design experiences that relieve, not recharge

If a digital interaction adds stress, it's poorly designed. If it provides clarity, speed, and trust, it works.

The opportunity: more human, conscious, and responsible brands

At Pit Lane Advisors we see it every day: It's not about being "everywhere". It's about being where you need to be and how you need to be .

Digital disconnection is not the enemy of sales. It's a crucial reminder:

To connect, you first have to respect people's mental space.

And the brands that understand this first... will be the ones that lead later.