Posts Tagged ‘market research’

Market Research on Trial: Do you plead science or art?

Published on May 15th, 2012 by Jack

Historically, disciplines have been placed into the categories of art or science. Recently, Simon Mansell of TBG Digital claimed that advertising has moved from being an art to being a science. Market research – with its underling principals being held in the social sciences – it could be argued, is traditionally a scientific discipline. However, is market research now going in the opposite direction to advertising – turning from a science into an art?

The Case for Science

The fundamental case for market research being a science revolves around how many traditional scientific principals are still utilised within it. Traditional statistical methods are still a mainstay in any quantitative research project – correlation, key driver analysis, data reduction – all rigid, mathematical processes.  Does the continuing fundamental role of such processes mean research is defined as a science?

Whilst scientific thinking is undeniably rooted in market research’s past, highly scientific disciplines are coming to the fore as potential ‘big methods players’ of the future – marketing sciences and neuroscience for example. Is this a sign science is here to stay?

The Case for Art

Market research output has recently undertaken a sweeping new direction. Infographics and data visualization are being used more regularly to tell research stories. Compared to research of old, these stories are far more visually appealing and require an artistic mind to construct – indeed, many research agencies now employ graphic designers. Is it a case of designer in, scientist out?

The traditional, science based research journey – simply put – goes from objectives to method to analysis to conclusion. However, research is now a lot less linear as we refine methodology, alter concept/NPD offerings, feed back to marketing and product teams, re-test hypotheses and then generate ideas. This journey requires far more intense designing and increased creative thinking to reach the end goal. So, are design and creativity – concepts one associates far more readily with art vs. science – a sign researchers are becoming artistic?

The Verdict

Science in research is likely here to stay. Scientific thinking will feasibly remain at the heart of researchers’ ideas, whether this is statistical thinking, social psychology or cognitive and behavioural sciences. That said, artistic forms of designing and reporting research have bettered market research output greatly in recent years. Methodologically, both science and art have a great deal to offer going forward with disciplines such as neuroscience and semiotics. The reality is science and art will likely become more intertwined in the future of market research – allowing market researchers to get the most from both areas. The jury, therefore, you could say, is out…

 

The less social networks and their challenge for marketers

Published on Apr 10th, 2011 by Chris

Based on the recent buzz at SXSW, the festival that young wannabe Zuckerbergs go to party, showcase their new social media app/ecosystem/way of life and receive billions from salivating venture capitalists, 2011 will be the rise of the less social network. Spurred-on by continuing discontent over Facebook’s desperate attempt to sell as many details of its members as possible, new services are offering a more intimate way to communicate with a select few recipients.

This clearly presents a problem for marketers as the holy grail of massive insight into consumer’s activities and social interactions slips further away. Previous Northstar research has shown less concern about privacy amongst current teenagers, however the rise of less social networks on the back of privacy concerns amongst older age groups means that the golden age of marketing could be further away than the industry hoped.

The industry has to act responsibly and carefully manage the use of social media based advertising. If managed correctly the idea of relevant adverts could be a benefit to consumers not a hindrance, location based adverts likewise.

Location based special offers (Foursquare, Facebook places) are a good way to introduce consumers to these ideas as the benefit is clear to them. The idea of using your Facebook friends’ images without their knowledge to promote a product might be a bit too far on the creepy side though.

How marketers use these new opportunities could have a big impact on the extent to which people look for alternatives to Facebook. These are the less advertising friendly competitors to watch out for in 2011.

GroupMe/ Beluga

Fed up with sharing everything that you do with everyone? These text message/ app based services allow you to setup groups and then send messages visible only to members. The addition of SMS means that you don’t need a smartphone and good data connection. If you are using a smartphone app you get the added features of location & photo sharing and conference calls. Sensing the potential threat Facebook snapped up Beluga shortly before SXSW.

Glympse:

Want to send you location to someone quickly, easily and without telling everyone else where you are? Glympse lets you send your location (for a limited period of time) out via a link in SMS or email. The recipient can then view your location and speed. Ideal if you’re running late, meeting someone in an unfamiliar place or just want peace of mind.

Path:

With the average Facebook ‘friends’ with 120 people the idea of sharing everything becomes a bit daunting given that your parents/ colleagues etc could well be watching. Path aims to offer a more intimate experience with the intention of a smaller network of friends around 50.

Some information sourced from: http://mashable.com/2011/03/09/startups-to-watch-sxsw/

Travel Blows the Mind

Published on Mar 28th, 2011 by James

Invites from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, proof you have enough money to stay and a ticket to leave are all some of the pre-requisites of the visa applications I have been setting up for various members of Northstar Staff of late. Studies in Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Russia and China to name but a few have kept our travel agent and I busy and have meant that various members of staff will have passports full of stamps in the next 3 months or so. So much so, I ordered my first “Second Passport” for an Associate Director last week! Now that’s someone who travels a lot, both personally and professionally!

In fairness, we are all quite well travelled and for almost half of us “home” is another country but it never seems to amaze me how frenetic booking a business trip can be. Here we are, worrying if the discussion guide will run smoothly and all the stimulus is ready, whilst always keeping in mind that entering Saudi with unidentified headache tablets could land you in hot water! Exploring new cultures and embracing them allows us to really understand the different markets but also (from my non-research stance) learn their different and very interesting laws and regulations. Even outside of the context of Market Research, I do feel travelling allows us to reflect on the wider picture and give an authentic perspective on a range of issues. I know we can use data and information from our suppliers but how could I get a complete understanding of what certain respondents want from their products or services in Brazil, when I never used those products and services, normally wandering the shops in Hammersmith looking for a bargain (often regardless of the quality)?

This all proves that you can’t beat experience, a good brain and an open mind. I feel these are vital attributes to embrace in any walk of life and as Northstar actively seeks talent with these characteristics, I feel like we are in a good place to really give our clients the insight they are looking for, or not looking for as the case may be! Whether in London, Hong Kong, Sydney, LA or Johannesburg, Northstar really are a global boutique. Large enough to cope, small enough to care.

And as for “JVS Visa Services”……we are having our busiest period of the year! See you at an Embassy near you!

Warning – Rise of the Research Amateur

Published on Nov 1st, 2010 by Jack

Throughout the course of his book Cult of the Amateur Andrew Keen discusses how the Web 2.0 society in which we live is killing off various professions ranging from journalism to music. There is good news and bad news regarding this trend. The good news – many professions will remain (relatively speaking) safe from being overthrown by the web. The bad news – market research is not one of them.

Two Web 2.0 outlets which are going from strength to strength seriously threaten the market research industry as we know it. Firstly, DIY research outlets such as Survey Monkey and Survey Galaxy mean that anyone with a keyboard can conduct their own survey and download an excel spreadsheet filled with data – for virtually no cost. Even if a DIY researcher has to pay for a sample, they will not have to pay for project management, DP, analysis and so on, making DIY market research extremely accessible and cheap to anyone with an internet connection.

Secondly, the concept at the core of market research is on its death bed. Asking questions is rapidly going out of fashion. The rise of social media research means we no longer have to ask questions to get answers, as consumers are having on-line conversations about brands and products at their own accord. All that remains for Web 2.0 researchers to do is look into what consumers are saying in regards to a research question and voila, the answers are there on-screen.

Alas, all is not lost for market research. Questionnaire scripting, conversational analysis and Excel data may be accessible for a knock down price in the world of Web 2.0, but there are many research services that the internet cannot offer. Skills such as conjoint design, ethnographical interviewing and multivariate analysis are unlikely to be provided by outlets other than market research agencies. This means that should you require an ethnographer or statistician then your only option will be to use the services of professional researchers.

Bearing all of this in mind, market research is not quite at the stage where it can be replaced by a Web 2.0 equivalent a la Britannia and Wikipedia. That said, we need to ensure we continue to provide services above and beyond the heavily price discounted research offerings available via the internet. This way market research can continue to be needed, relevant and worthwhile, whilst gaining some momentum for the “cult of the professional”.

Social network research – a path to excitement and anxiety?

Published on Sep 22nd, 2010 by Jeff

Social media and social networking analysis…easily the hot topic in the market and social research fields in the past year or two.  This mingling of millions online provides the option to analyse a wide swath of any particular population without (at least theoretically) the cost or effort levels of traditional research approaches.  And as this idea has spread, so to have new tools and methodologies aimed at harnessing this opportunity.  At the moment however, the tools available to most researchers remain relatively rudimentary.

A recent article in The Economist* however provides some hints as to where the social network path could lead – paths that certainly should raise excitement in the research industry, but possibly also some concerns.

Already, mobile phone companies are analysing records to identify opinion ‘influencers’ – for instance, those who receive quick callbacks or many calls on Friday afternoons and evenings – who in theory should be the best means of targeting key social groups.  It’s both easy and exciting to think of how more nuanced tools could allow researchers to uncover these same people via social networking and blogging.

Gaining a more accurate and complete image of a country or a society will only become easier as well – no longer does such network analysis require time-consuming interaction and observation of great numbers of people.  For instance, a large-scale analysis of Lebanese websites (newspaper, social networking, etc.) has managed to accurately predict many Hizbullah rocket attacks.  While market research may be a world away from such life or death issues, if terrorist behaviour can be predicted, why not the buying interests of, say, middle class teenagers?

However, some of the possibilities in the article could raise some moral red flags if they proved effective in marketing.  The point is made that once a society has been mapped, it becomes easier to set in motion the spread of a specific idea or opinion in the same networking sites.  Already, the US government has provided grants to explore how democracy can be most efficiently and effectively encouraged in non-democratic regimes through the use of such national mapping.   While this may be all well and good for future global security, what if a company, say Apple, were able to harness the same tools to promote their products?  As marketing has become ever more nuanced, the line between advertisement and more subtle ‘conditioning’ has become more blurry.  Could these new network analysis possibilities finally push us over the line?

*Untangling the social web, The Economist (September 4-10, 2010)