http://anxietyindex.com/anxietyindex/ It tracks the levels and intensity of consumer anxiety and, importantly, the drivers of anxiety. The index examines safety and security concerns—the threat of terrorism, potential and current military hostilities, crime, etc.—and economic worries, such as the cost of health care, the cost of living and job security. The AnxietyIndex also uncovers consumer insights [...]
Research integrated to strategic decision-making
Many companies today are misguided in the way they view market research. Instead of seeing research as a foundation for strategic planning, enabling them to see the big picture view of what’s happening in external markets, they see it in a microcosmic fashion. In other words, they look at research as “projects,” basically unconnected to [...]
Becoming an Expert in Surveying
Let’s say you have just returned from a conference emphasizing the importance of gathering information in today’s competitive business arena. One case study that has been brought to their attention highlights a company that improved sales by making product decisions based upon research from existing and potential customers through a series of opinion surveys on [...]
The (Obvious) Fundamentals of Successful Brands
On the wire today was extensive brand research undertaken by Millward Brown over more than three decades that identified six fundamental elements shared by most, if not all, of the world’s top brands. These fundamentals are: # A sense of authenticity # An efficient and scalable business model # A distinctive positioning # A great [...]
Satisficing in Brand Development: Analysis
“There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper. And the people who always go for the cheapest are this man’s lawful prey.” – John Ruskin There is always a place for a lowest cost supplier to penetrate a market – in aggregate terms, [...]
Sales Interaction Research Insights
Having spent 15 years training others to sell products and organisations I developed a concept of what I think it takes to succeed in managing a Sales process. I hope it generates debate, but I’m really after a nifty equation; I’ve far I’ve come up with; Quality Product Knowledge x Customer Process Empathy = Selling [...]
Adding Advertising (& New Media) Tracking to Your Arsenal – 2/2
The promise of media advertising is so great. It’s an opportunity for a brand to tell its story directly to the ultimate consumer. It’s an opportunity to build awareness and project a powerful brand image. It’s an opportunity to create brand equity and circumvent competitors. In actual practice, however, the promise of media advertising is [...]
Communicating How to Create Better Advertising – 1/2
How can client, agency, and research company work together to create more effective advertising? This series examines how to form compelling reasons to include research, read on. Introduction Advertising is primarily a strategic weapon. Its total effects must be evaluated in the context of years, not weeks or months. Advertising cannot compete with sales promotion [...]
Watch Mistakes Happen – Applied Ethnography
Summary Sometimes a high price tag, a label or an ingredient can lead consumers to believe that they’re purchasing a high-quality item. But what happens if the attribute that attracted us to the product is false or meaningless? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research examines consumer responses to “biasing cues,” i.e. features [...]
Review: Measuring and Building the Value of Your Business
(Looking back at an Article Written in 2006 @ The Advisory Firm) In this special edition we group together some of our latest and most favored ways to achieve business growth – we hold this consistent theme throughout and share with you the insights we’ve build up over our consulting careers. People start businesses for [...]
