Kantar's Profiles Blog

There is a lot going on in the world of market research. I have many clients who depend on us as their partner in fieldwork; we act as their hands and feet when ensuring that their fieldwork is executed with a desired quality standard, in budget and on time. In this rapidly changing environment we need to excel in all deliverables, and we depend on our people, technology and (sampling) sources to do so. The best package for clients is the preferred partner to work with in the market that has the ability to hit all the marks well. This means that with our client’s high frequency of projects, we need to excel on a daily basis. We are only as good as the delivery of our last (few) job(s).

New Orleans Jazz represents a mix of individualism and cooperation - a merger of tradition and progress. It has an emotionally-evocative sound, with the ability to express a full range of sentiments reflecting the city’s rich and sometimes difficult history.

I recently attended ESOMAR Congress as a Corporate Young Professional representative from LiGHTSPEED. Peppered throughout the conference were the sounds and tastes of New Orleans, giving the global market research audience in attendance a sense of New Orleans culture and history while we learned about market research being conducted across the world. One such “sound” was keynote speaker Dr. Michael White, an acclaimed jazz musician and historian. I encourage you to check out some of his work here. 

Often, we overlook the hidden value of marketing research data. We explore how to engage consumers in a long-term, sustainable way, but how do we get more consumer insights with shorter surveys? Our clients demand that we dig deeper, but they are also tasked with the challenge of asking fewer and less tedious questions in the process. By bringing in third party data, we have the opportunity make surveys more enjoyable and engaging while still digging deeper.

Social media has caused a massive shift in the way people communicate, interact and share experiences and personal interests. Consumers are always on, always connected. Consumers build unique online relationships; they are connected to brands, athletes, teams, family, friends and co-workers on multiple channels. Sharing everything from political views to favorite products, social media users are leaking valuable information and insights for researchers to take advantage of.

The recent compulsory online census in Australia stirred a considerable amount of controversy, and for seemingly good reason. Ahead of census day, concern was raised by many Australian residents at being told they must share information, but when it was then virtually impossible to complete on the night (the handful of those who managed to submit it notwithstanding), many were up in arms.

Most of us know that the mobile phone industry is on a pretty serious surge of personal use. In fact, think of one person you know that does not have a mobile phone. Coming up short? This is precisely the reason why all marketing researchers should have a strong focus on mobile.

Recently, at one of her concerts, Adele called out a fan for having their phone in front of their face for the entire show. She told the fan to be 'in the moment' and enjoy the concert. While I haven’t been lucky enough to score a ticket to an Adele concert, I recently attended the 2016 Market Research in the Mobile World North America conference. You may wonder what the connection between these two things is…however, there is one.

Everyone is a panelist, but are all voices heard equally in marketing research?

Millennials are changing and shaping the way we use technology. Researchers around the world are intrigued by their new ways of thinking and their ‘take-the-reigns’ personalities. This generation doesn’t let things slip through the cracks; they’re paying attention to all of the details. With in-the-moment mobile research becoming a reality, are we fully embracing such a powerful group of consumers?

We understand that changing a tracker can be a daunting prospect, but with more than 50% of panellists now registering via tablets and smartphones, it is essential that trackers are designed for today's technology. By excluding or limiting mobile and tablet responders, you could be missing out on the full scope of your target audience and their valuable insights. Here are simple, but game changing tactics that we recommend when reviewing your tracker.

Marketing research companies are experiencing low response rates and low engagement rates, so the industry is continuing to turn to technology to try to increase both. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly two-thirds of adults in the U.S. own a smartphone of some kind, and 46% say their smartphone is, “something they couldn’t live without.” Younger generations coming of age have never known a world without incredibly intelligent mobile devices. With the inevitable and exponential growth of technology, more streamlined mobile devices and the rise of the ‘always on’ consumer, these numbers will continue to grow dramatically.