Trying something new

The Amarach Research blog notes that focus groups can be very difficult for a group of people to imagine doing something they've never done. They then point to this very interesting Wine Flavor chart which helps those who may not know what they are tasting.

How do you get over road bumps like this in your focus groups?

What type of research can you get from social networks?

David C. Skul has a great video up about how to use the data you get from your social networks as research. You can ask those in your targeted group for their opinions, collect data through polls, you can see the exact demographics that your targeting (as they are in your group) and it's a way to get traffic to your site.

Watch the video here:

Market entry strategy

EuroITX has a great white paper that rundown of how to collect market research and use it to enter the European market.

New Online Research Approaches to Product Naming

In association with BuzzBack Market Research and The Market Research Event, The Institute for International Research invites you to join us for a one hour complimentary Web Seminar.

Please note two separate web seminars to accommodate our attendees from Europe and the United States.

Europe:

Join us for a Free Webinar
Thursday, December 4th from 3:00 to 4:00pm GMT





Please mention priority code: MWS0016TMREEurope

Space is limited.Reserve your Webinar seat now at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/364040865

United States:

Join us for a Free Webinar
Thursday, December 4th from 2:00 to 3:00 EST





Please mention priority code: MWS0016TMREUSA
Space is limited.Reserve your Webinar seat now at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/694919174

About the web seminar:

Naming research can be particularly challenging, with different types of needs depending where you are in the naming process. In this webinar, using case studies as examples we will explore three unique online techniques that address different challenges in naming research:
IDQ, an online interactive ideation process in which consumers create and evaluate names in real time in response to a product concept. We’ll demonstrate how we generated and sorted hundreds of names in a very short period of time.
·eCollage, a highly engaging online quantitative exercise in which respondents create an online collage that communicates what a name means to them and the imagery and associations it evokes. This enables us to go beyond a name’s obvious descriptive and feature-focused characteristics to its underlying emotions and associations.
Configurator, a unique building platform for gaining quantitative understanding of naming options in context. Using this technique, names are presented in an online interactive exercise where respondents select the preferred name, icon, color and other packaging elements. Respondents decide which are most appealing and meaningful to them when imagining the products on shelf and then provide insight into why they prefer those elements.
What you will learn by attending:

New, fast and effective research methodologies that address different types of research goals in naming.

Specifically:

i. Name ideation: IDQ engages respondents in an exercise that generates hundreds of new name possibilities - and provides an initial evaluation and stratification of those names.

ii. Name Imagery and Communications: eCollage helps you understand emotions, images and associations that respondents have to certain names.

iii. Name selection: Configurator engages respondents in an inactive exercise that requires them to select one of several name options and then build other packaging elements around that name.

About the speaker Brendan Light, SVP, Research and Product Development, BuzzBack Market Research

Brendan leads research development and best-practices for BuzzBack. In addition to continually improving the quality of the quantitative and qualitative methodologies and analytics of BuzzBack's research offerings, he pioneered BuzzBack's award-winning and patent-pending eCollage and Verbatim Viewer and leads the future development and research strategy for BuzzBack. He continues to focus on leveraging the transformative powers of the Internet to evolve respondent engagement, operational efficiency, and visualization of analytics and insight. Brendan has over 15 years of client and research supplier side experience, having also served as Research Director for Grey Interactive and as the Global Director of Ipsos-ASI Interactive.
Privacy Notice: IIR is dedicated to bringing you valuable information services such as this free Webinar. By registering for this event, you acknowledge that IIR may contact you electronically or by any other means regarding IIR's events and services. You may opt out of subsequent communications if you prefer to no longer receive them.


Please visit our blog at http://themarketresearchevent.blogspot.com/ for additional industry news and commentary.

The value of web seminars

The Online Market Research Blog reports that while web seminars are considered one of the best sources for online marketing research, it's the post-surveys that could turn into a gold mine of market research information.

Three areas that can be mine for information are:

1. Efficiently prioritize and qualify hot leads generated from a webinar audience. 2. Determine what type of educational resources attendees are looking for. 3. Evaluate webinar content and speaker performance.

Facebook as a research community

Social Media Today's blogger Matt Rhodes recently pointed out something very significant. Facebook is not a great tool for market research. Yes, it's a community where individuals come together and discuss certain topics (as the article points out, there are 34 groups in London alone that are based around Starbucks), but you can't get the most out of the research experience. There's a certain amount of research and insight you can't attain on Facebook because you're not in control of the conversation.

Do you agree with Matt? Have you found great ways to use Facebook to collect research for your company? What do you think?

Reaching the younger crowd

A recent survey by Synovate shows that young adults ages 18-24 do respond to branding online, they create conversations about it, and they posted brands to their personal web pages and social networking sites.

- 28 percent say they talked about a brand on a discussion forum
- 23 percent added brand-related content to their IM service
- 19 percent added branded content to their homepage or favorite social sites

The younger generation chooses which brands they want to be associated with. Are you giving them the tools do free advertising for you? What are some of the companies you've seen give this generation tools to promote you online?

Multi-channel retailing

Deloitte recently published an interesting report they compiled on multi-channel retailing. They spoke with executives to find out the effects of multi-channel retailing on their business and the impact it's having at on their marketplace. Read the report here.

Ideas multiply when you use an online community

An article at Chief Marketer recently caught my eye. They examine the benefits that online social communities can bring to a company as well as the power of the idea generation a group of involved, participating members can bring.

True communities bring members together, offer them a rich and varied experience and nurture ongoing participation. True communities derive power from their members’ continued willingness to share opinions and work together over time.

What kind of work are you doing with online communities? Have you used a specific technique to keep the quality of conversation going among your members?

All purpose products

I came across this interesting post at Insight & Ingenuity, which poses a great question. Can you have a product on the market without targeting it at one specific customer base? They think that if it's positioned right, it could work, but only if the customers connect with the brand. In this case, it's important for a company to reach out to the customers and find out what really matters to them.

Do you agree with this? Can we come up with one product that suits an entire market?

Note: The title of this post has been updated

Targeting half the market

A new article at Marketing Week takes a look at how companies are focusing their market efforts on women. Brands like Motorola, Nintendo, Apple and Ford are creating products specifically to appeal to this half of the market. Ford is releasing a pink Fiesta and Coors is releasing Blue Moon, after seeing success with Coors Light and Kasteel Cru, in the UK, a market where 12% of the female population drink beer.

Market Research on LinkedIn

One of the latest features to be added to LinkedIn is a survey feature for market researchers to use. As reported here, Dan Shapero, Director of Business Services from LinkedIn, had this to say:

“LinkedIn overcomes quality and authenticity issues that other sample providers face. Because of the public and self-policing nature of LinkedIn, members provide deep and accurate profile information and they update that information constantly.”

What are your thoughts? Have you seen the new survey feature, and/or do you think it will prove useful?

Using Your Research

The November Issue of "CPG matters" has an excellent podcast titled "Combine Consumer Insights to Enhance Brand Marketing." Often companies gather a lot of information, but maybe at a loss on how to utilize it effectively. This latest Webcast from CPG helps organizations, and specifically marketers:

"gain more powerful consumer insights by integrating attitudinal and behavioral research to create Brand Strategies"

Check it out here, and let us know what you think of the CPG Webcast.