Marketing News: June 2016 by Molly Soat

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table of contents

JUNE 2016

AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION

VOL. 50 | NO. 6 AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION

Rob Malcolm Chairperson of the AMA Board 2015-2016 Russ Klein, AMA Chief Executive Officer rklein@ama.org Andy Friedman, AMA Chief Content Officer afriedman@ama.org EDITORIAL STAFF

Phone (800) AMA-1150 • Fax (312) 542-9001 E-mail editor@ama.org Molly Soat, Editor in Chief msoat@ama.org Michelle Markelz, Managing Editor mmarkelz@ama.org Zach Brooke, Staff Writer zbrooke@ama.org Hal Conick, Staff Writer hconick@ama.org Kristina Zapata, Art Director kzapata@ama.org Vince Cerasani, Associate Art Director vcerasani@ama.org

ADVERTISING STAFF

Fax (312) 922-3763 • E-mail ads@ama.org Sally Schmitz, Production Manager sschmitz@ama.org (312) 542-9038

Michael Gay, Account Executive mgay@yourmembership.com (727) 329-4421 Nicola Tate, Account Executive ntate@yourmembership.com (727) 329-4437 Jordan Berthiaume, Media Sales Representative jberthiaume@YourMembership.com (727) 497-6565 x3409 Marketing News (ISSN 0025-3790) is published monthly by the American Marketing Association, 130 E. Randolph St., 22nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60601. Circulation: (800) AMA-1150, (312) 542-9000 Tel: (800) AMA-1150, (312) 542-9000 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Marketing News, 130 E. Randolph St., 22nd Floor, Chicago, 60601-6320, USA. Periodical Postage paid at Chicago, Ill., and additional mailing offices.

FEATURES COVER STORY

36 The AMA Gold Top 50 Report

The AMA presents its annual list of the top 50 market research firms in the U.S., compiled by the Council of American Research Organizations.

Canada Post Agreement Number 40030960. Opinions expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the AMA, its officers or staff.

Marketing News welcomes expressions of all professional viewpoints on marketing and its related areas. These may be as letters to the editor, columns or articles. Letters should be brief and may be condensed by the editors. Please request a copy of the “Writers’ Guidelines” before submitting an article. Upon submission to the AMA, photographs and manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, adequately stamped envelope. Annual subscription rates: Marketing News is a benefit of membership for professional members of the American Marketing Association. Annual professional membership dues in the AMA are $220. Annual subscription rates: $35 members, $145 nonmembers and $190 libraries, corporations and institutions. International rates vary by country. Nonmembers: Order online at amaorders.org, call 1-800-633-4931 or e-mail amasubs@ebsco.com. Single copies $10 individual, $10 institutions; foreign add $5 per copy for air, printed matter. Payment must be in U.S. funds or the equivalent. Canadian residents add 13% GST (GST Registration #127478527). Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all content (including text, representations and illustrations) of advertisements published, and also assume responsibility for any claims arising therefrom made against the publisher. The right is reserved to reject any advertisement.

DEPARTMENTS

Rewards, Returns and Ringside Seats

Customer loyalty programs solidify connections between brands and consumers. But to harness their full power, businesses need to think outside the savings card.

the buzz

core concepts

the middle market

snapshot

24 Customer Segmentation

Gordon Wyner discusses the benefits and drawbacks of segmentation in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Economic Indices

20 scholarly insights Corporate Social Responsibility

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Globalization

Content Marketing

seven sages

Marketers’ Role

Election 2016

The decision on who will be president is largely being driven by voters’ values. The same can be said for customers’ brand loyalty, according to J. Walker Smith.

89 ama careers Employee Engagement

Seen on AMA.org

MARKETING MANAGEMENT

back page

Mark Sarbiewski, Caslight Health

Without written permission from the AMA, any copying or reprinting (except by authors reprinting their own works) is prohibited. Requests for permission to reprint—such as copying for general distribution, advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works or resale—should be submitted in writing by mail or sent via e-mail to permissions@ama.org. Reprints in quantity are available by contacting Kristy Snyder at Sheridan Reprints: (717) 632-3535. Printed in the U.S.A.

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thebuzz Letter from the Editor

Research Makes Perfect

esearch is the cornerstone of marketing. Without research, product development would halt and communications would cease. We would know almost nothing about our customers, and even less about consumers in general.

In our annual AMA Gold Top 50 Report, Diane Bowers of the Council of American Research Organizations dives into the development of the market research industry with an eye toward growth—4.9% growth between 2014 and 2015, to be exact. “The growth rate in 2015 has increased significantly when compared to the previous three years, not only in terms of growth in revenue, but particularly in ‘real growth,’ after adjustment for inflation,” according to Bowers. But her colleague Michael Brereton warns researchers not to rest on their laurels. “The market research industry, as we have known it for

decades, is disappearing. It is being absorbed into a rapidly transforming collection of market intelligence sub-disciplines. For some of us, this phenomenon represents a threat: a question of whether the traditional insights role within our client organizations will remain; a question of whether survey research will have a continued seat at the table; and a concern regarding the future valuation of our research company.” Despite the challenges created by an ever-evolving marketing structure— challenges every marketer faces in every vertical in the country—the research

industry is growing, which is good news for us all. So much research is useless, though, without thoughtful application. On page 28, Staff Writer Zach Brooke spoke with a handful of companies that are looking beyond the simple frequent-buyer card to keep customers loyal with unique perks including concerts, trips and personal training sessions. “There’s a misleading finality that comes with making a sale,” Brooke writes. “A company that only sells to each customer a single time will soon exhaust its pool of prospective clients. In that sense, the initial transaction between buyer and seller is but a prologue to the

overall concern of marketing.” We’ll all do well to think less about the prologue and more about the rising action.

Molly Soat Editor in Chief @MollySoat

Contributors

Diane Bowers

James Olstein

Mary Garrett

Diane Bowers is president of CASRO, the trade association of market, social and opinion research organizations that represents and advocates for the U.S. research industry nationally and globally.

James Olstein is an editorial illustrator who lives in Philadelphia. He has worked with clients such as SPAM, the BBC and the Boston Globe to name a few. Olstein enjoys drawing science and cats. His own cat is named Nacho.

Mary Garrett is the former vice president of global marketing at IBM, having worked her way up from her early career as an engineer. Garrett is now a member of the Board of Directors for the AMA.

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Google Announces Ban on Payday Loan Advertisements

n May 11, Google revealed it will no longer allow paid advertisements for payday loan services on its site, calling the action “designed to protect our users from deceptive or harmful financial products.” The move was announced by Google’s director of global product policy, David Graff, in a blog post. “We will no longer allow ads for loans where repayment is due within 60 days of the date of issue. In the U.S., we are also banning ads for loans with an APR of 36% or higher. When reviewing our policies, research has shown that these loans can result in unaffordable payment and high default rates for users so

we will be updating our policies globally to reflect that,” Graff wrote. The ban on payday loan services will not go into effect until July 13. The announcement is an interesting development for marketers on two separate fronts. First, the move showcases Google’s increasing willingness to weigh in on matters of debate through regulations on its advertising content and that it is not shy about closing revenue streams it believes are unethical. Second, the move highlights the increased scrutiny payday lenders have faced recently. Google’s announcement comes barely a month after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed several new regulations

on payday loan lenders. Graff’s blog post also quotes Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rightsas saying, “This new policy addresses many of the longstanding concerns shared by the entire civil rights community about predatory payday lending. These companies have long used slick advertising and aggressive marketing to trap consumers into outrageously highinterest loans—often those least able to afford it.” According to The New York Times, the Community Financial Services Organization slammed the decision, calling it discriminatory and a form of censorship. –Zach Brooke

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Civilized Makes Moves in Publishing for Pot Smokers

an a magazine about marijuana rely on word of mouth to grow its readership? Logic might say, “No.” Despite the large number of American cannabis users, few are completely open about their use with friends, family and coworkers. The team behind Civilized, a digital magazine start-up, realized this and took a tech-savvy approach toward spreading their taboo content. Civilized aims to elevate cannabis culture by discussing it in a mature tone and in the context of other topics, such as music, travel, science and politics.

The publication launched in September 2015 to fill a void in the market where publisher Derek Riedle saw a lack of intelligent conversation about cannabis for a market that was largely misunderstood or misrepresented. “We had this hunch that people were in the cannabis closet, but I think it’s a walk-in. It’s bigger than we ever expected,” Riedle says. A poll conducted by the magazine suggests the pot-smoker persona of stoned slacker is outdated. Not only are pot smokers more likely to be employed than people who don’t use cannabis, but 20% of

cannabis users are in supervisory or managerial roles, and 20% are earning between $75,000 and $100,000 per year. The results of the poll both confirmed Riedle’s hunch and uncovered some surprising statistics about cannabis users. The Department of Health and Human Services reported in 2014 that 22.2 million civilian, noninstitutionalized people aged 12 and older use marijuana in the United States. That the potential readership of Civilized’s content is large is not in question, but as content marketing expert Andy Crestodina says, “There are

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The True Pot Smoker Persona Cannabis User Statistics tens of millions of people who smoke cannabis. There are far fewer who are willing to share something about it on their Facebook stream.” This points to the challenge of evangelizing a taboo topic. While many niche blogs can mobilize their audience to promote content for them on social media, says Crestodina, the chilling effect of legal implications and social perceptions can keep people in the closet. Riedle recruited the help of RebelMouse, a digital publishing platform, to build an organic audience for the magazine. The platform is constantly processing data and making automated decisions that are optimized by analytics for clickable headlines, web-friendly story structure and viral-prone distribution. Civilized saw 1 million visitors to its website after four months, and six weeks later, it hit 2 million. It’s also seeking new audiences for Civilized’s content by creating miniature campaigns for each piece targeted at influencers likely to find it interesting. This audience, says Crestodina, is a boon for the magazine because cannabis advocates tend to be very outspoken about their support of the substance. One advantage of Civilized’s content is its exclusivity. Few publishers are writing for a cannabis-consuming audience, which makes Civilized a firstmover in the market. “Cannabis prohibition is slowly ending, but it’s still early to be publishing on this topic,” says Crestodina. “The upside is that they have fewer competitors.” –Michelle Markelz

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LETTER FROM THE CEO

Dear AMA stakeholders, The AMA is pleased to announce the appointments of three new members to the AMA’s Board of Directors who will serve three-year terms beginning on July 1, 2016: Jeffrey Inman of the University of Pittsburgh, H. Rao Unnava of The Ohio State University and Greg W. Marshall of Rollins College. The “Next AMA” is knocking at the door. We are in hot pursuit of an ambitious strategic plan to become the most relevant force and voice shaping marketing around the world, and to become a community essential to the fields of sales and marketing. Our board members have been critical proponents of building the energy and enthusiasm for transforming the AMA. The AMA’s Board of Directors—made up of 15 volunteers with leadership roles in the fields of marketing and marketing academia—sets the long-term strategy for the association, and ensures that the organization delivers programs and initiatives that are responsive to the everchanging marketing industry. While the ballot slate in a given year may appear to be “academicheavy” or “practitioner-heavy,” it is only because of the AMA’s use of staggered terms. you can be assured that the board is always split evenly with seven practitioners and seven academics with the chairperson alternating every year between practitioner and academic. We understand how the process of proffering a slate of recommended board candidates might make one feel with respect to their ability to impact the outcome of the voting process. In the case of the AMA we are, above all, a community of service to our members and customers. We are grateful beyond expression for the volunteerism of our board of directors who devote untold hours away from their other professional and personal priorities to be of service to the AMA. We have learned from experience that volunteer leadership—given the demands—requires a mutual contract, of sorts, between the volunteer and the AMA. As a result, the AMA board nominating committee manages a comprehensive, thoughtful and diligent process of identifying individuals not only qualified to serve but willing to undertake what is a substantial commitment lasting between three and seven years. If you have an interest in serving in such a capacity, or if you would like us to consider a different candidate for future board slates, we would be most happy to take your input under advisement. This is something on which you can always express your views by utilizing the write-in blank on the ballot, but please feel free to contact us directly with your ideas. you can always be assured that your vote for the board slate is an important act of support of very devoted professionals who have offered to be of deep service to the AMA. We are honored to welcome them accordingly. Positively,

Russ klein AMA CEO

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thebuzz New AMA Board Members

Chairperson of the Board Valarie Zeithaml, University of North Carolina Valarie Zeithaml is the David S. Van Pelt Family Distinguished Professor of Marketing at the KenanFlagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An award-winning teacher and researcher, she was recently recognized as an American Marketing Association Lifetime Fellow. She was also acknowledged in Thomson Reuters’ “2014 World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds,” representing scholars in the top 1% of citations in their academic fields. She also won the 2012 Bullard Research Impact Award in recognition of the broad impact of research on the field, industry and society; the 2009 AMA Irwin/McGraw-Hill Distinguished Marketing Educator Award for lifetime leadership; the 2008 Paul D. Converse Award for outstanding and enduring contributions to marketing through journal articles, books or a body of work; the 2004 Innovative Contributor to Marketing Award; and the 2004 Outstanding Marketing Educator Award given by the Academy of Marketing Science. Among her more than 100 publications are articles that have won the O’Dell Award, the Maynard Award, the Sheth Foundation/Journal of Marketing Award and seven others. She is the author or coauthor of five business books and the coauthor of the leading services marketing textbook. Zeithaml has researched customer expectations in more than 50 industries, and consulted with companies all over the world, including IBM, Kaiser Permanente, GE, John Hancock Financial Services, Aetna, AT&T, Metropolitan Life Insurance and Chase Manhattan Bank. She received her Ph.D. and MBA from the University of Maryland. She served as an MSI academic trustee for six years and is currently Chairperson-elect of the Board of the American Marketing Association.

Chairperson of the Board-Elect Mary Garrett, IBM Mary Garrett retired from IBM at the end of 2015 culminating an exciting 34-year career at the company. As vice president of marketing and communications for IBM Global Sales and Distribution, she leads worldwide geographic marketing and communications. Garrett directs a global team responsible for brand awareness, campaign design, digital engagement, market development and insights, field sales enablement and external relations to extend IBM’s presence in 170 markets worldwide. She also develops and executes unique data-driven marketing and communication strategies encompassing the Cognitive-era agenda, cloud computing and other strategic growth plays. Previously, Garrett led worldwide marketing for IBM Global Technology Services (GTS), the leading technology services business in the world. Prior to this, she led the General Business and Channels team for GTS, responsible for driving revenue growth, service delivery and client satisfaction. She also has held key executive sales and marketing roles spanning product groups, geographic regions and at the corporate level. Garrett joined IBM as an electrical engineer, designing advanced prototypes for leading-edge speech recognition technologies, for which she earned a patent. She is a member of the IBM Growth and Transformation team, responsible for enterprise-wide integration of IBM capabilities, and served on the IBM Technology Team focused on the development of near and long-term emerging technologies. She is currently the secretary for the IBM CIO Board of Advisors and CMO Councils, esteemed groups of clients that provide constructive guidance on IBM’s strategy, portfolio and go-to-market execution. Garrett holds a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from Boston University and a Master of Science in biomedical engineering from Brown University. She is a member of the Chief Marketing Officer Roundtable, a professional association focused on marketing thought leadership, best practice sharing and leadership development; and a member of W.O.M.E.N. in America, an organization dedicated to the professional development and mentoring of high-potential women in business. She also is the vice president of finance and audit on the operating committee for the AMA.

Vice president of Finance & Secretary Bill Cron, Texas Christian University William Cron is the J. Vaughn and Evelynne H. Wilson Professor in Business and the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research at the M. J. Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University. Bill’s research has been published in top academic journals such as the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research and the Academy of Management Journal. Bill has served on the board of directors for the Health Industry Trade Association, Park Plaza Medical, Advanced Medical Supply, Southwest Medical Supply, the Midmark Corporation and 24VirtualMD. He has served on four editorial review boards, including the Journal of Marketing and the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. He has published more than 80 marketing and sales management articles June 2016 | marketing news

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and manuscripts and has been recognized as one of the top 10 sales and sales management researchers in the U.S. He has also coauthored seven editions of one of the leading sales management texts in the U.S. and Canada, Sales Management: Concepts and Cases. He received the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the sales and sales management special interest group of the AMA. Cron has been a member of the AMA since 1977. Prior to serving on the AMA Board, he served as president of the AMA Academic Council and cochair of the AMA Winter Educators’ Conference in 2004. He currently serves as the president of the AMA Foundation, and is on the Berry AMA Book Award Committee and the Parlin Award Committee. Cron earned his Doctorate of Business Administration and master’s degrees from Indiana University and his B.S. from Xavier University where he played basketball.

Immediate Past Chairperson Rob Malcom, University of Texas With a marketing and general management career spanning 40 years, Rob Malcolm has been a student, practitioner, consultant and teacher, successfully applying all aspects of marketing in the US and internationally. Following his bachelor’s degree and M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina—both in marketing—Malcom joined Procter & Gamble’s brand management team in 1975. In his 24 years at P&G he progressed through both marketing and general management assignments in the U.S., the Middle East and Europe, working on more than 75 brands in more than 40 countries. Over the next nine years, he led the marketing, brand management, sales and innovation function globally for Diageo, a premium alcoholic beverages company, as president of marketing, sales and innovation. During his time there, Diageo won many awards for its advertising, direct and digital marketing, design and innovation, including numerous Effies, a couple of Cannes Gold Lions and, recently, the prestigious IPA advertising effectiveness award in the U.K. At Diageo, Malcom had oversight of more than 70 brands in more than 170 countries with a marketing budget of more than $2.5 billion annually. Since retiring from full-time corporate work in 2008, Malcom has remained active in a range of business and marketing endeavors, including sitting on the boards of directors of Hershey’s, Logitech and the AMA; the advisory boards of Just Marketing Inc. and Effective Brands; serving as a senior advisor to Boston Consulting Group, MDC Partners, Diageo, Bacardi and others; teaching marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School; and speaking at public and private corporate events. He joined McCombs Business School at the University of Texas as executive-in-residence in marketing in September 2013.

At-Large Members of the Board (Unopposed) Three candidates ran for the at-large board positions and will serve three-year terms beginning July 1, 2016. Jeff Inman, University of Pittsburgh Jeff Inman joined the faculty of the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh in 2000, and in 2008 assumed the position of associate dean of research and faculty. He is past-president of the Association for Consumer Research and an academic trustee at the Marketing Science Institute. His research focuses on shopper and consumer decision-making. He is on the editorial board of the leading marketing journals: the Journal of Marketing Research, the Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Consumer Research, Marketing Science, the Journal of Consumer Psychology and the Journal of Retailing. He is also an associate editor for the Journal of Marketing Research and the Journal of Marketing. He has taught classes in marketing research, advanced research methods, scanner data and marketing management, and recently developed a new course on shopper analytics. Inman received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), his MBA from Indiana University and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas.

H. Rao Unnava, The Ohio State University H. Rao Unnava is the W. Arthur Cullman Professor of Marketing and senior associate dean of students and programs at Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. Unnava joined the marketing and logistics faculty at Fisher in 1988. Prior to that, Unnava completed a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering, followed by a post-graduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta. Unnava completed his Ph.D. in business administration, specializing in consumer behavior, from The Ohio State University. Unnava’s research interests lie in the cognitive processes behind consumer decision-making processes, and he has been published in major journals in marketing, including the Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer

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Research and Journal of Consumer Psychology. He is currently on the editorial review boards of both the Journal of Consumer Research and Journal of Consumer Psychology. Unnava has won the American Marketing Association’s Undergraduate Teaching Award seven times and was awarded the Fisher College of Business Westerbeck Undergraduate Teaching Award twice. He has also been awarded the Distinguished Service Award at Fisher in 2014. In addition to consulting in the U.S. and India, Rao’s entrepreneurial interests resulted in his founding of Angie’s List with a group of entrepreneurs in 1995. Since then, Rao has been involved both as a founder and investor in another startup, PTS Physicians, whose product is currently being used in more than 10 hospital systems.

Greg W. Marshall, Rollins College Greg W. Marshall (Ph.D., Oklahoma State University; B.S., B.A. and M.B.A., University of Tulsa) is the Charles Harwood Professor of Marketing and Strategy in the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. For several years he served as vice president for strategic marketing at Rollins. Marshall also holds a visiting professorship in marketing and strategy at Aston Business School in Birmingham, U.K. He’s held a variety of leadership roles in the CPG industry with Mennen, Warner Lambert and Target Corp. He is frequently engaged as a consultant to organizations on issues involving sales management, marketing-sales interface and strategic market planning. Marshall has been president of the AMA’s Academic Council, chair of the selling and sales management special interest group and a founding member of the Academic Division’s strategic renewal initiative, among others. He is the editor of the Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice and prior editor of the Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management. His research centers on issues in sales force selection, performance and evaluation; managerial decision-making in sales and marketing; and technology impact on the selling process and sales role.

Divisional Presidents-Elect President-Elect, Academic Council (Unopposed) REBECCA J. SLOTEGRAAF, INDIANA UNIVERSITY Rebecca J. Slotegraaf is professor of marketing and Whirlpool Faculty Fellow at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Slotegraaf’s research interests focus generally on marketing strategy and innovation, and more specifically on understanding the extent to which marketing resources, capabilities, and new products can be sources of competitive advantage. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing, Organization Science, Decision Sciences and other top-level marketing and management journals.

President-Elect, Collegiate Chapters Council (Unopposed) DEBBIE DELONG, CHATHAM UNIVERSITY Debbie DeLong is an associate professor of marketing at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. Prior to academia, Debbie led marketing research, strategic planning and business analytics efforts at Entergy Corporation and Bozell Worldwide. Her research focuses on employee engagement and internal marketing strategies for business sustainability and has been published in Marketing Management Journal, American Journal of Marketing and Journal of Applied Psychology.

President-Elect, Professional Chapters Council (Unopposed) ANGELA BRUTSCHE, TEXAS VETERANS LAND BOARD As the deputy director of marketing and business development for the Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB), Brutsche serves the 1.7 million military veterans in Texas with the most unique veteran benefits program in the nation. Brutsche oversees marketing communications and statewide veterans call service center operations at VLB, which is a division under the oldest state agency in Texas: the Texas General Land Office. During her 20-year career as a marketing communications professional, Brutsche has led strategic initiatives that encompass a broad range of marketing communications efforts in the nonprofit, real estate and technology arenas.

President-Elect, Practitioner Council (Unopposed) KRISTIN MUNTEAN OFFICEMAX Kristin Muntean has held senior Marketing and Innovation roles at Quaker Oats/Pepsico, Alberto Culver/ Unilever and OfficeMax/Office Depot, and created new growth opportunities across a wide range of consumer segments, brands and channels. Most recently, Muntean led innovation and insights at OfficeMax, creating a new business model for small-business owners. Muntean has served on the AMA Marketing Advisory Council since 2014. She earned her BA degree from St. Mary’s University and her MBA from the University of Virginia. June 2016 | marketing news

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Smaller World, Bigger Stakes Is it time to start selling and marketing internationally? Will a new population enjoy a particular product or service? What kinds of ads are successful overseas? These are all questions that should be answered by a market research company before launching internationally. By Hal Conick | Staff Writer

 hconick@ama.org

reaking into an international market is difficult. Aric Saulka, manager of North American client development at Euromonitor International, a strategic market research firm, says his clients have learned this the hard way time and again. “I could tell you from experience that a lot of the organizations we’ve worked with are very used to working inside the U.S.,” he says. “A lot of times, they will come to us and say ‘We were thinking about international expansion.’ We start to work with them, they start to dive into our systems and they’re just [baffled].” Many companies don’t realize just how intricate breaking into an international market can be. Saulka says certain organizations are “spoiled” from years of access to U.S. data, as no other country in the world is set up with a network of information quite like the U.S. To make a move into a new market, it is imperative to have good statistics, information and access to creativity. While this may scare some companies away from moving into an international market, staying put may not be a viable, long-term option. A 2015 report from Pew Market Research found that the world’s population in “middle income” grew from 7% in 2001 to 13% in 2011, thnaks to growth in consumer markets, including China, South America and Eastern Europe. Additionally, those classified as “poor” across the world dropped from 29% to 15% during the same time period.

Roughly 95% of the world’s consumers are outside of the U.S. Organizations can make the move into international markets a bit easier by working with a market research company, which can offer unique reports, insights, research and knowledge to help properly focus organizational efforts toward going international, experts say. Jen Werner, vice president of marketing at Mintel, says working with a market research company with an international presence is “one of the most important things for a company looking to expand internationally.” Here are five ways a market research company can help a business looking to go international:

Find the Best Fit. As much as a

company pictures its product being successful in a certain part of the world, finding the right market—and staying objective—is imperative. Saulka says this research can be based on demographics, whether the country’s economy is growing or shrinking, a market’s digital marketing capabilities, marketing infrastructure and

average consumer expenditure, among other measurements. “I run a scenario across 30 countries, and I can then map out [the highest rated countries for a given campaign],” he says. “You can use a complex understanding of many different social-economic indicators. It can be whatever is going to fit within the marketing campaign that you’re trying to run against.” Saulka used a soft-drink company as an example. To move from the U.S. to a European market, he says market research would look at the sales of soft drinks and carbonated beverages in that region, find a fitting demographic and find other indicators that would reveal a “perfect scenario” company to figure out whether it is worth the time and money to invest in a particular market.

Know the Market From Multiple Perspectives. Entering an

unfamiliar environment—in this case a new country or region of the world— means being a stranger in a strange land. To prevent any needless setbacks, Werner says marketing research should be used to help understand the new market from multiple perspectives. Getting multiple views of a market can be as simple as doing a gap analysis with an understanding of where the company, as well as its brands and products, may fit to help show what needs it could fill. From an unknown perspective, a market research company could help the company understand the country or region’s norms and trends on a deeper level. Additionally, there could be custom reports created to unveil other blind spots that may exist between the company’s products and local needs or desires.

A market research company could help the company understand the country or region’s norms and trends on a deeper level. Additionally, there could be custom reports created to unveil other blind spots that may exist between the company’s products and local needs or desires.

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Understand Language and Cultural Nuances. Understanding

the market and its economics is important, but having a grasp on the cultural norms, language and nuances within the culture is essential, Saulka says. “These are basic things you need to understand. Understanding the landscape before you market a message is crucial,” he says. “It’s why global companies have offices on the ground: … to inform how they position a campaign.” Werner gives an example of a simple mistake in Canada. Mintel wrongly assumed that grocery shoppers in Canada, like those in the U.S., were avoiding the center aisles to shop for more fresh foods. They quickly learned that there is actually a movement in Canada to shop more in the center aisles where cheaper food is located due, at least in part, to Canada’s dollar weakness. And this was between two neighboring countries that Werner notes are often considered “the same.” “Brands [and] companies entering a new market may think they are being culturally sensitive or aware of how

consumers may view their products, but you really can’t beat hearing it straight from the consumer’s mouth,” she says. Saulka says Wal-Mart’s cultural switch upon entering China, in which it changed its all-blue color scheme to incorporate red, a color symbolizing fortune and joy to Chinese citizens. On the other hand, the “Got Milk” campaign received a rude awakening in Mexico when the campaign slogan’s translation turned out to be “Are you lactating?”

Look for Technological Signs of Life. Identifying the “technodoption”

of given markets may be one of the best moves a company can make when expanding internationally, according to Saulka. This has been a point of concentration for some of his biggest clients, Saulka says, as it will often allow companies to market to an entirely new audience without erecting a bricks-and-mortar shop. Looking at demographic data, such as how many consumers have cellphones or internet access, can help a company figure out what kind of infrastructure is in place for a digital marketing campaign.

“You can pinpoint your consumer and the demographic of the consumers,” he says, adding that digital campaigns have been especially effective for travel companies in terms of return on investment. “You have information on if [consumers have] traveled to your city before or are more likely to travel to your city. There’s a lot of data behind the results.”

If There’s No Digital Option, Go Analog. Not every market is

equipped to receive a digital marketing campaign. While many consumers across the world have access to the internet, there are still many emerging markets where a company could thrive that are, for all intents and purposes, digital dead zones. For more “analog” cultures, companies should go back to surveys and focus groups. Werner says focus groups can help brands gain a better understanding of consumer habits, lifestyles, shopping patterns and attitudes. “The advantage of focus groups is that the brand can actually be present and get a firsthand feel for how consumers actually think and behave,” she says. m

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themiddlemarket

Employer Branding

Smack Dab in the Middle Market New economic index measures middle-market confidence By Zach Brooke | staff writer

 zbrooke@ama.org

ant to know how the U.S. economy is doing? Check the GDP report; it comes out every quarter. Interested in the

domestic labor market? The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases a monthly jobs report detailing employment figures. Large publicly traded companies can be

tracked daily through stock indexes like the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500, and small business confidence is captured in a monthly survey by the National Federation of Independent Business. But what about companies in the middle? Firms with yearly revenues between $10 million and $1 billion, which number around 200,000 businesses, employ 40 million people and total one-third of private sector gross receipts. Until recently, there were little economic data tracking this group of businesses as a class. But a new index developed by Chicagobased audit, tax and consulting firm RSM (formerly known as McGladrey) aims to measure business conditions within the middle market. Developed in partnership with Moody’s Analytics, the index comprises survey data collected from a representative sample of 700 middle market executives. The report’s topline metric, the RSM Middle Market Business Index, is a measure of sentiment, intentions and overall business conditions determined by questions about economic expectations, gross revenues, quarterly earnings, wages, hiring and capital expenditures. The inaugural survey, released in late March, reported the number to be 116.6—which is good, according to RSM chief economist Joseph Brusuelas. “One hundred is what we consider to be neutral. If it’s above 100, the economy is growing. Below 100, the economy would be contracting,” Brusuelas says. RSM’s index lines up with another measure of the middle market: the Middle Market Indicator released by the National Center for the Middle Market at The Ohio State University. That survey reported in its latest version that, “At the end of 2015 … expectations have materialized, indicating that the middle market has moved from a period of accelerated growth to a steadier, more sustained rate of expansion.” New editions of the RSM Middle Market Business Index will be released every quarter. Though the current iteration is the first time RSM has published its results, Brusuelas’s team has been collecting data for the past five quarters. There are 20

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economic indices

questions total in the survey. Half of the questions are designed to be static; they will be asked in every iteration of the report. The other 10 questions will change every quarter in order to capture middle market reaction to specific events. For instance, Brusuelas plans to include questions about the U.S. presidential election in a later survey this year. “That one will have questions about policy uncertainty and expectations about the upcoming change in administrations,” he says. While the high-level economic data in the GDP and stock market reports is relevant to middle market firms, it can incorporate variables that do not apply to the middle market, resulting in an inaccurate reflection of how the middle market is performing relative to the overall economy. This can be seen in a previous version of this survey, when RSN asked questions about the appreciation of the U.S. dollar. “Many middle market firms simply don’t have the exposure to the global economy, or the external economy, that the largest 530 firms that populate the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones industrial averages have. Because the global economy has slowed noticeably, and due to competiveness issues, many of those firms’ earnings are having problems,” Brusuelas says. “Our firms, which are largely only participating in the U.S. or North American economy, they’re just not seeing those problems. They’re actually outperforming, in some cases, much larger firms.” Middle markets firms’ reliance on the domestic economy makes them an ideal bellwether for changes in the business cycle. The top-level takeaway ballyhooed by the inaugural index suggests the economy is unlikely to head into a recession this year. This assertion is based on survey data that indicates three in five respondents expect gross revenues to increase over the next six months, and the appetite for capital expenditures is projected to remain constant. “One of the leading indicators [of recession] is a sharp drop in Capex. The fact that we didn’t see that, and [that] there are plans for expansion, put to rest any fears of a premature end to the business cycle,”

Brusuelas says. “The U.S. economy is not a great, big aircraft carrier that turns very slowly. When the economy goes into a recession, it tends to fall off a cliff.” Brusuelas is particularly encouraged by the current data because it was collected when high volatility in the stock market fueled fears of an imminent financial downturn. “When we were asking those questions in January and February, that was the most intense portion of global asset volatility, and we thought it would be a real acid test,” he says. Looking ahead, Brusuelas says he expects the next survey to show improvement in hiring and other economic indicators, most notably a rebound in manufacturing activity.

themiddlemarket

hot and [the RSM Middle Market Business Index] number accelerates well above 120 or 130, … and let’s say you’re a central banker, that’s probably a good forward look that one should expect inflation to heat up.” Not everybody is convinced of the index’s value, however. Jack Sweeney, founder of middle market industry news site Middle Market Executive questions whether the data is substantive enough to base decisions around. “When you consider [that] middle market businesses are the primary customer for [RSM’s] audit services, it makes us all wonder whether this is just marketing window dressing,” Sweeney says. “I’m pretty biased when it comes to the accounting houses. I’m of the opinion they

Middle markets firms’ reliance on the domestic economy makes them an ideal bellwether for changes in the business cycle. The top-level takeaway ballyhooed by the inaugural index suggests the economy is unlikely to head into a recession this year. Drawing on five quarters of survey data, he’s comfortable reaching some conclusions about where the economy seems to be headed for middle marketers in the short term. “Our survey participants tend to expect to see improved revenues, improved earnings and modest economic growth. They expect to increase hiring but they’re trying to keep a lid on compensation, which may be a function of overall regulatory pressures and concerns about hiring and retaining technically skilled individuals. This is a function of a tightening labor market,” he says. Brusuelas sees the survey as a useful tool to influence the decisions of other middle market executives, as well as investors and policymakers. “If you see things getting very

often have ‘Grade A’ accountants and ‘Grade C’ marketers.” Sweeney adds, “The question that needs to be asked is whether a middle market business owner would find these numbers useful, or would they more likely desire data specific to their industry rather than their weight class of company. It varies.” One policymaker who does find the index helpful is Ohio Congressman Steve Stivers, cochair of the Congressional Caucus for Middle Market Growth. In an e-mailed statement, Rep. Stivers said, “RSM’s index further demonstrates the significance of the middle market to our overall economy and future job growth. Our caucus will keep working to tell the story of the middle market and to support policies and legislation that strengthen it.” m June 2016 | marketing news

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snapshot

product placement

Pillow Talk Casper is putting to bed the notion that mattresses are boring social fodder, and the upstart is gaining comic notoriety and a sizeable following on Twitter By Michelle Markelz | Managing Editor

 mmarkelz@ama.org Goal As a new player in the mattress market, high-end manufacturer and supplier Casper has relied heavily on word of mouth to make up for its low-budget advertising strategy. Since its founding, person-to-person marketing has been the biggest driver of its sales. Social media allowed the brand to engage with customers while also giving its loyal patrons a very public way to do its evangelizing.

Casper’s main objective on Twitter is to raise awareness of the brand. Not everyone is in the market to buy a bed— most people buy a mattress every seven to 10 years—but when they do embark on that buyer’s journey, it’s important to grab their attention, says Lindsay Kaplan, Casper’s vice president of communications. Action How bizarre is the idea of a talking mattress? That’s the question Kaplan asked herself

when she launched the social media function for Casper in April of 2014. The idea was admittedly absurd, but says Kaplan, so was the idea of a mattress company using Twitter. “We found something really funny about a mattress on Twitter,” says Kaplan. “There are a lot of brands who use social media and take it very seriously and don’t find humor in the fact that they’re using Twitter to begin with.” The first step was to determine the personality of the brand’s spokes-mattress. “We immediately knew a mattress would be up all night,” says Kaplan, “so that became the first element of Casper’s Twitter presence.” The voice of Casper is geared toward a demographic that’s familiar with GIFs and the kind of syntax often found in memes. The account frequently responds to @Casper tweets with short clips of pop culture on loop. “It’s always about entertaining, elating and conversing,” says Kaplan, a strategy that differentiates the brand from many

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CONTENT MARkETING

snapshot

heaDQUarters

New york City CamPaiGn timeline

April 2014 to Present resUlts

PHOTOS: CASPER

A Shorty Award for excellence in social media; tenfold increase in Twitter followers and 1,311% growth in social media following in one year.

business handles that use Twitter to make a sales pitch rather than holding a conversation with consumers. With musings like, “To get coffee or to get to work on time? That is the question,” and “Still don’t think it’s a coincidence that ‘morning’ and ‘mourning’ sound the same,” Casper, the tweeting mattress, supplies followers with a steady stream of witty one-liners usually about sleep (or a lack thereof) and coffee. While that may not resonate with every prospective customer, Jim Tobin, president of Ignite Social Media, says a bold approach trumps vanilla tweets any day. “The worst thing that can happen to a brand in social is to be fundamentally ignored,” he says. “If you know who you stand for and who you appeal to, just own that, and you’ll end up with a much bigger portion of your segment.” The mattress brand is also challenging its competition with its #linksomnia tweets, a series of articles, videos and other content curated for those who resort to scrolling social feeds when they can’t sleep. “When they’re writing about insomnia, they’re very quietly making the case that maybe they could help you sleep better,” Tobin says. “It’s a strategy that Serta or Tempurpedic

can’t copy. It’s a nice way to say, ‘Hey, there’s a very different mattress here,’ without talking about a mattress at all.” Some content comes from Van Winkle’s, an editorial website covering the topic of sleep and published by Casper. With categories like science, health, travel and culture, Van Winkle’s makes sleep a ubiquitous conversation. Casper, Tobin says, excels at inserting itself into larger, relevant conversations as opposed to product descriptions. results “What Casper’s realized that a lot of brands haven’t is that Twitter’s not about their product,” says Tobin. “It’s about the experience the product facilitates and the reason the product exists. Sleep’s important to all of us.” One reason Casper’s content is so effective is that it’s relatable. Everyone can empathize with the after-lunch energy crash at work or hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock. The motto of Casper’s social media department is, “Look at the struggle and the joy,” says Kaplan. The struggle is the pain of getting out of bed in the morning and the joy is kicking your shoes off, getting into bed and pulling up the covers. One follower claimed Casper’s tweets convinced her to buy a mattress, and

while that may be true, Tobin says it’s more likely the tweets served as an engaging introduction to the brand. “What they’re saying is, ‘I heard about this brand because of this Twitter account. I started to like the brand because of this account. I checked it out, bought it and came back to say you got me started on this path.’ ” Casper’s Twitter presence has earned it a Shorty Award for excellence in social media. It’s also up for Webby Awards for social customer service and comedy writing, the latter it’s vying for alongside The Onion, Conan O’Brien and John Oliver. In 2015, the brand grew its Twitter following from 5,000 to 50,000 and its overall social media following increased by 1,311%. The social media team behind Casper’s Twitter account has grown as well. Kaplan says that growth was more methodical as the decision to hire in-house talent took patience. “When you work with an agency that is juggling a few brands and isn’t living and breathing your company day to day, you’re sacrificing the heart and soul of the brand,” she says. “It was one of the slowest hiring processes I’ve ever taken to hire our first social media team members, but it has paid off.” m June 2016 | marketing news

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scholarlyinsights

Corporate Social Responsibility

It’s Easy Being Green Should you reward customers for being green? Only if you take this approach. By Lance A. Bettencourt | contributor

 lance@liftphd.com

e have every reason to expect that corporate sustainability initiatives will continue to increase. These programs often generate savings for the company and hold the potential to increase customer satisfaction while developing the image of the organization as being socially responsible. At Marriott, for example, the company has set a goal “to further reduce energy and water consumption 20% by 2020.” Amazon touts a multi-year initiative to have packaging that is “100% recyclable [with products that] ship in their own packages without additional shipping boxes.” Although these initiatives are admirable, companies run a risk of upsetting customers when they introduce sustainability programs that rely on the voluntary participation of customers. When a hotel asks customers to reuse their towels, for example, this might negatively affect the satisfaction of some customers. In fact, some companies have dropped programs when vocal customers have complained. Given potentially conflicting corporate objectives, it is important to know how participation in a voluntary sustainability program affects customer satisfaction. In addition, it is important to understand if a company can promote a program in a way that spurs both program success and customer satisfaction. Is Being Green Good for Customer Satisfaction? In a forthcoming Journal of Marketing paper, “Adjusting the Warm Glow Thermostat: How Incentivizing Participation in Voluntary Green Programs Moderates Their Impact on Service Satisfaction,” researchers from Cornell, Florida State and Michigan State universities report on a series of studies they ran to give insight into these issues.

In the first study, researchers designed a method to determine how voluntary customer participation in a sustainability program affects customer satisfaction. They installed recycling bins at a Japanese restaurant and covertly monitored which guests voluntarily sorted their trash between recycling and landfill bins. A survey of those who had and had not voluntarily sorted their trash revealed that voluntary participants were more satisfied with the overall experience at the restaurant, and this was driven by what the researchers refer to as a “warm glow”: the extent to which the customer feels proud, in the right, virtuous and ethical. In a second study, the research team analyzed data on hotel stays from the J.D. Power North American Guest Satisfaction Index. Consistent with the first study, the research team found that guests who had voluntarily participated in a linen reuse program rated the overall hotel experience as more outstanding. However, a comparison of guests of one hotel in which participation in the program was rewarded revealed an interesting twist. Specifically, guest satisfaction of participants in the rewarded program was not higher than nonparticipants in the program. In fact, participants in the rewarded program had lower overall satisfaction than participants in non-rewarded programs. What is going on here? How does rewarding someone for a good behavior detract from overall satisfaction? As in other contexts, an incentive to do something that is intrinsically good takes away the good feelings from doing that thing because it provides an alternative, more selfish explanation. In addition, a reward offers justification for not feeling guilty to those who choose

not to participate. So a reward for something good can undermine the satisfaction benefits of a voluntary sustainability program. Ouch. Should You Reward Customers for Being Green? The researchers wanted to know if there was any way to offer a reward and still get the positive benefits of program participation. In a third study, the researchers asked some individuals to imagine themselves staying at a hotel on a work trip. They were then asked if they would like to participate in a voluntary linen reuse program in which some were told that the incentive was the donation of snacks to a homeless program. As anticipated, offering an other-benefitting incentive (e.g., helping the homeless) got rid of the problem of rewarding participation seen in the J.D. Power study. In fact, participants in this rewarded program reported even higher overall satisfaction than participants in a non-incentivized program in the study. They were now doing good twice! However, there was also a downside that would be problematic for any company wanting to implement such an approach. Nonparticipants experienced lower overall satisfaction due to heightened levels of guilt and a sense of being in the wrong (the opposite of the warm glow). They were now doing wrong twice! So, in one final study, the researchers identified a way around this dilemma. Participants in a study were asked if “they would be willing to forgo the manufacturer’s elaborate packaging and instead agree to receive their prize [for the study] in a sustainable, plain brown box.” As an incentive to choose the more sustainable option, participants were told that they would be entered into a drawing. Half the participants were told that they could win a choice of a $25 donation to one of three charities (an other-benefitting reward option). The

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Corporate Social Responsibility

other half of the participants were told that they could win one of two gift card choices for themselves or an option to donate to a listed charity (a mixed otherand self-benefitting reward option). The results showed that the two reward options were just as effective as creating a warm glow and satisfaction (with the overall survey) among program participants. However, the mixed-reward option led to much higher warm glow and satisfaction among non-participants. The mixed-reward option got the upside without the downside of the otherbenefitting reward option. To understand the results, the researchers argue that a mixed-reward option allows each person to focus on the reward that makes them feel the best. Individuals who participate can feel just

as good about themselves with a mixed reward as with an other-benefitting reward because they can justify participation on the basis of benefitting others. In contrast, nonparticipants get to ease the guilt of nonparticipation by focusing on the self-benefitting part of a mixed reward option. Essentially, they get to tell themselves, “That’s why I didn’t participate.” Putting Insights into Action Overall, the results of the series of studies lead to clear implications for companies. First, voluntary sustainability programs are a good thing. Certainly, some customers won’t like it, but on the whole, these programs raise overall customer satisfaction by helping customers to feel good about themselves.

scholarlyinsights

Second, an incentive for customer participation in a sustainability program can benefit not only program participation, but also guest satisfaction, but only with one type of incentive option. Specifically, a company should offer a mixed-incentive bundle in which customers are allowed to choose either an other-benefitting or a self-benefitting reward for participation. This reward option increases the satisfaction upside to participants and eliminates the satisfaction downside to nonparticipants. m Lance A. Bettencourt is a cofounder and managing partner of LIFT PhD, and a distinguished marketing fellow at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University. June 2016 | marketing news

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sevensages

THE ROLE OF MARkETING

SeVen eXPertS Weigh in On the aMa’S

Seven Big Problems Problem two: the role of Marketing in the firm and the C-suite

Mary garrett

Jeffrey hayzlett

eric t. bradlow

ric Sweeney

Former Vice President of global marketing at iBm

tV Host on the C-suite network

Chairperson of the wharton marketing Department

associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati

Bold marketing functions earn a position of respect in the organization when they demonstrate contribution to profitable growth. Embracing the shift from art to science, particularly with respect to data and analytics, is key. This doesn’t mean that marketing needs to “own” all the data. Be a smart collaborator. Finance is your friend. Sales has customer insight. Successful marketers team effectively and integrate across functions to mine the treasure trove of data that exists, but it’s often not looked at holistically. As you strive to deliver personalized experiences, the more you know about your client or prospect, the better your marketing will be. By being sharper with data, you are better able to articulate the impact of marketing. That’s what the C-suite cares about. It’s about outcomes. A marketing team that can show results is a welcome member at the executive table.

“World class” means the organization is completely focused on delivering the business promises and that it owns, and leads, from the inception of the idea through to customer satisfaction. Marketing of the past was more focused on ads, communications and often not in the C-suite, relegated to being told the business objectives rather than leading them. Future organizations will be more focused on the total customer experience resulting in greater revenue, margins and value of the brand.

Three years ago, as the Wharton School was going through a curriculum redesign for our MBA students, each department had to answer the question, “What fundamentally is our function in business?” For marketing, this was easy. Marketing’s responsibility in every firm is the customer. Our job is to know the customer and bring a customer-centric mind set to [the job]. This means collecting data on the customer which is now easier to do via tracking technologies. Our computers, our phones, our shopping patterns online and offline and what content we watch: are all data that is out there that allow firms to understand customer preferences. This, when collected in conjunction with surveys, allows the firm to answer the “whys” as well. Since every firm makes profits from one customer (B-to-C or B-to-B) at a time, this customer-analytics and customer-centric mindset will earn us our rightful seat in the C-suite as we are coproducers of firm revenue and we can optimize marketing touch points to drive it.

Marketing can no longer be considered an “afterthought” for any business wanting to create and maintain relevance. Any organization that wants to be considered “world class” needs to focus on the consumer, and marketing is the only business function that puts the consumer at the center for every business decision. Those businesses that are succeeding—and those that will succeed in the future—will have marketing and their CMO at the head of the table, guiding every decision, from strategy to segmentation to product development to manufacturing to promotion, and everything in between.

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the role of marketing

Sunil Gupta

Scott Monty

Michael Krauss

Professor of Business at Harvard University

CEO at Scott Monty Strategies

President at Market Strategy Group

Marketing has traditionally been defined as a function with 4Ps as its tactical tools. But marketing is more than a function—it’s a philosophy about customer focus that should permeate every activity of a firm including innovation, operations and strategy. Perhaps nobody understood it better than Steve Jobs. His laser focus on solving customer problems and providing a superb experience made Apple a cult among consumers. Jeff Bezos built Amazon with the same guiding principle. In the consumer-driven economy, where companies have to deal with large amounts of data, marketing will play an even more important role in the C-suite

When you consider internal and external responsibilities of marketing, two in particular stand out: technology and reputation. CMOs now have the ability to control more technology and technology-based decisions than CIOs, as they have access to data that can fuel insights for the business. And yet, technology decisions are not solely the marketing department’s to make, as IT must be an integrated function throughout the firm. And reputation management—one of the objectives of brand management—is a function that is shared with corporate communications, which itself has expanded to operate as a strategic counsel to the CEO. The forces of communications—with its ability to shape opinion and work with a variety of stakeholders to craft messages—and marketing—with its access to data and larger budget to target and amplify with certainty—when effectively coordinated, can have a massive impact on reputation.

Successful marketing leaders know that their unique point of difference is their knowledge and insight regarding customers. When it comes to identifying what role marketing should play in the firm and in the C-suite, the CMO must hone his or her own insight and train them on the CEO. The CEO captains the enterprise with the oversight of the board and the investors. Some CEOs seek marketers who are sales enablers, since their marketing focuses on lead generation. Some seek marketers who create brand differentiation, since they want a suite of branding and communications tactics. Other CEOs seek a strategic partner and colleague in the C-suite who can assess the company’s capabilities, competitive threats and customer needs. Organizing marketing begins with CMO/CEO alignment. Once that’s established, the tasks can follow.

sevensages

“Any organization that wants to be considered ‘world class’ needs to focus on the consumer, and marketing is the only business function that puts the consumer at the center for every business decision.”

June 2016 | marketing news

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Why Segment? By Gordon Wyner

ď&#x20AC;¸ gordon.wyner@gmail.com

he appeal of segmentation has a lot to do with efficiency. Marketers canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be all things to all people, so they focus attention, strategy and resources on those things they can best deliver. Marketing spending can be targeted to the most attractive business opportunities, where the impact can be greatest. Segmentation gives an organization a way to concentrate its marketing activities, based on selected customers and particular brand positioning elements. Segmentation can be especially useful for companies that have large potential customer bases and complex portfolios of brands. Segmentation helps sort out questions of who the ideal customer

is and what will be offered when there is substantial internal overlap, cannibalization and competitive strategy. Rapid changes in the marketing environment create direct challenges

to long-held views on core ideas like segmentation. Digital technology fuels major changes in the marketing mix and in the nature of information to understand and track customers. A continuing stream of new ideas competes for the attention of marketers, advocates new strategies and practices and promises improved performance in market. Segmentation has long been central to many marketersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strategies, but does it still have the same relevance as it once did? What benefits accrue for marketing organizations that adopt segmentation? Is there an alternative? Digital Marketing Marketing that relies heavily on digital tools has the potential to engage with the consumer one-to-one. This promises very informed interactions with significant prior knowledge of who the customer is and continuing information on the customer response over time. A segment profile, which describes the typical segment member, is less critical to have when you can address the individual with a tailored message. In situations where marketing relies heavily or solely on broadcast media

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Customer Segmentation

to address the market, the case for segmentation is more compelling. With broadcast media there is limited information about the individual consumer. The portrait of the consumer via the segment lens adds valuable detail, even if it only approximates what each individual is like, and acknowledges the natural variability within segments. Overall spending by marketers is shifting sharply toward digital media and is now close to surpassing the long-time media-leading category, TV. If digital media can be targeted accurately to the right consumer, at the right time, with the right product, the need for higherlevel segments diminishes. However, there is still a question about benefit and message to deliver with this microlevel targeting. There are many highly targetable media available now, and often substantial behavioral and descriptive data on individual consumers. But are these tools being used to enable thematic consistency, brand strategy coherence and cross-portfolio management? Increasingly targetable media should improve the direct marketing efficiency substantially over mass media that is informed by segmentation. But is it sufficient? If all individual targeted marketing initiatives are effective at achieving their individual goals, does it mean brand performance will advance? If all the individual programs align to an overall strategy, the answer is likely yes. But in practice, individual programs are not always integrated into a holistic view of brand strategy. We often observe multiple messages that don’t all resonate with consumers, for example, or conflicting messages for acquisition versus retention. An integrated view of the market and response can provide a platform to set goals and measure success. It’s especially important or markets that deploy substantial non-digital media.

Competing Ideas Arguments against segmentation often come from other ideas about how to focus and organize marketing activities. Are there simpler or better ways to go to market that don’t involve the processes for creating and acting on segmentation? In recent years, several ideas have been advocated as key drivers of business performance that don’t particularly require or depend on segmentation, such as brand penetration, path to purchase, customer lifetime value or usage occasion. Each of these has benefits and limitations. Some argue that observed consumer behavior offers the keys to growth, often through law-like patterns. Brand penetration is viewed as the most important factor on which to focus marketing efforts. Making the product available tops the list for implementation. Segmentation is considered a distraction, or worse. Path to purchase emphasizes the interplay of the touch points a consumer has with the brand, purchase opportunities and the relative importance of stages of the journey over others. Successful orchestration of the pathways is based on how consumers navigate the shopping process, not an understanding of the consumers’ needs for products and services. Customer lifetime value is based on knowing (or estimating) purchase amounts, acquisition costs, retention rates and duration, along with financial metrics and assumptions, such as profit margins or cost of capital. It can produce its own segmentation (e.g., the top few consumer deciles that produce most of the profit for the brand), but doesn’t require deeper understanding of why consumers might or might not be profitable. Success is defined by investing resources optimally in the customers who provide the best returns. When the moment of consumption differs from the moment of purchase, occasion-based marketing can provide a framework for growth. It’s especially useful in markets like beverages, restaurants, hospitality, travel and personal care where the choices people

marketingmanagement

make vary from situation to situation. Location-based digital media open up new opportunities to intervene effectively in real time. Segmentation Success Companies often select elements of several of these alternative practices, along with segmentation. They don’t know what the best practices are, so they assemble the pieces that make sense for them. In this scenario, what can segmentation do to improve business performance? It can synthesize and simplify the complex set of competing ideas and approaches. For example, are there unique paths to purchase for different customer segments? How do you reconcile customer segmentation with different occasion behaviors that cross segment boundaries? If brand penetration is paramount, how do you take into account that some segments present greater growth opportunities than others? Segmentation can create architecture for implementation, such as identifying media and sales channels that are most relevant for achieving business goals. Segmentation that is limited to a single channel is unlikely to work for most companies. It’s apparent in retail, for example, that the strategic rationale for being in online and bricks-and-mortar channels is still being worked out. Despite the fast growth of digital media, it’s apparent that TV continues to play a significant role in concert with other media. Segmentation can be a motivator for an organization to act in ways that improve the long-term health of brands. It can provide a roadmap for how the corporation will achieve short-term results across its portfolio of customers and brands, as well as how it will pursue long-term market development. m

GordoN wyNer is a partner at Millward Brown Analytics and is a member of the executive committee at the Marketing Science Institute. June 2016 | marketing news

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Primary Values By J. Walker Smith

 jwalker.smith@thefuturescompany.com

his year’s political primary season reminds us of the basic, indeed fundamental, importance of social values when it comes to understanding consumers. We have long overlooked them in favor of things like digital technologies, niche needs or real-time micromoments to structure and calibrate our understanding of what motivates people. But the successes of Donald Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders have put social values back in play.

There was time when social values were front and center. The confluence of postWorld War II prosperity and the coming of age of baby boomers made the 1960s and 1970s a time of enormous change in social values. Marketers had to look beyond business categories and retail channels to connect with consumers around social values. Last year, Daniel Yankelovich, namesake of the famous research firm, published his memoir, Wicked Problems, Workable Solutions. In it, he recounts the work he did for clients like the Institute of Life Insurance, Fortune magazine, CBS News and the JDR 3rd Fund. All of it focused on the commercial implications and corporate responsibilities tied up in the swirling shifts of social values at that time—marriage and family, women’s roles, work ethic, nature and the environment, authority and rules and selfexpression. Yankelovich began a service

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election 2016

marketingmanagement

The assumption that U.S. consumers share a sense of belonging to the same marketplace of exchange, whether ideas or goods, has been shattered by the raucous rallying around Trump and Sanders. These candidates give voice to a pent-up discontent that people have for business as usual.

to track the emergence of new views about these values, dubbed the “New Values.” Whatever else brands might do, they first had to find a way to connect with these new social values or be left behind. It is striking that these very same social values are motivating decision-making yet again. Using demographic patterns and social attitudes, Ron Lesthaeghe and Lisa Neidert of the University of Michigan’s Population Studies Center have coded every county in America by its position on social norms. The normative dimensions used to score counties are exactly the ones that Dan Yankelovich was tracking four and five decades ago. County-level voting analysis finds that Trump’s level of support in a particular county is extremely well predicted by the kinds of social values characterizing that county. This has led to a lot of crossover voting that goes beyond party affiliation or litmus-test issues.

Obviously, politics is not shopping. But what has bubbled up during the primary season is a societal divide that has grown wider in recent years, due in no small part to the Great Recession. The assumption that U.S. consumers share a sense of belonging to the same marketplace of exchange, whether ideas or goods, has been shattered by the raucous rallying around Trump and Sanders. These candidates give voice to a pent-up discontent that people have for business as usual. The divisions on social values are bigger than previously recognized and appreciated. There is no unifying narrative of engagement and affinity that connects people to the marketplace. At the very least, there are two such narratives, and maybe more. Each gives people a different sense of what the marketplace has to offer that is in keeping with their social values. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this political primary season is how little things change. Despite everything that has happened since the 1960s and 1970s, the same issues are back on the table. Not just conflict over social values, but the identical social values. What’s center stage today has been in the spotlight before. By the late 1980s, Yankelovich had quit tracking the emergence of the New Values. It seemed as if that battle had been fought and won, but it was only an uneasy truce.

Yet while the issues are the same, the marketing strategies will have to be different this time around. When the New Values were first roiling the marketplace, marketers celebrated these values and tried to reflect them in their positioning and advertising. Traditional values were not aspirational for anyone. Nowadays, consumers are split on aspirations. What makes a strong connection with one mindset about social values will antagonize the other, not simply fail to resonate. Increasingly, brands face a tough environment for making relevant connections. More than ever, consumers are bringing social values with them to the marketplace, not just the polling place, making this a key element in their decision-making. Even trying to respect the diversity of opinions as a way of accommodating consumers of all stripes will be difficult to sell to consumers whose social values lean toward conformity and respect for authority and rules. Social values are once more a challenge for marketers, but in more complicated ways. What was thought to be settled must now be put to bed again. m

J. Walker Smith is executive chairman of The Futures Co., part of the Kantar Group of WPP, and coauthor of four books, including Rocking the Ages. Follow him on Twitter @JWalkerSmith. June 2016 | marketing news

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REWARDS, RETURNS AND RINGSIDE SEATS

I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y J A M E S O L S T E I N

customer loyalty programs solidify a connection between brands and consumers. But to leverage their full power, businesses need to think outside the savings card.

BY ZACH BROOKE

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There’s a misleading finality that comes with making a sale. Though, for merchants, individual purchases are the basic building blocks of success, every finalized transaction harbors uncertainty over whether a customer will return. A company that only sells to each consumer a single time will soon exhaust its pool of prospective clients. In that sense, the initial transaction between buyer and seller is but a prologue to the overall concern of marketing. 30

Few businesses can be sure their customers will continue to engage with them. There are always competitors offering similar products or services. Some may be bigger, flashier or more convenient. We live in an age of disruption. How can marketers ensure return visits amid all this uncertainty? For several decades, part of the strategy has been rewards programs: promotions designed to boost consumer frequency by admitting them into an exclusive discount club. A well-designed rewards program can help induce customer loyalty, impressing a top-of-mind mentality on consumers’ thinking. Conversely, rewardsprogram misfires can, at best, fail to make an impression on shopper behavior, and, at worst, harm the provider. Witness what happened earlier this year when Starbucks announced modifications to its longstanding rewards program. The changes triggered consumer outcry severe enough that Starbucks’ brand perception fell 50% in eight days following the rollout, according to market research firm YouGov, and even prompted a major European bank to downgrade its outlook on the coffee giant’s stock. Rewards programs are an old concept. Early programs included S&H Green Stamps—paper coupons distributed to customers at grocery stores and gas stations that could be used to redeem catalog items. In their heyday S&H Green Stamps operated 800 nationwide redemption centers and printed more stamps than the Postal Service, according to The New York Times. By the 1980s, the genre was reimagined by airlines looking to gain an edge over the competition. “The airlines really created a much easier way for customers to earn and keep track of the points that they were accruing from various sources, and a set of redemption options that, as it

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AMERICAN EXPRESS MEMBERSHIP REWARDS ameriCan exPress’ rewards program is one of the longest-running loyalty programs on the market, and also one of the most dynamic. “It’s a program that’s been around for years and years. It’s evolved over time, and I think they’re very sophisticated about the array of redemption options that they offer and the ways they use the program to provide promotional incentives for certain types of behavior at a certain time,” Markey says. Now available in 40 countries, American Express pioneered taking the basic rewards concept to the next level by the allowing members

grew beyond just airline tickets to include merchandise and things like that, really taught [customers] they should and could share in the value that they created for companies,” says Rob Markey, partner and global practice leader at Boston-based Bain & Company. “It taught them to pay attention to where they shopped, what they bought and whether they were maximizing the earning potential in these earning programs.” The digital age ushered in the next phase of transformation. Digitization allowed companies to link a rewards account to a specific customer by attaching a user ID. Mobile devices enabled brands to collect data and model profiles in real time. “The thing that changed in the 2000s was that as technology improved, and the ability to create and support rewards programs for individual retailers become much more cost effective,” Markey says. “Retailers become much more interested in creating their own programs primarily for the purpose of identifying individual customers that came into their stores— capturing information about what they bought and how often they came in—and using that as the basis for making more targeted offers to create more incentives for customers to change their behaviors in ways that would be profitable.” Rewards programs are being redefined again. As the investment threshold to set up a rewards program lowers, more businesses of all types are offering

to transfer points to a large selection of airline and travel partners. In 2010, American Express became the first rewards card to allow card members to apply rewards points to Amazon orders. Two years later, American Express allowed points to be exchanged for e-gift cards and have since expanded their catalog of participating partners. In 2013, American Express created Use Points for Charges, which allows customers to pay off eligible credit card charges with accrued points. Its most recent innovation allows card members to use points online at Best Buy and Airbnb, and in bricks-and-mortar

locations including Chili’s, McDonald’s and New york City taxicabs at the time of purchase. “We are always focused on innovating and providing our card members with ways to use their points at the merchants they care about most,” says Jane Di Leo, manager of public affairs and communications for American Express. “For us, looking for partners is about truly understanding our card members—from where they like to shop to the experiences they desire.”

uFc Along with building value for brands, rewards programs also double as a far more essential service: market research. The data companies collect from users who sign up for rewards programs allow them to identify, segment and better target their customers. Mixed martial arts promoting company Ultimate fiGhtinG ChamPiOnshiP did just that. “One of their challenges from the very beginning is that a lot of their business is done through pay-per-view, which is a disintermediated channel for them. They don’t control who buys the pay-per-view,” says Geoff Smith, CMO of CrowdTwist, which helped design UFC’s program. “They didn’t have a great insight,” Smith says. “They used this loyalty program as a way to get a much better picture of who their fans were and to be able to provide a much more personalized, differentiated

program experience than they could push through the other marketing mechanisms they had in place.” Because of its unique product, UFC can offer incredible limitededition or exclusive experiences, including ringside tickets, dinner with UFC president Dana White and personal workout sessions with one of the fighters. “As you can imagine, they’ve got these super fans who are really loyal and engaged with their brand, and watching fighters and following the stories,” Smith says.

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Hilton HHonors If you build it, they will come. That advice is a bit cliché, perhaps, but it’s a maxim that’s served Hilton Hotels well as it developed one of the most robust rewards programs in the hospitality industry. What began in the 1980s as an “instant win” scratch-offbased promotional program has become an industry benchmark, having just been ranked first in J.D. Power and Associates Hotel Loyalty/Rewards Satisfaction Report for the second year in a row.

All Hilton HHonors members receive instant benefits including exclusive discounts and access to digital tools including digital check-in, free Wi-Fi and a digital key available through the HHonors app. Personal HHonors credit cards can be obtained through American Express and Citi. There are more than 60 different airline partnerships that award member Hilton points at the same time they earn frequent flyer miles,

Jason Derulo performs at a Hilton Presents concert.

and the chain also recently expanded its partnership with Uber. Designations within the Hilton HHonors program alsoprovideanemotional hook. By dividing loyalty members into tiers, the programoffersprestigious designations, such as diamondlevel,thatimpart a status reward on top of any tangible benefits. According to Mark Weinstein, senior vice president and global head of loyalty and partnerships at Hilton, more than 52 million members are enrolled in the program, with 6.2 million sign-ups coming last year alone. “We have actually seen our guests become more loyal than ever,” Weinstein says. “Our members are engaging with us more and enrollments are up by more than 90 percent year-over-year.”

memberships. What used to set some brands apart from the competition has now become standard practice. The spend-and-get premise that comprises a basic rewards agreement might not be enough to entice consumers to remain active over long periods of time. Marketers, in essence, are back to where they started. To separate their rewards programs from the rest of the pack, experts say, they will have to add another dimension.

Three-dimensional Values

Brands might offer a strong economic incentive to encourage participation, but it’s hard to get consumers excited about what could be considered glorified coupon flyers. To spark lasting interest, brands need to make the payoff worth signing up for. “There are an awful lot of loyalty programs out there today that I would put in the category of frequency programs. They’re what I’d call purely economic value propositions where you shop three times and get something, or buy nine cups of coffee, get the tenth one free,” says John Bartold, vice president of loyalty solutions at marketing agency Epsilon. “It’s like any other relationship you have in life. If all it’s based on is monetary value, there is not a very deep or rewarding relationship there. You’ve got to get more into the relationship and the emotional side of things.”

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Photo: Fuel Rewards; Previous Page: HiltoN

Markey agrees, saying that the most successful rewards programs are drawn up after companies have determined program objectives and developed a strategy to meet them. “In the average rewards program, the terms are set up based on what a rewards-technology vendor’s system can do easily. … While those are probably OK because they, at least, get the customer to identify themselves at the point of sale and allow you to capture the data, they’re not providing differential value for differentially valuable behavior,” he says. “In a more successful rewards program, the company spends a little more time defining what success looks like from a strategic perspective. Based on what those objectives are, the retailer will then design the program to deliver value to the customer’s earning potential in a way that increases the likelihood of getting the right behavior from the right subset of the customer base,” Markey adds. According to Markey, there are three components that drive the best rewards program. The rational value, or monetary proposition, is a component, but it’s also supplemented by two more visceral values: experiential and emotional. Experiential values involve providing members with access to unique events or opportunities that would be difficult or impossible to obtain without the help of a rewards program. This can entail either a privileged place among customers—a spot at the front of the line for hot products and offers, for example, or access to a personal shopper—or they can work towards desirable “bucket-list” goals like meeting a celebrity or even a chance to fly on a suborbital shuttle. These situations evoke strong desires in consumers. Instead of a discount card, a membership becomes a passport to party. Emotional values create an attachment component that consumers will invest their personhood into. This can be done by offering different status and prestige levels that carry built-in bragging rights with family and friends. Or it could be a more heartfelt pitch. Bartold recalls taking this approach when he worked on Walgreens’ Balance Rewards program four years ago.

Excentis Fuel Rewards

The quest to create rewards programs has led to partnerships where points earned at one business can be spent at another. Called coalition rewards programs, these collaborative efforts boost the appeal to members by expanding the reach and usefulness of any given points system. One such example of coalition partnership is Excentus Fuel Rewards, which allows members to redeem points earned at grocers, retailers and restaurants at the gas pump, where they are entitled to a cents-per-gallon discount. Megan Flynn, executive vice president of program development, brand and communications for Excentus, explains how it works. “We have a relationship with a dining aggregator that brings us 11,000 restaurants across the United States. For every $50—that you spend across the restaurants—it doesn’t

all have to be in the same restaurant, you save 10 cents per gallon. That’s up to a 20-gallon fill, so if you were to go in, have a lunch with a couple of friends and spend the $50, you could save up to $2.00 on your total gas purchase,” she says. The program does not prohibit members from offering their own separate rewards program, and it includes partnerships with Home Depot and MasterCard. Excentus Fuel Rewards also boasts a higher usage rate than most standalone rewards programs, according to Flynn. “On average our members redeem 78% of the rewards that they earn, and that’s compared to an industry where it’s usually about 35% of rewards are redeemed.”

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“Walgreens made a change from their tagline being, ‘On every corner.’ It was basically a point of distribution and a convenience message. We’re close by. Come see us,” he says. “As we were getting to design a loyalty program, they decided to make a major change in terms of how they positioned themselves in the marketplace. It went from ‘On every corner’ to ‘At the corner of happy and healthy,’ much more an emotional level of tagline than ‘On every corner.’ ”

The updated tagline reflected a strategy that Walgreens incorporated into its loyalty programs: health. A major initiative of the Balance Rewards involves offering customers health-tracking programs to monitor stats like weight loss, blood pressure or glucose levels. The soft tagline packs an emotional wallop when compared to the potentially serious subject matter the rewards program encroaches on. “ ‘At the corner of happy and healthy’ says, ‘We’re going to try to figure out how

Belly While larger-than-life experiences can be great for facilitating active use of rewards programs, smaller businesses can’t compete with the resources available to national brands. But that doesn’t mean they are completely left out of the rewards game. They just need to be more creative. That’s where Belly comes in. A digital rewards platform and CRM solutions startup, Belly started building rewards programs for mom and pop stores in 2011. Since then, it’s grown to a CRM solutions suite with 12,000 clients and close to 7 million users and counts convenience store giant 7-11 among its serviced brands. Along with rewards programs templates, Belly also helps businesses collect e-mail addresses and send out reminder messages calibrated to go out so many days after the last visit. There’s also help with social media integration and influencing Yelp reviews. Businesses that join Belly are given a dedicated account manager, who helps them customize a set of rewards offerings. One all-star example, according to Belly’s director of words and reputations, Jennifer Beightol, is Molly’s Cupcakes in Chicago, which allows members to smash a cupcake in the owner’s face. “We really pride ourselves in offering these experiential rewards,” Beightol says. “We have a very detailed onboarding program. It basically walks our merchants through exactly how to develop their rewards suite.”

we do things together and how we make our lives better together.’ Thus, the theme Balance Rewards. We’re here to help you find that balance,” Bartold says.

The Data at the Doorstep

To differentiate rewards programs from the competition, brands need insights into what consumers crave. “Until you really know who your consumers are, it gets a little tough to decide what the great things that you can do as a brand are and those things that may or may not hit the mark,” Markey says. “Most of that market research is done anonymously, using focus groups or a quantitative study. That hinders visibility as to who it is that’s responding that gives marketers some insight or context around why different groups are responding in different ways.” Rewards program data changes that. The back end of rewards programs can also serve as a powerful instrument for measuring consumer response to marketing. By tracking numbers tied to a unique rewards promotion, marketers can see exactly who responds. They can then align those responses to what consumers have purchased and what’s being talked about in social networks to build a contextual picture of users. The customer, once known, becomes infinitely easier to market to, and can form a deep connection with a creative rewards program that keeps him or her in an earning mind set. However, this method of refinement is only available to brands collecting the right kind of data from customers. “So many retail brands that work in what I would call anonymous transactions don’t really know the consumer behind the purchase. All they know is how many transactions they had today and what the average basket looked like,” Bartold says. “To be able to have what we call open-source platforms—where it’s easier to connect to those partners, to connect to the social networks and to be able to bring data together to analyze that data in real time through rules engines and machine learning—to me, that’s the biggest advancement that we’ve got on the loyalty side. A mobile device, it’s great. It’s handy. It’s portable. It makes it easier for

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Walgreens Balance Rewards

Photo: Walgreen’s; Previous Page: Belly

Drugstore giant Walgreens’ Balance Rewards program was launched in 2012. There were roughly 85 million active members as of August 2015. While the program does use traditional spendand-get, rational components—

customers earn 10 points for every dollar spent on select products (including prescriptions), with the opportunity to receive bonus points on featured products each week and use paperless coupons through the mobile app—there are industry-leading innovations as well.

the consumer. For the marketer though, it’s what’s happening from a technology standpoint that’s really driving a lot of the new capabilities and innovation that’re happening in loyalty.” To connect shopper behavior to relevant data that allows construction of customer profiles, some companies are turning to more involved rewards programs that connect to social media accounts or ramp up the level of member engagement. “Data is really at the heart of being able to provide personalized and unique experiences to your customers, whether that is based on the demographic data that they collect or a behavior that they observe when you interact with their brand,” says Geoff Smith, chief marketing officer of multichannel loyalty and engagement software company CrowdTwist. A self-described “big believer” in engagement, Smith’s company layers engagement components, such as social media, video, website and e-mail newsletters, on top of points-based rewards systems. Smith believes the

In November, Walgreens became the first U.S. retailer to integrate its rewards program into Apple Pay, allowing users to purchase items in the checkout line using their iPhone or Apple Watch. Walgreens also partnered with MedM Health and Lumo Lift to develop

health-tracking software that allows users to set healthrelated goals with the help of a digital health advisor. Tracking goals creates an incentive to frequently access the rewards program, and members are awarded points for making progress in meeting their goals.

combination of the two will prolong customer interaction by fostering a relationship that extends throughout the life cycle of a product and beyond. “The program itself becomes the connective tissue for that common customer or that unique customer ID. When customers or the members are connecting their social accounts, engaging across all these different channels, it’s all tied back to that member program,” Smith says.

Rewards vs. Loyalty

Markey distinguishes between rewards programs and customer loyalty programs, despite the concepts appearing to be synonymous. “The distinction is important to us because you earn a customer’s loyalty. You can never buy a customer’s loyalty. You can never drive loyalty, you can only earn it, and when we’re helping companies develop rewards programs, we’re quite cognizant of that, and we’re very careful to design the

“Our goal is to delight our customers and to build customer loyalty,” says Walgreens mediarelations manager Emily Hartwig Mekstan. “The loyalty program should not only provide value, but also relevance through personalized communications, deals and offers.”

programs so that they create incentives for customers to take the right kinds of actions and behave in ways that generate value, but also won’t ever undermine the underlying objective, which is to earn the loyalty of the customer,” Markey says. Can a well-crafted rewards program result in greater levels of customer loyalty? And does it matter who qualifies as a loyal customer if a larger percentage of shoppers are deeply engaged with a rewards program? The best rewards programs may be those that can attract and retain consumers who would otherwise be classified as passive or as detractors. To do that, marketers overseeing rewards programs need to define what success looks like; create enticing rewards that appeal to rational, experiential and emotional values; and market it to customers on their terms using data profiles. “[Members] are not going to stay active in the program unless they understand what the value is to them, what the benefit is to them and they see the value,” Smith says. “They actually can get it.” m

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY DANA TANAMACHI

BY DIANE BOWERS

The ama presents its annual list of the top 50 market research ďŹ rms in the u.s., compiled by the council of american research organizations

The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

The market research industry, as we have known it for decades, is disappearing. It is being absorbed into a rapidly transforming collection of market intelligence sub-disciplines. For some of us, this phenomenon represents a threat: a question of whether the traditional insights role within our client organizations will remain; a question whether survey research will have a continued seat at the table; and a concern regarding the future valuation of our research company. For others, this dynamic represents unprecedented opportunity: the opportunity to deliver a far more comprehensive voice of the market; the opportunity to transform our agency business model and substantially increase its valuation; and a stair-step increase in the decision-making impact of the insights we deliver. Regardless of whether this point of view elicits a positive or negative sentiment, today’s conference agendas, industry journals, and merger and acquisition activity leave little doubt that a significant industry transformation is underway. The AMA (formerly Honomichl) Top 50 Gold Report has long been the industry standard for annually documenting patterns in the global business of marketing research, and the major players driving its growth. This will continue. But just as the market is transforming, so too will this report. Yes, we will continue to track and publish annual changes in the traditional

survey research market, but beginning this year we will also explore the evolving marketing intelligence space in which we reside, and the expanding field of players in the emerging sub segments defining this morphing space. Relatively little data to project such movement exists today. So in coordination with CASRO and Michigan State University, AMA introduces a comprehensive look at the evolution of this space within which we contribute and compete. The Broad School of Business at Michigan State University is one of several U.S. universities committed to developing the next generation of marketing leadership through internship-based Master of Marketing Research Programs. In May 2014, Michigan State University hosted the Educating the Market Researcher of Tomorrow symposium during which representatives of the industry’s universities, clients, agencies and associations met to begin mapping this evolving space and the corresponding skillsets and traits that will be required of its future leaders. Building upon this, in 2015 Michigan State University created the Research Transformed Collaborative as an academic and industry partnership to begin vetting and quantifying related points of view. AMA now begins to incorporate these findings, plus the perspectives of other industry sources, into the gradually expanding depiction of the market. The journey begins with this article building upon the annual examination of the surveyresearch market, with the additional outline of macro dimensions in its evolution. Our July/August global report will follow up with detail on the sub segments and the perspectives of the players in each. Many business disciplines are similarly examining the development of the broad market-intelligence space. We are, however, approaching it from a “traditional survey research-out” perspective. In other words, how is this space expanding around us? A Galactic Parallel The direction of research transformation may not be as much a true evolution as it is a collision—not a collision in the sense of two objects physically hitting each other, but

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The marketing research industry has seen disruptions before, perhaps the most significant being the move to online surveys (and by extension, mobile). This time, however, the disruption is not emerging only from within. The existence of more and varied data sources, and the sophistication of the technologies used to harness them, is inviting a broader range of disciplines to the development of solutions. This is why the number and breadth of these colliding galaxies is growing. It is not as much the marketing research industry moving toward these other disciplines but rather these other lines of business recognizing the existence and value of survey data and the proven statistical techniques being applied. This coming together to address the expanding needs of market intelligence has defined a much broader universe. And this universe has attracted lines of business not previously considered as partners or competitors in the traditional marketingresearch space. In recent years the global research market has typically been defined a $35-45 million opportunity. But this expanded viewpoint defines a market approaching $170 million. Figure #1 illustrates a possible depiction with global annual billing estimates of offerings directly related to marketing intelligence.

research, Transformed

rather analogous to the collision of galaxies in space. When two galaxies collide, due to the vast amounts of interstellar space, they actually get enmeshed into each other. The final shape of the combined galaxy is different from the two original galaxies but takes on attributes of the dominant one. In our situation, the “galaxies” in the process of colliding are numerous and include: • traditional survey research; • advanced predictive analytics; • a plethora of “productized” oﬀerings for technology-enabled data collection and reporting; • specialized visualization oﬀerings; • the fundamental handling and management of vast sums of Big Data; • the shift from social media aggregation to social media integration and analytics; • the merging of panel management, sample management and online community management practices.

tHe rOle OF SUrVeY reSeArcH cAN tHriVe In such a market model the need for traditional marketing research remains. Various combinations will appear from these collisions, each requiring strong research expertise. Each will require either the collection or analysis of survey data. But the traditional marketing research disciplines risk being subsumed or marginalized by higher order offerings. Today’s large custom research companies may face the risk of being reduced to data collection companies unless they are able to provide these value-add capabilities involving data management, predictive analytics or visualization. There are signs of this “coming together” all around us. It may be in the form of large players from within our traditional market, such as Nielsen’s recent acquisitions of Pointlogic (analytics), Informate (mobile intelligence) and Innerscope (neuroscience). Or it might be in the form of large players from beyond our traditional space such as IBM’s recent acquisitions of Truven (analytics), Resource/Ammirati (analytics) and Explorys (analytics). Or it might be in the form of nascent combinations forming in our backyard, such as MARU’s recent acquisitions of eDigitalResearch and Vision Critical Research & Consulting.

eXpanding compeTiTive universe Annual Global Revenue in Billions of U.S. Dollars

LITHIUM AMAZON

social media

ORACLE IBM

DASHBOARDS

BAZAARVOICE

SAS

RADIAN 6 SAP

services platforms

COMSCORE GFK

MEDALLIA

TABLEAU

visualization

CRIMSON HEXAGAN

marketing Research

50 40 23

RIGHTNOW VISION CRITICAL

DOMO

MCKINSEY & COMPANY

Related consulting

CAPGEMINI

ACCENTURE

ERNST & YOUNG

SALES FORCE CDC SOFTWARE

cRm SUGARCRM

As we individually explore the possibilities of coming together to thrive in this expanding market intelligence space, we look for an understanding of what the new players are thinking; the perspectives of the leaders defining the emerging sub-segments of this morphing space. Do they share this perspective of coming together? Do they see themselves as part of an expanding marketing intelligence space, or as a new order of marketing researchers? Our July/August global report will begin to address these questions in detail. —Michael Brereton JUNE 2016 | MARKETING NEWS

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The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

Total U.S. research revenue in 2015 was $11,176.7 million, according to this 43 rd annual analysis of the U.S. market research industry—the AMA Gold Top 50 Report. This figure is based on the revenue of the Top 50 companies along with 135 other member companies of CASRO, the U.S. national association of research organizations. These companies are all for-profit, full-service research firms who are either U.S. companies or have a U.S. headquarters and operations. Early this year, CASRO reached out to more than 75 companies to invite their participation in the annual top 50 ranking of U.S. research companies. These companies were asked to submit 2015 U.S. and non-U.S. research revenues, as well as the comparable data for 2014, in order to determine the annual rate of revenue growth or decline. If a company made an acquisition or divestiture in 2015, that information was disclosed and appropriate adjustments were made to ensure an apples-toapples comparison.

The U.S. research revenue for the Top 50 companies in 2015 is $10,464.2 million, or 48% of the worldwide total revenue for the Top 50 of $21,782.2 million. Non-U.S. 2015 revenue for the Top 50 companies is $11,318 million, which is 52% of worldwide revenue. The Top 50 companies provide profiles of their companies, describing their services and specializations, major accomplishments in 2015, significant developments and key initiatives in 2016. The additional 135 CASRO members in the AMA Top 50 Report accounted for $712.5 million in U.S. revenue in 2015—an average of about $5.3 million per company. The non-U.S. 2015 revenue for these 135 companies is estimated at $239.5 million, which represents about 25% of the total worldwide revenue of $952 million for these 135 companies.

The total 2015 revenue for the 185 companies included in this annual report is $11,176.7 million for the U.S. and $11,557.5 million in non-U.S. revenue for total 2015 worldwide revenue of $22,734.2 million. These 185 companies had an estimated 37,400 full-time U.S. employees in 2015.

2015 in Detail

This time last year, I wrote that 2014 had not been a “breakout year” for the U.S. research industry. While economists and other pundits had trumpeted 2014 as a year of economic recovery from the Great Recession, our industry did not join the recovery bandwagon. Instead, the 2014 growth rate of 3.2% was even lower (albeit modestly) than the growth rate in 2013. I pointed out that, historically, the U.S. research industry has lagged behind in being impacted

by and recovering from economic downturns. Notably, in the recent “Great Recession,” which began in late 2007 and continued to mid-2009, the U.S. research industry continued to grow throughout 2007, increasing its growth by 6.0%, and the industry did not begin its decline until mid-2008. The growth rate in 2015 has increased significantly when compared to the previous three years, not only in terms of growth in revenue, but particularly in “real growth,” after adjustment for inflation. U.S. revenue for the 185 reporting companies in the U.S. was $11,167.7 million in 2015—a growth rate of 4.9%. The real-growth rate for 2015 changes only slightly to 4.8% when adjusted for inflation, since the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2015 is 0.1%. In fact, the real-growth rate of 4.8% in 2015 for all of the

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industry’s recovery from the recession tracked ahead of GDP in 2010 and 2011. From 2012 through 2014, however, the U.S. research industry trailed the GDP. In 2015 the situation has improved remarkably: the U.S. research industry growth rate exceeded the annual GDP by 1.6%. This is the highest rate since 2008, which is just before the Great Recession. Could 2015 forecast a steady growth trend for the U.S. research industry?

2015 Revenue Increases and Decreases

There are 15 Top 50 companies in 2015 that experienced double-digit increases in revenue; 19 companies with single-digit increases; and 16 companies that are flat (did not exceed the rate of inflation) or had a decline in revenue compared to 2014.

Of the double-digit increase companies, Acturus (Farmington, Connecticut) realized the strongest increase in revenue at 43.8%. Acturus was established in July 2015 through a merger of two marketing research consultancies, The Pert Group and MSS. Three companies exceeded a 30% growth rate: • Rentrak (Portland, Oegon), providing measurement services for movies, TV and home entertainment, had a 32.3% growth rate; • Cello Health (New York), a global healthcare strategic marketing research firm, had a 31.7% growth rate; • Hanover Research (Arlington, Virginia), which has a focus on education and health-care research, realized a growth rate of 31.2%.

Companies that exceeded 20% in growth in 2015 include: • Kelton (Culver City, California), a strategic research consultancy firm, had a growth rate of 23.2%; • Fors Marsh (Arlington, Virginia), which specializes in measuring, understanding and influencing the decisionmaking process, had 23.2% growth; • Burke (Cincinnati, Ohio), which focuses on brand strategy and innovation in its research services, had a 22.8% growth; • MarketCast (Los Angeles, California), which provides research services for the global entertainment industry, had a 20.6% growth rate.

2015 IN SUM

companies included in the Top 50 Report is the highest in more than 10 years. 2015’s low inflation rate supports the U.S. research industry’s real growth and, indeed, may forecast the turnaround for the U.S. research industry. Could the breakout years be 2015, 2016 and moving forward? Another benchmark against which to gauge the research industry’s growth is the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The U.S. GDP shows the yearly growth of the estimated value of all the country’s goods produced and services provided. Looking at the research industry’s history as compared to the GDP, the research industry has generally tracked ahead of the GDP, except for 2009, when the research industry dramatically fell behind GDP in the Great Recession. The research

Changes in Top 50 List

Acquisition and divestiture changes to this year’s Top 50 report include:

U.S. Research industry growth 2006-2015 Figures respresent the top 50 research companies for each year

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Total # of Research Companies included in the Top 50 Report

207

200

196

203

199

204

207

196

192

185

Total U.S. Research Revenue (billion) included in the Top 50 Report

$7.7

$8.6

$8.9

$8.6

$9.2

$9.5

$10.7

$10.6

$11.2

Annual Revenue Growth Rate for the Companies included in the Top 50 Report %

6.6

6.0

1.6

-3.7

4.7

5.1

1.7

3.6

3.2

4.9

“Real Growth” Rate (after CPI adjustment) in the Top 50 Report %

3.4

3.2

-2.2

-3.3

3.1

2.9

-.4

2.1

1.6

4.8

Top 50 Report in year

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The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

Top 50 growth rate compared to u.s. gdp

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

GDP Growth Rate %

5.12

4.40

-.92

.11

4.56

3.64

3.24

4.05

3.88

3.12

Top 50 Report U.S. Research Growth Rate %

6.6

6.0

1.6

-3.7

4.7

5.1

1.7

3.6

3.2

4.9

+1.48

+1.6

+2.52

-3.59

+.14

+1.46

-1.54

-.45

-.68

+1.78

U.S. Research Rate Compared to GDP %

top 50 u.s. revenue increases and decreases 2014-2015

Double-digit Revenue Increases

Increases that are Single-digit and exceed Inflation Rate

Flat (increase does not exceed inflation rate) and Revenue decreases

Year

# Cos.

Avg. Rate of Change

Total U.S. Revenue

# Cos.

Avg. Rate of Change

Total U.S. Revenue

# Cos.

Avg. Rate of Change

Total U.S. Revenue

2015

21.2%

$1,437.9

$7,023.8

-8.8%

$2,002.5

2014w 15

31%

$739.6

4.9%

$2,929.2

-4.9%

$6,226.6

Methodology: Invitations to marketing research firms with estimated revenue more than $15 million are sent out in January of each year, requesting revenue information for the prior calendar year and for the year preceding that, in order to assess the growth rate. Other company data are also requested, including a description of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management, services, specializations, etc. Top 50 rankings are based on U.S. revenue. The rate of growth from year to year has been adjusted to account for revenue gains or losses from acquisitions or divestitures. Verification of revenue is required of each private firm by a third party, which is generally the outside accounting firm. For further information, contact Diane Bowers of CASRO at 631.928.6954.

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New additions to this year’s Top 50 include: • Convergys (Cincinnati, OH), a customer experience and management company providing analytics and research solutions, joins the Top 50 at #24. • Wood MacKenzie (New York), a research and analysis company for the energy, metals, and mining industries, is #17 on this year’s Top 50. • Cello Health joins the list at #38. • Acturus is #45 on this year’s Top 50.

Moving Up the Top 50

Seven companies moved up

three or more positions on the Top 50. Mentioned earlier in this article are Kelton (from #47 to #39); Fors Marsh Group (from #50 to #44); Hanover Research (from #36 to #31); and MarketCast (from #35 to #32). Also moving up three positions on the list are: Decision Resources Group (from #15 to #12), providing information, insights, and analysis for the global health-care industry; Gongos (from #45 to #42), a decision intelligence company partnering with Global 1000 corporations; and The Link Group (from #46 to #43) offers a platform of services emphasizing both qualitative and quantitative research.

The Top 10

Nielsen, IMS Health, Kantar, IRI, Ipsos, Westat, GfK, comScore, the NPD Group and J.D. Power represent 75% of the total U.S. revenue for 2015, accounting for $8,380.7 million of the total $11,176.7 million. In terms of non-U.S. revenue, these Top 10 companies are even more dominating. The combined revenues of the Top 10 represent 88% of the non-U.S.

revenue and 81.4% of the worldwide revenue for the 185 companies included in this report. Nielsen alone accounts for 1/3 of the total U.S. revenue for the 185 companies—22.2% of the non-U.S. revenue and 27.1% of worldwide revenue. Interestingly, the Top 10 companies saw a 2.7% decline in 2015 worldwide revenue year over year, while the remaining 175 reporting companies (the bottom 40 companies in the Top 50 along with the 135 other CASRO members) experienced a modest increase in worldwide revenue year over year. In contrast to the previous three years, 2015 presents the most positive outlook for continued recovery. A breakout from the recession is much more likely now because of how the industry is evolving and expanding. The growth of our industry is changing dynamically. There is much more focus on bringing in new capabilities and services and incorporating new technology and new approaches, including the market

sectors that we are currently investigating and assessing (see Michael Brereton’s preface). There is less interest in mergers and acquisitions among companies within the industry. Indeed, as our industry expands and innovates, we may need to re-evaluate the definition of what is inherent to and organically a part of the research, insights and analytics industry. These considerations will change what we include in the scope of our industry and how we measure it, both for financial and business benchmarking purposes. Whether or not you agree with this outlook or support the changes that are occurring in the industry, please share your perspective and opinion on how our industry and our businesses are changing. Though the AMA, CASRO and Michigan State University have different mandates, each has a commitment to serve, improve and represent the best interests and best practices of our industry. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. —Diane Bowers

2015 IN SUM

• AlphaImpactRx (#22 on last year’s Top 50) was acquired by IMS Health in February 2016. • Vision Critical (#23 on last year’s Top 50) spun off its research and consulting division in February 2016 and sold it to Maru Group. The new entity is named Maru/VCR&R. • RDA Group (#40 on last year’s Top 50) was acquired in July 2015 by Ipsos.

About the Authors Diane Bowers is president of CASRO, the trade association of market, social and opinion research organizations that represents and advocates for the U.S. research industry nationally and globally. Bowers currently is on the board of directors of The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at Cornell University; Chair of the Executive Management Board of the Global Research Business Network GRBN); and a board member of the Americas Research Industry Alliance (ARIA). She is also a past president of the Market Research Council and the Research Industry Coalition; and a long-time member of AAPOR, the AMA and ESOMAR.

Michael Brereton is currently with the Marketing Faculty at Michigan State University’s Eli Broad Graduate School of Management. In 2014, Brereton retired from the role of president and CEO of Maritz Research, a position that he served in since 2003. Brereton’s industry leadership roles have included serving as a long time board member as well as board chair of CASRO; founding chair for the CASRO Institute for Research Quality (CIRQ), an ISO certification body; advisory board chair for Michigan State University’s master of science in marketing research program; and advisory board member for Southern Illinois University’s master of marketing research program. Also contributing to this article was Mr. Rahul Sahgal, founder and CEO of Annik, a leading data analytics outsourcing companies in India.

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U.S. Rank 2016 2015

Morpace

Convergys**

C Space**

Burke

Market Strategies International

Lieberman Research Worldwide

ORC International

National Research Corporation

Rentrak

Wood Mackenzie**

dunnhumby**

MaritzCX

Abt SRBI

DRG (Decision Resources Group)**

ICF International

J.D. Power**

The NPD Group

comScore

GfK

Westat

RDA (2015 acquisition by Ipsos)

Ipsos

IRI

Kantar**

IMS Health

Nielsen

Organization

1975

1998

1999

1931

1989

1973

1938

1981

1977

1973

2001

1973

1965

1990

1967

1968

1966

1999

1934

1963

1975

1979

1993

1954

1923

Year Founded

morpace.com

convergys.com/analytics

cspace.com

burke.com

marketstrategies.com

lrwonline.com

orcinternational.com

nationalresearch.com

rentrak.com

woodmac.com

dunnhumby.com

maritzcx.com

abtsrbi.com

decisionresourcesgroup.com

icfi.com

jdpower.com

npd.com

comscore.com

gfk.com

westat.com

ipsos-na.com

iriworldwide.com

kantar.com

imshealth.com

nielsen.com

Website

$57.3

$58.0

$64.9

$66.9

$69.0

$82.8

$83.4

$84.3

$98.8

$109.5

$110.0

$111.4

$119.3

$120.5

$154.7

$181.0

$231.1

$268.3

$345.9

$491.4

$552.0

$605.0

$973.0

$1,127.0

$3,606.0

U.S. Market

10.2%*

12.0%

2.2%

22.8%

0.3%

6.6%

-0.5%

5.5%

32.3%

5.3%

-13.1%

-12.6%

-6.2%

2.8%

0.9%

2.6%

7.5%

17.2%

-1.2%

-2.0%

0.0%*

13.5%

0.9%

1%*

5.6%

U.S. Market YOY % Change

$7.2

$7.0

$15.7

$8.1

$1.6

$37.0

$38.9

$5.2

$17.5

$255.2

$330.0

$40.2

$5.1

$47.1

$64.7

$92.5

$76.6

$100.5

$1,351.8

$18.2

$1,056.7

$376.0

$2,737.0

$1,794.0

$2,566.0

Non-U.S. Market

$64.5

$65.0

$80.6

$75.0

$70.6

$119.8

$122.3

$89.5

$116.3

$364.7

$440.0

$151.6

$124.4

$167.6

$219.4

$273.5

$307.7

$368.8

$1,697.7

$509.6

$1,608.7

$981.0

$3,710.0

$2,921.0

$6,172.0

Worldwide Total

2015 Research Revenue

11.2%

10.8%

19.5%

10.8%

2.3%

30.9%

31.8%

5.8%

15.0%

70.0%

75.0%

26.5%

4.1%

28.1%

29.5%

33.8%

24.9%

27.3%

79.6%

3.6%

65.7%

38.3%

73.8%

61.4%

41.6%

% Non-U.S.

197

250

333

256

262

498

278

333

550

300

220

650

1,192

500

865

500

975

890

1,025

1,921

2,127

1,350

3,250

3,100

9,301

U.S. FullTime Employees

Top 50 U.S. market research firms

$52.0

$51.8

$63.5

$54.5

$68.8

$77.7

$83.8

$79.9

$74.7

$104.0

$126.6

$127.5

$127.2

$117.2

$153.3

$176.4

$215.0

$228.9

$350.0

$501.3

$23.8

$550.0

$533.0

$964.0

$986.0

$3,415.0

U.S. Market

$6.4

$6.0

$16.5

$5.9

$1.3

$35.8

$42.3

$6.6

$17.5

$270.2

$354.8

$46.5

$11.9

$45.8

$59.9

$92.2

$77.1

$96.3

$1,405.9

$16.1

$0.0

$1,669.0

$421.0

$2,821.0

$1,655.0

$2,873.0

Non-U.S. Market

$58.4

$57.8

$80.0

$60.4

$70.1

$113.5

$126.1

$86.5

$92.2

$374.2

$481.4

$174.0

$139.1

$163.0

$213.2

$268.6

$292.1

$325.2

$1,755.9

$517.4

$23.8

$2,219.0

$954.0

$3,785.0

$2,641.0

$6,288.0

Worldwide Total

2014 Research Revenue

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Public Opinion Strategies

Chadwick Martin Bailey

Market Probe

RTi Research

Bellomy Research

actûrus

Fors Marsh Group

The Link Group

Gongos

NAXION

KS&R

Kelton

Cello Health**

LRA by Deloitte

Informa Research Services

MarketVision Research

Radius Global Market Research

Phoenix Marketing International

MarketCast

Hanover Research

Directions Research

SSRS

YouGov

Service Management Group

PRS IN VIVO

Organization

1991

1984

1976

1979

1976

1978

2002

1994

1991

1911

1983

2003

2004

1981

1983

1960

1999

1985

2003

1988

1983

2000

1991

1972

Year Founded

pos.org

cmbinfo.com

marketprobe.com

rtiresearch.com

bellomyresearch.com

acturus.com

forsmarshgroup.com

tlg.com

gongos.com

naxionthinking.com

ksrinc.com

keltonglobal.com

cellohealth.com

deloitte.com

informars.com

mv-research.com

radius-global.com

phoenixmi.com

mcast.com

hanoverresearch.com

directionsresearch.com

ssrs.com

today.yougov.com

smg.com

prs-invivo.com

Website

$11,176.7

$712.5

$10,464.2

$14.7

$15.0

$17.3

$17.4

$17.9

$19.7

$20.2

$20.7

$20.9

$22.0

$23.4

$24.9

$25.2

$25.7

$30.4

$32.0

$34.2

$36.3

$38.7

$40.6

$40.8

$41.8

$45.6

$46.4

U.S. Market

4.9%

4.3%

5.0%

-54.1%

-9.1%

-14.4%

6.1%

-12.7%

43.8%

23.2%

4.0%

4.5%

-2.3%

-0.5%

23.2%

31.7%

0.0%

-3.4%

-9.0%

2.6%

12.5%

20.6%

31.2%*

12.5%

7.4%

6.4%

11.2%

3.3%

U.S. Market YOY % Change

$11,557.5

$239.5

$11,318.0

$0.0

$22.8

$0.0

$2.6

$0.0

$2.7

$1.6

$0.0

$2.6

$5.9

$72.3

$8.3

$0.0

$0.8

$2.3

$17.0

$1.7

$0.0

$0.9

$81.1

$4.3

$41.3

Non-U.S. Market

$22,734.2

$952.0

$21,782.2

$14.7

$15.0

$40.1

$17.4

$17.9

$22.3

$20.2

$23.4

$22.5

$20.9

$24.6

$29.3

$97.2

$33.5

$25.7

$30.4

$32.8

$36.5

$53.3

$40.4

$40.6

$41.7

$122.9

$49.9

$87.7

Worldwide Total

2015 Research Revenue

50.8%

25.2%

52.0%

0.0%

56.9%

0.0%

11.7%

0.0%

11.5%

7.1%

0.0%

10.6%

20.1%

74.4%

24.8%

0.0%

2.4%

6.3%

31.9%

4.2%

0.0%

2.2%

66.0%

8.6%

47.1%

% Non-U.S.

* ‘% Change’ calculation reflects adjustment of previously reported 2014 U.S. research revenue due to acquisition/divestiture activity or other business change during 2015. ** Some or all figures are not made available by this company so instead are based upon estimations by the report authors. -- This company did not participate in last year’s Top 50 Report.

Industry Total

All Other CASRO Companies (135 other CASRO members not included in the Top 50)

Top 50 Total

U.S. Rank 2016 2015

37,400

3,000

34,400

120

115

129

170

315

180

130

103

115

300

141

177

140

276

155

U.S. FullTime Employees

$10,651.6

$683.0

$9,968.6

$32.0

$16.5

$20.2

$16.4

$20.5

$13.7

$16.4

$19.9

$20.0

$21.4

$22.1

$19.0

$18.9

$25.2

$26.6

$33.4

$31.2

$30.4

$30.1

$29.5

$36.1

$38.0

$39.3

$41.0

$44.9

U.S. Market

$12,526.6

$228.5

$12,298.1

$0.5

$0.0

$24.8

$0.0

$6.8

$0.0

$2.5

$3.9

$0.0

$2.8

$76.7

$7.4

$0.0

$1.0

$4.6

$10.9

$1.5

$0.0

$0.5

$72.7

$4.4

$20.3

Non-U.S. Market

$23,178.2

$911.5

$22,266.7

$32.5

$16.5

$45.0

$16.4

$20.5

$16.4

$22.4

$23.9

$21.4

$24.9

$21.8

$95.6

$32.6

$26.6

$33.4

$32.2

$35.0

$41.0

$31.0

$36.1

$38.5

$112.0

$45.4

$65.2

Worldwide Total

2014 Research Revenue

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1 Nielsen nielsen.com

U.S. Headquarters New york Founded 1923 2015 U.S Revenue $3,606.0 million Percent Change from 2014 +5.6% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $2,566.0 million Percent from Outside U.S. 41.6% U.S. Employees 9,301

Dwight M. Barns CEO; B.S., Miami University

supply and demand as well as media spend

performance. Operating in more than 100

and supply chain issues.

countries and serving more than 5,000

Representing about 54% of consolidated

most comprehensive sets of health-care

provides retail transactional measurement

information in the world. Spanning sales,

data, consumer behavior information and

prescription and promotional data, medical

analytics primarily to businesses in the

claims, electronic medical records and social

consumer packaged goods industry.

media, IMS Health’s growing data set

Nielsen tracks billions of sales transactions

contains 10-plus petabytes of unique data

per month in retail outlets globally, and the

and more than 500 million anonymous

data is used to measure sales and market

patient records linked over time and across

share, enabling clients to better manage

health-care settings. The company delivers

brands and supply chain issues, uncover

information and insights on approximately

new sources of demand, launch and grow

90% of the world’s pharmaceuticals.

new services, analyze sales, improve

IMS Health maintains a global technology

2015 acquisitions:

marketing mix and establish more effective

infrastructure designed to standardize,

• eXelate, a data and technology provider

consumer relationships.

organize, structure and integrate health-care

that facilitates the buying and selling of

The Watch segment represents about

data. Leveraging its unique information and

46% of 2015 consolidated revenue, providing

infrastructure, the company delivers analytic

viewership and listening data and analytics

services and technology solutions to help

consumer neuroscience, combining

primarily to the media and advertising

health-care organizations drive efficiency,

biometrics, neurometrics and

industries across the television, radio, online

enhance decision making and improve their

psychometrics to better understand

and mobile viewing and listening platforms.

operational and financial performance.

consumer behavior.

The Watch data is used by media clients to

Clients use the Nexxus™ Commercial

understand their audiences, establish the

Application Suite to run processes such as

between Nielsen and Catalina, linking

value of their advertising inventory and

sales management, performance manage-

consumers’ media behavior with what

maximize the value of their content, and by

ment, incentive compensation and

they buy helps marketers and media

advertising clients to plan and optimize their

marketing campaign management. IMS

companies measure and improve

spending. Nielsen measures eight hours a

Health’s integrated solutions enable it to

advertising performance.

day per person of dynamic media consump-

provide a 360-degree view of stakeholders—

advertising into programmatic platforms. • Innerscope Research specializes in

• Nielsen Catalina Solutions, a joint venture

2015 Divestitures: • NRG (National Research Group, Inc.), a movie tracking and entertainment

tion, and includes streaming audio,

empowering life sciences organizations to

out-of-home measurements for television

better orchestrate customer engagement

consumption and deeper measurement of

and achieve their commercial goals.

multicultural audiences in the U.S.

Nielsen provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers watch and what they buy and how those choices intersect. Nielsen delivers critical media and marketing information, analytics and manufacturer and retailer expertise. Its information, insights and solutions help clients maintain and strengthen their market positions and identify opportunities for profitable growth.

In April 2015, IMS Health completed the purchase of Cegedim’s CRM and Strategic

marketing research company.

IMS Health imshealth.com

Data businesses, its largest-ever acquisition. This transaction added significant new offerings, including tools that address the growing demand for multichannel

U.S. Headquarters Danbury, Ct Founded 1954 2015 U.S. Revenue $1,127.0 million Percent Change from 2014 +1.0%* 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $1,794.0 Percent from Outside U.S. 61.4% U.S. Employees 3,100

Nielsen’s two reporting segments, Buy (consumer purchasing measurement and

Ari Bousbib

analytics) and Watch (media audience

CEO; M.B.A., Columbia University

marketing, end-to-end CRM and master data management solutions; OneKey, the world’s most robust health-care reference data services with insights on more than 14 million health-care professionals; and the AggregateSpend 360 regulatory compliance solution, which helps clients track and report on their sales and marketing spending in countries around the world. IMS Health’s customers include pharmaceutical, medical device and

measurement and analytics), are built on

consumer health manufacturers and

proprietary data assets that yield insights for clients to successfully measure, manage

2015 acquisitions:

distributors, as well as providers, payers,

and grow their businesses. The information

• Cegedim’s CRM and Strategic Data

government agencies, policymakers,

from the Buy and Watch segments together delivers insights into the effectiveness of branding, advertising and consumer choice

clients, IMS Health has one of the largest and

revenues in 2015, the Buy segment

businesses

researchers and the financial community.

IMS Health is a leading global information

* ’% Change’ calculation reflects adjustment

by linking media consumption trends with

and technology services company that deliv-

of previously reported 2014 U.S. research

consumer purchasing data to better

ers end-to-end solutions to help health-care

revenue due to acquisition/divestiture

understand behavior and better manage

organizations measure and improve their

activity or other business change in 2015.

marketing news | June 2016

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kantar.com

U.S. Headquarters new york Founded 1993 2015 U.S. Revenue $973.0 million Percent Change from 2014 +0.9% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $2,737.0 million Percent from Outside U.S. 73.8% U.S. Employees 3,250

Eric Salama

Chairman & CEO; M.S., University of London

• TNS offers market research and

analytics and the foresight that leads to

qualitative research to provide market-

action. The New York-based private equity

ing knowledge and insights into

firm New Mountain Capital LLC is the

consumers and markets on stakeholder

majority investor.

management, brand and communica-

In March 2014, IRI joined forces with

tions, and product development and

comScore and Rentrak to create a

innovation.

comprehensive data set and offer an

• The Futures Company monitors what influences consumer values and attitudes to identify current and future

integrated solution for linking media consumption to purchasing. In 2016, IRI will drive consumer

trends and offers trends and futures

personalization by continuing to integrate

consulting and future-facing qualitative

multiple, disparate Big Data sources to

and quantitative research.

create sophisticated end-to-end capabili-

• Benenson Strategy Group is a strategic

ties enabling clients to more effectively

research, issue advocacy and consulting

plan, target, activate, measure and optimize

Kantar is the Data Investment Management

group helping leaders in politics,

their businesses for growth in real time.

division of WPP plc, a London-based public

business and public affairs connect with

company. The group includes the following

their target audiences.

The IRI Partner Ecosystem includes such companies as Adobe, The Boston Consulting Group, comScore, Experian,

U.S.-based companies: • Added Value focuses on brand develop-

In 2016 the newly introduced Kantar

Ipsos, Kantar Shopcom, MasterCard

ment and marketing insight through its

First program will support collaboration

Advisors, MaxPoint, Millward Brown

“brand connections” methodology,

among the operating brands of the Kantar

Digital, Oracle and Univision.

providing services in brand marketing,

group companies in order to better serve

consumer insight, innovation and

client needs by eliminating internal profit

communications.

silos, encouraging the sharing of data

advantage for its CPG clients. Examples

across brands and facilitating better

include:

cooperation at a local level.

• Walmart: Provider of Walmart POS data;

• Kantar Health specializes in health-care research and consulting on marketing

** Some or all figures are not made available

stakeholder effectiveness and brand

by this company so instead are based

marketing; health economics and

upon estimation by the report authors.

epidemiology. • Kantar Media offers a range of media insights and audience measurement services for global advertisers, agencies and media companies. • Kantar Retail is focused on digitally delivered intelligence on retailers and extending shopper insights and consulting capabilities. • Kantar Worldpanel is a global provider of

activation program. • CVS Caremark: Designer of CVS’s Collaborative Merchandising Gateway for improved collaboration.

patient outcomes; pricing and reimbursement; and forecasting and

IRI’s retail footprint is a source of

premier partner on targeted shopper

insights; strategic planning; risk management, safety and surveillance;

4 IRI

IRIworldwide.com

U.S. Headquarters chicago Founded 1979 2015 U.S. Revenue $605.0 million Percent Change from 2014 +13.5% $376.0 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 38.3% U.S. Employees 1,350

consumer panels that offer continuous

Andrew Appel

measurement and analysis of consumer

President & CEO; M.B.A., University of Chicago

purchasing and usage behavior. • Lightspeed Research provides market

Richard H. Lenny

research services by building and

Chairman; M.B.A., Northwestern University

maintaining online and mobile panels and associated service.

• Tesco: Exclusive global provider of inbound data services in the UK. • Albertsons: Preferred partner for POS data, consumer panel insights and strategic growth initiatives to support joint business collaboration. IRI supports clients through five key areas of expertise: • Market Performance and Strategy: IRI answers critical market questions focused on issues such as achieving growth in a mature market and what clients should consider when launching a product. • Consumer and Shopper Intelligence: IRI solutions focus on deep shopper insights, segment planning, opportunity sizing and activation strategies empowering companies to “win” the

• Millward Brown provides qualitative,

sale and the shopper.

quantitative and consulting services on

2015 acquisitions:

brand strategy and experience; creative

• Datasea, a Chinese analytic services and

development and campaign evaluation;

market research company with deep

consumer needs and values; media

knowledge and expertise in China’s

planning and strategy; ROI, forecasting

retail and CPG.

and investment management; brand

clients analyze data to pinpoint new

valuation and analytics; and demand

IRI delivers market, consumer and

opportunities to optimize pricing,

and activation.

media exposure information; predictive

• Media: IRI media solutions enable clients to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of their media spending. • Analytics and Retail Execution: IRI helps

promotions and assortments. June 2016 | marketing news

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The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

3 Kantar**

5/18/16 4:59 PM

• Data Management/Cloud/Software: IRI

(Marketing ROI), Ipsos Business Consulting (Market Entry) and Ipsos Retail Perfor-

research and subject matter experience to

solutions help clients better leverage

mance (POS tracking technology).

studies in health, education, social policy,

data to gain faster insights and action.

Ipsos

ipsos-na.com

U.S. Headquarters new york Founded 1975 2015 U.S. Revenue $552.0 million Percent Change from 2014 0.0%* 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $1,056.7 million Percent from Outside U.S. 65.7% U.S. Employees 2,127

Didier Truchot

Ipsos Public Affairs is a nonpartisan,

survey design, data collection, communica-

objective, survey-based strategic research

tions and social marketing, transportation,

practice that includes not only public

large-scale data analysis and reporting,

opinion, but also elite stakeholder,

data systems and information technologies

corporate and media opinion research.

and domestic and international program

Ipsos is the media polling supplier to

monitoring and evaluation.

Reuters News, and Ipsos is the pollster of record in Canada for CTV. Ipsos Observer provides survey management, data collection and data

The firm’s clients are the U.S. government, state and local agencies, businesses and foundations. Westat statisticians and research

delivery services across a broad range of

professionals from many disciplines

online and offline research methodologies

contribute to innovations in their fields

including, online, telephone, face-to-face

through professional publications and

and mobile.

active participation in the international

Ipsos also comprises centers of study to

research community. Recent topics include

Chairman & CEO; Economics, PantheonSorbonne University

advance research practice and innovation.

complex survey design, address-based

Pierre LeManh

Ipsos Laboratories in South Africa focuses

sampling, small area estimation, Big Data

on enhanced research solutions in brand

and more.

CEO, North America; M.B.A., ESSEC Business School

performance and equity. Ipsos Neuro and

In 2015, Westat announced the

Behavioural Science Center is incorporating

appointment of nine senior fellows in

nonconscious and emotional insights into

statistics including Westat employees

Ipsos offers specialist expertise, market-

Ipsos’ research. Ipsos Science Center,

David Morganstein, president of the

leading methodologies and the ability to

hosting more than 370 marketing science

American Statistical Association, and

execute comprehensive and reliable global

experts across Ipsos, is accelerating the use

Roger Tourangeau, president-elect of

research programs through offices in 87

of marketing science and analytics.

the American Association of Public Opinion Research.

countries. With experts organized in five major research specializations operating as

* ’% Change’ calculation reflects adjustment

Westat projects are multimodal using

One Ipsos, we help our clients assess market

of previously reported 2014 U.S. research

combinations of in-person, telephone, web,

potential and interpret trends, develop and

revenue due to acquisition/divestiture

mail and mobile device modes of data

build brands, create long-term relationships

activity or other business change in 2015.

collection. The company operates Telephone Research Centers with

with customers, evaluate communications and measure public opinion. As the domains of brand communication, advertising and media merge and grow increasingly complex, Ipsos Connect, an amalgamation of Ipsos ASI and Ipsos MediaCT, helps clients embrace this complexity with investment in new approaches and products. Specializing in customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty research, Ipsos Loyalty advises businesses on all matters

Westat westat.com

James E. Smith

managing customer and employee

President & CEO; Ph.D., University of Southern California

relationships. Ipsos Marketing helps clients define opportunities and consumers’ path to

2015 Acquisitions:

purchase, optimize allocation of marketing

• Fenestra, an information technology

and products that are relevant and

monitoring and security controls. Household and institution data collections are data collectors with advanced field management and communications systems. International studies combine in-country and virtual approaches to meet study objectives. Westat uses many general and specialized IT technologies and products and provides licensing, training and support for Blaise, a software system which supports multiple modes of data collection and post-collection processing. Westat is one of the top SAS solution providers in

marketing strategies, understand market

expenditures and build brands’ services

sophisticated communications, quality

supported by a diverse nationwide staff of

U.S. Headquarters Rockville, Md Founded 1963 2015 U.S. Revenue $491.4 million Percent Change from 2014 -2.0% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $18.2 million Percent from Outside U.S. 3.6% U.S. Employees 1,921

relating to measuring, modeling and

solutions company. • Edvance Research, an education

the industry. Locations include Rockville, Maryland; Atlanta; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Houston; San Antonio; Philadelphia;

differentiated. Also included are specialist

research and technical assistance

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; and

units: Ipsos UU (Qualitative), Ipsos

organization.

international sites.

Healthcare, Ipsos Strategy 3 (Marketing

Strategy), Ipsos SMX (Online Communities and Social Intelligence), Ipsos MMA

Westat applies statistical, survey

data management, cloud and software

Westat is a 100% employee-owned professional services research company.

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gfk.com

U.S. Headquarters new york Founded 1934 2015 U.S. Revenue $345.9 million Percent Change from 2014 -1.2% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $1,351.8 million Percent from outside U.S. 79.6% U.S. Employees 1,025

Matthias Hartmann CEO; B.A., University of Cooperative Education, Stuttgart, Germany Our strategic initiative “Own the Future”

industry. But it is also opening up new

with more products on digital platforms

tion with the clear objective of moving

and faster cycle times in our clients’

from “important” to “essential” for our

decision making, we face the next level of

clients, we all need to integrate data and

transformation in our operations

capabilities, filter out what is relevant for

functions. With One Operations we

our clients and put the results into context.

combine the capabilities of our global,

This is our vision and a true differentiator

regional and local operations into one

of One GfK.

team. We will decrease our operations

Our task is to utilize today’s technology, products and organizations to automati-

cost and create a strong team culture of performance and results.

cally collect, filter and relate consumer and market data to insights that help answer our clients’ questions. This must be done quickly and efficiently and scaled globally. To reflect the importance of industries

was designed to align with and take

and products, we are bringing them closer

advantage of the transformations and

to the management board. With our

innovations in the market research

revised management board and company

industry and the changing demands of

structure, we have moved closer to our

clients in an increasingly global and digital

aim of operating as One GfK and are now

world. As part of our strategy, we have

better streamlined to increase speed to

focused on bringing together GfK’s global

market and relevance for clients. Global

activities and coordinating and leveraging

industries are now being managed in an

our capabilities.

integrated, cross-sector approach. Our five

Digital is radically impacting consumer

With more and more data available,

opportunities. To continue our transforma-

The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

7 GfK

“biggest” industries have been assigned to

behavior. This is creating new questions

one of the chief commercial officers in the

and new challenges for our clients and our

management board.

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8 comScore

9 The NPD Group

U.S. Headquarters Reston, Va Founded 1999 2015 U.S. Revenue $268.3 million Percent Change from 2014 +17.2% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $100.5 million Percent from Outside U.S. 27.3% U.S. Employees 890

U.S. Headquarters port washington, NY Founded 1966 2015 U.S. Revenue $231.1 million Percent Change from 2014 +7.5% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $76.6 million From Outside U.S. 24.9% U.S. Employees 975

comScore.com

Serge Matta

npd.com

Karyn Schoenbart

President & CEO; M.B.A., American University

President & COO, B.A., University of Massachusetts

Tod Johnson

ComScore, Inc. is a cross-platform

Chairman & CEO, M.S.I.A., Carnegie Mellon University

measurement company that precisely measures audiences, brands and consumer

retail, technology and apparel. NPD also enhanced its portfolio of offerings for the entertainment industry with the acquisition of Nielsen’s VideoScan DVD retail tracking service. Looking ahead, NPD will mark its 50th anniversary with IDEA 2016, a thought leadership summit for senior business executives in September. NPD will also continue to build Checkout Tracking to include tracking home entertainment activity and enhancing its product suite for the entertainment industry. NPD will also launch a new industry tracking service for diamonds and introduce new solutions, including forecasting and other analytic services. NPD operates in the Americas, including

behavior everywhere. ComScore completed its merger with Rentrak

2015 acquisitions:

the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Brazil. The

Corporation in January 2016, to create the

• VideoScan, a point-of-sale retail tracking

company also offers tracking services and

new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, our data footprint combines proprietary

service for the home video market. NPD provides global information and business solutions helping brands track

demographic details to quantify consum-

their markets, understand consumers and

ers’ multiscreen behavior at massive scale.

drive profitable growth. NPD offers

This approach helps media companies

information assets, analytic services and

monetize their complete audiences and

expertise in more than 20 industries to

allows marketers to reach these audiences

build longstanding partnerships that help

more effectively. With more than 3,200

clients uncover opportunities, solve

clients and a global presence in more than

problems and create profitable growth.

future of measurement. ComScore data and services support

analytic solutions in 11 countries in Europe and tracking services in five countries in

digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast

75 countries, comScore is delivering the

NPD Tracking Services encompass retail, distributor and consumer tracking, including Checkout TrackingSM, which utilizes receipt

Asia-Pacific.

10 J.D. Power ** jdpower.com

U.S. Headquarters westlake village, ca Founded 1968 2015 U.S. Revenue $181.0 million Percent Change from 2014 +2.6% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $92.5 million Percent from Outside U.S. 33.8% 500 U.S. Employees

numerous applications, including market

harvesting to measure purchases across all

and competitive intelligence for any online

industries and channels. Premium Services

category; benchmarking and opportunity

offer granular market views including

gap/SWOT analysis; customer profiling and

weekly tracking, store-level enabled data

segmentation models; integration and

(for looking at geographies or custom store

study of online behavioral data with offline

groupings) and account-level information

purchase data; choice models based on

(for participating retailers). Information is

pricing, taxes and promotions; controlled

collected from more than 1,200 retailers,

J.D. Power is a global marketing information

measurement of the effectiveness of

representing more than 200,000 stores

services company that conducts indepen-

interactive marketing programs; and

worldwide, 12 million consumer interviews

dent consumer surveys of product and

scoring of customer files for direct

conducted annually and more than 4 million

service quality, customer satisfaction and

marketing programs using markers and

consumers who make physical or digital

buyer behavior. In 2005 it was acquired by

propensities derived in aggregate within

receipts available for Checkout Tracking,

New York-based McGraw-Hill Companies.

the comScore database and applied using

some of which is done in partnership with

shared attributes. ComScore’s e-commerce

Slice Intelligence.

sales data have become the standard by

NPD also offers solutions that address key

Finbarr O’Neill

President; J.D., Fordham University Law School

J.D. Power provides consumer intelligence to help businesses measure, understand and improve the key perfor-

which online trends are monitored and

marketing, sales and strategic planning

mance metrics that drive growth and

have been widely published in the media

issues. The firm’s advisory services cover

profitability. Services include industry-wide

for more than 10 years.

home automation, wearables and connected

and client-commissioned research, B-to-B

intelligence, which offers reports and analysis

consulting and media research.

on wearable tech and the connected world including content, devices and services. In 2015, NPD launched new Checkout Tracking offerings, including industry

dashboards for food service, video games,

Annual syndicated studies are based on survey responses from millions of consumers and business customers worldwide. The firm does not review,

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judge or test products or services for its syndicated studies. It relies on the opinions and perspectives of consumers who have actually used the products and services being rated. J.D. Power is most often recognized for its work in the automotive industry, where its metrics have become the industry standard for measuring product quality and customer satisfaction. A team

11 ICF International icfi.com

U.S. Headquarters fairfax, va Founded 1967 2015 U.S. Revenue $154.7 million Percent Change from 2014 +0.9% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $64.7 million Percent from Outside U.S. 29.5% U.S. Employees 865

of associates worldwide conducts quality

Sudhakar Kesavan

and customer satisfaction research

Chairman & CEO; M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

across industries including automotive, financial services, insurance, telecommunications, travel, health care, utilities and consumer electronics.

For decades, clients from U.S. federal

qualitative data analysis, database and systems development and reports and publication of results. • Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity Building: We enable clients to build program monitoring and evaluation capacity with services such as change management and development communication to grantees or awardees, adjusting data collection systems or indicators to reflect program changes, producing report snapshots to show continued progress and leveraging existing resources to expand capacity in monitoring and evaluation. • ICF’s performance measurement tools

agencies to international organizations and

and techniques include developing

Fortune 500 companies in the U.S.

multinational corporations have relied on

meaningful and measurable indicators,

and internationally.

ICF International’s full suite of innovative

creating dashboards and balanced

and flexible methodologies. Our services

scorecards, setting targets and goals for

and products include:

continuous quality improvement

• International Research and Evaluation:

programs and designing and implement-

The firm’s clients include many

J.D. Power has seven U.S. offices and 15 offices worldwide.

We provide training and technical

ing web-based data management and

by this company so instead are based

assistance to national governments,

reporting systems.

upon estimation by the report authors.

in-country organizations and interna-

** Some or all figures are not made available

• In program evaluation we apply

tional donor agencies in developing

traditional and state-of-the-art analytic

indicators and metrics, monitoring

methods and tools like randomized

and data collection, policy formation

control trials, propensity score

and disseminating findings to

matching, quantitative analysis of

target audiences.

designs, ethnographic studies, and

• Experimental andd Quasi-Experimental Research: We addresses the full life cycle

social network analysis. • Quantitative methods and analysis

of experimental and quasi-experimental

includes web, telephone, paper/mail,

research services, including methodol-

in-person and hybrid surveys. ICF’s

ogy and study design, quantitative and

surveys incorporate emerging methodologies and generate strong, defensible response rates. Services include questionnaire and manual development, quality control, FISMAmoderate data security capacity, software development and analysis and dissemination of findings. ICF International serves many markets, including aviation, climate, community development, defense, education, energy, environment, families and communities, health, homeland security and transportation. In addition to 40 U.S. offices, ICF has offices in China, India, Moscow, London, Brazil and Canada.

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Resources 12 Decision Group** decisionresourcesgroup.com

** Some or all figures are not made available

design and instrument development to

by this company so instead are based

data collection (telephone, in-person, IVR,

upon estimation by the report authors

web and mail) and data management to advanced analysis and market strategy.

Jon Sandler Chairman & CEO; M.B.A., Harvard

Decision Resources Group, which was acquired by Piramal Group in 2012, is a portfolio of companies that offer information, analysis and insights on issues within the global health-care industry. Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical technology and managed care companies rely on

Abt SRBI

The firm specializes in large-scale and complex projects.

abtsrbi.com

Abt SRBI has four practice groups:

U.S. Headquarters new york Founded 1965 2015 U.S. Revenue $119.3 million Percent Change from 2014 -6.2% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $5.1 million Percent from Outside U.S. 4.1% U.S. Employees 1,192

Kathleen L. Flanagan

President & CEO of Abt Associates; M.S., University of Rochester

Michael Link

President & CEO of Abt SRBI; Ph.D., University of Southern California

• The Health Group conducts healthrelated surveys and tracking studies for many U.S. government agencies. These projects include epidemiological surveys, health care, military veterans, immigration, domestic violence and program evaluations. • The Social Policy and Polling Group conducts large-scale public policy and public opinion surveys for university researchers, foundations, research institutes and the media. • The Transportation, Recreation, Planning and Preservation Group provides passenger/customer research to leading public transit authorities, transportation

this analysis and data to make informed

Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global

planners and engineering firms. It also

decisions critical to their success.

leader in research, evaluation and program

specializes in energy, environmental and

The firm’s companies include Abacus

implementation in the fields of health,

International, Arlington Medical Resources,

social and environmental policy and

BioTrends Research Group, Decision

international development. It is known for

Group supports large-scale program

Resources, Fingertip Formulary, Health-

its rigorous approach to solving complex

evaluation projects with a focus on

Leaders-InterStudy, Manhattan Research,

challenges. Abt SRBI is the firm’s survey

interviews with beneficiaries of federal

Millennium Research Group, PharmaStrat

research arm.

government programs.

and Pinsonault. Framing the current status and future trends in target health-care markets using

The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

U.S. Headquarters burlington, ma Founded 1990 $120.5 million 2015 U.S. Revenue Percent change from 2014 +2.8% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $47.1 million Percent from Outside U.S. 28.1% U.S. Employees 500

recreational issues. • The Family, Workforce and Nutrition

Abt SRBI is a full-service global research and consulting firm whose survey research capabilities range from sample

The four practice groups are supported by an Advanced Methods Group and an

data, primary research and secondary research is a core competency of Decision Resources Group. Product offerings include high-value analytics, syndicated research, proprietary databases, decision-support tools and advisory services. DRG has a number of key specialties including syndicated research focused on new therapeutic opportunities: portfolio planning, changing industry dynamics and global treatment patterns; insights and data on physician and consumer health-care e-marketing and proprietary databases and analytics covering more than 90% of the U.S. managed-care markets. Also included are longitudinal data and analytics on marketed drug reimbursement profiles, qualitative insights on drug-specific reimbursement drivers for existing and emerging therapies, managed markets training and evidence-based market access solutions.

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Interviewing Services Division. The

CX software, data and research science,

action, offering personalized experiences,

Advanced Methods Group provides

deep vertical market expertise and

in and out of store, online and off, before,

consulting support in such areas as

managed program services. We serve as

during and after the trip, earning the

complex sample design, nonresponse bias,

our client’s customer experience outcomes

customer’s loyalty. Additionally,

cell and dual-frame sample designs,

partner, specializing in solutions for key

dunnhumby uses these insights to

weighting, imputation and geographic

industries including automotive, financial

transform clients into customer-first

information systems. The Interviewing

services, technology, B-to-B, health care,

organizations. By putting customers at the

Services Division administers telephone,

retail and many more.

center of every decision, dunnhumby’s

mail, internet, IVR, and in-person interviews

Our global reach includes more than 900 full-time employees and more than

competitive edge and even more customer

call centers, a large national in-person field

1,000 part-time/contract employees in 19

data to fuel ongoing optimization, setting

force and a centralized technologically

offices around the world, including new

clients up for long-term success.

advanced survey platform.

offices in Australia. MaritzCX provides

Abt SRBI has offices in Cambridge,

Dunnhumby serves a prestigious list

solutions to more than 500 clients and 1.6

of retailers and manufacturers in grocery,

Massachusetts; Bethesda, Maryland

million users who speak 72 languages in

consumer goods, health, beauty,

Atlanta; Durham, North Carolina; and New

100 countries.

personal care, food service, apparel

York, as well as in 40 other countries.

MaritzCX maritzcx.com

The MaritzCX platform realized new

and advertising, among others. Clients

product growth of 120% year-over-year,

include Tesco, Procter & Gamble,

and overall, the company saw an increase

Coca-Cola, Macy’s and PepsiCo.

in total software bookings of 55% year-over-year.

Dunnhumby Ltd. employs more than 2,000 experts in offices throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas and

U.S. Headquarters lehi, ut Founded 1973 2015 U.S. Revenue $111.4 million Percent Change from 2014 -12.6% $40.2 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 26.5% U.S. Employees 650

Carine Clark

President & CEO; M.B.A., Brigham Young University

dunnhumby** dunnhumby.com

U.S. Headquarters cincinnati, oh Founded 2001 2015 U.S. Revenue $110.0 million Percent Change from 2014 -13.1% $330.0 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 75.0% U.S. Employees 220

As a customer experience (CX) software

Simon Hay

and research company, MaritzCX continues

CEO; B.A., University of Reading

to realize a growth path consistent with providing our clients holistic and cost-effi-

includes social marketing experts BzzAgent and programmatic advertising company Sociomantic. ** Some or all figures are not made available by this company so instead are based upon estimation by the report authors.

16 Wood Mackenzie** woodmac.com

U.S. Headquarters new york Founded 1973 2015 U.S. Revenue $109.5 million Percent Change from 2014 +5.3% $255.2 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent Outside U.S. 70.0% U.S. Employees 300

cient CX solutions. The 2015 merger of

Dunnhumby is a customer science

Allegiance Software and Maritz Research,

company that is a privately held and wholly

created MaritzCX, a customer experience

owned subsidiary of Tesco PLC.

management company with the capacity

Dunnhumby uses data and science to

to offer both a CX platform and strategic

understand customers, then applies that

Stephen Halliday

consulting services within one organiza-

insight to create personalized experiences

CEO; B.S., University of Edinburgh

tion. Our mission is to provide businesses

that build lasting emotional connections

the strategic guidance and software engine

with retailers and brands. It’s a strategy

they need to turn customer feedback into a

that demonstrates that when companies

Acquired by Verisk Analytics in 2015,

competitive advantage.

know and treat their customers better than

Edinburgh-based Wood Mackenzie

the competition, they earn more than their

provides commercial intelligence for the

loyalty. They earn a competitive advantage.

energy, metals and mining industries

MaritzCX believes organizations should be able to see, sense and act on the experiences and desires of every customer,

Dunnhumby’s customer science business

through objective analysis and advice on

at every touch point, as it happens. From

model revolves around the customer,

assets, companies and markets. For more

the company’s new headquarters in Lehi,

helping companies predict and meet the

than 40 years, Wood Mackenzie has

Utah, MaritzCX helps organizations

needs of their best customers. Analyzing

assessed and valued thousands of

increase customer retention, conversion

data from nearly 1 billion customers

individual assets and companies around

and lifetime value by embedding customer

worldwide, dunnhumby uncovers valuable

the world, evaluating economic indicators

experience, intelligence and action systems

insights: what customers want, where they

and analyzing market supply, demand and

into the DNA of business operations.

want it and how much they’re willing to pay

price trends. The firm produces research

for it. Then, those insights are turned into

and analysis across oil, gas, power, coal,

MaritzCX focuses on four key elements:

approach delivers measurable value,

with nearly 450 CATI stations across five

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chemicals, metals and mining, giving clients a forward-looking view of the challenges, opportunities and risks facing their business and sector. Wood Mackenzie offers a combination of: • Robust proprietary data: Wood Mackenzie can forecast and value with confidence, providing clients with

17 Rentrak rentrak.com

U.S. Headquarters portland, or Founded 1977 2015 U.S. Revenue $98.8 million Percent Change from 2014 +32.3% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $17.5 million Percent from Outside U.S. 15.0 % U.S. Employees 550

strategic advice.

William L. Livek

• Expert, knowledgeable and collaborative

Vice Chairman & President; B.S., Southern Illinois University

people: The firm’s global teams of experts rigorously evaluate the data to chosen markets.

million TVs in the U.S. and Canada. Digital Download Essentials, which measures viewing of purchased and rented movie and television content downloaded or streamed via the internet. Multiscreen Essentials, which reports live and time-shifted viewing from television and VOD in a single, total audience measurement system. • Branded Entertainment, which quantifies and evaluates the impact of brand integration in movies and TV content on consumers.

ensure in-depth understanding of our • Integrated analysis and advice: The

OnDemand Essentials, which measures video-on-demand (VOD) viewing from 120

2015 acquisitions: • SponsorHub, a social media measure-

Other services include: Rentrak Rubik,

depth and breadth of the firm’s research

ment platform for the sports and

Rentrak Social, Digital Download Essentials

and the collaboration between sector

entertainment industry.

Industry, Dynamic Studio Share, Internet

and regional teams ensures a thor-

TV Essentials, Mobile OnDemand Essen-

oughly integrated view, combining

Rentrak precisely measures movies and

tials, and VOD Monitor.

global understanding with detailed regional knowledge.

TV everywhere. Movies Everywhere services include: • Box Office Essentials, which reports on

Rentrak’s Home Entertainment services report consumer DVD and Blu-ray Disc rental (Home Video Essentials) and retail

how many people go to the movies and

(Retail Essentials) sales activity and

international and national energy and

how much they spend in virtually every

provide reporting for content providers.

metals companies as well as financial

theater in North America, all in real time.

Wood Mackenzie’s clients include

institutions and governments. The firm

• International Box Office Essentials, which

works with a range of diverse teams within

delivers worldwide box office results

those client companies, from strategy and

from more than 125,000 screens in more

policymakers, business developers and market analysts to corporate finance, risk teams and investors. Wood Mackenzie’s research, analytics, and consulting services help clients to understand their markets, value assets, reduce risk, identify and screen opportuni-

than 25,000 theaters in 64 countries. • PreAct, which measures the health of a marketing campaign up to a year in

Research 18 National Corporation nationalresearch.com

advance of a movie’s release. • PostTrak, which reports audience demographics and the aspects of each title that trigger interest and attendance.

ties, assess competitors, strengthen

• Rentrak Swift, an electronic box office

strategy and pitch for new business.

reporting system that facilitates an

We have been careful to maintain our

In February 2016, Rentrak completed its merger with comScore.

efficient flow of reconciled theater-

commitment to insight based on proprie-

level ticket transactions, allowing for

tary information and deep industry

faster invoicing and receipt of payment

knowledge as we have grown and entered

to studios.

U.S. Headquarters lincoln, ne Founded 1981 2015 U.S. Revenue $84.3 million Percent Change from 2014 +5.5% $5.2 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 5.8% U.S. Employees 333

Michael D. Hays CEO; B.S., University of Nebraska

new markets. With 25 offices in 20 countries, our

Rentrak’s TV Everywhere services

teams work across every sector of energy,

combine television viewing with consumer

metals and mining, covering more than 150

behavior information to provide the most

NRC offers performance measurement and

countries in order to provide an integrated

precise understanding of the total

improvement services to hospitals,

perspective across entire industries.

television audience—from the programs

health-care systems, physicians, health

viewers watch to the cars in their garage,

plans, senior-care organizations, home-

the way they vote and the products in their

health agencies and other health-care

by this company so instead are based

pantry. TV Everywhere services include:

organizations. NRC’s solutions meet client

upon estimation by the report authors.

• TV Essentials, which provides U.S.

needs by addressing key objectives to

** Some or all figures are not made available

television measurements from more than

provide its clients with the ability to

37 million screens and approximately 17

improve performance in the following areas:

million households.

• Growth Offerings: Marketed under the

• StationView Essentials, which

Market Insights, Healthcare Market Guide

measures television viewing in every

and Ticker brands, these are subscrip-

U.S. local market.

tion-based solutions that measure

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community perception (Market Insights),

patients, analyze and address readmission

and best-in-class digital platforms to

brand tracking (BrandArc) and advertis-

risks and efficiently reach out to patients

deliver insight that powers business growth

ing testing (Advoice). Market Insights is

to impact their behaviors outside of the

and success.

the largest online U.S. health-care survey,

health-care provider settings. NRC’s health

measuring the opinions and behaviors of

risk assessment solutions enable its clients

270,000 health-care consumers in the

to effectively stratify and manage care for

specialize in:

top 250 metropolitan areas annually.

those who are most at-risk, engage

• Strategy: growth and expansion,

• Retention Offerings: Marketed under the

individuals, increase preventative care and

NRC Picker, My Innerview and NRC

manage wellness programs to improve

Canada brands, Retention Offerings

patient experience and outcomes. NRC’s patient outreach and discharge

experience measurement and improve-

call solutions are provided to health-care

ment tools, which enable clients to

organizations on a subscription basis.

value-based purchasing models. Clients use these applications to enhance patient experience by utilizing the company’s prescriptive analytics to enable improvement planning and implementation of best practices. With a growing body of research linking employee and physician satisfaction levels to provider quality and patient experience, NRC’s offerings also measure satisfaction from those constituents and integrate that data into

expert network. • Markets and Products: brand/communidemand generation. • Employee: employee engagement, employee life cycle and employee polling.

comply with regulatory requirements and to improve their reimbursement under

innovation, competitive intelligence and

cation, product development and

include patient and resident experience, physician engagement and employee

ORC International’s 16 offices worldwide

19 ORC International

• Customer: customer acquisition, customer

U.S. Headquarters princeton, nj Founded 1938 2015 U.S. Revenue $83.4 million Percent Change from 2014 -0.5% $38.9 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 31.8% U.S. Employees 278

services network composed of communi-

experience and customer retention.

orcinternational.com

prescriptive analytics for improvement.

Simon Kooyman

• Engagement Offerings: Including NRC’s

CEO; M.B.A., Vlerick University

patient outreach and discharge call

Engine Group is a global marketing cations specialists. With operating hubs in the United Kingdom, North America and Asia, the individual businesses within the network include WCRS, MHP Communications, Trailer Park, ORC International, Partners Andrews Aldridge, Deep Focus, Moment Studio, Synergy, Calling Brands, Mischief, Fuel, Transform and Slice. Engine Group’s services include market research, creative, strategy, digital, social media,

program (Connect Transitions), health risk

advertising, public relations and content

assessments (Payer Solutions) and

At ORC International, we are experts in the

post-acute analytics (OCS), these

art of business intelligence. As a part of

offerings enable clients to understand the

Engine Group, we take pride in our ability

health risks associated with populations of

to combine quality data, smart synthesis

creation and production. Key Accomplishments in 2015 include: • Expanded/integrated offerings with Engine into brand, marketing and insights services. • Formal expansion of markets and products practice into the U.K. and Europe. • Launched CARAVAN Hispanic Omnibus launched for marketers to better understand the influential U.S. Hispanic market. • Implemented marketing automation solution (SalesFusion), streamlining the creation, management and analysis of campaigns and integrating with MSCRM for lead management tracking. • Launched new global website as the foundation for all marketing and promotion of firm. • Launched new expert advisory services website to appeal to both clients and potential experts. • Expansion of ORCID (ORC International Development) Program to U.K. and AP: a two year entry-level training and development program.

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• Continued seventh year of partnership

LRW’s marketing science team has a

on the CNN|ORC International poll.

vast tool chest of modeling and analytical techniques and is expert at innovating and

• Further expansion of ORC AccessPoint knowledge management platform. • Additional offers in partnership with

insights for its clients. LRW’s Pragmatic Brain Science Institute combines traditional research techniques with cutting edge

Engine Group for millennials, innovation,

approaches (rooted in social and evolution-

video viewability measurement, and

ary psychology and behavioral economics)

digital distribution.

to provide a holistic understanding of the consumer, why they do what they do and

Lieberman Research Worldwide lrwonline.com

U.S. Headquarters los angeles, ca Founded 1973 2015 U.S. Revenue $82.8 million Percent Change from 2014 6.6% $37.0 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 30.9% U.S. Employees 498

David Sackman

Chairman & CEO; B.A., University of California at Los Angeles Lieberman Research Worldwide (LRW) is a full-service, custom market research and

marketstrategies.com

adapting technique to generate better

U.S. Headquarters livonia, mi Founded 1989 2015 U.S. Revenue $69.0 million +0.3% Percent Change from 2014 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $1.6 million Percent from Outside U.S. 2.3% U.S. Employees 262

what companies can do about it. These Pragmatic Brain Science approaches are

Rob Stone

scalable and grounded in extensive

CEO; Ph.D., Columbia University

academic research. Through its regional offices and its

network of more than 100 affiliate

Market Strategies International is a market

companies, LRW conducts research in

research consultancy that has earned a

more than 80 countries worldwide in 66

reputation as a leader in sound, scientific

languages. LRW serves a wide range of

research services, innovative techniques

industries, including entertainment,

and premier marketing and data science

pharmaceutical, technology, consumer

capabilities. These investments provide the

packaged goods, health care, retail, food

strong analytical foundation necessary to

service, financial and business services,

take advantage of growing opportunities

automotive and many more.

to build combinations of behavioral and

In 2015, LRW raised significant growth

attitudinal analyses. The result is research

capital to drive its innovation by expanding

that provides the quality, value and

its suite of innovations in the areas of

certainty so critical in helping our clients

Pragmatic Brain Science, virtual reality,

make confident business decisions.

social media analytics and Big Data. In 2016, LRW plans to make targeted

We specialize in consumer and retail, energy, financial services, health care, life

data analytics company known for its

acquisitions to strengthen its global

sciences, technology and telecommunica-

unique “so what?” consulting model to help

footprint and leading edge capabilities in

tions. Focusing on select industries allows

clients improve their financial performance.

the new market research industry, including

us to function as a trusted business partner

LRW works on a range of business issues,

communities and digital and social

that not only understands but enhances

including strategy work such as market

analytics. LRW is also rolling out new tools

our clients’ knowledge and experience. This

segmentation and brand strategy,

to measure emotion and other noncon-

leads to powerful, lasting partnerships.

advertising and communications effective-

scious consumer attitudes.

Our custom research specialties include

ness, customer experience design and

brand, communications, CX, product

evaluation and new product development.

development and segmentation. Our

LRW integrates survey research and data

syndicated research, known as Cogent

from a wide variety of sources such as

Reports, offers a portfolio of traditional

social media data, customer data and other

products in the wealth management,

forms of Big Data in its engagements.

energy and health space as well as

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The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

2016 strategic goals include:

Strategies 21 Market International

5/19/16 11:30 AM

portal-based research solutions that

In 2014, Burke acquired Seed Strategy, a

Headquartered in Boston, London, and

provide continuous data collection and

growth acceleration firm that specializes in

Shanghai, C Space has offices in Chicago,

online reporting. But it’s the blending of

new product innovation and strategic

New York, San Francisco, Amsterdam and

data streams that truly leads to better

brand development. The combined

Mexico City. To learn more, visit www.

consultative insights. Market Strategies’

organization is a world-class consultancy

cspace.com or follow us on Twitter @

consultants combine primary research with

with the unique ability to meet clients’

CSpaceGlobal. C Space is a part of the DAS

data from our syndicated studies,

needs with a seamless marriage of Burke’s

Group of Companies, a division of

benchmarking and self-funded studies as

research-based decision support and Seed

Omnicom Group, Inc.

well as Big Data to deliver the most

Strategy’s expertise in innovation and

complete and accurate insights available in

implementation.

the industry. Our dedicated information

Burke’s primary areas of focus include:

design team transforms findings into stories

brand strategy, innovation, product

by creating concise, infographic-style

development, retailer and shopper insights,

deliverables and sticky portal solutions.

customer engagement, health care and

Each year, Market Strategies conducts

employee engagement. They work across

several international tracking programs and

various industries, in the U.S. and abroad,

custom research assignments for its clients,

including packaged goods, financial

involving work in more than 75 countries

services, restaurants, travel/hospitality,

across eight regions. We are headquartered

telecom, retail, health care and automotive,

in Livonia, Michigan, with regional offices in

among others.

Atlanta; Cambridge, Massachussets; Little Rock, Arkansas; Philadelphia; Portland, Oregon and Hong Kong.

23 C Space**

communispace.com

22 Burke burke.com

U.S. Headquarters cincinnati, oh Founded 1931 2015 U.S. Revenue $66.9 million Percent Change from 2014 +22.8% $8.1 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 10.8% U.S. Employees 256

Jeff Miller

President & CEO; M.B.A., University of Cincinnati

Charles Trevail CEO; B.A., University of Durham

by this company so instead are based upon estimation by the report authors.

24 Convergys**

convergys.com/analytics

U.S. Headquarters cincinnati, oh Founded 1998 2015 U.S. Revenue $58.0 million Percent Change from 2014 +12.0% $7.0 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 10.8% U.S. Employees 250

Andrea J. Ayers

President & CEO; B.S., Louisiana State University Convergys is a global leader in customer management focused on bringing value to our clients through every customer interaction. Convergys has a history of commitment and dedication to excellence in serving the world’s largest brands. Our business model allows us to deliver consistent, quality service at the

C Space, a customer collaboration

scale and in the geographies and

consultancy, connects the world’s

channels that meet our clients’ business

best-known brands with the people they

needs and proactively partner to solve

Burke is an employee-owned, full-service

serve to create customer-inspired growth.

client business challenges through our

custom marketing research supplier.

We believe customers are a company’s

account management model. We

Burke’s reputation for excellence derives

most important investment.

leverage our geographic footprint and

from our ability to consistently deliver

Our expertise is in building real, ongoing

comprehensive capabilities to help

actionable decision support solutions to

relationships with target customers—online

leading companies create quality

clients worldwide. Using an objectives-

and in-person—so companies have better

customer experiences across multiple

driven focus, Burke researchers are known

and measurable access to customers’

interaction channels such as voice, chat,

for their expertise in defining business

creativity, instincts and smarts.

e-mail and interactive voice response

objectives, crafting smart research designs,

U.S. Headquarters boston, ma Founded 1999 2015 U.S. Revenue $64.9 million Percent Change from 2014 +2.2% $15.7 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 19.5% U.S. Employees 333

** Some or all figures are not made available

Our range of services includes private

while increasing revenue and reducing their cost to serve. We are a well-capital-

executing complex projects, employing

online communities, immersive storytelling,

advanced data analysis techniques and

activation events, and innovation

ized leader in our market and are able to

communicating the business significance of

projects—all designed to bring the

invest in the services, technology and

research results. This expertise extends

customer inside every department to

analytics that matter to our clients and

across a range of industries, both domestic

enable fast, confident action. By cultivating

their customers.

and international, and across many data

connections between companies and their

collection platforms. All of Burke’s core

customers, C Space helps businesses grow,

professionals to deliver data-driven

competencies are supported by a

improve performance and design the

insights to improve the customer

dedication to continuous research and

products, services and experiences

experience through analytics and

development efforts.

customers want.

consulting solutions, including post-

Convergys has a dedicated team of

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contact surveys, relational loyalty research,

quantitative research in more than 60

KOM modules on commercial vehicles to

customer segmentation and profiling, call

countries on five continents for nearly 450

analyze key aspects of fleet vehicle usage.

elimination analysis, analysis of customer

brands. Its research professionals work

effort, digital channel optimization and

with clients to provide support and

Morpace overlays industry expertise

integrated contact center analytics.

solutions in four core areas of expertise:

within automotive, health care, retail and

customer experience (CX), product

consumer goods, financial services, food/

located in Cincinnati with 28 international

development, brand and communications

beverage, and travel/leisure. Its in-house

offices in South America, Europe, the

and Big Data analysis.

analytics and modeling team ensures

Convergys’ global headquarters is

Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, including China.

In conjunction with its solutions,

appropriate statistical processes and Morpace is actively strengthening its

methodologies are followed, while its

leadership position within:

qualitative team explores the root of the

• Brand and Communications: A partner-

data. Morpace’s insights architects are

by this company so instead are based

ship with Keller Fay Group provides

focused on providing solutions that are

upon estimation by the report authors.

clients with word-of-mouth (WOM)

relevant and impactful for its full

advocacy and influencer research and

portfolio of clients.

** Some or all figures are not made available

Morpace Inc. morpace.com

U.S. Headquarters farmington hills, mi Founded 1975 2015 U.S. Revenue $57.3 million Percent Change from 2014 +10.2%* 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $7.2 million Percent from Outside U.S. 11.2% 197 U.S. Employees

Duncan Lawrence

President & CEO; M.B.A., Michigan State University

consulting services that go beyond social media. • CX: A partnership with Qualtrics, a

and strategic consulting organization that conducts custom qualitative and

on leadership, consistency and excellence

leading global insights platform, ensures

in the planning and execution of

clients have access to the latest

research. Morpace was also named a

technology for data collection and

2015 Top Workplace in Michigan by

dissemination.

Detroit Free Press. These awards are a

• CX and Product Development: Morpace’s journey and experience

product of the company’s client- and employee-centric culture.

mapping (JEM) solution enables clients to understand the key touch points and

* ’% Change’ calculation reflects adjustment

experience pillars of the customer user

of previously reported 2014 U.S. research

experience while interacting with a

revenue due to acquisition/divestiture

product or brand.

activity or other business change in 2015.

• Product Development: System 1 Decision Making testing evaluates the underlying criteria that consumers are using to

Morpace Inc. is a global market research

Morpace is the 2014 CASRO Research Organization of the Year, an award based

make initial purchase decisions. • Big Data: In 2016 Morpace is launching a syndicated study that leverages vehicle

26 PRS IN VIVO prsresearch.com

U.S. Headquarters teaneck, nj Founded 1972 2015 U.S. Revenue $46.4 million Percent Change from 2014 +3.3% $41.3 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 47.1% U.S. Employees 155

Scott Young

CEO; M.B.A., Northwestern University In 2015, Perception Research Services (PRS) and IN VIVO merged to form PRS IN VIVO, a global research agency focused on packaging, shopper marketing and new product activation. Specifically, PRS IN VIVO brings together: • PRS’s global leadership in packaging research with IN VIVO’s validated volume forecasting model and expertise in new product testing. • IN VIVO’s global network of shopper labs with PRS’s extensive qualitative research team.

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SMG captures solicited and unsolicited

In 2015 more than 100 client brands expanded their contract scope, demon-

with IN VIVO’s pioneering work in

consumer feedback across in-store,

applying behavioral economics

online, contact center and social

strating the value of SMG’s insights. In

(“Nudge”) to consumer goods marketing.

channels. We report via a real-time,

technology, we launched several enhance-

role-based dashboard that includes

ments—including AppVoice (app experi-

online analytics, close-the-loop

ence measurement), a contact center

succeed at both the “first moment of truth”

functionality and industry-specific text

reporting platform; SMG InForm (digital

(purchase) and the “second moment of

analytics. SMG also maintains a

comment card); third-party survey

truth” (product usage experience), through

benchmark database of comparative

integration; global text analytics; local

a range of services, including:

quantitative and qualitative data.

social reporting and on-demand translation

PRS IN VIVO helps consumer marketers

• Qualitative exploration and screening

• Brand Research: SMG offers traditional

for 100-plus languages. In 2016 and beyond SMG plans a

studies (at ShopperLabs) to screen and

brand tracking as well as access to

refine product, packaging, shelving and

dynamic customer and competitor data

continued technology focus, particularly

merchandising concepts

through our market intelligence tool,

through the launch of smg360—our

• Quantitative evaluation studies to pretest

BrandGeek. Fueled by SurveyMini—our

integrated reporting platform. We will

and quantify new packaging, shelving

location-based mobile research app—

relaunch smg.com, enhance role-based

and display systems (via ShopperLab,

BrandGeek contains consumer feedback

reporting (mobile app) and optimize tools

in-person and web-based studies)

and behavioral data relating to

to streamline processes for clients and

4,500-plus brands across 500,000-plus

internal teams.

• Volume forecasting and product testing for both re-stages and innovations • “Nudge” initiatives to motivate behavioral change and drive growth

The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

• PRS’s leadership in eye-tracking research

locations. With the ability to instantly analyze behavioral data alongside consumer feedback, the tool revolutionizes CX research.

The firm has approximately 300

• Employee Engagement: SMG helps

employees across offices in New York,

clients understand and manage the

Chicago, Paris, London, Geneva, Rome,

entire employee life cycle. Core

Frankfurt, Singapore, Shanghai and Mexico

engagement surveys demonstrate ROI

City. Major clients include Unilever, Nestle,

across the organization. Onboarding,

Colgate, L’Oreal, J&J and Pfizer, among

exit and pulse surveys also assess and

many others.

improve engagement. SMG’s integrated program includes goal setting, survey

27 smg.com

Service Management Group

design, reporting, analytics, action planning and follow-up.

U.S. Headquarters kansas city, mo Founded 1991 2015 U.S. Revenue $45.6 million Percent Change from 2014 +11.2% $4.3 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S 8.6% U.S. Employees 276

Andy Fromm

Chairman & CEO; B.A., Boston University

SMG partners with more than 325 brands to drive loyalty and improve sales. Solutions include omniCX, Brand Research and Employee Engagement. With offices in Kansas City, Missouri; Boston; London and Tokyo, SMG is a technology-enabled research firm with a global footprint, evaluating more than 130 million surveys annually in 50 languages across 125 countries. • OmniCX: Combining research methodologies such as Top Box, NPS and others, June 2016 | marketing news

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28 YouGov yougov.com

U.S. Headquarters redwood city, ca Founded 2000 2015 U.S. Revenue $41.8 million Percent Change from 2014 +6.4% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $81.1 million Percent from Outside U.S. 66.0% U.S. Employees 140

David Porter

• Scientific research: The scientific research group provides full-service survey research for academics, health

SSRS is also a provider of omnibus research services in the US, including the

corporate clients. Survey methodolo-

SSRS Omnibus, a weekly nationally

gists serve clients who conduct survey

representative survey of 1,000 adults with

research intended for peer-to-peer

interviews in Spanish and 600 interviews

review. Survey research includes

on cell phones. The company introduced

multiwave panels, cross-national

the SSRS Millennial Omnibus, a monthly

studies, surveys with complex

study of 1,000 nationally representative

experimentation and hard-to-reach

18-to-35-year-olds. SSRS assures coverage

target populations.

of the growing millennial population by interviewing a minimum of 80% of

YouGov has 28 offices in 21 countries, providing geographic coverage in the U.S.,

respondents on cell phones. The company also conducts online

YouGov is a global market research

the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and

research. The SSRS Media & Technology

company that provides insights for brands,

Asia-Pacific. The YouGov online panel

Survey monitors trends and changes in the

advertising and media agencies, institu-

currently engages nearly four million

video market. Additional online offerings

tions, investors and media publishers

people across more than 37 countries.

include the SSRS Probability Panel, which recruits panelists through the SSRS

around the world. Products include custom research, syndicated products such as YouGov BrandIndex and YouGov Profiles and omnibus research. • Custom research: YouGov offers a full range of research and consulting services to help companies make smarter decisions about their markets, customers and offerings. YouGov addresses business questions related to market structure and composition, innovation and product development, product/service optimization, customer experience, branding and market effectiveness. • YouGov BrandIndex: A daily measure of

SSRS

Omnibus. Surveys are designed to ensure a positive panelist experience.

ssrs.com

U.S. Headquarters media, pa Founded 1983 2015 U.S. Revenue $40.8 million Percent Change from 2014 +7.4% $0.9 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 2.2% U.S. Employees 177

Melissa J. Herrmann

President; M.A., University of Pennsylvania

brand perception, tracking thousands of

30 Directions Research directionsresearch.com

U.S. Headquarters cincinnati, oh Founded 1988 2015 U.S. Revenue $40.6 million Percent Change from 2014 +12.5% $0.0 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Non-U.S. Revenue 0.0% U.S. Employees 141

Randy Brooks

brands across dozens of industry

SSRS is a full-service market and survey

sectors. Subscribers gain a real-time

research firm managed by a core of

picture of brand performance across 16

dedicated professionals with advanced

key measures with demographic and

degrees in the social sciences. Since 1986,

behavioral filters available. BrandIndex

SSRS (formerly known as ICR and SSRS/

is available in 24 countries and

Social Science Research Solutions) has

conducts more than five million

been a subsidiary of Mount Laurel, New

interviews every year.

Jersey-based AUS Inc., a privately held

Directions Research, Inc. (Directions) is a

company. SSRS provides the analytical,

privately held firm based in Cincinnati with

media planning product for brands and

administrative and management capabili-

seven regional offices. Ownership of the

their agencies. Powered by a connected

ties needed for project execution. The

company is in the hands of 33 members of

data set, Profiles gives marketers a rich

company designs and implements

its entrepreneurial senior staff. Honored to

and detailed portrait of their customers’

solutions to complex strategic, tactical,

be “One of the Top Places to Work,”

complex lives—across more than 150,000

public opinion and policy issues in the

Directions has provided clients with a very

variables, including demographics,

U.S. and in more than 40 countries

stable staff since turnover has been less

attitudes and opinions; brand usage and

worldwide. Its in-house resources include

than 2% over 28 years.

perception; media consumption; lifestyle;

three interviewing centers and the

social media and digital engagement.

corporate headquarters.

• YouGov Profiles: A segmentation and

• YouGov Omnibus: A 24-hour nationally

modes of data collection.

researchers, policy think tanks and

U.S. CEO & CFO; B.S., University of Florida

sample designs and experience with all

SSRS focuses on public opinion polling,

Chairman of the Board; M.B.A., University of Cincinnati

Jim Lane

President; M.B.A., Northwestern University

Independently recognized as one of the top business decision insight firms in the nation, the firm combines a highly

representative omnibus with specialist

social science research, policy research,

experienced staff with a unique mix of

studies including B-to-B, children,

multicultural research and sports/leisure.

innovative and proven approaches to

homeowners, international and citybus

SSRS has expertise surveying low-inci-

answer pressing business issues. Directions’

and an extensive field and tab division.

dence populations, creating sophisticated

clients value how the firm combines

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primary and connected data from various inputs to create a holistic picture and disseminate the story in a way that influences decisions effectively. Through motion graphics, management videos and infographic written reports, the firm communicates its knowledge is a manner that is right for today’s leaders. Directions specializes in the areas of innovation and optimization, customer and

31 Hanover Research hanoverresearch.com

U.S. Headquarters arlington, va Founded 2003 2015 U.S. Revenue $38.7 million Percent Change from 2014 +31.2%* 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $1.7 million Percent from Outside U.S. 4.2% U.S. Employees 300

brand experience, strategic business

Peter Dodge

intelligence and visualization across a wide

Chairman & Founder; B.A., Washington and Lee University

range of industries. The firm offers B-to-C and B-to-B services globally, surveying

Wesley Givens

audiences using a broad selection of data

CEO; B.A., Washington and Lee University

collection techniques. Directions prides itself on making the client’s life easier by getting the design, budget and analytical insight right.

Core Practice Areas: • Hanover’s enterprise practice supports corporate executives, focusing primarily on research initiatives related to brand tracking and positioning, market assessment, product management and customer knowledge. • Hanover’s K12 practice addresses the key priorities of K-12 administrators, including program evaluation, resource management and learning assessment. • Hanover’s higher-education practice delivers tailored research support to higher-education administrators across enrollment, academic affairs, business and finance, marketing and continuing education functions.

Hanover Research is a global information

In 2016 Hanover plans additional

Technology is playing a larger role in

services firm that provides high-quality

product development and technology

everything the firm touches. Combining

custom research and analytics through

investments including platforms that allow

the speed and actionability of client-

a cost-effective model, which helps

clients to more quickly and easily access,

facing digital dashboards with deep

clients make informed decisions, identify

visualize, model and interpret the data and

analytics and data modeling allows

and seize opportunities and heighten

information we provide.

Directions to deliver valuable insights to

their effectiveness.

broad audiences quickly. Directions’ staff has an excellent mix of

Hanover serves more than 1,000

* ’% Change’ calculation reflects adjustment

organizations and companies worldwide,

of previously reported 2014 U.S. research

client and supplier-side experience. The

from small school districts to Fortune 500

revenue due to acquisition/divestiture

organization allows senior researchers to

companies. We partner with C-suite

activity or other business change in 2015.

work with clients on a day-to-day basis.

officers, strategy and marketing executives,

Directions regularly invests in R&D

university provosts, school superintendents

projects designed to examine issues of

and other leaders in need of sustained,

interest to clients and the industry. In 2015,

structured decision-making support.

these efforts included: • Normalizing the measurement of emotion in quantitative engagements. • Improving the actionability and

Hanover operates on an annual, fixed-fee model, and partnership provides our clients with access to a team of high-caliber researchers, survey experts,

sensitivity of brand image and equity

analysts, and statisticians with a diverse

measurement programs through a

set of skills in market research, information

cohesive program called SmartTrak.

services, and analytics. There is no limit on the type of challenge that can be asked or

32 MarketCast mcast.com

U.S. Headquarters los angeles, ca Founded 1985 2015 U.S. Revenue $36.3 million Percent Change from 2014 +20.6% $17.0 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 31.9% U.S. Employees 115

on the quantitative and qualitative approaches Hanover utilizes to deliver

Henry Shapiro

solutions, most of which are very difficult

CEO; M.B.A., Harvard Business School

to replicate internally. Custom research services include: • Primary research: survey design, administration and analysis; qualitative data coding; in-depth interviews and benchmarking • Secondary research: market segmenta-

• Insight Strategy Group, a research and strategy agency MarketCast, a portfolio company of RLJ

tion and evaluation, labor and

Equity Partners and GE Asset Management,

demographic trends and forecasts,

is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices

vendor and product reviews and best

in New York, Boston and London. Market-

practices reports

Cast is a provider of marketing research

• Data analysis: data segmentation

2015 acquisitions:

services for the global entertainment

and mining, descriptive and

industry. Through a variety of consulting

predictive analytics and data

services backed by rigorously scientific

forecasting and modeling

research methods, MarketCast works in

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collaboration with marketers and researchers across the entertainment spectrum in the development and execution of their

Market33 Phoenix ing International phoenixmi.com

marketing strategies, from early concept exploration through distribution. MarketCast services are available worldwide and include materials testing, concept and positioning studies, exit polls, recruited audience screenings, social media analytics, tracking studies and focus groups as well as a host of custom offerings including brand/franchise studies, post-release studies and attitudes and usage studies. In August 2015, MarketCast completed the acquisition of Insight Strategy Group, a leading New York-based research and strategy agency that leverages deep

Phoenix continues to challenge and reinvent the traditional marketing research paradigm every day. mXP, Phoenix’s new mobile insights offering powered by

U.S. Headquarters rhinebeck, ny Founded 1999 2015 U.S. Revenue $34.2 million Percent Change from 2014 +12.5% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $2.3 million Percent from Outside U.S. 6.3% U.S. Employees 115

Allen R. DeCotiis

Chairman & CEO; Ph.D., Emory University

Martha Rea

President; B.S., University of South Florida

expertise anchored in social sciences to

SessionM, is a suite of mobile products that provide access to an extensive network of on-the-go consumers, sourced from more than 100 million mobile device users and among a coalition of 1,700 integrated mobile apps. This mobile-first approach garners more than 275,000 responses each day, giving brands quick, actionable feedback and the ability to retarget respondents for additional insights or to share relevant messaging. The firm’s research expertise includes qualitative and quantitative research conducted throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and emerging markets

fuel brand growth, new product

Phoenix utilizes the strengths of senior

featuring communications and brand work

introductions and service and content

market researchers by developing unique

involving concept development, customer

innovation. Insight Strategy Group’s core

shared data and proprietary analytic

satisfaction, brand/ad/copy measurement,

services include segmentation and

techniques and managing large custom

service quality measurement and financial

targeting strategy, brand positioning and

projects on behalf of clients across the

measurement. One of the great differentia-

tracking, product innovation and testing

automotive, financial services, health care,

tors of our company is a large-scale

and customer experience strategy. A

converged technology and media,

syndicated tracking advertising/communica-

go-to partner for media and entertain-

restaurant, consumer goods and travel/

tion audit and performance evaluation

ment clients, Insight Strategy Group also

leisure sectors. Phoenix’s combination of

system (AdPi and BrandPi Audits). Our

has established industry practices in

syndicated, modeling and custom research

syndicated products include AdPi Express,

lifestyle, consumer goods, retail and

in the areas of ad/brand/copy test

Global Wealth Monitor, Phoenix 360

services businesses as well as a preemi-

measurement, product innovation and

PatientView, Credit Card/Mobile Payments

nent youth practice.

customer experience are the focus of the

Monitor, Consumer Convergence 360, Virtual

company and have made Phoenix Marketing

Mailbox, Hotel BASE and Hotel SCORES.

International a unique and important partner in the marketing research industry.

Phoenix Marketing International has established global presence with offices in New York; Boston; Los Angeles; Philadelphia; Miami; Detroit; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, New Jersey; Maryland and a European Union office in London.

Global 34 Radius Market Research radius-global.com

U.S. Headquarters new york Founded 1960 2015 U.S. Revenue $32.0 million Percent Change from 2014 2.6% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.8 million Percent from Outside U.S. 2.4% U.S. Employees 103

Chip Lister

Managing Director; B.A., Temple University Radius Global Market Research guides global and industry leaders in solving their most

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complex issues in development, marketing

identifies the optimal pricing strategy in a

and communications. We design custom

competitive context for both new and

quantitative and qualitative approaches for

existing brands.

EquityDeveloper is a comprehensive,

and cost effective approaches to guide the

efficient approach to your brand’s equity. It

decision-making process. It uses OptionDe-

assesses a brand to build higher profit

veloper to maximize the impact of a new

margins. It provides understanding of a

concept. LineDeveloper selects the right

brand’s value and proposition.

pathway to line extensions.

Message Optimizer identifyies a

Radius Satisfaction gains an understand-

powerful and cohesive set of messages to

ing of how to build upon or improve

optimize your brand. It makes messaging

customer loyalty. LoyaltyDeveloper helps

as compelling as possible.

prioritize what factors optimize loyalty

Opportunities and Barriers identifies competitive vulnerabilities and opportunities to strengthen a brand’s position. Opportuni-

mv-research.com

Radius Product leverages more accurate

while LoyaltyCheck monitors progress at influencing consumers.

U.S. Headquarters cincinnati, oh Founded 1983 2015 U.S. Revenue $30.4 million Percent Change from 2014 -9.0% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.0 Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0% U.S. Employees 130

Tyler McMullen

President & CEO; M.B.A., University of Virginia

Radius Shopper Insights assesses subtle

ties and Barriers helps evaluate and improve

and complex influences upon the in-store

MarketVision is a full-service, primary

competitive position while MarketCheck

purchase decision. EyeScan measures the

marketing research consultancy,

provides an ongoing monitor of the

impact of packaging on shelf and among

providing clients with actionable insights

landscape and competitive relationships.

competitors, while Virtual Environments

about their markets, customers,

Radius Market Strategy enhances a brand’s position in the competitive landscape. Configure provides insights into

simulates in-store elements through

brands and products. Research areas

innovative technology.

of focus include product and portfolio

In 2015 Radius GMR expanded into two

development, pricing, branding,

the structure of the market, while Segmenter

markets: Beijing is the hub for our Radius

segmentation and customer satisfaction.

identifies core targets. Predictor links survey

Asia market research professionals handling

The company offers a full suite of

and marketing data to increase sales.

projects from Singapore to Tokyo. Radius

quantitative and qualitative research

MEA opened an office in Dubai serving our

capabilities and works across

clients in the Middle East and Africa.

industry groups.

PriceDeveloper is a powerful approach to your most complex pricing issues. It

The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

one focus: to deliver better business results.

35 MarketVision Research

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• Opened office in Dubai in support of

needs. Informa’s researchers are highly

education program and frequently shares

The firm invests significantly in its

growing consumer and health-care

experienced in competitive intelligence,

findings with the research community.

practice.

new product development, usability

MarketVision also leads a variety of

• Expanded synthesis capability of client

testing, customer/member satisfaction

research training and development

data streams with primary research.

and loyalty research, brand/advertising

• Spoke at major industry events such as

awareness research, mystery shopping

programs for clients and individuals. The Research on Research program explored the following topics: • Multiplatform survey design: Evaluating

MRA and PMRG. • MarketVision was included in the 2015 Inc. 5,000 rankings.

alternatives for survey design for multiplatform respondent participation and ADA accessibility • Impact of rising oncology medication costs on patients: Exploring the topic

maintain treatment Unique capabilities: • Optimization: MarketVision’s Marketing Sciences group is recognized as a leader in discrete choice modeling and

Informa Research Services

informars.com

Charles Miwa

such as product and service develop-

President; M.B.A., University of Southern California

ment, branding, packaging and pricing. • Innovation: MarketVision has a team of

For more than 33 years, Informa Research

research around innovation, using

Services has helped financial institutions

qualitative research with consumers to

compete more effectively and improve

fill in the gaps in the innovation

employee sales and service. The company’s

process and matching with quantita-

mystery shop programs help increase

tive research.

deposits, new account growth, cross-sales

Informa Research Services is considered a leader in the use of market research to limit the risk associated with allegations of discrimination, UDAAP

and depth of accounts by motivating and

practices), predatory lending and misleading sales practices.

37 LRA by Deloitte deloitte.com

U.S. Headquarters horsham, pa Founded 1981 2015 U.S. Revenue $25.2 million Percent Change from 2014 0.0% $8.3 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 24.8% U.S. Employees 315

Rob Rush

Managing Director; B.S., Cornell University

2007, MarketVision has provided online

recognizing superior and consistent

LRA by Deloitte is a global provider of

communities that are completely

employee performance. Informa’s clients

Customer Experience Measurement

managed and developed in-house. The

come from all sectors, including retail

services for multinational companies with

platform is engaging and mobile-enabled,

banks, credit unions, bank-owned and

complex customer interactions. For more

and clients are provided proactive

independent mortgage companies,

than 30 years, LRA by Deloitte’s innovative

research plans with timely deliverables.

insurance, brokerages and mutual funds.

brand standards audits, quality assurance

Because of its strong background in

inspections, mystery shopping programs,

Major activities from 2015: • Enhanced survey platform to facilitate multiplatform and ADA accessibility.

specialists. The group conducts much

• Online Communities (MROCs): Since

compliance, discrimination and misleading

(unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or

U.S. Headquarters calabasas, ca Founded 1983 2015 U.S. Revenues $25.7 million Percent Change from 2014 -3.4% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.0 Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0% U.S. Employees 180

optimization with application to areas

15 moderators and qualitative research

evaluation, legal matched-pair testing, sales practices testing.

of rising costs of medication and the trade-offs patients make to

services for sales, service quality

the financial industry, the company is

research and consulting services have

uniquely qualified to help financial

helped ensure our clients deliver consis-

institutions with their market research

tent, memorable and differentiated

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modeling studies; customer segmentation

the world’s preeminent global hospitality

and personae development studies; touch-

brands, as well as companies in the

point- and ”moment-of-truth-“ focused

gaming, dining, health-care, sports and

surveys and modeling the “emotional

entertainment, real estate, retail and travel

connection” of customers to company and

industries choose LRA by Deloitte to help

its impact on behavior, spending and

them measure and improve the customer

share of wallet.

experience in more than 125 countries around the globe. LRA by Deloitte’s research offerings are

We are especially known for our focus on gathering field/operational data via our audits and inspections and mystery

38 Cello Health** cellohealth.com

U.S. Headquarters new york Founded 2004 2015 U.S. Revenue $24.9 million Percent Change from 2014 +31.7% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $72.3 million Percent from Outside U.S. 74.4% U.S. Employees 95

focused on helping our clients to define

shopping offerings. This capability allows

and measure the “current state” of the

us to complement the sentiment/

Stephen Highley

customer experience, and then identify

directional data we are gathering from

Group COO

measures to enhance or reinvent that

customers with very granular, specific data

experience in order to drive customer

about how an operation is running or an

satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy and

experience is being delivered in the field.

positive customer outcomes and

Our plans in 2016 include the continued

Cello Health is one of the two operating segments of the Cello Group, a health-care

behaviors. Our standard offerings include

reach into the senior living, health-care,

and consumer strategic marketing

field and operational research; audits and

facility management, airlines, restaurant

company. Cello Health combines its core

inspections (quality assurance, brand

and retail industries.

capabilities of insight, consulting and

standards, operational excellence,

communications to provide health-care

emotional audits, etc.); mystery shopping

and pharmaceutical clients with compre-

(service, sales, operations, brand);

hensive services that address the require-

customer/employee research; qualitative/

ments of each project.

exploratory research (focus groups, IDIs);

Cello Health Insight is a global marketing

customer “tracking” survey research;

research company, providing business

customer “relationship” studies; employee

intelligence to the health-care and

engagement studies; conjoint/decision

pharmaceutical sectors. Cello Health

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The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

experiences to their customers. Many of

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Insight specializes in getting to the heart of our clients’ questions, using a large pool of creative and academic resources and providing design of materials and deliverables through a hand-picked project team selected to best meet the needs of each individual project. Cello Health Consulting is the strategic consulting arm of Cello Health, focused on delivering business results by unlocking the potential within organizations, people, assets and brands. Cello Health Consulting works alongside clients to create practical solutions, which ensures buy-in and builds relationships. Cello Health Consulting focuses on four key practices: brand and portfolio strategy, business sciences, early

39 Kelton

keltonglobal.com

U.S. Headquarters culver city, ca Founded 2003 2015 U.S. Revenue $23.4 million Percent Change from 2014 +23.2% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $5.9 million Percent from Outside U.S. 20.1% U.S. Employees 84

Tom Bernthal

Cofounder & CEO; B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Gareth Schweitzer Cofounder & President; B.A., McGill University

product commercialization and organizational excellence.

concept generation and launch strategy In 2015, Kelton had a year-over-year organic revenue growth of 21%, due in part to our innovative qualitative, quantitative and cultural insights work for several new clients and our growing brand development offerings. We were newly engaged by such iconic brands as Harley-Davidson, Burger King and Google while continuing to bolster our relationships with valued clients including Coca-Cola, Pfizer and Target. In 2016, Kelton is focused on continuing to grow its relationships with new and existing clients, growing the substantial part of our revenue that stems from outside the United States by offering

Kelton Global is a research consultancy

services to additional global brands and

that transforms rich insights into actionable

developing more proprietary products to

science, strategy and creativity to unlock

strategic plans. Kelton integrates market

compete at the highest level in the market

the potential of brands and assets. It

research, cultural insights, branding,

research space.

focuses on Evidence2Engagement,

communications and design to move

building a foundational evidence base and

brands confidently into the future. With

translating that into outcome-focused

offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York

behavior change; and it focuses on how

and London, Kelton is proud to work with

data and other insights are applied in a

more than 100 of the Fortune 500

strategic framework to support clinical and

companies and thousands of other

commercial success. Cello Health

well-loved brands.

Cello Health Communications combines

Communications services underpin differentiated positioning and deliver

Kelton’s offerings include: • Qualitative research: applied ethnogra-

brand optimization, focusing on multiple

phies, consumer inspiration sessions,

areas of development and launch through

LifeStories, In-Situ observations,

to commercial maturity.

SmartCommunities, trend scanning,

In May 2014, Cello Health acquired iS

semiotic analysis, archetype studies and

Healthcare Dynamics Limited (“iS”), a

analysis, cocreation and digital

health-care communications agency,

anthropology

specializing in medical communication

• Quantitative research: Customer Brand

40 KS&R ksrinc.com

U.S. Headquarters syracuse, ny Founded 1983 2015 U.S. Revenue $22.0 million Percent Change from 2014 -0.5% $2.6 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 10.6% U.S. Employees 170

Rita L. Reicher

Chairman & President; Ph.D., Yale University

services to United Kingdom, European and

Health Tracker; people, ideas and trends

global health-care clients. In December

tracking; customer segmentation;

KS&R (Knowledge Systems & Research,

2014, Cello Health acquired Promedica, a

attitudes and usage; consumer choice

Inc.) is a full-service, privately held

San Francisco-based, full-service market

modeling; price perception and

company based in Syracuse, N.Y. KS&R has

research consulting firm, specializing in new

elasticity; line extension analysis;

offices throughout the U.S. as well as in

product planning for life science companies.

portfolio optimization; messaging/

Frankfurt, Germany.

positioning optimization; package ** Some or all figures are not made available by this company so instead are based upon estimation by the report authors.

KS&R’s mission is to provide our clients

testing; new product testing and brand

with deep market insights that lead to

and ad optimization

informed decisions. Having extensive

• Design: product, service and communi-

client-side experience ourselves, we

cations innovation; customer journey

understand the importance of integrating

mapping; prototype optimization; visual

learning into concise and memorable

merchandising; information design;

storylines that motivate action. Our depth

concept ideation; path-to-purchase and

and dedication to long-term relationships

new product development

with our clients allow us to continually

• Communications: information design, video documentary, language and

build on these stories over time. KS&R’s portfolio of comprehensive

message development and strategic

research and consulting services enables us

thought-leadership research

to integrate learnings across the entire

• Strategic Consulting: brand landscape analysis, brand positioning, marketing

strategy, agency search and briefing, new

product/service life cycle. Some of our approaches include:

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• Applying creative qualitative techniques

entity in 1943, spent two decades as a

to generate new product ideas, build

division of Booz Allen & Hamilton and was

empathy and examine the customer

reorganized as an employee-owned

journey. This includes customer

company in 2004.

immersion (ethnography), cocreation and persona development. • Building advanced business models to

NAXION is a true data-powered consultancy guiding strategic business decisions in health-care, information

understand the market size and

technology, financial services, energy and

opportunity, segment key targets, design

B-to-B markets. Decision support is guided

the best value proposition and explore

by depth of marketing experience in key

feature configurations, messaging,

verticals and sophisticated, highly

pricing and competitive responses

customized methodologies including

through customized, user-friendly

cutting edge forecast modeling and

market simulators.

analytics. The firm’s NAscence Group

• Tracking behaviors and sentiments

supports life sciences bio-innovation by

42 Gongos gongos.com

U.S. Headquarters auburn hills, mi Founded 1991 2015 U.S. Revenue $20.9 million Percent Change from 2014 +4.5% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $1.6 million Percent from Outside U.S. 7.1% U.S. Employees 129

Camille Nicita

President & CEO; M.B.A., Wayne State University

providing forecasting and other research-

Gongos, Inc. is a decision intelligence

generating scorecard and dashboard

based consulting services in support of

company that partners with Global 1,000

tools for monitoring the business and

commercialization strategy.

corporations to help build the capability and

over time and across touch points,

driving change.

Types of projects routinely conducted

competency in making great consumer-

by NAXION include market segmentation,

minded decisions. Gongos brings a

they develop—not just through primary

opportunity assessment and demand

consultative approach in developing growth

research, but also by scraping relevant

forecasting, pricing, positioning and

strategies propelled by its clients’ insights,

data from social sites, blogs and

market entry strategy, innovation and

analytics, strategy and innovation groups.

forums; synthesizing results over time

transformation, brand health and life

across primary, secondary and

cycle management.

• Ensuring a holistic lens to the stories as

syndicated sources; and marrying Big

Project leaders are supported by an

Its data sciences group, O2 Integrated, sharpens the discipline of leveraging existing and disparate data sources to

Data insights to the models, analyses

in-house team of methodologists and a

extract value. The company’s heritage

and stories that emerge.

wide portfolio of modeling tools and

brand, Gongos Research, acquires primary

software including proprietary modeling

knowledge to deepen strategic insights. Its

services and software—all of them highly

insight curation practice, Arti-fact,

honored to receive the highest Gold Index

customized. The firm continues to invest

transforms the way organizations preserve

composite score of any provider in the

significant resources in intellectual capital

and socialize consumer wisdom. This

Prevision/Inside Research survey of

designed to enhance enterprise decision

blending of mind-sets catalyzes a

marketing research buyers—a testament to

support, including specialized small data

pioneering approach in solving both simple

our business model and ongoing success.

choice models to enhance decision

and complex business challenges.

For the past five years, KS&R has been

support in specialized markets and new

Enlisting the multidisciplinary talents of

41 NAXION

predictive techniques and advanced text

researchers, data scientists and curators, the

analytics. Its Farsight suite of forecasting

company fuels a culture of learning both

services support the building of highly

internally and within its clients’ organizations.

dynamic market models. Other services

Gongos also works with clients to develop

U.S. Headquarters Philadelphia, PA Founded 1911 2015 U.S. Revenue $20.9 million Percent Change from 2014 -2.3% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.0 million Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0% U.S. Employees 76

include litigation and regulatory support,

strategic frameworks to navigate the change

often involving expert testimony on

required for executional excellence. It serves

trademark confusion, deceptive advertis-

organizations in the consumer products,

ing and brand equity.

financial services, health-care, lifestyle, retail

naxionthinking.com

Susan Schwartz McDonald

President & CEO; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

and automotive spaces. Gongos leverages technology to go beyond insight generation and to drive intra-organizational intelligence. Its mobile-enabled research community platform, Instinct, facilitates real-time learning and cocreation with consumers. In 2015, Gongos won the North American DIVA award for one of its custom

NAXION (formerly National Analysts

insights and data visualization platforms

Worldwide) was established as the world’s

that transformed complex information into

first market research unit in 1911 by Curtis

a consumable story. Gongos was also

Publishing Company (publisher of

recognized last year for its ongoing

Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home

collaboration with a Global 1,000 client in

Journal). It became a separate corporate

advancing mobile methods.

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43 The Link Group

44 Fors Marsh Group

U.S. Headquarters atlanta, ga Founded 1994 2015 U.S. Revenue $20.7 million Percent Change from 2014 +4.0% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $2.7 million Percent from Outside U.S. 11.5% U.S. Employees 60

U.S. Headquarters arlington, va Founded 2002 2015 U.S. Revenue $20.2 million Percent Change from 2014 +23.2% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.0 Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0% U.S. Employees 115

tlg.com

forsmarshgroup.com

Tom Pfeil

Sean M. Marsh

Cofounder & Partner; M.B.A., University of Texas at Austin

Brad Camrud

President; M.S., Thunderbird School of Global Management

Fors Marsh Group LLC (FMG), based in

philosophies and practices of behavioral and cognitive psychology, anthropology and communication to understand how users think and interact in everyday situations. The firm houses a state-ofthe-art user experience and behavioral economics lab equipped to test participants on-site and remotely. • Public policy insights: FMG conducts quantitative analyses, policy analysis, policy evaluation and implementation governmental and nongovernmental programs and policies.

Arlington, Virginia, is a privately held corporation that specializes in measuring, understanding and influencing the way

company with staff divided between

people think and make decisions. Since its

Atlanta and Durham, North Carolina.

founding in 2002, FMG has successfully completed hundreds of large-scale and

qualitative and one-third quantitative, and

highly visible projects on behalf of

the firm has more than 30 RIVA-trained

government agencies, private sector firms,

moderators on staff.

nonprofits and educational institutions.

The Link Group’s tagline is “Smarter

experience: FMG integrates the

research to evaluate the performance of

The Link Group (TLG) is a privately held

The firm’s revenue is roughly two-thirds

The full-service market research firm

45 actûrus acturus.com

U.S. Headquarters farminton, ct Founded 1978 2015 U.S. Revenue $19.7 million Percent Change from 2014 +43.8% $2.6 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 11.7% U.S. Employees 70

research. Better service.” Those values dictate

provides research, support and strategy

the business’s approach. Smarter research is

consulting for improved communication,

all about the way in which the Link Group

increased operational efficiency and better

solves clients’ research problems through a

organizational decision-making. Using

Doug Guion

mix of creativity, customization, immersion in

qualitative, quantitative and physiological

President

the category and delivering actionable

methods, FMG has experience across a

reports. The Link Group focuses on making

broad range of subject areas, including:

research truly custom, ensuring that the

• Military recruiting personnel and readiness

The Pert Group and MSS, two market

and veterans: Since its founding, FMG has

research consultancies, merged on July 1,

provided research that stands up to the

2015 resulting in actûrus. This logical

Link Group approaches our client

scrutiny ever-present when researching

evolution bridges the powerful connection

relationships. We focus on our client’s

military populations from recruiting,

between buyers and their influencers in our

needs by having a project lead who is a

member stress and quality of life, veterans

unprecedented 360x360 approach.

single point of contact end-to-end, which

reentering the workforce to overseas

maximizes responsiveness and minimizes

voting and public affairs.

research method fits the objective at hand. Better service is at the core of how the

balls getting dropped. Ninety-nine % of the

• Communication research: FMG has

Actûrus specializes in qualitative, quantitative and multisponsored studies providing our unique 360x360 view. Our

conducted projects focused on tracking

customized research strategies are

and evaluation, brand equity and

designed to help clients understand not

and end with the Link Group’s people. TLG

identity positioning, communication

only the consumer, but also the influences

hires an inquisitive brand of outgoing

planning and design, belief analysis,

that surround them. Our ability to identify

problem solvers to work in a highly

copy/concept testing, consumer

and understand the relationship between

collaborative environment, and those values

attitudes and opinion measurement and

consumer and influencer allows us to

ultimately flow to the client. TLG boasts

market segmentation to help inform

deliver a richer, more nuanced view of

extremely low turnover of just 6%, which

strategy and execution. Focus areas

consumer decision making. This multidi-

means clients get to see the same faces over

include: health, risk communication and

mensional approach produces a better

time to grow partnerships. TLG’s clients are

cause marketing.

understanding of the how and why of the

firm’s revenue comes from repeat clients. Smarter research and better service start

typically Fortune 500 firms in the health

CEO; Ph.D., George Mason University

• Behavioral economics and user

• Workforce development: FMG’s team of

buying decision, enhances the value of

care, retail, technology, and CPG industries.

industrial organizational psychologists

traditional research, and provides a clear

TLG’s research typically falls into these

helps organizations with program and

roadmap for optimizing business and

areas: positioning, branding and messag-

training evaluation, attraction and

brand performance. This new perspective

ing, concept development, emotional

recruitment research, career mapping,

allows us to speak the language of the

insights, ethnography (Onsite Insights),

employee satisfaction surveys and

consumer, shopper, diner, purchaser,

customer satisfaction and segmentation.

workforce development.

bartender, salesperson, sommelier and

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through the design and delivery of solutions

change in approach to identifying,

that yield deeper customer understanding.

Combining marketing science and

clarifying and providing concrete direction

We surround our clients’ business challenges

technology creates our systematic

on the most complex business questions

with an unparalleled mix of knowledge and

approach to understanding and

across a wide variety of industries for some

experience, marketing science and

measuring differentiated customer

of the world’s biggest brands.

proprietary research technology. Our work involves both B-to-C and

Bellomy Research bellomyresearch.com

U.S. Headquarters winston-salem, nc Founded 1976 2015 U.S. Revenue $17.9 million Percent Change from 2014 -12.7% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.0 Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0% U.S. Employees 120

John Sessions CEO; M.B.A., Wake Forest University

B-to-B environments with qualitative and quantitative insight solutions spanning market segmentation, customer experi-

understanding shoppers gets to the why behind consumer behavior. • Social research platforms: We engage

ence and journeys (including digital user

customers and key stakeholder communities via a broad array of

innovation, shopper insights, marketing

activities including discussions,

optimization, social research platforms and

quick polls, surveys, video chats and

research technology. We work with clients

digital diaries. • Brand equity: Measuring and under-

industries including consumer packaged

standing a brand’s place in the hearts

goods, financial services, automotive,

and minds of the market provide

retail, restaurant and hospitality, telecom-

direction on how to convert prospects

munications and technology, apparel/

to customers and increase devotion to

textiles, utilities, health care, insurance and home improvement. Bellomy areas of expertise include:

experiences. • Shopper insights: Our approach to

experiences), brand equity, product

across a broad range of categories and

• Segmentation: A collaborative,

the brand. • Product innovation: Design, optimize, and validate innovation with insights at every stage. • Marketing optimization: These tools

Bellomy Research, Inc., based in Winston-

outcome-oriented approach to segmen-

Salem, North Carolina, is a privately held,

tation, ensuring actionable segments

define the optimal mix of product, price,

family owned company. Bellomy focuses on

that are stable, meaningful, differenti-

package and messaging.

driving successful business outcomes

ated and embraced.

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The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

• Customer (and digital) experience:

mechanic. Actûrus provides a radical

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where physical interactions with the

identified: conversion, onboarding,

leverage SmartIDEAS, our enterprise

product are included as part of the

compliance, expectations, disconnects

consumer knowledge and insight platform.

optimization model, to advanced brand

and relationship. Customer expectations

Bellomy is a founding sponsor of the

mapping with customer demand-segment

are defined for each. The odds of earning

Center for Retail Innovation at the Wake

overlays and dynamic simulation.

loyalty are higher if the business engages

In addition, Bellomy clients are able to

Forest University School of Business and a

For our employees, we’ve launched a

its customers at the start. Feedback

member of UGA’s Advisory Board in the

number of training initiatives; perhaps

modules at each stage drive operational

MMR program. Bellomy has client service

none more important than “Start Early,”

improvements. Customers expect the

offices in Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas and

our process for helping researchers at all

business to provide different values in

Los Angeles.

levels find and deliver the story the data

each stage.

wants to tell.

47 RTi Research rtiresearch.com

U.S. Headquarters Norwalk, ct Founded 1979 2015 U.S. Revenue $17.4 million Percent Change from 2014 +6.1% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.0 Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0 U.S. Employees 55

David Rothstein CEO; M.B.A., University of Rochester

RTi also continues to support our clients’

No single customer satisfaction survey can adequately measure performance in all

success through our series of Quick

stages. Market Probe proposes five

Courses and webinars, which provide

different modules to assess customer

complimentary education and professional

satisfaction and a relationship survey to

development to corporate researchers in

assess customer advocacy to drive loyalty.

easy-to-digest, one-hour seminars.

Market Probe recommends advocacy as

We find that clients begin working with

the relationship metric to link to customer

RTi because they seek higher-level, more

loyalty though satisfaction serves the

insightful thinking and more attentive

needs of the first five modules. Using this

service from a research partner that

framework, Market Probe offers technol-

understands what it takes to support

ogy-enabled business solutions for

their personal success as well as their

businesses to structure their CEM

company’s. Clients stay with us because

programs. Digital media, scorecards, dashboards and data visualization solutions

we deliver.

are widely used. The new framework can RTi helps turn insight into action. We are an innovative, global, full-service market research company, and for more than three decades, our clients have counted on us to connect the dots, tell the story and influence decisions. We are a three-time winner of the Connecticut Top Workplace Award. Through our talented, passionate and dedicated team, we provide marketingfocused research and brand strategy

T.R. Rao

President & CEO; Ph.D., Michigan State University

regarded brands and companies within their respective industries.

accommodate other popular metrics like net promoter score and multi-item indices. While CEM programs are increasingly driven to be operationally focused, the feedback from customers guides strategic decisions as well: benchmarking, alignment of text analytics with social media sentiments, integration of brand and CEM research and cross-product loyalty behaviors are examples. Customers want to feel valued throughout their association with a business while businesses want customers to be loyal for life and contribute to organic growth and brand advocacy. CEM has become an essential management tool to achieve these goals and drive

traditional research tools and methods, RTi

Market Probe offers 40 years of experience

organizational transformation to become

continuously develops specialized products

in designing and implementing customer

customer-centric.

leveraging technology, advances in data

experience management (CEM) programs

collection modes and advanced analytics in

in various sectors, including financial

support of increasingly complex business

services, health-care, manufacturing and

decisions being made in an increasingly

utilities/telecom. Customer loyalty is the

complex business environment.

universal pursuit of all businesses and the

For example, our exciting new ideation

central focus of all CEM programs. Most

and innovation platform, RTi Ingenuity, has

CEM programs focus on measuring

developed an impressive track record of

customer experiences at various touch

success in a short time. RTi Ingenuity

points. While touch points are important,

accelerates and energizes innovation,

Market Probe proposes that the odds of

ideation and naming through an exclusive

businesses earning customer loyalty are

“creative genius” panel and a proven yet

much higher by engaging their customers

customizable process.

throughout product ownership.

Other advances from our analytics team range from experiential conjoint analysis,

marketprobe.com

U.S. Headquarters milwaukee, wi Founded 1976 2015 U.S. Revenue $17.3 million Percent Change from 2014 -14.4% $22.8 million 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 56.9% U.S. Employees 60

services to the largest and most highly

In addition to our complete offering of

Market Probe

To operationalize the customer ownership cycle, six distinct stages are

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cmbinfo.com

U.S. Headquarters boston, ma Founded 1984 2015 U.S. Revenue $15.0 million Percent Change from 2014 -9.1% 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue $0.0 Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0% U.S. Employees 65

Anne Bailey Berman CEO & President; M.B.A., Boston University Chadwick Martin Bailey, Inc. (CMB) is a

In 2015, CMB introduced a new

telephone center and has access to

analysis, EMPACT, measuring how brands

more than 500 CATI-enabled data

make consumers feel and how those

collection stations. POS controls the

feelings influence key outcomes. CMB also

entire research process in-house,

released several self-funded research

from questionnaire and sampling

reports via their Consumer Pulse programs.

design to survey briefing to data

Research from the 2015 Consumer Pulse program included insights into integration

For more than 30 years, CMB has helped the most successful brands solve their biggest challenges by providing executives

telephone polling runs the gamut of

segmentation of millennials based on

research: nightly tracking surveys,

behavior and attitudes toward banking,

monthly national omnibus surveys,

investing and insurance.

single-issue surveys, benchmarks,

In 2016, CMB continues to invest in the

advanced and predictive analytics and straCMB’s approach is centered on identifying and delivering insights and recommendations that support confident, strategic decision-making across each of its six practice areas: digital media and

ing. With the rise of cell phone-only

the most successful brands solve their

households, the firm blends samples of

biggest challenges.

landline and cell phone records for its telephone research projects.

Opinion 50 Public Strategies pos.org

• Internet surveys: The firm’s internet surveys allow for both close-ended and open-ended questions. Respondents can be presented with and evaluate advertising concepts and

U.S. Headquarters alexandria, va Founded 1991 2015 U.S. Revenues $14.7 million Percent Change from 2014 -54.1% $0.0 2015 Non-U.S. Revenue Percent from Outside U.S. 0.0% U.S. Employees 31

entertainment, financial services, health

Bill McInturff

care, retail, technology and telecom, and

Cofounder & Partner; B.S., Boston University

travel and hospitality. CMB leverages four core competencies to provide executives with the information they need to compete

brushfire surveys and B-to-B interview-

people, resources and technology to help

with the best of primary market research, tegic consulting.

processing and analysis. • Telephone surveys: POS’s use of

of passive and survey data, as well as

privately held company founded in 1984 by Anne Bailey Berman and Dr. John Martin.

• Quantitative research: POS owns a

quantitatively based emotional impact

The 2016 AMA Gold Top 50 Report

Martin 49 Chadwick Bailey

messaging components. The firm has had success using internet-based surveys for specialized audiences, including hard-to-reach audiences and organizations’ member bases, and for quantitative measurement of advertising concepts. • Qualitative research: POS’s qualitative research methodologies serve to provide color and nuance to its quantitative results also stand on their own as a valuable research tool. The

successfully, retain clients and customers

Public Opinion Strategies LLC (POS) is a

firm has years of experience in

and drive growth and innovation:

national political and public affairs research

conducting various qualitative research

• Decision-focused quantitative research:

firm, conducting more than 6 million

methods, including traditional

CMB specializes in developing custom

interviews with voters and consumers in all

in-person focus groups, in-person

solutions to complex problems in market

50 states and more than 24 foreign

triads, internet focus groups, percep-

strategy, customer experience and

countries. Its qualitative experience comes

tion analyzer dial groups for testing

loyalty, growth and innovation and brand

from conducting more than 2,700 focus

advertisements and executive,

health and positioning.

groups across the country.

one-on-one, in-depth interviews.

• Advanced and predictive analytics: The

About half of POS’s research is

firm employs the methodologies that

dedicated to winning elections. Its

give clients a competitive advantage

political client base includes 15 U.S.

and increased confidence, from the

senators, six governors, more than 75

latest and greatest trade-off designs to

members of Congress and numerous

data fusion and predictive models.

state legislative caucuses. The other half

• Qualitative expertise: CMB’s experienced

of its work is involved in public policy

in-house qualitative team uses leading

battles, working with industry coalitions,

edge techniques to help clients explore,

government entities and private

listen and engage target customers.

companies. This work includes corporate

• Strategic consulting: The firm’s

image, community relations and crisis

consultative approach is embedded in

management research for local compa-

every engagement. Client partners

nies, Fortune 500 corporations and

value the firm’s strategic thinking,

industry associations.

clearly defined goals and problem-solving mind-set.

POS employs a number of research techniques: June 2016 | marketing news

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Marketing Research Company Profiles Find leading marketing research companies on the following pages who offer the knowledge, latest technology and tools to turn your marketing vision into reality. (Companies are listed in alphabetical order. The information in each listing was provided by the advertiser.)

Geographic Index to the Marketing Research Company Profiles — UNITED STATES — Arkansas C&C Market Research

Language Intelligence LRW  Radius Global Market Research SIS International Research

California LRW  Morpace Inc. Market Research and Consulting

Connecticut FocusVision  SSI

Georgia University of Georgia | MRII

Ohio Ascribe The Burke Institute

Pennsylvania

Michigan

B2B International  GfK North America HQ 82

FocusVision

Germany GfK Global HQ  SIS International Research

SIS International Research

Creative Consumer Research — Houston

Virginia

Philippines SIS International Research

Issues & Answers Network Inc.

Shanghai

Wisconsin

Morpace Inc. Market Research and Consulting

Market Probe

— CANADA —

SIS International Research

Singapore FocusVision

Quebec United Kingdom

Voxco

FocusVision

ADAPT Inc.

New York

Bulgaria

Korea Texas

J.D. Power Morpace Inc. Market Research and Consulting University of Georgia | MRII

Minnesota

FocusVision

LRW

Illinois Customer Lifecycle, LLC  Direct Resource, Inc. LRW

Brazil

— INTERNATIONAL — Australia FocusVision

LRW  Morpace Inc. Market Research and Consulting SIS International Research

MARKETING NEWS | JUNE 2016

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NOTE: The following information was supplied by display advertisers in this issue to provide readers with additional details about their companies. All of these Profiles are paid advertisements.

MARKETING RESEARCH

C&C Market Research

ADAPT Inc.  Location:  Minnetonka, MN  Contact:  Dave Koch  Phone:  952-939-0538  Email:  dkoch@ adaptdata.com  Web:  http://www.adaptdata.com  Over 30 years of survey processing experience dedicated to the market research industry. Services include: comment coding (in over 30 languages); mobile media coding; text analysis; survey printing and mailing (US and Canada); inbound mail management; image scanning and traditional data capture; verbatim keying and editing; transcription (focus groups, IDI’s and recorded IVR comments). We have extensive experience in Healthcare, Consumer and Employee research. When you need fast and accurate survey processing services, call the experts at ADAPT Inc.

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B2B International Location:  White Plains, New York Contact: Julia Cupman – VP / Director Email:  newyork@b2binternational.com Phone:  914-761-1909  Web: http://www.b2binternationalusa.com B2B International is the largest business-to-business market research company with offices across North America, Europe and Asia. Research services include branding, customer loyalty, needs assessment, product development, pricing, advertising / communications, market sizing and market entry. B2B International counts 600 of the world’s largest 1,500 companies among its client base. The company serves a wide range of sectors including manufacturing, construction, chemicals, IT / technology, financial and professional services, healthcare, and education, among others.

Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas Contact: Thomas Morrison Email: thomas@ccmarketresearch.com Web: http://www.ccmarketresearch.com C&C Market Research, an industry leader for over 25 years, is the complete answer to all of your data collection needs. Our highly trained data collection specialists and beautifully designed field locations, coupled with our state of the art programming and data transmission capabilities, will ensure your next project is a success. With 50 locations (and growing!) nationwide, we are the largest privately owned and operated data collection company in the U.S. and have remained a leader in today’s marketplace through hard work, ingenuity, and a dedication to quality that is second to none. Our specialties include eye tracking, medical/ executive interviewing, Hispanic interviewing, on-site interviewing, sensory testing, mall intercepts, new product development, product purchase retrieval, and more. Please give us a call today!

The Burke Institute Ascribe Location: Cincinnati, OH Contact: Rick Kieser, CEO of Ascribe Phone: 877-241-9112 Email: sales@ goascribe.com Web: www.goascribe.com Ascribe is the leading provider of verbatim text analytics solutions for the world’s most recognizable brands and research firms. Clients spanning 57 countries depend on Ascribe to gain real-time, accurate, and actionable insights into the feelings and experiences of their customers. Ascribe analyzes more than 300 million open-ended customer comments per year, captured across a broad range of channels and in a myriad of languages. With Ascribe, companies make better, moreinformed decisions through a deeper understanding of their customers and markets.

Location: Cincinnati, OH Contact: Jim Berling, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, The Burke Institute Email: info@burkeinstitute.com Web: http://www.burkeinstitute.com For 40 years, marketing and marketing research decision makers worldwide have turned to The Burke Institute, the premier provider of state-of-the-art marketing research training, for their professional development. Since our founding in 1975, The Burke Institute has trained more than 80,000 participants from 10,000 companies, in 40 countries. We have developed a structured learning environment, using real world case studies, delivered by seminar leaders with advanced academic credentials who work in the field. Experience our unequalled commitment to excellence by attending one of 20+ highly acclaimed marketing research seminar offerings or combine a group of courses into a unique customized program for your organization.

Creative Consumer Research — Houston Location: Houston (Stafford), TX Contact: Patricia Pratt, President Email: ppratt@ccrsurveys.com Phone: 281-240-9646 Web: http://www.ccrsurveys.com Complete field service covering all of Texas. Large conference-style focus group rooms; one-way mirrors; large client viewing spaces. Taste tests, telephone interviewing, executive surveys, mall intercepts, door-todoor interviewing, in store intercepts, mystery shops, store audits. Computer capabilities available. Bilingual interviewing, moderators, translators available. Large rooms for oversized equipment and 100+ respondents. Expert recruiting for low incidence projects. Nationwide recruiting and telephone interviewing capabilities. JUNE 2016 | MARKETING NEWS

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MARKETING RESEARCH

NOTE: The following information was supplied by display advertisers in this issue to provide readers with additional details about their companies. All of these Profiles are paid advertisements.

FocusVision  Customer Lifecycle, LLC  Location:  Bolingbrook, IL  Contact:  Karin A Ferenz, Principal  Email: kaferenz@ customerlifecycle.us  Phone:  630-412-8989  Web:  http://www.customerlifecycle.us  Customer Lifecycle is a global research consultancy working with B2B/B2C companies to plan and conduct research to accurately identify and measure requirements for customer acquisition, satisfaction and loyalty, share of wallet growth, and retention. We help organizations get better business results through improved integration of research findings into day-to-day operations. With reach to more than 3 million individuals in 160+ countries, we conduct strategic qualitative and quantitative research in multiple localized languages on a worldwide basis. We help companies avoid costly mistakes by focusing on thorough front-end planning, appropriate support for research execution, and action implementation at the back end.

Direct Resource, Inc.

GfK Locations: GfK Global HQ, Nordwestring 101, 90419 Nuremberg, Germany GfK North America HQ 200 Liberty Street, 4th Floor NY, NY 10281

Location: Chicago, IL Email: bmichaud@direct-resource.com Web: http://www.direct-resource.com

Contacts: Gaina Collis/Lori Halivopoulos

Global markets drive the need for clarity into business and consumer thinking. Direct Resource, Inc. specializes in exactly that – delivering marketing research solutions enabling Clients to drive key business decisions. Our focus on B2B research both domestically and internationally is a primary advantage that we offer. Quantitative and qualitative expertise spanning key industry segments including agriculture, construction, finance, technology and consumer.

About GfK GfK is the trusted source of relevant market and consumer information that enables its clients to make smarter decisions. More than 13,000 market research experts combine their passion with GfK’s long-standing data science experience. This allows GfK to deliver vital global insights matched with local market intelligence from more than 100 countries. By using innovative technologies and data sciences, GfK turns big data into smart data, enabling its clients to improve their competitive edge and enrich consumers’ experiences and choices.

Direct Resource welcomes the opportunity to help you reach your research objectives.

Location: Stamford, Connecticut  Phone:  1-800-433-8128  Email:  info@focusvision.com  Web:  http://www.focusvision.com FocusVision is the leading global provider of quantitative and qualitative technology solutions to the market research industry, providing an online survey platform, research facility video streaming, webcam focus groups, ethnography streaming, panel management and mobile device usability studies. FocusVision’s Quant+Qual services allow research professionals to engage with respondents in any place, at any time and all from one platform. FocusVision has over 350 employees and offices in the US, the UK, Bulgaria, Brazil, Australia and Singapore. For more information, visit: www. focusvision.com.

Issues & Answers Network Inc.

Location: Virginia Beach, VA Contacts: Peter J. McGuinness, President; Carla Lindemann, Chief OperatingOfficer Web: www.issans.com Issues and Answers is a global marketing research firm experienced in conducting comprehensive consumer and B2B studies domestically and internationally. Our state-of-the-art focus group facility conveniently covers the Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, and Newport News areas of Virginia. In addition to four on-staff moderators experienced in major industries, we offer in-house recruitment. Other available methodologies include: • CATI, • CAPI, • IVR, • Online Surveys • Instant Consumer Evaluation®, • Telepanels – Focus groups via teleconferencing. • In-person Interviews • Mall Intercepts • PreRecruits, • Direct Mail, • Risk Reduction Research®.We offer a complete array of analytical services, such as multivariate, discrete choice trade off and conjoint models. Our international network of reliable alliance partners extends our research capabilities to Africa, Asia, Central America, South America, Europe, Eastern Europe, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East, and Scandinavia.

Web: http://www.gfk.com

J.D.Power Location: Troy, MI Contact: Carolyn Kibat Email: carolyn.kibat@jdpa.com Web: www.jdpower.com J.D. Power provides actionable market intelligence to customers across the globe. Our comprehensive suite of research and improvement solutions helps organizations understand the many drivers of customer satisfaction, develop a strategy and action plan, optimize customer interactions, and measure and manage performance for ongoing improvement. We have been capturing and analyzing the Voice of the Customer (VOC) across

MARKETING NEWS | JUNE 2016

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MARKETING RESEARCH

more than a dozen industries globally for more than 45 years. Our team of professional analysts, statisticians, economists, consultants, and experts in demographics and consumer behavior focus on delivering insights clients can act on immediately.

Language Intelligence Location: Rochester, NY Contact: Rick White Email: rwhite@ languageintelligence.com Web: www.languageintelligence.com For two decades, Language Intelligence has developed a proven track record translating surveys and survey responses for a number of companies on the AMA Gold Top 50 list. We possess specialized subjectmatter expertise in Healthcare, Financial Service, and Tech / IT related surveys. We translate surveys and survey responses into and out of over 100 unique languages. In addition to translation we provide in-language coding and survey programming consulting for international surveys. We produce quality human translation, while leveraging state-ofthe-art technology resulting in short and long-term cost savings, quicker turnarounds, and improvements in quality and consistency for our clients. Please visit our website or contact us for additional information.

LRW Location: Los Angeles, CA Contact: Joan Cassidy, Vice President, Marketing Email: jcassidy@ LRWonline.com Phone: 310.557.7905 Web: www.LRWonline.com LRW is recognized as one of the ten most innovative firms in its industry and is one of the 25 largest market research firms in the world. Since 1973, LRW has been providing its

data-driven consulting services to management teams of top global brands on issues such as strategy, branding, communications, new product development, and customer experience. LRW leverages its unique “so what?®” consulting model, sophisticated marketing science capabilities and recent innovations in Pragmatic Brain Science® to deliver real business impact across a wide range of industries. LRW is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in London, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Orange County.

Market Probe Location: Milwaukee, WI Contact: Bonnie Lockwood Phone: 414-778-6000 Email: info@marketprobe.com Web: http://www.marketprobe.com Market Probe specializes in technology enabled business solutions that deliver Voice of Market Feedback to improve business operations. Market Probe designs enterprise feedback systems by integrating our technology solutions to configure program deliverables around client requirements. Our Voice of Market approach includes the latest multi-channel customer experience management solutions, with a strong focus on feedback systems designed to the needs of front line managers and channel partners in Business to Business programs. Every customer experiences a progression of stages in their product ownership: conversion, onboarding, compliance, expectations, disconnect and relationship. Loyalty and advocacy have to be earned by a brand by providing good experiences to customers across their product ownership. Market Probe offers six product solutions, covering the stages, which can be used by front line managers that are responsible for performance at each stage. Our products connect with their customers, helping them to improve the experience and build advocacy.

2016profiles

Morpace Inc. Market Research and Consulting Location: 31700 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Phone: 248-737-5300 Fax: 248-737-5326 Contact: Duncan Lawrence, CEO & President Email: information@morpace.com Web: www.morpace.com Morpace is a fully integrated global market research and consulting organization that specializes in custom qualitative and quantitative research. Named the 2014 CASRO Research Organization of the Year, Morpace has expertise in industries including automotive, financial services, healthcare, retail and consumer goods, and technology. Morpace delivers expertise and proprietary solutions in three core areas: brand and communications; market and product development; and customer experience management including satisfaction, loyalty and retention. Established in 1975, Morpace is one of the fastest growing marketing research firms in the United States. Morpace is headquartered in Detroit with full-service offices in Los Angeles, London and Shanghai.

University of Georgia | MRII Location: A thens, Georgia | Ann Arbor, Michigan Contact: Pam Bracken Email: Pam.Bracken@ georgiacenter.uga.edu Web: http://www.marketresearchcourses. org The University of Georgia offers three online certificate courses designed to teach the market research >>> JUNE 2016 | MARKETING NEWS

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2016profiles core body of knowledge—the basic skills you need to design, execute, and report on a market research project from beginning to end. Over 8000 practitioners in 104 countries have enrolled in the Principles of Market Research or the Principles of Pharmaceutical Market Research. The Principles of Mobile Marketing Research is new self-paced course that explores emerging mobile techniques and their application in market research. All courses are updated regularly to reflect the newest methods and approaches. AMA is aproud supporter of the Principles programs.

MARKETING RESEARCH

innovations in the marketplace, and delivering a compelling customer proposition that drives business performance. Our global brandbuilding experience is both deep and wide spanning all geographies and industries. We partner with Fortune 500 companies and other industry leaders that seek answers to meaningfully affect business results. The real core of Radius is the intellectual capital of our people who take every project from inception through to deliverables, looking at each stage to optimize the client experience and the power of our research’s impact.

Radius Global Market Research is one of the largest independent market research companies in the world. We are single-minded in our focus: to grow your brand by strategically optimizing its offerings, identifying differentiating

in the business-to-consumer environment and “buyers” in businessto-business markets. We accomplish this through our advanced insights frameworks that we have developed by way of formal marketing sciences training and our experiences over the years with some of the world’s leading brands. All Savitz Consultants are highly educated and experienced research and insights professionals. We have highly trained and skilled individuals for virtually any need who are available hourly, per project, long-term or on a full-term basis depending upon your needs.

SIS International Research

Radius Global Market Research Location: New York, NY Contact: Chip Lister Email: clister@ radius-global.com Web: http://www.radius-global.com

NOTE: The following information was supplied by display advertisers in this issue to provide readers with additional details about their companies. All of these Profiles are paid advertisements.

Savitz Consulting Location: Philadelphia, PA Contact: Jeff Savitz Email: jsavitz@savitzconsulting.com Web: www.savitzconsulting.com Savitz Consulting is a marketing research organization which has served leading brands in domestic and global markets for over 30 years. Our purpose is to create growth opportunities for our clients through a better understanding of “consumers”

Locations: New York | London | Frankfurt | Shanghai | Manila | Seoul Email: mstanat@ sisinternational.com Web: www.sisinternational.com SIS International Research is a leading full-service market research and market intelligence firm, established in 1984. We conduct fieldwork, data collection, recruiting, strategic market intelligence and global growth marketing consulting solutions. Our coverage is global, including nationwide US, Europe, Latin America,

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MARKETING RESEARCH

Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our key regional offices include New York, Los Angeles, London, Frankfurt, Shanghai, Seoul and Manila. Our research solutions include Consumer & B2B research, Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty research, Product & Packaging testing, Car Clinics, Healthcare research and Branding insights. Our qualitative services include Focus Groups, Interviews, Ethnography, Home Visits and Usability tests. Our quantitative services include CATI Telephone Interviews, Intercepts, Central Location Testing and Online Surveys. Our strategy unit provides market intelligence solutions including market opportunity & entry research, competitive analysis and Go-ToMarket research. SIS also operates a state-of-the-art focus group facility in New York City.

SSI

Voxco

Location: Shelton, CT  Contact: Tom Johnson, Senior VP, Sales & Client Services North America Phone:  203-567-7200  Email:  info@surveysampling.com  Web: http:// www.surveysampling.com

Location: Montreal, Canada Contact: Vincent Auger Email: marketing@ voxco.com Phone: 514-861-9225 Web: http://www.voxco.com

SSI is the premier global provider of data solutions and technology for consumer and business-tobusiness survey research, reaching respondents in 100+ countries via Internet, telephone, mobile/wireless and mixed-access offerings. SSI staff operates from 30 offices in 21 countries, offering sample, data collection, CATI, questionnaire design consultation, programming and hosting, online custom reporting and data processing. SSI’s 3,600 employees serve more than 2,500 clients worldwide.

Voxco offers one of the most flexible survey platforms in the industry. Maximum survey efficiency featuring one centralized database across multiple channels: deviceresponsive online surveys, phone interviews, and face-to-face interviews. Clients appreciate our interactive results dashboards, robust panel management, and personalized customer service. 25+ years’ experience. Clients in 30+ countries. Sales/support in USA, Canada, France, UK, Germany and Australia.

JUNE 2016 | MARKETING NEWS

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AMA Recruitment Classified Advertising Need to hire qualified, skilled marketing professionals? Looking for qualified marketing or business professors for your University? AMA’s Recruitment Classified Ads are the most cost effective way to reach your target audience!

ORDER INFORMATION To place a classified ad in Marketing News, please contact Jordan Berthiaume at amaprint@ yourmembership.com or call Jordan at (727) 497-6565 x3409. To post your job on AMA's online job board, go to http://jobs.ama.org.

POSITIONS OPEN ACADEMIC FACULTY TUCK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT DARTMOUTH — Faculty Search in Marketing. The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, invites applications for a tenure-track position in marketing beginning in the 2017–18 academic year. We are open to all levels of appointment — Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Full Professor. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or be near completion of a doctoral degree in marketing or a related field. We strongly encourage applications to be submitted by Thursday, June 30, 2016. JOB QUALIFICATIONS: We seek candidates who will produce research of excellent quality that will have high impact on the field. There must be evidence that the candidate can conduct research and teach at a level of quality consistent with Tuck’s high standards. We are interested in candidates who can interact effectively with others and enhance the intellectual environment of the school. APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Faculty applications and all supporting documents must be submitted to: http://apply. interfolio.com/33270. Dartmouth is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to diversity. All underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

THE MARKETING DIVISION OF COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL is currently searching for qualified applicants for positions at the assistant, associate, or full professor ranks for a tenured or tenure-track position beginning July 1, 2017. Applicants should have a PhD degree from an accredited institution or expect to receive their degree within the year. All applicants must have a strong research background and the ability and desire to conduct high quality research. Associate and full professor applicants should have a proven track record of institution building and service in addition to exceptional scholarship in marketing. Columbia Business School is also seeking applicants for visiting positions. Applicants for such positions must have a PhD and a strong academic research record. Columbia Business School is seeking applicants who would promote the diversity mission of the University through their research, teaching, and/or service. Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer. Please visit our online application site: https:// academicjobs.columbia.edu/ applicants/Central?quickFind= 62721 for further information about this position and to submit your application. UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI — CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA. The University of Miami invites applications from interested candidates with a research focus on marketing strategy/modeling for a tenure-track/tenured faculty position (rank open and contingent upon research record), starting Fall 2017. Qualified candidates should have a Ph.D. or be in the final stages of their dissertation, have a willingness and capacity to conduct high-

quality scholarly research, and demonstrate teaching competence. They are expected to pursue an active research program, perform undergraduate and graduate teaching, supervise graduate students and engage in service activities. Please send a cover letter, CV, and letters of recommendation in PDF format to MKTrecruiting@ bus.miami.edu by no later than July 11th, 2016. Information about the Marketing Department at the University of Miami is available at: http://www.bus. miami.edu/faculty-andresearch/academicdepartments/marketing/ index.html. The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and a drug-free/smoke-free workplace. UNIVERSITY OF MAINE: The Maine Business School invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor rank in Marketing beginning as early as Fall 2017. Applicants must have or anticipate completion of a PhD in Marketing by Fall ’17. Commitment to a high-quality research program and significant service contributions are required. For details please see www.umaine.hiretouch. com where candidates can upload a letter of application, a recent syllabus, a sample of your teaching material and resume or curriculum vitae. Email or mail three letters of reference to Professor Harold Daniel, Chair, MBS, University of Maine, 5723 DP Corbett Business Building, Orono, ME 04469-5723 (hdaniel@maine. edu). Review will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The University of Maine is an EEO/AA Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual

orientation, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. BRAND MANAGEMENT SENIOR BRAND MANAGER — Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc. currently has an opening in Horsham, PA for Senior Brand Manager to be responsible for development, coordination & execution of the brand’s marketing plans & growth strategies. To apply, please mail resume to: Attn: Kelly Forester, Human Relations Mngr, 255 Business Center Dr., Horsham, PA 19044, indicate applying for Job ID 11039.56. MARKETING MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR OF MARKETING INTELLIGENCE sought by IPSCO Tubulars Inc. in Houston, TX to lead the company’s department in charge of market research in North America (NA) and Latin America (LATAM), market outlook and forecasting estimation, pricing strategy definition and commercial reporting. Bachelor’s degree in marketing, engineering or general business administration plus MBA are required. Candidates must have a minimum of five (5) years of management / supervisory experience in marketing development and/or commercial planning in a global oil country tubular goods (“OCTG”) company or line pipe (“LP”) company. Applicants must have experience in monitoring and analysis of OCTG/LP consumption in NA and LATAM; design and implementation of management control systems within commercial departments; commercial sales budgeting and forecasting; and OCTG/ LP pricing. Send resume to careers@tmk-ipsco.com.

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employee engagement

Five Ways to Get Out of a Work Rut If you’re an employed member of society, chances are good that you’ve felt checked out, burned out or out of touch with the excitement you once had for your job By michelle markelz | managing editor

 mmarkelz@ama.org

nly about a third of employees in the United States consider themselves engaged at work. More than half of employed Americans describe themselves as not engaged, and 17.2% say they are actively disengaged, according to a recent Gallup poll. These figures are not out of the ordinary, given employee engagement has averaged below 33% over the last 15 years. But just because disengagement is the norm, it doesn’t mean employees can’t do anything about it.

amacareers

Experts agree that there are multiple steps that disinterested employees can take to reengage with their work short of looking for a new job. While a new environment or career shift is always an option, try these tactics first to rediscover passion for your work.

Remember why you started.

Getting clear on motivations is a critical first step toward understanding whether disengagement stems from the career itself or its current context. Amy Wrzesniewski, a Yale School of Management professor, found in her study of hospital janitors that custodians who took ownership of their jobs by shaping their role found it more meaningful. Those who built relationships with patients and viewed their cleaning as an extension of patient care had a drastically different answer to the question of why do they do what they do than their peers who saw their work as a defined and confined set of tasks. “Often, when you ask people what they love about their job, it’s not what they do, it’s the people they work with, the

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employee engagement

opportunity to travel, to learn new things or the mission of the company,” says Kerry Hannon, author of the book Love Your Job. “There are things around the edges that really make us love our work, and finding a way to ramp up those opportunities will get us reengaged in our work again.” Carla Taylor, chief happiness officer and cofounder of Discover U Career Coaching agrees. Though employees may feel disillusioned now, whatever it was that initially attracted them to their current position is probably still there, they just have to recall it. “Go back to what you loved and find ways to do more of that,” she says. “Most people want to make a meaningful contribution, and when they can’t because maybe there isn’t an opportunity or they won’t be rewarded, they’re dissatisfied. But if you offer those opportunities up, in most cases, someone will allow you to step up and do more of what you love.”

Ask for (or give yourself) some autonomy. “Autonomy is perhaps

the No. 1 motivator for human beings,” says Scott Crabtree, chief happiness officer at HappyBrainScience.com. People often become disengaged when they are micromanaged. The thing that they once enjoyed loses its appeal when it’s taken out of their hands. A smart boss will give you autonomy if you ask for it, Crabtree says. Janet Scarborough Civitelli, a psychologist and career coach, says a common reason that people feel disengaged at work is that they feel helpless about not being able to control the way in which they work and spend their time. “Look for opportunities to telecommute or use flex time,” Hannon says. The ability to set your own schedule, eliminate a commute and work without distraction can be just the element of control to satisfy your need for independence. If working remotely isn’t common in your office, Hannon suggests talking to your boss about a trial period during which you can stay in touch about how it’s working out. “Most studies show workers who telecommute are more engaged and more loyal,” she says. Proving those studies right is one way to earn yourself some freedom.

Play to your strengths. The

majority of people believe the key to success is identifying their weaknesses and fixing them, says Crabtree. But research reveals that the opposite is true. “The key to happiness and engagement at work is doing what you do best and what energizes you every day,” he says. Crabtree defines strengths as “talent plus energy.” If you’re good at a task and can’t wait to do it again once you’ve completed it, that’s a strength. You may be great at managing people, but if you find it exhausting and wish you were back on the ground doing the hands-on work you love, you won’t be engaged by your successes as a manager.

Getting clear on motivations is a critical first step toward understanding whether disengagement stems from the career itself or its current context. People who turn their hobbies or passions into a business sometimes learn this lesson when they realize that being an entrepreneur encompasses a wider range of skills than baking, designing or repairing machines. “A lot of people loathe the stuff around the craft they enjoy,” Crabtree says. “The popular misconception is that people can start a business because they love activity X, but they don’t realize they have to do a whole alphabet of activities.”

Learn something new. “When you ask people why they hate their jobs,

the problem is they’re bored,” Hannon says. Though most people don’t identify their disengagement as boredom, it’s a common feeling. The best way to beat boredom, she suggests, is to become a student again. Whether it be a workshop, a conference, a class at a community college or even just helping out in a different team or department, taking yourself out of the employee role and recreating the classroom setting can be energizing.

Set goals and boundaries. Goal

setting has been proven repeatedly to be an effective way to achieve business results, but as Crabtree points out, successes don’t lead to happiness if they’re too hard-won. “Almost no one is handed a goal without any negotiation. Get involved and make it meaningful for yourself,” he says. A lot of organizations use “SMART” goals, those which are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. Crabtree recommends making them “SMARTEST,” ensuring they’re educational, significant and toward something you want—not away from something you’re trying to avoid. “The idea is not just clear goals, but goals we give a crap about.” At the same time, Crabtree says employees need to be their own advocate for a manageable workload. “There’s a pandemic across most of the working world where we’re all trying to do too much with too little. The antidote to that pandemic is prioritization and properly funding the projects you actually have,” Crabtree says. “When I worked at Intel we had a phrase called ‘peanut buttering.’ I might have 10 projects that all need resources. I don’t have enough so I spread them thin across all 10. That’s a disaster because it guarantees all 10 projects are not going to make good progress. The hard work that leads to engagement is not funding four of the projects and properly funding six of them.” While scarcity and leanness can help us find our limits and sometimes push past them, the ability to make progress is imperative for engagement at work. If you’re too buried by tasks to ever make any headway, you’ll become frustrated and disengaged. m

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advertisers’index

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Quick source for contacting the suppliers in the June 2016 issue of Marketing News. Adapt .................................... p. 60 Email: dkoch@adaptdata.com URL: h ttp://www.adaptdata.com AMA Job Board ................... p. 86 URL: http:// jobs.ama.org AMA's Marketing Resource Directory ............... p. 4 Ph. 1-888-777-6578 URL: h ttp://marketingresourcedirectory. ama.org AMA Webcasts ....................... p. 87 Email: sales@ama.org URL: h ttp://www.AMA.org/ webcasts AMA Whitepapers ................. p. 79 Email: sales@ama.org URL: h ttp://www.AMA.org/ whitepaper Ascribe ................................. p. 59 Ph. 513-241-9112 x55 URL: h ttp://www.GoAscribe.com B2B International ................ p. 61 URL: h ttp://www.b2binternational.com Bellomy Research . ............. p. 72 URL: h ttp://www.bellomyresearch.com Burke Institute .................... p. 44 Ph. 1-800-543-8635 URL: h ttp://www.burkeinstitute.com C&C Market Research ........ p. 69 Ph. 1-877-530-9688 URL: h ttp://www.ccmarketresearch.com CASRO ............ inside back cover Ph. 631-928-6954 URL: h ttp://www.casro.org

Creative Consumer Research — Houston .......... p. 64 Ph. 1-877-530-9646 URL: http://www.ccrsurveys.com Customer Lifecycle ............ p. 54 Ph. 630-412-8989 URL: http://www.customerlifecycle.com Direct Resource, Inc. . ........ p. 65 Ph. 312-566-0810 URL: http://www.direct.resource.com FocusVision ......................... p. 57 Ph. 1-800-433-8128 URL: http://www.FocusVision.com GfK . ....................................... p. 53 URL: http://www.gfk.com Issues & Answers Network Inc. ........................ p. 77 Ph. 757-456-1100 URL: http://www.issans.com JD Power .............................. p. 55 URL: http://www.jdpower.com KS&R ...................................... p. 71 Ph. 1-888-8KSRINC URL: http://www.ksrinc.com LRW ....................................... p. 47 Ph. 310-557-7905 URL: http://www.LRWonline.com Market Probe ....................... p. 73 URL: http://www.marketprobe.com Marketing News ....................... p. 6 Ph. 7 27-329-4421 / 727-329-4437 URL: http://mediakit.ama.org Morpace Market Research & Consulting ........................... p. 63 Ph. 248-737-5300 URL: http://www.morpace.com

QuickTest / Heakin ............ p. 75 Ph. 1-800-523-1288 URL: h ttp://www.quicktest.com Radius Global Market Research . .............................. p. 13 URL: h ttp://www.radius-global.com Ramius .................................... p. 7 Ph. 1-888-932-2299 URL: h ttp://www.recollective.com Repass ................................... p. 15 Ph. 1-866-545-2828 URL: h ttp://www.repassinc.com RTVC ....................................... p. 5 URL: h ttp://rockthevizcomm.com Salesforce Marketing Cloud . ............... inside front cover URL: h ttp://www.sfdc.co/SOM2016 Savitz Consulting ............... p. 67 URL: h ttp://www.SavitzConsulting.com SIS International Research . .............................. p. 51 URL: h ttp://www.sismarketresearch.com SSI . .............................. back cover Email: info@surveysampling.com URL: h ttp://www.surveysampling.com The University of Georgia | MRII . ...................... p. 3 Ph. 1-800-811-6640 URL: h ttp://www. principlesofmarketresearch.org VOXCO .................................. p. 70 URL: h ttp://www.voxco.com JUNE 2016 | MARKETING NEWS

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backpage

Executive Insights

“The future will be

about how to have measurements of success and CRM data all interoperate in a much more automated way.”

You were the first CMO at Anaplan. What was it like building a marketing department without any precedent?

Background The introduction of the Affordable Care act in 2010 turned health marketing on its head. Six years later, employers are still trying to get a handle on rising benefits costs for employees. One of the ways they can do that is by encouraging employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Research shows such messages work best when targeted, but employers are legally restricted from accessing individual health data about their workers. Enter Castlight Health, which collects aggregate data about a workforce that can influence employers to tailor health service-specific campaigns for subsets of employees. Working with such sensitive data, Castlight is tasked with protecting individual privacy and ensuring HIPAA compliance while at the same time yielding analytics that lead to cost reductions for employers. Navigating the brand through these potentially dangerous waters is CMO Mark Sarbiewski. Sarbiewski comes to Caslight after previously holding senior product and marketing roles at Hewlett-Packard, Mercury Interactive, Clustricx, InterTrust and Anaplan, where he inaugurated the company’s CMO position.

It’s really exciting. It was an opportunity to build something new that really is the foundation for the company to grow on. I’ve had some good luck to work with companies that are creating new categories. To me, that’s the biggest challenge you can have as a marketer, where the company is doing something that really hasn’t been done before. From a marketing standpoint, when you’re out there trying to convince the market that there’s either a fundamentally new thing that they should do or a new way to do something that’s more impactful, the challenge is that you’re trying to strike the balance between the basic marketing machine. Every company has got to have the right team, the right processes and the right system. At a company like Castlight or Anaplan, you’re also disrupting and creating a new category. You balance that between building a new machine and doing some big strategic work around point of view and getting influencers talking about it. That’s the coolest job you can have in marketing.

Six years later, how has the Affordable Care Act changed health insurance marketing?

It’s just everywhere. It’s either right on the surface because it’s something [that’s] driving [the message and] you have to make financial decisions now. Or it’s in the background. It’s always there. It’s so significant and persuasive. The compliance burden that people have now, which takes resources and time from something else they want to do, is a root cause of these drivers in our market. Whether it’s a driver for consumerism, accountable care organizations and high-deductible plans, all of these things—even if people don’t consciously tie them to the ACA—these are the frontand-center things. It’s become this tsunami rolling through the industry that sometimes you can tie directly to it, and sometimes you’re actually marketing to something it caused … With all that stuff going on, if you are a status quo vendor, you’re in trouble. But if you’re a disrupter, people are looking for something new. If everything is going along great, being a disrupter is a negative. It doesn’t get you anywhere. But when your buyer is looking for a different way to go forward and is trying to solve new problems they never faced before, then being a disrupter is definitely a positive thing. –Zach Brooke

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