Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40033932
vue
the magazine of the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association NOVEM BER 2013
MILKING MEMORIES: FIVE STEPS FROM INSIGHT TO CAMPAIGN THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLIENT-SIDE RESEARCHER’S ROLE SUCCESSFUL CONSUMER SEGMENTATION: MORE THAN JUST THE MATH
Photo taken by Amber M. Sloan
HOW TO GET YOUR SURVEY INTO The New York Times
FORGING EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS IN THE B-TO-B SPACE
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In this month’s features: Cover: Gayle Lloyd (L to R) Todd J. Darland, Nick Black, Liz Gurszky, Joseph Chen, Clare Studwell, Marjorie Connelly
VUE MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY THE MARKETING RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE ASSOCIATION TEN TIMES A YEAR
SPECIAL FEATURE 10 FORGING
EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS IN THE B-TO-B SPACE Gayle Lloyd and Todd J. Darland
FEATURES 14 MILKING MEMORIES: FIVE STEPS FROM INSIGHT TO CAMPAIGN Nick Black and Liz Gurszky 18 THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLIENT-SIDE RESEARCHER’S ROLE Joseph Chen 20 SUCCESSFUL CONSUMER SEGMENTATION: MORE THAN JUST THE MATH Clare Studwell 23 HOW TO GET YOUR SURVEY INTO The New York Times Marjorie Connelly
COMMENTARY 4 Editor’s Vue 6 Letter from the President 8 Message from the Interim Executive Director
INSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 25 COURSE CALENDAR FOR 2013–14
INDUSTRY NEWS 26 Qualitative Research Registry (QRR) 27 Research Registration System (RRS) 28 People and Companies in the News 31 Chapter Chat
COLUMNISTS 32 CSRC 32 INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY 33 QUALITAS
ADDRESS The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association L’association de la recherche et de l’intelligence marketing
2600 Skymark Avenue, Bldg. 4, Unit 104 Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5B2 Tel: (905) 602-6854 Toll Free: 1-888-602-MRIA (6742) Fax: (905) 602-6855 Email: vue@mria-arim.ca Website: www.mria-arim.ca PRODUCTION: LAYOUT/DESIGN LS Graphics Tel: (905) 743-0402, Toll Free: 1-800-400-8253 Fax: (905) 728-3931 Email: info@lsgraphics.com CONTACTS CHAIR OF PUBLICATIONS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Annie Pettit PhD, Chief Research Officer, Conversition (416) 273-9395 apettit@conversition.com MANAGING EDITOR Anne Marie Gabriel, MRIA amgabriel@mria-arim.ca ASSOCIATE EDITOR Christian Mueller, PhD, CMRP christianmuellerphd@gmail.com COPY EDITOR Siegfried Betterman Interested in joining the Vue editorial team? Contact us at vue@mria-arim.ca 2013 ADVERTISING RATES Frequent advertisers receive discounts. Details can be found by going to: www.mria-arim.ca/advertising/vue.asp Please email vue@mria-arim.ca to book your ad. The deadline for notice of advertising is the first of the previous month. All advertising material must be at the MRIA office on the 5th of the month. Original articles and Letters to the Editor are welcome. Materials will be reviewed by the Vue Editorial Team. If accepted for publication, they may be edited for length or clarity and placed in the electronic archives on the MRIA website. The opinions and conclusions expressed in Vue are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association. Publishing Date: November © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright rests with the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association or the author. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association or the author. All requests for permission for reproduction must be submitted to MRIA at publications@mria-arim.ca. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association L’Association de la recherche et de l’intelligence marketing 2600 Skymark Avenue, Bldg 4, Unit 104, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5B2 Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40033932 ISSN 1488-7320
COMMEN TARY / CO MME NTAI R E
Editor’s Vue Annie Pettit
What do clients want from their marketing research vendors? They want good quality data, interesting and actionable insights, fair and honest pricing, and great customer service. Sadly, I can’t get any more specific than that because I’ve never been a client-side researcher. One client-side researcher many of us have heard of is Kim Dedecker. About seven years ago, as the VP, Global Consumer and Market Knowledge, at Procter and Gamble, she famously called into question the quality of online marketing research data. At the time, she represented a global client with a massive wallet. Her few, simple words instantly caused an uproar that led to numerous industry efforts to better understand and improve online research data quality. The client spoke and the vendors listened. Sometimes, it’s more difficult to know what research clients really want from research vendors. The time pressure is on, we’re working within a limited budget, and it seems as if there’s nothing we can do but push forward with the next job in the queue. Not every client has a multi-million dollar research budget that can force us to stop in our tracks and rethink how we’ve been doing everything. But gaining a better understanding of clients’ needs shouldn’t depend on the size of their research budget. Attending conferences such as ESOMAR’s congress in Istanbul is one way to listen to and learn from clients. Even better is this issue of Vue. Within these pages are the thoughts and opinions of several clientside researchers, representing completely disparate industries: from chocolate to coffins, you’re sure to gain some insights into the client mind.
À quoi au juste le client s’attend-il de son fournisseur de recherche marketing? Des données de qualité, bien sûr, des perspectives aussi utiles qu’intéressantes, des prix raisonnables et justes, un excellent service. Mais encore? N’ayant jamais été chercheuse du côté client, je ne saurais vraiment vous dire. Kim Dedecker, l’ancienne vice-présidente à l’international des connaissances des marchés et des consommateurs chez Procter and Gamble, s’y connaît mieux que moi. Vous vous souvenez peut-être de son coup d’éclat il y a à peu près sept ans, quand elle avait remis en question la qualité des données de recherches de marketing en ligne. Le tollé que ce document avait soulevé a finalement amené plusieurs fournisseurs à rehausser la qualité de leurs données de recherche de marketing en ligne et à mieux les analyser. Quand un client de la taille d’un Procter and Gamble parle, les fournisseurs écoutent. Il est parfois difficile de cerner ce que le client attend de nous, son fournisseur de recherche marketing. De plus, parce que les échéanciers sont serrés et que les budgets sont limités, nous sommes souvent tentés de passer au prochain mandat au carnet de commandes. Rares sont les clients « poids lourds » qui, comme Procter and Gamble, peuvent forcer leurs fournisseurs à repenser ce qu’ils font et leur facon de le faire. Cela dit, l’importance du budget de recherche ne devrait jamais, à elle seule, dicter notre empressement à mieux comprendre les besoins d’un client. Le congrès d’ESOMAR à Istanbul a fourni une belle occasion d’écouter notre clientèle et de la mieux connaître. Cette livraison de Vue en constitue une autre. Vous y découvrirez les observations et les opinions de chercheurs coté client qui oeuvrent dans des secteurs fort différents, du chocolat aux cercueils. À vous d’en tirer les leçons qui s’imposent.
Annie Pettit PhD, Chief Research Officer / Directrice de la recherche, Conversition Editor-in-Chief, Vue / Rédactrice en chef, Vue • Email: apettit@conversition.com • (416) 273-9395 • t @LoveStats
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COMMEN TARY / CO MME NTAI R E
Letter from the President Anastasia Arabia
MRIA has a number of fantastic National events coming up – please get us into your schedule!
L’ARIM proposera l’année prochaine de nombreux événements d’envergure nationale. Soyez de la partie !
January 30th, 2014 marks the 8th Annual Net Gain Conference. This amazing brainchild of Sandy Janzen and Cam Davis conference is always a sellout, so register early. The theme this year is transformation and the exploration of the new and exciting directions the industry is taking. New this year is the presentation of our first ever Net Gain Student Award.
Le 30 janvier 2014 : La 8e conférence annuelle Net Gain. Cette superbe initiative de Sandy Janzen et Cam Davis affiche toujours complet et mérite que vous vous y inscriviez dès aujourd’hui. Le thème cette année sera la transformation qui secoue le secteur et les nouvelles orientations que celui-ci se donne. Une première est au programme : la présentation du premier prix Net Gain Student Award.
March 2014 is the MRIA & Canadian Marketing Association Customer Experience Conference. As of press deadline, this date hadn’t been set but it is likely to be March 4th or 5th. The theme this year is Key Insight: Customers use brands but the experience is delivered by people.
Mars 2014 : La conférence de l’ARIM et de l’ACM sur l’expérience-client aura lieu au mois de mars, à une date qui sera annoncée ultérieurement mais qui pourrait bien être le 4 ou le 5 mars. Son thème : Perceptions clés – le client achète une marque mais c’est un contact humain qu’il recherche.
February 21st, 2014 is QRD Day! Join qualitative practitioners from across the country for a day full of all things qual. This QRD day is about Creating Connections, whether it be connecting researchers with emerging technologies, connecting traditional qual with emerging methods, or how online and social media qual research tools are enriching the connections between researchers and respondents. June 8th–10th, 2014 is MRIA’s National Conference & AGM in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. And for the first time, the MRIA Annual General Meeting has been moved to align with our National Conference. Watch for exciting speaker announcements, tradeshow information, and social events as they become available. Thank you to everyone who participated in the registrant survey following the Niagara conference. We are shaping next year’s conference based on your comments. We appreciate your feedback! What would you like the MRIA to explore further, and possibly turn into an annual National event? Do you have thoughts or opinions about any of our current National events? I would love to hear from you!
Le 21 février 2014 : Journée DRQ ! Joignez-vous à de nombreux praticiens de la recherche qualitative un peu partout au pays et établissez de nouvelles connexions ! Au menu : réunir chercheurs et technologies émergentes; le mariage de la recherche qualitative traditionnelle et des méthodes émergentes; l’enrichissement des rapports entre chercheurs et répondants par le biais des outils de recherche qualitative appliqués aux médias sociaux et en ligne. Du 8 au 10 juin 2014 : Congrès national et assemblée générale annuelle des membres de l’ARIM, à Saskatoon. Pour la première fois, la tenue du congrès et de l’assemblée générale a été synchronisée. À venir bientôt : de plus amples renseignements sur les conférenciers invités, les activités sociales et la composante salon de l’événement. Nous remercions chaleureusement tous ceux qui ont répondu au sondage des participants au congrès de 2013, à Niagara Falls. Le congrès de 2014, que nous préparons, tiendra certainement compte de vos commentaires. Merci encore ! Quel sujet ou question aimeriez-vous voir l’ARIM aborder et explorer? Devrait-on en faire un événement national? Que pensez-vous des événements nationaux qui sont présentement au calendrier? Votre rétroaction est toujours la bienvenue !
Anastasia Arabia, Partner / Partenaire, Trend Research Inc. President, Marketing Research and Intelligence Association / Présidente, L’Association de la recherche et de l’intelligence marketing Email: anastasia@trendresearch.ca • 780-485-6558 ext./poste 2003
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MRIA 2014 CONFERENCE
SHERATON CAVALIER AND DELTA BESSBOROUGH SASKATOON | SASKATCHEWAN
Calling All Speakers, Sponsors and Exhibitors! We are proud to announce that the MRIA 2014 National Conference, “Dig Deeper and Discover” will be held from June 8–10, 2014 in the beautiful city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – a true “destination” in Prairie Canada, and affectionately called “The Land of Living Skies.” Scores of members and other industry professionals have already blocked off next year’s dates, and are eagerly anticipating a 2014 MRIA National Conference that equals or surpasses the wow factor experienced at this year’s “Bridging the Gap” Conference in Niagara Falls. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and the conference website http:// conference2014.mria-arim.ca/news for updates on the many opportunities that are being offered – for exhibitors, sponsors, speakers and delegates! Saskatoon shines!
COMMEN TARY / CO MME NTAI R E
Message from the Interim Executive Director John Ball, CMRP
MRIA on the Move
L’ARIM déménage
MRIA’s corporate Head Office is moving to downtown Toronto! As of January 1, 2014, we will be located at 94 Cumberland Avenue which is at the corner of Bellair Street in the heart of Toronto’s Yorkville area. Located within walking distance of the Bloor subway station on the north/south line and Bay or Yonge stations on the east/west line, this location provides easy public transit access for our staff and any members who would like to use the office for meetings or to just pop by for a cup of coffee and a chat with one of our staff or volunteers. We will be just a short walk away from a slew of shops and restaurants perfect for entertaining clients and visitors, and just a short distance from many of our larger member firms located in the downtown core. In addition, we will be within walking distance of both the Marriott and the Intercontinental hotels on Bloor Street where many of our local larger events and meetings are held and where many of our volunteers stay when visiting Toronto for MRIA business.
Le siège social de l’ARIM déménage au centre-ville de Toronto ! En effet, dès le 1er janvier 2014, nos nouveaux bureaux seront situés au 94 de l’avenue Cumberland, au coeur du chic quartier de Yorkville et à quelques pas seulement de la station de métro Bloor, le centre névralgique du système torontois de transport en commun. Cet emplacement, fort pratique pour nos employés, plaira aussi aux membres, qui pourront maintenant réserver une salle de rencontre à nos bureaux ou y prendre une tasse de café amicale avec nos employés. Nombre des cabinets membres de l’ARIM ont d’ailleurs pignon sur rue dans ce quartier où foisonnent magasins, restaurants et hôtels, notamment les hôtels Marriott et Intercontinental, que nous utilisons pour nos réunions et événements plus importants et où logent plusieurs des bénévoles de l’ARIM en déplacement à Toronto.
Importantly, we are making functional improvements within our new space to allow us to get far greater utility out of our office than ever before. It has a sizable boardroom which we will be enlarging so that there will be a seat for everyone attending our regular in-person board and council meetings and training. No standing room, no overbooking policies, and no more renting! We are also exploring adding new videoconferencing options to allow others to attend “virtually” in person rather than just “on the phone.”
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Nous profiterons de l’occasion pour réaménager l’organisation du bureau de façon à en rehausser l’efficacité et l’utilité. La grande salle de conférence de notre nouveau QG pourra facilement accueillir tous les participants à nos séances de formation, réunions du conseil ou travaux de comités – place assise garantie. Finis les surnombres et, surtout, les frais de location ! Nous prévoyons aussi doter la salle de conférence d’un système de téléconférence qui permettra à ceux qui ne peuvent se rendre sur place de participer à distance aux activités qui s’y tiennent.
COM M E N TARY / COMMEN TAI R E
With a quick conversion, this expanded boardroom space will quickly become MRIA’s own in-house training facility. We will be able to hold more in-person courses for those in the Greater Toronto Area or within easy travelling distance. We will be able to run more live courses with smaller class sizes, thereby reversing the recent trend of cancelling courses when enrollment and rental fees don’t equal out. As many of you have also been hearing, we are aggressively exploring options to allow live simulcasting of our courses to members who may only be able to participate remotely. As an added benefit of this building in particular, and arguably a testament to its location as a viable training centre, the Berlitz Language Centre is located in the same building, which translates into greater opportunities for us holding larger courses within our four walls. As of the writing of this article, we have just completed the first official tour of our new space, now fully vacated. It is already starting to take on a new life in the minds of the staff who were able to join us on the tour. We are working hard to make this new space a real destination for our members. Think of it as a friendly drop-in centre for marketing research professionals looking for a quick update from one of our staff members on something they are volunteering for, or to attend meetings or CMRP courses, enjoy the latest issue of Vue magazine, or sit down and simply enjoy a cup of coffee on us. We are already working on space planning and details of the move which will likely see us in our new home before the end of this year.
La salle de conférence pourra aussi se transformer rapidement en « salle de classe maison » pour les séances de formation de l’ARIM, qui sera ainsi en mesure de proposer un plus grand nombre de cours et de rentabiliser ceux qui attirent moins de participants. Nous espérons réduire ainsi le nombre de formations qui, par le passé, ont dû être annulées parce que trop peu de personnes s’y étaient inscrites. Nous comptons aussi explorer activement la possibilité de diffuser en direct nos séances de formation, au bénéfice des membres qui, en raison de leur éloignement, ne peuvent se présenter en personne. L’édifice qui nous logera abrite aussi une école de langues Berlitz dont les salles de formation spacieuses nous permettront d’offrir, dans le même édifice, des cours susceptibles d’intéresser un grand nombre de professionnels du marketing. Nous avons eu, peu avant d’aller sous presse, l’occasion de visiter l’espace que nous occuperons d’ici quelques mois et que son ancien locataire venait de vider. Notre futur lieu de travail a beaucoup impressionné les employés qui étaient de la visite. Déjà, nous oeuvrons à planifier sa transformation en une destination que nos membres ne voudront pas manquer de visiter et d’utiliser. Nous espérons en effet que vous serez nombreux à venir y « faire un tour » pour y consulter un de nos employés, y participer à un cours ou une réunion, ou encore, tout simplement, y siroter un café tout en parcourant la plus récente livraison de Vue. Au plaisir de vous y rencontrer, peut-être avant la fin de l’année si tout va bien.
John Ball, CMRP, Interim Executive Director /Directeur général intérimaire Marketing Research and Intelligence Association / L’Association de la recherche et de l’intelligence marketing Email: jball@mria-arim.ca • (905) 602-6854 ext./poste 8724
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SPECIAL FEATURE
FORGING EMOTIONAL IN THE B-TO-B SPACE Gayle Lloyd and Todd J. Darland The days of guaranteed customer loyalty are a fading memory. Even well-established market leaders are being forced to rethink their strategic focus. Such is the case with funeral industry pioneer Batesville, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hillenbrand Inc. (NYSE: HI). Despite more than a century of leadership and innovation, Batesville, like many brands today, faces an evolving marketplace that is forcing top-to-bottom re-evaluation of the business. Changing consumer preferences are impacting Batesville’s sole distribution channel of licensed funeral professionals employed by licensed funeral homes. Shifts in family attitudes and demographics, as well as economic pressures, continue to reshape buying behaviours. As a result, funerals have shifted away from the traditional multi-day service to a shorter, more informal end-of-life service model. This change has significantly impacted Batesville’s immediate customer, the funeral home. Rethinking the Brand Landscape
Batesville examined its brand and legacy in light of a changing landscape and realized it was time to step back and reassess the validity of its core assumptions. Even as the company operates in the business-to-business space, its leaders recognized the need to build a much deeper understanding – not only about its customers, but also about the families who ultimately experience the company’s products and services. 10
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Batesville routinely conducts research with its channel partners (the funeral professionals) but saw a void when it came to consumers. The company possessed a mountain of transactional data; however, it was missing insight into emotional triggers of both customers and consumers. The blind spot was glaring under the realization that making emotional connections is just as important in B-to-B as in B-to-C. It was this situation that prompted Batesville to set out to discover what happens both emotionally and rationally at all stages of the decision-making process. The learning would help: • identify gaps in the marketplace • retool the brand and the customer experience • target and tailor marketing and sales efforts • drive new product and service development. The Journey
Batesville realized the need to create deep, emotional connections with customers and consumers, meeting their needs in unique, differentiated and defensible ways. To achieve this goal, every Batesville employee must act as a brand ambassador, requiring an inherent cultural understanding of what motivates behaviour all the way to the end-user. A two-pronged research initiative was developed to uncover customer and consumer segments that are based on emotional and rational drivers rather than just transactional and firmographic commonalities. As a B-to-B brand, Batesville routinely conducts research with customers. However, this time the company chose to start with a series of in-depth consumer interviews. Because the biggest information gap involved end-users, the team wanted to leverage what it learned from consumers to inform the customer phase of the project. Consumers shared their experiences of planning a funeral, perceptions of the process, levels of frustration, pain points, the emotional benefits they strived for, and their thoughts about what would have made the process easier and more satisfying. A series of projective techniques were used to get the respondents to tell their stories. These techniques included
S P ECIAL F EATUR E
CONNECTIONS both homework assignments in which consumers were asked to bring pictures that represented how they felt through each stage of the funeral planning process and sentence completion exercises in which respondents shared their top-of-mind impressions and reactions to proposed concepts. A quantitative research phase followed, resulting in four clearly defined consumer segments: emotionally detached, traditional, more non-traditional, and information-seeking. See figure 1.
Delivering more than expected. In almost all circumstances, families aim to create a respectful ceremony that honours the life of their loved one. However, most consumers do not see any “upside.” In other words, they see two potential outcomes: planning and delivering the “expected” experience for family and friends, or having something go awry and delivering a bad experience. An outside force – the funeral professional or other influencer – must help families envision an outcome above and beyond the expected.
‘Aha’ Insights: Consumers
The studies resulted in a number of significant insights with respect to consumers.
Difficulty addressing all four segments. Although funeral professionals are skilled at serving two of the consumer segments, many struggle to meet the needs of the other two.
Figure 1: Consumer Segments
Figure 2: Customer Segments
A D
D
C
B C
Segment A
Segment A
• E motionally detached even when making arrangements for a loved one • Do what needs to be done in a practical, efficient manner
• T end to view products and suppliers as undifferentiated • Will order from whoever has the lowest price at the time
Segment B
Segment B
•M ost non-traditional; looking to do “something different” • Older than other personas
•H esitant to invest in expanding or modernizing their business • Prefer to buy from mulitple vendors
Segment C
Segment C
•M ore likely to regard funerals as religious ceremonies • Have the most favourable views toward funeral homes
• S trong business acumen. Most likely the president or owner of the business • On the cutting edge – looking for advanced solutions and new ideas
Segment D •M ore traditional in their views of products and ceremonies • Most likely to turn to the Internet for information and advice • Younger than other personas
A
B
Segment D • S trongly believe in traditional business practices • Want high quality products and value the major suppliers
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Meeting diverse needs. Understanding and adapting funeral services to the diverse needs of consumer segments is necessary to ensure more families – hopefully all families – experience deep, meaningful end-of-life services that go beyond the expected. ‘Aha’ Insights: Customers
After completing the consumer study, Batesville repeated the process with its customer channel, conducting in-depth interviews followed by online quantitative. The quantitative portion included a deep dive into attitudes and reactions to proposed positioning statements and value propositions. This part of the research would help shape or refocus the brand mission and values. Overall, the project was designed to identify what was important; identify customer segments and the defining characteristics of each; understand how historical Batesville differentiators match each segment’s idea of value; and identify ways to increase overall value delivery by giving each segment more of what matters most and dialing back on things of lesser importance. As with the consumer study, four segments were identified: price-focused, traditional, forward-leaning, and less optimistic. See figure 2. The studies resulted in a number of significant insights with respect to customers. Well-matched and less well-matched segments. Two of the four customer segments were well-matched to Batesville differentiators, and two less so. Historically, Batesville tended to serve all customers in the same manner. Since each segment has distinct needs and wants, the existing strategy led to delivering a sub-optimal customer experience. Need to “up the game.” Although Batesville owned certain traits, such as innovation and industry leadership, it needed to “up the game” in other areas to truly deliver best-inclass service and value, especially to the two well-matched segments. Where Batesville Is Today
Informed by consumer and customer segmentation research, Batesville completed the brand development process (vision, mission, positioning, and core messages) and is in the midst of both an internal and external rollout. Through a separate blended customer satisfaction and brand imagery study, the company established its strengths and weaknesses, as perceived by each customer segment. These findings are driving strategic trade-offs, such as placement of resources to enhance the customer experience. Batesville is also looking at alternative ways to identify customers by attitudinal segments in order to test segment-specific solutions and finetune how value is delivered to customers. 12
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As for consumers, Batesville believes it understands their needs and wants in aggregate better than anyone in the industry. The company acknowledges that its customers know families in a deeper, one-on-one way that can’t be replicated. At the same time, the organization is using insights gained from its research about consumers’ wants and needs to educate channel partners about the broader landscape – helping them see the forest for the trees. Lastly, Batesville’s extensive understanding of families drives its product and service innovation engine, enabling the company to continue helping families honour the lives of those they love while helping funeral professionals enhance the value of their businesses. Lessons Learned about Segmentation
After having completed this process, Batesville offers the following tips to help others on the journey to connect with their customers: • E nlist a champion from the C-suite (senior executive) upfront. • E ngage multiple stakeholders across the enterprise, including Human Resources. • D evelop a clear plan for how segmentation information will be used strategically and tactically. This is a critical step, particularly in the B-to-B space. • D evelop a syndication plan as a part of the process and socialize the information early and often, delivering that information to key constituents. Batesville: For more than 125 years, Batesville has been dedicated to helping families honour the lives of those they love. Batesville’s innovation has changed the face of funeral services, from advancements in manufacturing and logistics to profitenhancing burial and cremation merchandising solutions, integrated technology offerings, and a portfolio of proprietary products to help families personalize their funeral services. Todd J. Darland is the director of Brand Strategy and Merchandising for Batesville. He has held leadership positions in product development, sales, brand management, and business development across several B2B and B2C industries. He earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business. Todd can be reached at todd.darland@batesville.com Gayle Lloyd leads the market research and business intelligence function at Batesville. Prior to Batesville, Gayle was responsible for research and information management at several Fortune 100 companies, GE, Roadway Express, FedEx and Sears Holdings. Her background also includes leadership roles in strategy and market management as well as brand and product management at major brands. Gayle can be reached at gayle.lloyd@batesville.com
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**NEW DATE**
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The theme of this year’s QRD Day is Creating Connections. The conference will explore: • Connecting researchers with information on emerging qualitative techniques • How qualitative research and recruiters are connecting to diverse audiences such as teens and newcomers to Canada • Ideas for how to connect qualitative research with action-oriented business decisions • and much, much more
Registration Now Open! Sponsorship Opportunities Available! Visit http://qrdconference2014.mria-arim.ca/news/index.php
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F E ATURE
MILKING MEMORIES: FIVE STEPS FROM INSIGHT TO CAMPAIGN Nick Black (shown left), Liz Gurszky (shown right), Katherine Loughlin, Jason Brandes, Anita Medl
To start this article, let’s go back – way back into your childhood. What are your earliest memories of milk? What do you remember doing, seeing and experiencing in relation to milk? How do these memories make you feel? If you’re feeling warm and fuzzy, you may be experiencing nostalgia, a physiological state that’s been shown to make people feel loved, protected and physically warmer.1 It may seem strange to start a research article recalling experiences of childhood nostalgia, but not when the article explores the topic of food. Amongst the most frequent of human behaviours, eating and drinking are influenced by a complex range of social and psychological factors.2 Because milk is the first food consumed in childhood, the motivations surrounding it can be particularly complex. So how did a group of Canadian marketers come to terms with these complexities and develop a new marketing direction for milk? That’s the focus of this article and almost two years of quantitative and qualitative research. This article will take you, from project background to final creative, through the five steps that led to the development of the new “Milk Every Moment” marketing campaign. 14
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Project Background
Back in March 2011, Milk West – a joint venture by the BC Dairy Association, Alberta Milk, SaskMilk, and the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba – began a process of marketing research and strategy, a process designed to uncover milk marketing opportunities across Western Canada. Despite the success of previous marketing campaigns that were focused on youth and nutrition, there was growing concern in the group that changes in demographics, eating patterns, and milk perceptions may be contributing to a decline in consumption. To find ways of addressing the decline, Milk West and Concerto Marketing Group began an extensive research process involving online surveys (n = 3,919), morphological interviews (n = 51), group discussions (n = 91) and online testing (n = 776) with teenagers and adults across Western Canada. Step 1: Identifying the Target Audience
From the outset, opinions and anecdotal evidence raised a confusing array of target audience opportunities for milk, as that audience included baby boomers, urban parents,
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regional teenagers, and recent migrants. To properly assess the validity of these opportunities, the first step in the research involved measuring milk consumption in all potential target audiences. By measuring the amount of milk each respondent consumed on a weekly basis, we quickly discovered that gender was, in fact, the variable most consistently associated with levels of milk consumption, in particular, with lower levels among females. While no significant difference in consumption could be observed between females and males Figure 1: Weekly Milk Consumption by Age and Gender
at the age of 13, by the age of 17 average milk consumption among females was 31 per cent below that of their male counterparts. Furthermore, this decline persisted into adult years, with females between the ages of 30 and 49 consuming an average of 16 per cent less milk than their male counterparts (see figure 1). Given this significant pattern of underconsumption by females across Western Canada, it became clear that the future marketing priority for Milk West should be centred on addressing this decline.
Interestingly, despite almost universal levels of agreement with these statements, regression analysis found that only 3 per cent of milk consumption could be explained by these beliefs. This finding was an important one for Milk West, because it challenged many of the conventions associated with milk marketing and made a case for exploring new motivations and messages. Step 3: Exploring Emotional Beliefs
Since rational and nutritional beliefs couldn’t explain milk consumption, step three in the research process was designed to explore emotional beliefs and motivations. To carry out this research properly, a series of 90-to-120-minute depth interviews were conducted using the theoretical framework of morphological research. Developed by Professor Wilhelm Salber, from the University of Cologne, Germany, morphological research is based on psychological tensions in everyday human behaviour.3 Unlike other research techniques, which often focus on surface ideas and rational responses, morphological research is designed to explore underlying and often unconscious motivations.4 Using morphological research, Concerto Marketing Group developed a model to help explain the emotional needs and motivations underlying adult and teenage milk consumption. This research uncovered six drivers of milk consumption that work in tension with each other to form a hexagonal model (see figure 2). Figure 2: Milk Motivations Model
Step 2: Assessing Rational Beliefs
Over the past fifty years, numerous marketing campaigns have been developed to promote the rational and nutritional benefits of milk consumption. While messages related to calcium and strength formed an important foundation in the promotion of milk, little had been done to assess the impact of these beliefs on consumption. Hence, step two in the research process set out to measure the impact of these beliefs, using a range of factual statements (e.g., milk is good for bones, it prevents osteoporosis, and it is important for muscle growth).
Driver 1: Bonding. This describes the drive to drink milk for the purposes of family care and bonding. “It’s this comforting feeling. Sometimes when I drink milk, I think of when I was a kid – the milk and cookies with my family. It was nice when everyone was together. vue November 2013
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I also remember my mom giving me warm milk when I couldn’t sleep at night. You remember how your parents cared for you.” – female, 13–18 Driver 2: Pleasure. This describes the drive to drink milk for the purposes of personal enjoyment and pleasure. “I make a lot of milkshakes. Sometimes I’ll drink them quickly because my kids have asked for one and I’ve said no. Then, when they’re gone, I’ll have it to myself … I love it. It’s kind of childish.” – female, 30–49 Driver 3: Growth. This describes the drive to drink milk for the purposes of development and physical growth. “Drinking milk is sort of a powerful thing. It’s going down your throat and expanding into your body, building up strength, and giving you a feeling of revitalization … It helps the body recover, and it feels like it’s building it up.” – male, 30–49
Step 4: Testing Messages
Using the milk motivations model to guide development, step four in the research process involved creating and testing a range of new milk messages. In collaboration with the advertising agency DDB Canada, nine messaging options were prepared for testing with teenagers and adults across Western Canada. Through the use of group discussions and online testing, two of these messages emerged as clear and consistent favourites. Message 1. “Sometimes your inner child really wants a glass of milk.” This message tapped into the desire to return to a childhood state of bonding and pleasure with milk: “It’s the inner child. You’re thinking of when you were a child and there were no cares and no worries … You didn’t worry about the calories in the cookies. You would just go for it.” – female 30–49
Driver 4: Renewal. This describes the drive to drink milk for the purposes of physical and mental renewal. “Sometimes I’ll drink milk to wash away something … When I’m walking home from the city, I’m inhaling all the particles from the dirty city. When I get home, I like to wash all those particles away with a good serving of milk.” – male, 30–49
Message 2. “Milk is the perfect sidekick to your favourite foods.” This message tapped into the pairing of milk with comfort foods for the purpose of bonding and pleasure: “It gets you excited thinking about your next glass of milk ... It could encourage more milk drinking, because you’re thinking, ‘I really like milk because it goes great with a comfort food.’” – female 30–49
Driver 5: Health. This describes the drive to drink milk for the purposes of nutritional balance and protective health. “I know a lot of women suffer from osteoporosis. I remember seeing my great-grandma and thinking that she looked so old, fragile and breakable. It was scary. I want to have stronger bones. I don’t want to end up like that.” – female, 13–18
Based on clear and consistent results from message testing, Concerto Marketing Group recommended that Milk West move forward with a new marketing campaign that targets females across Western Canada using one or both of these bonding and pleasure messages.
Driver 6: Routine. Finally, this describes the drive to drink milk for the purpose of maintaining habits and routines. “Milk is our whole morning routine. If there’s a crisis moment in the morning, it would be having no milk. Milk is our morning routine … I have a love-hate relationship with milk.” – female, 30–49 Although all six drivers provided opportunities for influencing adult and teenage milk consumption, the research found that the bonding and pleasure drivers, which formed an important basis for milk behaviour, could provide Milk West with an opportunity to reactivate consumption by females.
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Figure 3: ‘Milk Every Moment’ Campaign
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Step 5: Final Campaign
References
In June 2013, after two years of research and strategy development, Milk West and DDB Canada launched the new “Milk Every Moment” campaign. Highlighting a range of nostalgic childhood experiences like sticking your tongue to a frozen pole or having a glass of milk with cookies, the new campaign was designed to encourage females to “release their inner child and drink milk with their favourite foods” (see figure 3). Appearing on television, in-store, online, outdoors, and in social media, the campaign is ongoing, and final tracking results are yet to be fully analysed. However, early measurements indicate that the campaign is having a positive impact on females’ milk perceptions and consumption intentions across Western Canada. For anyone who is interested in seeing the campaign in more detail, go to the “Milk Every Moment” website (www.milkeverymoment.ca) or to YouTube (www.youtube.com/milkeverymoment).
1. X. Zhou, T. Wildschut, C. Sedikides, X. Chen, & A.J. Vingerhoets. “Heartwarming Memories: Nostalgia Maintains Physiological Comfort.” Emotion, 2012: 12(4), 678–684. 2. L. Morin-Audebrand, J. Mojet, C. Chabanet, S. Issanchou, P. Møller, E. Köster, & C. Sulmont-Rossé. (2012). “The Role of Novelty Detection in Food Memory.” Acta Psychologica, 2012: 139(1), 233–238. 3. W. Salber. “The Everyday Cure: Everyday Life and Therapy.” In W. Schirmacher & S. Nebelung (Eds.), German Essays on Psychology, pp. 272–308. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001. 4. D. Ziems. “The Morphological Approach for Unconscious Consumer Motivation Research.” Journal of Advertising Research, 2004: 44(2), 210–215.
Nick Black is vice-president at Concerto Marketing Group and is responsible for leading marketing research and strategy projects across North America. He can be reached at nblack@ concertomarketing.com or followed on Twitter (@nickblackorg).
Milking Memories
To end this article, let’s go back – way back into your childhood. Providing an important foundation for the way we think about many categories, childhood memories and experiences often have a profound influence on everyday consumer motivations and behaviour. From food to finance, exploring these early memories and experiences can provide marketers and marketing researchers with a wealth of unique insights and marketing opportunities. So, next time you’re considering the future of your market, perhaps you should try exploring the past. You never know: you might discover some memories worth milking.
Liz Gurszky, marketing director at the BC Dairy Association, can be reached at lgurszky@bcdairy.ca Katherine Loughlin, market development manager at Alberta Milk, can be reached at kloughlin@albertamilk.com Jason Brandes, market development director at the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, can be reached at jasonb@milk.mb.ca Anita Medl, marketing manager at SaskMilk, can be reached at anita.medl@saskmilk.ca
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THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLIENT-SIDE
RESEARCHER’S ROLE What is to Come in the Next Five Years? Joseph Chen I have been in the role of chair of MRIA’s Client-Side Researcher Council for more than two years and have had the pleasure of working with, speaking to, and learning from client-side researchers across different industries in Canada. I want to share some of my observations about the evolution of the client-side researcher’s role and outline five areas where I think the role will be evolving in the next few years. I also want to provide you with some helpful tips based on what I have learned and have come across in the last few years.
My personal view, and I believe you would agree, is that marketing research is an investment and businesses should see it as an investment, just like advertising. Our role as client-side researchers can influence those investments to make sure that businesses make the right business decisions. It is often more challenging, but not impossible, to get those in finance on-board, as they are not the ones who actually use the insights – other than for marketing mix modelling, pricing studies, or certain other studies. The most radical move is cutting all marketing research budgets and funding all marketing research projects from advertising investment. Some companies operate in this way, and advertising investment could be where marketing research budgets sit in the future.
Marketing Research Budget: Investment or a Cost?
We often hear about the client-side researcher role being at a tipping point, as we need to react quickly and demonstrate the importance of our role to businesses in order to avoid the role being eliminated. I agree with this thinking, as we recently witnessed a technology company in Canada eliminate its entire marketing research department. However, over the last two years, I have also witnessed a number of companies that brought the marketing research department in-house and, as a result, created client-side researcher opportunities. Companies like Dare Foods, Smucker’s, and Kruger Products, just to name a few, have recently staffed up their marketing research departments. Other organizations acknowledge the importance of having an internal marketing research/consumer insight team that can offer strategic guidance to the business. My prediction is that we will see more companies joining the fray in order to be competitive in the marketplace.
Through my network, I often hear that research budgets are being cut or that budgets are getting tighter in organizations. This squeeze is especially the case when an organization is going through a tough time. For example, a company may be having trouble meeting certain business performance targets, or perhaps a significant investment is needed to fund a new program or initiative in order to drive growth. What I have also observed is that, overall, marketing research budgets are getting cut in order to reduce organizations’ overall costs; however, client-side researchers are as busy as ever. Many are spending on marketing research projects through the marketing team’s advertising or brand budget. This practice tells you that the marketing team sees the importance and benefit of insights, and that they would rather spend less on advertising to make sure they get the proper insights to address their business questions. The question, therefore, arises: Should the marketing research budget be a part of the advertising investment rather than research costs that sit in “overhead”? 18
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More Client-Side Researcher Roles in the Market
Embracing Ways of Doing Things Differently
I have to admit that, when I first learned about Google Consumer Surveys, I hesitated and told my business
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partners all the reasons why Google Surveys was not the right tool to address business questions. However, my perspective has changed since then. When I learned more about Google Surveys, I started to think about how I could leverage the tool for selective business issues that we could address. Google Surveys is fast, intuitive, and very cost-effective. When I sat down with some Google executives a few weeks ago, I learned even more about Google Surveys – and about other services, such as Google Analytics and Google Trends, which can help me to be even more insightful. Now I have more tools in my research repertoire. I am now more convinced of the need for us to adapt to this technological change and stay relevant, just like our marketing partners, who are constantly looking for new ways to reach our consumers. My assumption is that we will see more revolutionary thinking and more revolutionary tools coming from Google or other digital providers in the next few years, and that these tools will help us be even more effective in our role as client-side researchers. Marketing Research: A Global Industry
Occasionally, I hear from industry colleagues that they are working with marketing research companies in the U.S. or the U.K. In recent years, more companies are using marketing research providers outside Canada. From what I have been told, client-side researchers who outsourced work abroad couldn’t find Canadian agencies to run the research projects due to unique business issues whose solutions were beyond the capabilities that existed in Canada. I find it most surprising when client-side researchers tell me that companies in Western European countries, like the Netherlands or Germany, have unique solutions and can address the business issues at half the cost of what our Canadian suppliers offer. Think about European countries and the economic troubles they have faced in recent years: most companies in Europe are cutting their budgets, including research funding. Companies need to do things differently while still getting the insights they need. I am hoping our marketing research industry in Canada will keep pace with the environment globally, and not just locally. Otherwise, we will see more marketing research projects being undertaken by suppliers outside Canada. Client-Side Research in Financial Services: The New Model?
Over the past years, I have learned how different companies operate their marketing research/consumer insight function
in Canada. The financial services industry has a great operating model when it comes to marketing research. Essentially, the client-side research function in financial services companies operates like a research hub so that the client-side researcher is literally the face of marketing research. In many financial services companies, internal business partners have minimal or no interactions with research vendors. This situation also means that client-side researchers conduct all the research presentations and put together their own presentations and reports. Another interesting observation about these organizations is that, generally, all the presentations and reports use the financial services company’s own templates. The client-side researcher decides what insights to present and provides an objective point of view. This model is very interesting, with obvious pros and cons to the operational approach. This approach would suggest a different way of working and maintaining relationships with our research partners, who would often like to be a part of the process, including face time with the end-users. I think this approach could become much more common in the future. That is, client-side researchers will take more ownership back so that they will not be perceived as being just project managers, acting between their business partners and the supplier. Instead, client-side researchers will, more and more, be the ones who run the show. We are the face of marketing research in our organizations, and this approach could further demonstrate our value to the organization and to our business partners. I think we will see more of this model in the next few years. Lastly, our role is constantly evolving, and that makes our jobs fun and exciting. I hope these thoughts offer you some mind-shifting ideas and challenge the way you do your job or run your marketing research department. Please feel free to reach out to me any time, as I would like to hear from you. Joseph is in Consumer and Market Insight at Unilever Canada, supporting insights and strategy for brands such as Becel, Hellmann’s, Knorr, Breyers, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Dove, Axe, and TRESemmé. Prior to Unilever, Joseph worked at Kraft Foods, Ipsos Reid, and Millward Brown. He is a regular contributor to academic as well as industry publications and conferences. Joseph is currently the chair of the Client-Side Researcher Council at MRIA. He can be reached at Joseph.Chen@unilever.com vue November 2013
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SUCCESSFUL CONSUMER SEGMENTATION: Clare Studwell
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MORE THAN JUST THE MATH
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It is generally accepted within the marketing research industry that your consumer segmentation is not static and that it should be updated or refreshed every three to five years, depending on how quickly your product or brand changes within the marketplace. This refresh allows your organization to understand behavioural shifts related to your category or industry, shifts in segment sizes, and emerging trends that were not captured in your original segmentation scheme. However, it is also generally accepted that refreshing your consumer segmentation can be a painful process for all parties involved, particularly if this refresh leads to an entirely new approach to thinking about, designing for, and marketing to the consumer. As the company’s director of Consumer Insights, I recently completed an overhaul of a long-standing consumer segmentation for Wilton Brands, LLC, the leading food crafting company in the industry. This overhaul was an incredible learning opportunity, not only for me but also for my department and the organization as a whole. After encountering a number of stumbling blocks, making a few mistakes, and inadvertently stepping on a few toes, I helped establish for our current and potential market a robust segmentation that has been adopted across the organization, and it is impacting our product development process, our marketing, and our merchandising strategies. After completing a post mortem of this process, I determined that the consideration of four key elements was critical to the success of our new consumer segmentation, and I hope that you will also consider these the next time you embark on this process: • understanding your starting point • identifying where you want to go • getting everyone else on board • making your investment work for you. Understanding Your Starting Point
Having an intimate understanding of your starting point is critical across all marketing research initiatives but becomes especially important in developing or refreshing a consumer segmentation. Knowing your starting point will help you persuade upper management of the need for the research, will help drive questionnaire development, and will eventually help with the resulting segmentation’s outward communication to your organization. Pay homage to your original segmentation. One of my early missteps as I began the process of updating our consumer segmentation was not paying respect to our original consumer segmentation. Rather, in order to “sell in” or persuade upper management of the need for a refresh, I focused
on all the things wrong with the original segmentation. I thought that doing so would clearly communicate the need for an update. Instead, I inadvertently devalued much of the hard work that the organization had already done to meet the needs of the existing consumer segments. Once I realized I had made this grave error, I was able to correct course quickly in order to focus on how the original segmentation had benefited us in the past and how we could deepen these benefits by developing a more comprehensive understanding of our consumer. Key questions to ask yourself in this process can include: • What do we know about our consumer now, and how has this knowledge helped us in the past? • How will deepening our understanding of the consumer help us in the future? • How has the market or industry changed since we first segmented our consumers? At Wilton, for example, our original consumer segmentation had been developed utilizing an a priori approach and was grounded in consumers’ level of expertise as it related to cake decorating. This segmentation scheme was applied to a relatively narrow demographic target we had identified as our key consumer group. Our success in taking this approach was realized in the development of a deep understanding of this specific demographic target as well as our determining how to engage that target in becoming more involved in cake decorating. Identifying and focusing on these strengths allowed me to easily sell in the idea that when we as an organization know our target and get the message right, we are successful. So the segmentation refresh was designed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the emotions and motivations that drive engagement in the activity for all demographic target groups, thereby enabling us to get the message right for more people and leading to greater success. Identifying Where You Want to Go
In Drinking from the Fire Hose (Portfolio, 2011), authors Christopher Frank and Paul Magnone propose that, in order to get the most out of your research, you must, at the outset, identify the questions you are trying to answer as well as the behaviours you are trying to measure. Nowhere are these tasks more important than in consumer segmentation. Having completed a number of consumer segmentation initiatives in my career, I know it is far too easy to try to measure everything and see what sticks. While this approach may seem to make sense, you run the risk, as Frank and Magnone say, of drowning in data. The problem with too much data is not only that you face the challenge of interpreting and analysing that data, but also that it becomes vue November 2013
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your responsibility to tell the story of your segments to the rest of your organization. Telling a story with too much data will result in data overload for your key constituents, preventing you from effectively getting your message across. At Wilton, we approached our segmentation refresh with the understanding that our resulting segments should be based primarily on the emotions and motivations that drive engagement in the activities of baking and decorating. Understanding these levers would be the most effective in helping us market to our consumers’ hearts rather than their minds or wallets; and it would be the most impactful – at all levels of the organization – in telling the story of each segment. Your organization or industry may have different levers to pull, but knowing these levers going into your initiative will be critical to your success. Getting Everyone Else on Board
Whereas my initial lack of respect for our existing consumer segments was my biggest misstep in this process, managing communication across the organization was one of my biggest successes – and doing so is critical to the implementation of a consumer segmentation. Establish a cross-functional team of evangelists. Let’s face it: In marketing research, it never hurts to have some folks in our corner. And the need for others to be onside is never more critical than when we are updating our segmentation. Early on in the process at Wilton, we established a crossfunctional team of thought leaders who were integral to each step. In fact, it was working with this team that helped me identify my very early misstep of not giving our existing segmentation the respect it deserved. This team was also critical to questionnaire development and the identification of the final segmentation scheme. It further provided cheerleaders for the process as we started our outward communication with the rest of the organization. I find that, within marketing research departments, it is far too easy to isolate ourselves just so that we can get our projects completed. However, gaining insight from key leaders from product development, from marketing and from sales made our segmentation stronger and made the communication to the rest of the organization easier and more effective. Manage company-wide communication. It is not enough for upper management and key leaders in your organization to understand your consumer segmentation. To effect real change, you must empower every employee to be able to tell a story about each segment; to understand the priority order of your segments and what drives these prioritization decisions; and to identify the key product development and marketing levers that can be pulled to target each high-priority segment. 22
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There are many ways you can achieve company-wide buyin, including, but not limited to: • leveraging your team of evangelists to spread the word and build excitement • hosting multiple town hall–style meetings to educate members of your organization • gamifying the process to encourage participation, including such activities as hosting Jeopardy-style trivia sessions and conducting company-wide quizzes • encouraging all employees company-wide to complete the segmentation algorithm, thereby identifying the segment to which they belong, bringing the segment to life, and helping them more thoroughly understand the research approach • distributing a company-wide newsletter focused on the segments – including “meet the segment” interviews or profiles with employees who fit into your high-priority segments – to further the understanding of the segments and to truly bring them to life. Making Your Investment Work for You
And, finally, treat your consumer segmentation as a gift that keeps on giving. Having worked on the vendor side, I have seen far too many clients keeping their consumer segmentation in a binder on a bookshelf rather than letting it live and breathe throughout the organization. You just made huge time, energy and financial investments in your new consumer segmentation; make sure it pays you back! At Wilton, we have made our high-priority segments part of our everyday conversation, and we have started to roll out the segmentation algorithm beyond just our internal employees. Among other things, we are using this segmentation algorithm to help buyers at our key retailers understand the segments, and we are building a Wilton opinion panel grounded in the consumer segmentation. I am confident that taking these steps has empowered us to squeeze every bit out of our refresh, and I hope that following these steps will help make you more successful the next time you embark on a consumer segmentation update. Clare Studwell is director of Consumer Insights at Wilton Brands, LLC, managing research initiatives for Wilton Enterprises, EK Success Brands, and Simplicity Creative Group. She joined Wilton with a breadth of supplier-side research management skills, providing her not only with a strong research foundation but also with an eye for developing unique solutions to unique problems. When Clare is not researching cake decorating, crafting, or sewing and quilting, you can typically find her at home – decorating cakes, crafting, or sewing and quilting! Clare can be reached at cstudwell@wilton.com
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Marjorie Connelly
HOW TO GET YOUR SURVEY INTO
The New York Times In recent years, polls have become ubiquitous. But not all polls are created equal. And so survey editors at The New York Times make every effort – working with reporters and editors in all departments – to make sure only the best survey research makes it into the paper and onto the website. I’ve spent my entire professional career working in News Surveys at The New York Times, the department that conducts polls for The Times and oversees all survey research used in the news reports. A number of years ago, I freelanced for the travel section, writing for the Q&A and advisory columns. An editor asked me to write up a report on the best airports worldwide, based on a survey of airport customers. As a survey editor, I looked into the survey’s methodology a bit more closely than the paper’s average freelancer. My first question: How was the survey administered? It was handed out at the gate to departing passengers. According to the press release, this procedure made it “unbiased, representative and reliable.” Scouring the literature that came with the release to find the rest of its methodology, I found a fatal flaw. The survey was conducted by an industry group only at airports that belonged to the group; and only airports that
belong to the group could be named as “best.” So I told the travel section editor that we should not report on this survey. The same survey – without a single caveat – was used in a travel column in the business section. All survey data, whether published in the print edition of The New York Times or used online, is to be vetted by an editor from the survey department to determine if the survey meets The Times’ standards and to ensure that the reporter is using the data properly. This vetting protocol is employed for polls on every topic used in every section of the paper. The New York Times has polling standards that have been developed and adjusted over the years by a number of editors and reporters. The polling standards are posted at http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/286713nytimes-polling-standards-2011.html Polls must show evidence that they used probability sampling, a criterion that is generally the stumbling block for many so-called surveys that we are asked to vet. In order to truly represent a population – whether it be small businesses, soccer moms, drug manufacturers, air travellers, or Democratic or Republican voters – a survey must be based on a probability sample. vue November 2013
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The paper’s stylebook also includes the following guidelines: • Articles about the finding of a public opinion poll should name the person or group that conducted it, name the sponsor and, if necessary, explain the sponsor’s interest in the subject of the poll. • Articles should include the number and type of people surveyed, how and when the survey was conducted, and the margin of sampling error. The Times’ standards and guidelines are based on the best practices for survey research, as outlined by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR). No margin of sampling error is calculable in nonrandom, non-probability samples such as opt-in Internet panels. This fact does not seem to stop some companies from including a statement like “The margin of error is 3 per cent” in a press release for an opt-in panel Internet poll. AAPOR considers it harmful to include statements about a theoretical calculation of sampling error in the description of such a study, particularly since doing so may mislead some readers into thinking the survey was based on a probability sample. On more than one occasion, I have spoken with marketing researchers whose clients wanted to get their research published in The Times and asked about this matter. When they said their survey was based on a non-probability sample and I asked about the margin of sampling error in the press release, the response was usually something like “Well, yeah, technically you’re right; we shouldn’t have a margin of error – my bad.” I’ve spoken with their clients, who are surprised to find out that their press releases shouldn’t include any margins of sampling error. The statement “The margin of error is 3 per cent” contains another bugaboo of mine: the margin of sampling error should be stated as percentage points – not as per cent. There is a difference. The Times has run corrections, because people have confused percentage points and per cent. A per cent is a fraction of something. Percentage points are how per cents are measured. If a candidate has 50 per cent plus or minus 3 percentage points, the candidate’s support theoretically ranges between 47 and 53 per cent. If it was plus or minus 3 per cent, it would be between 48.5 and 51.5 per cent, because 3 per cent of 50 is 1.5. In July, an AAPOR task force report on non-probability sampling included the statement that some non-probability designs are widely accepted in applied research fields such as marketing research. But currently, The Times’ polling standards require probability samples. 24
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What happens when the only data available don’t meet The Times’ standards? It depends – on why it doesn’t meet the standards and why it might be important for the story. Here’s a recent example: We generally don’t use campaigns’ internal polls, because of problems of transparency and issues with partisanship. But last month, an internal poll provided the only polling data available for Senator Mitch McConnell’s re-election bid. We worked with the copy editor, removing the exact percentages provided by Mr. McConnell’s campaign and fashioned a sentence that read: “Mr. McConnell is leading his challenger by a large margin in internal polls.” The point the reporter wanted to make was that, regardless of his current lead in any poll, Mr. McConnell was leaving nothing to chance. But there would be no reason to cite – even obliquely – internal polls released by the candidates in this year’s campaign for the special Senate election in New Jersey. There are plenty of media and academic pollsters covering that campaign. About a year and a half ago, a reporter writing about gourmet pet food wanted to cite some pet owner surveys conducted by industry groups. Although these surveys didn’t meet the paper’s standards, there weren’t other data available to make the reporter’s point that American pets are increasingly middle-aged or elderly. So, working with the editors, avoiding exact percentages, and being transparent about the provenance of the data, we were able to use the data in a way that didn’t contradict our standards. Reporting using survey research is no different from reporting using any other information. Keeping poorly done survey research from influencing and informing the news coverage is just as important as passing on good survey research. When it’s wrong, not only have our readers been misled, but also our credibility has been hurt.
Marjorie Connelly is editor of The New York Times’ News Surveys department, in charge of the polling operation of The Times and the paper’s bestseller lists. She supervises all phases of polling, from questionnaire design and data interpretation to the reporting and editing of the findings. Marjorie got her start in polling as an interviewer on Times/CBS News polls while she was a student at New York University. Marjorie can be reached at connelly@nytimes.com
IN ST IT UT E FOR P ROFE SS IONAL DE VELO PMEN T
MRIA Institute of Professional Development C OURSE CALENDAR FOR 2013–14 IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND NOW MRIA Institute ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS Professional DevelopmentTHROUGH OUR PORTAL for
Grace Woo, Manager Member & Board Relations Institut de développement
professionnel de l’ARIM Although you don’t have to be a member to register and attend, substantial discounts are available to members, which often, with just two courses, cover the cost of the membership itself. And of course, with MRIA membership, you are afforded many other benefits to you personally and also to the marketing research industry as a whole by funding projects that just would not be possible without everyone chipping in a little bit. Institute for Professional Development
MRIA Institute for Professional Development
Institut de développement professionnel
Simulcasting over the Internet (New This Year) For members outside of the city where the course will be held, many of the courses will also be simulcast. Registrants of this option have the same opportunities as those attending in-person to participate live from their home or office and to ask the instructor questions. The following table is a partial list of our course schedule. Please see for details on all the courses and login to www.mriaportal-arimportail.ca to view the entire schedule, qualify for early bird rates and to register: Register early to avoid disappointment!
Course
Start Date
Deadline to Register
Location
Other comments
201-Marketing Research Design
November 1, 2013
October 25, 2013
Toronto
simulcast
202-Questionnaire Design
November 5, 2013
October 25, 2013
Toronto
simulcast
402-Advanced Analysis Techniques (2 days)
November 7, 2013
October 31, 2013
Toronto
101-Introduction to Marketing Research
November 12, 2013
November 5, 2013
Ottawa
simulcast
Moderator’s Tool Box: Mapping & Projective Techniques
November 20, 2013
November 13, 2013
Toronto
MAX 6 participants
102-Ethics
November 28, 2013
November 21, 2013
Toronto
simulcast
Communicating Research Results with High Impact Graphs
December 5, 2013
November 28, 2013
Toronto
303-Marketing Management for Researchers
December 10, 2013
December 3, 2013
Ottawa
simulcast
CMRE Prep (2 days)
January 7, 2014
December 31, 2013
Toronto
simulcast
Market Segmentation Research
January 23, 2014
January 16, 2014
Toronto
204-Qualitative Marketing Research
February 4, 2014
January 28, 2014
Toronto
Writing Results
February 11, 2014
February 4, 2014
Toronto
203-Marketing Research Statistics and Data Analysis
February 18, 2014
February 11, 2014
Ottawa
Measuring Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty & Retention
February 20, 2014
February 13, 2014
Toronto
Mesure de satisfaction et de fidélisation de la clientèle
February 21, 2014
February 14, 2014
Montreal
401-Online Research
February 26, 2014
February 19, 2014
Toronto
simulcast
204-Qualitative Marketing Research
March 4, 2014
February 25, 2014
Edmonton
simulcast
403-Advanced Qualitative Marketing Research
March 5, 2014
February 26, 2014
Edmonton
simulcast
Categorical Data Analysis
March 18, 2014
March 11, 2014
Toronto
NEW
302-Market Intelligence
April 3, 2014
March 27, 2014
Toronto
simulcast
Semiotics
April 8, 2014
April 1, 2014
Toronto
simulcast
Measuring Customer Satisfaction: Advanced
April 17, 2014
April 10, 2014
Toronto
Conjoint Analysis
April 22, 2014
April 15, 2014
Toronto
SPSS: Introduction
April 23, 2014
April 16, 2014
Toronto
SPSS: Advanced (2 days)
April 24, 2014
April 17, 2014
Toronto
301-Competitive Intelligence
April 29, 2014
April 22, 2014
Toronto
403-Advanced Qualitative Marketing Research
May 6, 2014
April 29, 2014
Toronto
Communicating Insights
May 13, 2014
May 6, 2014
Toronto
CMRE Prep Course (2 days)
June 3, 2014
May 27, 2014
Toronto
simulcast
simulcast
simulcast
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IN DUSTRY N E WS
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH REGISTRY (QRR) In accordance with federal privacy laws, MRIA’s Qualitative Research Registry (QRR), or Registre de la recherche qualitative (RRQ) in French, was created to provide an ongoing, user-friendly vehicle for tracking those who do not want to be contacted or should not be contacted for qualitative research studies.
QRR is a comprehensive do not call list of those who have recently participated in qualitative research studies, those who have asked not to be contacted further, and those felt by recruiters and moderators to be best served by not being contacted. These respondents are marked as “do not call” in accordance with established MRIA Standards. All field and full-service companies are encouraged to submit a list of their qualitative respondents for entry into the QRR system each month, including those who do not wish to be contacted. Participating firms will receive monthly updates of respondents to be screened from qualitative recruitment samples. QRR works effectively to increase the quality and integrity of the qualitative research process, by serving as a control to ensure respondents are not contacted more frequently than is necessary. However, the ability of the system to function effectively is directly related to the co-operation received from firms who provide recruitment services. If you are a full service research firm or field supplier that is currently participating in the Qualitative Research Registry program – thank you very much and keep up the good work! If you are not currently participating, please get involved! If you are interested in submitting to QRR, please visit the MRIA website at http://mria-arim.ca/ about-mria/qualitative-research-division/qualitativeresearch-registry for further explanation and guidance on how to submit qualitative research participants’ names, along with the required electronic forms.
THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES HAVE SUBMITTED NAMES TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH REGISTRY FOR MAY 2013 ONTARIO Barbara C. Campbell Recruiting Consumer Vision CRC Research Dawn Smith Field Management Services Inc. I & S Recruiting Ipsos Reid Nexus Research Quality Response Research House Inc.
QUEBEC Ipsos Reid
WEST Barbara C. Campbell Recruiting CRC Research Ipsos Reid Trend Research
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH REGISTRY SUBMISSIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO: QRRQ@MRIA-ARIM.CA Submission templates and payment forms can be found at http://mria-arim.ca/about-mria/qualitative-researchdivision/qualitative-research-registry-fees
Rules of Conduct and Good Practice for Members of the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (2007), Section C Rules Specific to the Conduct of Qualitative Research: 20. R ecruiters should provide accurate data to the Qualitative Research Registry, where such exists, on a consistent basis and check all respondents against the Registry.
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21. M oderators buying recruiting services should give primary consideration to recruiting agencies which submit to the Qualitative Research Registry, where such a service exists, on a regular and ongoing basis.
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RRS
RESEARCH REGISTRATION SYSTEM Since 1994, the RRS has allowed respondents to verify the legitimacy of a research project; helped legislators and regulators differentiate between legitimate survey researchers and unscrupulous telemarketers, phishers and scammers; and protected the industry from unnecessary and unwanted regulation.
RRS
MRIA’s Research Registration System (RRS) has long been a cornerstone self-regulatory mechanism for the marketing, survey and public opinion research and market intelligence industry in Canada. Combined with other self-regulatory initiatives such as our Code of Conduct and Good Practice and our Charter of Respondent Rights, the RRS has paid huge dividends in protecting the industry’s positive reputation and good name with Canadians. All Gold Seal and Basic Corporate Research Agency members of the Association are obligated to register all of their research projects with the RRS, and ClientSide Corporate members are encouraged to require their agency suppliers to do so. MRIA’s Research Agency Council provides strategic, policy-level oversight of the Research Registration System, and receives aggregate data-only on the System’s performance. Questions about the Research Registration System should be addressed to Erica Klie, Member Services & Events Coordinator, at 1-888-602-6742 or 905602-6854, ext. 8727 or eklie@mria-arim.ca or, in her absence, Interim Executive Director, John Ball, CMRP at ext. 8724 or jball@mria-arim.ca.
Rules of Conduct and Good Practice For Members of the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (2007):
THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES HAVE REGISTERED RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH THE RESEARCH REGISTRATION SYSTEM DURING MAY 2013: GOLD SEAL CORPORATE RESEARCH AGENCIES
Academica Group Advitek Inc. BBM Analytics BBM Canada Blue Ocean Contact Centers Campaign Research Canadian Viewpoint Inc. Cido Research Consumer Vision Ltd. EKOS Research Associates Inc. Greenwich Associates Harris/Decima Inc. Head Count Hotspex Inc. Ifop North America Ipsos Reid Maritz Research Canada MBA Recherche MD Analytics Inc. MQO Research Nanos Research NRG Research Group Opinion Search Inc. Research Dimensions Research House Inc. Tele-Surveys Plus / Télé-Sondages Plus The Logit Group Inc. TNS Canada (Canadian Facts) Trend Research Inc.
Section A (5) Members must uphold the MRIA Charter of Respondent Rights.
Charter of Respondent Rights, Article 2 You can verify that the research you have been invited to participate in is legitimate in one of two ways. You can either obtain a registration number and the MRIA’s toll-free telephone number for any research registered in the MRIA’s Research Registration System or you can obtain the contact information of the research director who is conducting the study.
BASIC CORPORATE RESEARCH AGENCIES
Barbara C. Campbell Recruiting Inc. (BCCR Inc.) Goss Gilroy Inc. Nexus Market Research Inc. SmartPoint Research Inc. INDIVIDUAL MEMBER ORGANIZATION
Illumina Research Partners
http://mria-arim.ca/about-mria/research-registration/research-registration-overview
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PEOPLE AND COMPANIES IN THE NEWS •T o read more news online, or to submit your “People and Companies in the News,” s imply fill out our online form at http://mria-arim.ca/news/people-and-company-news.
•T he Vue editorial team reserves the right to select and edit your submission for appearance in Vue. •M RIA is neither responsible for the accuracy of this information nor liable for any false information.
Leger Buys IFOP North America Canadian polling firm Leger has acquired health care and consumer insights specialist IFOP North America. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. IFOP North America is a subsidiary of the IFOP Group which is based in Paris, and operates from Toronto, Buenos Aires, Shanghai and Hong Kong. The firm focuses on six areas of expertise: opinion and business strategy, consumer and beauty, services, media, health, and luxury. As part of the deal, Eric Dubois, the current MD of IFOP North America, will join Leger as CoPresident and Managing Director of the Toronto office, working in close collaboration with Rachelle Deshaies, the current EVP of Leger Toronto, who has been promoted to Co-President and Head of Research. Email: www.leger360.com Website: www.ifop.com MRA Index Shows Research Industry on the Up The Research Industry Index (RII) – the Marketing Research Association’s indicator of business activity in the profession in the U.S. – has reached 100 for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2010, signalling growing optimism across the sector. From a series of online interviews with 216 senior research execs, the RII provides a composite score based on reported changes in multiple key business metrics, projects and staffing levels, as well as changes in business owners’ perception of the “health” of their firms. In early 2011 and 2012, the index took a “significant drop,” slowly increasing throughout each year, but never quite reaching the 100 mark. The MRA says contributing factors to the second quarter 2013 improvement were a six-point increase in both RFPs/proposals and projects/booked revenue, and a three-point increase in staffing. The difference between these figures is attributed to corporate researchers being slower to add staff than research providers. Website: www.marketingresearch.org 28
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AskingCanadians Partners with Research For Good to Expand Sample Capacity AskingCanadians is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Research For Good Inc. (RFG), an online sample company committed to providing reliable, high-quality respondents while also supporting registered charities and not-for-profits by making donations with every survey complete. Research For Good (RFG) is a social enterprise bringing together corporate marketing research budgets and non-profit missions for mutual benefit. RFG’s proprietary Virtual Panel™ methodology expertly blends respondents from social media, gaming sites, loyalty programs, ad networks, email panels and charitable organizations to provide access to unique individuals who are engaged, responsive and meet the highest quality standards. Plus, every completed survey generates a donation to charity. Launched in early 2012, Research For Good grew from a shared passion for quality research and giving back, and is now serving clients throughout the U.S. and Canada with reliable and good sample and research services. For additional information, visit www.researchforgood.com Email: rmanocha@askingcanadians.com New European Leaders for Millward Brown Millward Brown has appointed two Regional Managing Directors in Europe: Benoît Tranzer takes responsibility for France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands; and Jean-Michel Janoueix for Central Eastern Europe and the Nordics. Both will be based in Paris, and both will join the company’s European Executive Board growth agenda across the region. Part of Kanter, within WPP, Millward Brown has 88 offices in 58 countries, and includes specialist practices Millward Brown Digital; global qual network Firefly; The Neuroscience Practice; and Millward Brown Optimor. Website: www.millwardbrown.com
IN DUSTRY N E W S
Nielsen – Vice Chair Susan D. Whiting to Retire at End of 2013 Whiting is credited with overseeing and leading many of the key changes in Nielsen’s approach to research, including guiding it through the transition to measurement of a multi-channel, multi-screen world, establishing a global media measurement business, and putting structures in place to ensure diverse consumer voices are heard. After graduating from Denison University, she became the first woman hired into the company’s inaugural media management training program, and rose to membership of the senior leadership team by the late 1980s. At the start of 2002 she took the key role of President and CEO of Nielsen Media Research, replacing the retiring John Dimling, and in 2007 she was appointed Chairman of Nielsen Media Research and EVP of The Nielsen Company, with marketing and product leadership responsibilities for all Nielsen business units. Website: www.nielsen.com Vision Critical Launches Mobile Forum Product Research community and survey technology specialist Vision Critical has launched a new product, Mobile Discussion Forums, offering integrated mobile qual and quant research options in one tool. The firm says the tool will help to reach the younger demographic, and complements its existing mobile survey capabilities. Website: www.visioncritical.com Target Research Group Bought by Employees U.S.-based full-service agency Target Research Group, Inc. has released details of its recent buyout by its own employees, led by new CEO Greg Spagna. Founded in 1986, the firm works on concept, product, advertising, and package testing, tracking and strategic research for sectors including food, personal care, financial services and health care; and also
has a Legal Research Group specialising in claims substantiation, intellectual property disputes and misleading advertising issues. Website: www.targetresearchgroup.com Two New U.S. Offices for Dapresy Stockholm-based presentation software specialist Dapresy has opened two U.S. offices, in Boston and San Francisco. Rudy Nadilo, the company’s President, North America, is joined in the U.S. by Bob Ferro, VP Global Sales; Cory Nadilo, Manager, Professional Services; and Hektor Suhr, Account Manager. Website: www.dapresy.com TNS Senior Hires TNS BMRB, the division of Kantar providing specialist social research and insight on public policy for government and not-for-profit clients, has expanded its qualitative practice with a number of recent senior level appointments, following a year of growth. The new joiners boost the agency’s capacity in the areas of digital, ethnographic and visual methods research solutions. Former Define exec Caitlin Connors, former EdComs exec Daniel Clay, and Marita Kendrick, formerly of the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, all join in senior roles; while Marina Gkiza and Jason Archer join as Research Executives. Website: www.kantar.com GMR Marketing Appoints Christopher Grimston to Canadian Senior Leadership Team as VP, Strategic Partnerships GMR Marketing, the global full-service marketing agency, has named Christopher Grimston as its new Vice President, Strategic Partnerships. In his new role, Grimston will help the agency bring its world-renowned engagement marketing expertise to more brands across music, entertainment, sports and
People and Companies in the News sponsored by:
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lifestyle in the Canadian market. Grimston comes to GMR with more than twenty years of experience in marketing services and television and commercial production, and is a Vancouver native and a proud Torontonian who enjoys exploring the city, traveling, modern art, a good meal out and a glass of wine. He’s been a co-chair of Toronto’s Fashion Cares, a member of MOCCA and he believes in the importance of giving back to his community. Website: www.gmrmarketing.com Greenlight Up for Six Search Awards UK Search Awards 2013 announced its shortlisting of leading independent digital marketing agency Greenlight, for six awards, in recognition of the exemplary results the agency has delivered for its clients and for its innovative, unique proprietary search marketing technology platform, Hydra. Now in its third year, The UK Search Awards is a national awards competition to celebrate the very best in search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click
(PPC) and digital marketing. It was launched in 2011 by Don’t Panic in association with Manual Link and SEMPO. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place at The Emirates Stadium in London on Thursday, November 14 which Greenlight and guests will be attending. http://greenlightdigital.com SurveyMonkey Sells Off TrueSample Data Quality Arm DIY survey technology firm SurveyMonkey has agreed to sell off its online data quality arm TrueSample to a group of investors led by Five Peaks Capital Management. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. TrueSample is used to screen out fake, duplicate, unengaged and unqualified survey respondents, while also identifying survey design problems. The system offers panelist validation, survey validation, and a “SurveyScore” to eliminate the need for manual data cleaning and validation. Websites: www.surveymonkey.com and www.truesample.com
EVENTS
MARK YOUR CALENDAR November 6, 2013 Atlantic: The Importance of Being Neutral Halifax, Moncton, and St. John’s November 7, 2013 MRIA Client-Side 5th Social Connect Toronto, ON November 19, 2013 BC Chapter: Design & Deliver Better Presentations Vancouver, BC November 21, 2013 Ottawa Public Opinion Polling: Is There a Future for the Discipline? Ottawa, ON
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January 30, 2014 Net Gain 8.0 Toronto, ON February 21, 2014 MRIA Qualitative Research Conference 2013 – Creating Connections Toronto, ON March, 2014 Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) and MRIA, Client Experience (CX) Conference Toronto, ON June 8 – 10, 2014 MRIA National Conference 2014 – Dig Deeper & Discover Saskatoon, SK
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IN D USTRY N E W S
Chapter Chat …
Since the end of summer, the Alberta Chapter has hosted events in both Calgary and Edmonton, which continue to engage and inform its members. In September Michael Donovan, President and Chief Creative Officer of Donovan Creative Communications, spoke on the fundamentals for creating a personal brand and the essential role of social media networks to increase one’s competitive advantage. In October the focus was specifically on digital marketing, as Sharon Bell and Tema Frank gave an interactive and practical presentation that examined how companies can select what to measure given their strategic framework, with options for selecting the right tools for evaluation, using examples from the real world. There was also a professional development course held in Edmonton at the end of October.
The most recent speaker to address the Atlantic Chapter posed an apparently simple question: How important is being neutral? Her answer was anything but obvious. Rather than ignore people who are neutral in their opinions, i.e. those in the so-called “neutral camp,” we should care deeply about them because they can be an early warning sign of troubles ahead. So says Carol Wilson, Director of Market Research at SPIELO International. Additional thought-provoking talks in this series are bound to follow. In conjunction with ESOMAR, the BC Chapter hosted an event on October 30th at Simon Fraser University that featured talks on some of the most innovative techniques in marketing research. Speakers included Avril England of Affectiva, Michael Rodenburgh of Ipsos ASI, Stuart Shulman of Vision Critical, and Rolfe Swinton of RealityMine. In November an advanced workshop on design and delivery is planned for Vancouver that will teach people without a design background how to make engaging slide decks and speak comfortably in front of an audience. Follow us on Twitter (@BCMRIA) or Facebook (www.facebook. com/bcmria) for more information.
g oing forward
The Toronto Chapter saw about 80 people attend a pub night at the Bedford Academy in September. It was a nice down-to-earth event for students from schools near and far (such as McMaster University; Georgian, Seneca, and Humber Colleges) to learn about careers from members in attendance. On October 3rd, about 65 members and non-members attended a talk by David Coletto of Abacus Data entitled “Unlocking the Mystery of Canadian Millennials.” His talk was followed by a panel discussion with him, the LCBO’s Pamela Lawson, and Uthink’s Maria Popova about the impact the Millennial Generation is having on marketing today. The Ottawa Chapter returned from its summer break to hear Dr. Doug Norris of Environics Analytics present his expert analysis of the recently released data from the National Household Survey conducted by Statistics Canada. His analysis made insightful comparisons between past and present trends in these data with potential implications for our industry. Equally impressive was the talk given by Bernie Malinoff, President of element54, who showed how emerging technologies (such as biometrics, neuroscience, nano-surveys, and social media) are capable of being used in marketing research. In particular, he pointed out which uses seem to have the best marketplace traction and momentum. Furthering the educational goals of the MRIA, Robyn Caruthers, Ottawa Chapter VP and a graduate in Marketing and Business Intelligence Research from Algonquin College met recently with students in this program as their invited guest. She shared with them her experiences in the program, her post-program transition and her current career path, as well as the benefits of her MRIA membership. Members and guests are welcome at all MRIA events: Check our online calendar at http://mria-arim.ca/events-awards/ calendar for more information on all events and how to register. Members receive emails directly with event updates, so please check your inboxes for instructions on how to register for all up-coming events!
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COLUMNISTS
CSRC Expectations Defined Vicki Muscat Atlantic Lottery
I have been on the client side of research for four and a half brief years, and prior that, on the supplier side for even less. It has been enough time for me to note areas where I believe improvements could be made that benefit both parties. One area that I feel both fall astray is around expectations. Specifically, as a client, are we expecting too much? I often ask myself this question, especially when I receive a report at three in the morning. I blame both parties for this. With regard to the research partner, while your efforts are commendable, I would suggest you provide realistic expectations for the delivery of the work. When I ask “Can this be done?” and you say “Absolutely!” I trust that you will
INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY Build Your Own Door Margaret Imai-Compton, CMRP Principal, Imai-Compton Consulting Inc.
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door,” quipped Milton Berle, the comedian from the Golden Age of Television. His comment is insightful because he’s suggesting we can creatively design our own opportunities. He’s saying that if there isn’t a door of opportunity, don’t abandon your project – just build your own door so Opportunity has somewhere to knock. Think about some of the more challenging situations or problems you’ve encountered where it would have just been easy to throw up your hands and decide there was no “door.” Now flip your thinking around and ask yourself, “What if I have the ability to build my own door?” For starters, it’s important to recognize that you have the ability to build the door in the first place. If you said, “There’s no way to build this door,” you’ve violated one of the basic principles of Creativity, which is the principle of
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accomplish your work during reasonable hours. Of course you want to satisfy the customers who are fans of your work but getting it done does not equate to getting it done well. Make sure you have the manpower to back up your promise and deliver a product that is meaningful, insightful and (reasonably) typo-free. This is by far more valuable submitted a day or two later (negotiated up front) than two days earlier, requiring several editions. For the clients, especially if you’ve been on the “other side”: You know how long things take; stop being unreasonable! As clients, we often continuously raise the bar, expecting things to be quicker and more efficient. We often set deadlines internally that are unreasonable, which are then passed along to our research partners. We are fueling the fire (along with the coffee industry). Where do we go from here? I suggest researchers and clients sit down and work out an agreement that allows us all to have a good night’s rest!
Possibility. So you start with Assumption No. 1: “I can build the door.” Then once you’ve built your door, use some basic Creative Problem Solving tools to attract Opportunity. Some (abstract) possibilities might include: • Make it visually interesting so it stands out from standard doors. That way it’s easier for Opportunity to find your door. • Include an element of interactivity such as giving the door a voice, so Opportunity has a way to actively engage with your door. • Stage an event or party at the door to generate energy and buzz so Opportunity will want to be part of the action. What’s most important about Milton Berle’s quote is the notion of active possibility; we do not have to resign ourselves to failure or mediocrity because we’re unable to create our own solutions. So think back to a situation where you thought you had no “door.” How would you design that door now? And how might your door have changed the outcome?
COLUMN I STS
QUALITAS
who asked me why I was proposing one methodology over another…an example of the “researcher being researched”! Second – not being afraid to collaborate on a winning research program. My most successful projects have been with clients who let me in, shared the history of their brands, and encouraged an exchange of thoughts on how to approach any given issue. As suppliers, we often have great solutions for our clients, but clients have great ideas too; and those open to sharing them are often associated with the most insightful work. Finally – they are committed to a true research partnership. My favourite clients are those who sit next to me (or at least close to me!) at the final presentation. Who share ownership over the results because they know they were a large part of the process. They may have a number of suppliers – that’s completely understandable – but whomever they decide to work with on any given project, they commit to them with the same fervour. Why? Because although they are client-side, they are still researchers. And they prove it on each and every project!
Positive Attributes of a Client-Side Researcher… From a Supplier’s Point of View France Bragado Ipsos Reid UU
I’ve never worked on the client side, but I have worked with many insights clients over my career. With that, I’ve learned a lot about what makes a client-side researcher great. I’m not talking about personality quirks (though these can be benefits to the relationship); but rather the qualities they possess that make the working relationship, and hence the process and overall results, stellar. First – their genuine passion for understanding the consumer. The strongest partnerships I’ve had with clientside researchers were with those who were innately curious, and who challenged me to consider the best ways to tap into a consumer’s mindspace rather than just the obvious. And
NET GAIN CELEBRATES INNOVATION AND LEADING EDGE RESEARCH This January 30, 2014 marks the 8th annual Net Gain conference. n The theme is Transformation. n Market Research is changing rapidly but into what? n
OPENING KEYNOTE Jeffrey Henning President, Researchscape International, Boston KEYNOTE Tom De Ruyck Head of Consumer Consulting Boards at InSites Consulting
Anne Crassweller Caroline Fletcher Frank Graves, FMRIA Eric Meerkamper Mark Michelson Grant Miller Rudy Nadilo Annie Pettit, Ph.D.
Topics we are covering: Gamification n Crowdsourcing n Co-creation n Data mining n
Predictive modeling n Text analytics n Social Media n Analytics n
Behavioural Economics n Mobility Research n MROCS n Neuroscience n
Net Gain 8.0 co-chairs Cam Davis Ph.D., FMRIA, CMRP – camdavis@sdrsurvey.com Sandy Janzen – sandy.janzen@rogers.com
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Join us and find out more by visiting http://mria-arim-resources.ca/NetGain8/NEWS/
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Connections
2600 Skymark Avenue Building 4, Unit 104 Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5B2 Tel: (905) 602-6854 Toll Free: 1-888-602-MRIA (6742) Fax: (905) 602-6855 Website: www.mria-arim.ca Visit us on LinkedIn and Facebook
Marketing Research and Intelligence Association L’Association de la recherche et de l’intelligence marketing MRIA 2013–14 Board of Directors
OFFICERS PRESIDENT PRESIDENT-ELECT VICE-PRESIDENT SECRETARY-TREASURER INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Anastasia Arabia Shane Skillen, CMRP Carolyn O’Keefe, CMRP Tricia Benn John Ball, CMRP
Trend Research Inc. Hotspex Inc. MQO Research MDC MRIA
DIRECTORS MRIA PRESIDENT PRESIDENT-ELECT PAST-PRESIDENT (EX-OFFICIO) AT-LARGE AT-LARGE AT-LARGE AT-LARGE BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS RESEARCH DIVISION CHAPTER COUNCIL CLIENT-SIDE RESEARCHER COUNCIL CLIENT-SIDE RESEARCHER COUNCIL QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH AGENCY COUNCIL RESEARCH AGENCY COUNCIL WESTERN CANADA REGION ONTARIO REGION QUEBEC REGION ATLANTIC CANADA REGION
Anastasia Arabia Shane Skillen, CMRP Sandra Janzen Fergus Gamble, CMRP Carolyn O’Keefe, CMRP Julie Sylvestre, CMRP Paul Street Tricia Benn Tracy Bowman, CMRP Joseph Chen Kamal Sharma Margaret Brigley, CMRP Adam Froman Mark Wood, CMRP Dave McVetty, CMRP Kristian Gravelle Christian Bourque, CMRP Carol Wilson, CMRP
Trend Research Inc. Hotspex Inc.
MQO Research Sylvestre Marketing Bell Media MDC Protegra Unilever Canada Sobeys Inc. Corporate Research Associates AskingCanadians TNS Canada (Canadian Facts) Parks Canada Kraft Canada Inc. - Consumer Insight & Strategy Group Leger Spielo International
MRIA 2013–14 Portfolio Chairs BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS RESEARCH DIVISION Maggie Weaver CHAPTER COUNCIL Tracy Bowman, CMRP CLIENT-SIDE RESEARCHER COUNCIL Joseph Chen DEAN OF MRIA INSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Stephen Popiel, CMRP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & CERTIFICATION Fergus Gamble, CMRP GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Don Mills, CMRP, FMRIA INTER-ASSOCIATION LIAISON Sandra Janzen LITIGATION AND REGULATORY RESOURCES COMMITTEE Ruth Corbin, CMRP MARKET INTELLIGENCE Kimberlee Niziol Jonas MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Shane Skillen, CMRP MEMBERSHIP Dave McVetty, CMRP PUBLICATIONS Annie Pettit QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DIVISION Margaret Brigley, CMRP RESEARCH AGENCY COUNCIL Adam Froman STANDARDS Ruth Corbin, CMRP
Shaftesbury Associates Protegra Unilever Canada GfK Canada Corporate Research Associates CorbinPartners Inc. Hotspex Inc. Parks Canada Conversition Strategies Corporate Research Associates AskingCanadians CorbinPartners Inc.
MRIA 2013–14 Chapter Council/Chapter Presidents CHAPTER COUNCIL CHAIR ALBERTA ATLANTIC CANADA BRITISH COLUMBIA OTTAWA PRAIRIE QUEBEC TORONTO
Tracy Bowman, CMRP Carolyn Kildare Christina Waddy, CMRP Adam DiPaula Randa Bell, CMRP Tracy Bowman, CMRP Daniel Brousseau, CMRP Leah McTiernan, CMRP
Protegra Mercer Corporate Research Associates Sentis Market Research Inc. ASDE Survey Sampler Protegra TNS Canada (Canadian Facts) Ipsos ASI
MRIA STAFF TEAM INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CLERK CONTROLLER MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS & MANAGING EDITOR, VUE MANAGER, MEMBER & BOARD RELATIONS MANAGER, MEMBER SUPPORT SERVICES MEMBER SUPPORT SERVICES ASSISTANT
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John Ball, CMRP Etta Wahab Lucy Pizunski Anne Marie Gabriel Grace Woo Erica Klie Lynn Forth
Ext. Ext. Ext. Ext. Ext. Ext. Ext.
8724 8721 8722 8723 8730 8727 8729
jball@mria-arim.ca ewahab@mria-arim.ca lpizunski@mria-arim.ca amgabriel@mria-arim.ca gwoo@mria-arim.ca eklie@mria-arim.ca lforth@mria-arim.ca