MRSNZ Newsletter - Q3-2012 by Research Association NZ

The newsletter of the Market Research Society of New Zealand

InterVIEW Q3 2012

Cover story:

Come on in. These clients donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bite.

Not to be missed!

Creating something better with Rob Clark

Is pop eating itself? by Duncan Stuart Plus all the regular great content!

New Tools for New Insights! Try The Survey System 10.5 The Survey System 10.5 provides exciting new tools: • Track clicks on images with heat maps • Show YouTube videos to respondents • Create restaurant menu pricing tests • Track quotas from combination of answers using up to three questions • Use hide and reveal question fields on the same page to shorten survey length Download your trial copy from: www.hrs.co.nz/3037.aspx

2012 Aug - TSS Webinar - MRSNZ Ad.indd 1

7/4/2012 10:43:00 AM

Join ESOMAR for an evening of networking and presentations on the latest topics influencing the market research sector. Learn more about using social network analysis to demystify WOM, how behavioural change can drive safety campaigns and how opinion polls can be affected by spin and rhetoric at this “Best of” event. The agenda boasts a dynamic set of speakers: ESOMAR Congress 2012 Best Case History Award Winner Caz Tebutt, Tebutt Reseach (Fiji) ESOMAR Research Effectiveness Award 2012 Finalist Joan Young, Colmar Brunton Research (Australia) Presenter ESOMAR Asia Pacific 2012 Scott Taylor, Soup (Australia)

ESOMAR BEST OF NEW ZEALAND 2012

This meeting is free for ESOMAR and MRSNZ members. If you are not a member and would like to attend the charge is $75.

17:00 – 20:00

IN COOPERATION WITH MRSNZ

DIMENSIONS OF EXCELLENCE AUCKLAND / 8 NOVEMBER TAMAKI YACHT CLUB

To register contact Helen Parker at h.parker@esomar.org.

Welcome

to our new issue of InterVIEW. First of all, a big congratulations goes out to all winners and participants (no pun intended) of the 2012 Market Research Effectiveness Awards. Have you started to correct people at work every time they say ‘respondent’? We don’t want to see that word in any of the submissions next time!

I want to thank you all for helping us make it such a special evening! A few of you wrote to us, describing what you thought of the event: ‘an awesome cameo’, ‘best awards night so far. And our sponsors seem to have enjoyed it too: ‘…happy to be involved and are very excited about the vibrancy of the industry in NZ,’ ‘…event was fantastic and was a great opportunity for all the sponsors to be seen and get great exposure to the industry.’ We should all be proud. If there is one thing that bonds us an industry, it is when we come together to celebrate our ‘war stories’. Many of you have been asking us to organize industry events more often. We will take up the challenge and lead the charge, but we will need your help. Only a handful of members are registered in our LinkedIn Group. And less than ten actively contribute to discussions. If you are reading this and you are not part of the group, join in. Our next big event will be the MRSNZ Xmas Function, hosted by The Research Club, on Nov 29th at Tylers Street Garage. Put it in your diary now! If you have colleagues that never come to the events, bring them in. They will not regret it. Be sure to also check out some of the exciting events we have coming up in Save the Date. Our last anniversary edition celebrated the MRSNZ’s 50 years of history. This time we look ahead and shift our focus to our clients and industry leaders to bring our industry closer together. In addition to the regular happenings in the world of research, we are excited to bring to you a revolutionary cover story with three of our industry thought leaders on the client side. Thanks again for your valuable time - Kenneth Aiolupotea (Auckland Council), Keith Mason (Coca-Cola) and Tim Opie (Fonterra Brands). We are also delighted to share Rob Clark’s (AMRO Chairman) thoughts and vision for the industry in a special interview. I truly hope you enjoy this edition as much as we enjoyed putting it together! And we’d love to hear your ideas on how to make things better. Do get in touch. Ciao! Patricio Pagani President of MRSNZ Patricio@infotools.com | @patpagani

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

[Spoiler Alert!]

Surprises inside this issue...

Rob Clark of Nielsen/AMRO keeps his eyes on the horizon P24 Clients tell us why we aren’t ready for the future P16

Peter O’Neale reveals the secret of Statistics NZ’s new tools P43

Surveys on smartphones? P30

Plus...

who is the research

heavyweight who has transferred from the UK to a New Zealand boutique agency?

Best scary face in MR... P45

who is revolutionising how we

frame questions?

who is the Australian geek who

has hooked the best data scientists into competing on his website?

who

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Most importantly, are this quarter’s winners? No, we’re not talking about the Market Research Effectiveness Awards, but the Pool Night and the Quiz Night!

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

e R cia eg l f ul ea ar tu co r e nt en t

[Contents]

Word from the president

Save the date

News

The industry’s future is in your hands

New members

Creating something better

AMRO priorities 2012-2013

Innovations: smartphone research

Recent events

Letters

Movers & shakers

Book review: is pop eating itself?

Stats champ

60 seconds with Mike Angove

ink

Wellington CBD faciliation/meeting rooms for hire As researchers we know finding affordable, purpose-built qualitative facilitation and meeting rooms with client viewing facilities in Wellington CBD is a challenge. So we built our own suite of rooms to share with other market/social researchers, advertising agencies and independent consultants conducting focus groups, workshops, in-depth interviews and presentations. Our purpose-built suite on the corner of Manners and Victoria Streets offers:  Flexible seating options – boardroom, cafe-style or soft seating  Hostess and catering  Client viewing and recording facilities  Audio visual equipment, materials To make a booking, please email Janette@inknz.com or Sally@inknz.com. Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

   

Professional entrance 24 hours, 7 days a week access Convenient parking and public transport Affordable rates

Senior Manager, Consumer Research The Nielsen Company... The Nielsen Company is the largest provider of global marketing and media information, and is one of the most trusted sources of intelligence for maximizing marketing success. At Nielsen, we are passionate about improving our clients’ understanding of what their consumers watch and what they buy; whether it be buying detergent or buying a car; listening to the radio or surfing the web. The Job... We are looking for a Senior Research Manager to join the FMCG Customised Research team. Key responsibilities include the conduct of quantitative research studies that includes project management, research design and methodology, analysis, reporting and presentations. Extensive experience in this area is a must, including sampling techniques, analysis techniques, and interpretation of results. This person would also produce and present thoughtful, insightful client deliverables and have the ability to conceive, develop and price custom research proposals. A passion for the Internet is a must. What • • • • • • • • • • •

you must have… Experience working in the consulting, FMCG and/or market research industries. Proven ability to perform quantitative analysis and superior attention to detail. Sound understanding of market research principles and methodologies. Knowledge of or exposure to qualitative and/or usability research preferred, but not essential. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Experience managing client relationships. Very strong Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word skills. Proficiency with SPSS or similar analytics software desired. 3-5 years’ relevant work experience. Tertiary qualifications, with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Relevant market research qualifications.

What’s on offer? As part of The Nielsen Company you have the opportunity to contribute and grow, creating a wide career path across our many services and geographies. You will be employed by a global market leader who partners with the worlds best companies. We are a fast changing organisation committed to leadership and talent development. If this sounds of interest, please contact: Tracey Button at tracey.button@nielsen.com or 09 970 3617 Copyright © 2010 The Nielsen Company. All rights reserved. EOE/AA/M/F/D/V

[November]

Save the Date

9pm 10pm*

MRS UK Webinar: Sensory Evaluation. An introduction to sensory evaluation and an exploration of its potential use in areas such as new product development and brand strategy and development.

Thorndon

Nonmembers of MRS UK £55.00 + VAT

Watch your inbox for invitations

8 6pm

Your computer

Reigster: www.mrs.org.uk/ event/course/1055

15 6pm 9pm

Winning Research Series (i) Presentations by MREA winners. See back page for details.

Auckland, Building 76, Room 1084, UNITEC Mt Albert Campus, Carrington Rd

Watch your inbox for invitations

29 6pm 9pm

Winning Research Series (ii) Presentations by MREA winners. See back page for details. Auckland, Building 76, Room 1084, UNITEC Mt Albert Campus, Carrington Rd

Watch your inbox for invitations

AMSRS Webinar: Webnography by Dr. Suresh Sood. Your computer

5pm 6pm*

Winning Research Series (iii) Presentations by MREA winners. See back page for details.

5.30pm Wellington, Thistle Inn - 7pm (upstairs), 3 Mulgrave St,

[October]

MRSNZ members $30 + GST Nonmembers $40 + GST (includes nibbles, cash bar)

5pm 8pm

ESOMAR “Best of” NZ 2012 FREE! for MRSNZ See inside front cover for details. members. Auckland, Tamaki Yacht NonClub, Mission Bay members: Watch your inbox for $75 + GST invitations (valued at €900) Auckland MRSNZ new member night. New member induction from 5pm to 6pm by Duncan Stuart followed by an informal social networking event for all members. Auckland, Horse & Trap Bar, 3 Enfield St, Mt Eden

RSVP to secretary@mrsnz. org.nz by 5 November

MRSNZ members $30 + GST Nonmembers $40 + GST (includes nibbles, cash bar)

Non-AMSRS member AU$ 77 pp (Inc. GST)

6pm

MRSNZ members $30 + GST Nonmembers $40 + GST (includes nibbles, cash bar)

Free for MRSNZ members. $10 for nonmembers. (Includes pizza, cash bar and one drink for participants of the new member’s session.)

The Research Club social TBC event / early Christmas party

Auckland, Tyler Street Garage, 120 Quay St

Watch your inbox for invitations MRS UK Webinar: International Research. Part 1 of 2. Your computer

9pm 10pm*

Nonmembers of MRS UK £55.00 + VAT * NZ time

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

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Visit www.consistenttrackingstudies.com or contact us today at infoNZ@researchnow.com InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

News & Views

News Global opportunities The MRSNZ has joined the Global Research Business Network (GRBN). GRBN is a network of 29 research associations such as MRSNZ, and over 2,800 research agencies with combined turnover of around NZ$31 billion. By MRSNZ joining GRBN, members will be able to access shared standards and information, work with international partners on areas of common concern and access a global community of research businesses engaged in public affairs.

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

MRSNZ expects it will also gain useful value from GRBN membership, through the ability to share information and expertise with other national research associations. This adds to the current network that was available through the Asia Pacific Research Committee, which has member associations from Australia, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. GRBN was only formed last year. It was created by the Asia Pacific Research Committee (APRC), the European Federation of Associations of Market Research Organisations (EFAMRO), and the Americas Research Industry Alliance (ARIA). The expectation is that it will concentrate on issues that have global impact such as data privacy, identity protection, and outsourced labour.

News & Views

Play the loaded dice smartly [This article was first published on www.greenbook. org and is reprinted here with the author’s permission.]

From where I was, it looked like a giant rock … only it was perfectly shaped and shiny. It bounced and bounced, and I thought it was going to hit me.

agreed to donate their organs when they pass away. You can speculate away: is it religion or culture? What determines the level of organ donations in a country? I’ll give you a hint … the only difference is the way the question was framed.

The countries represented in gold framed “Six … I win again!” shouted my brother. their question as ‘opt-in’ (e.g. check the I was only three years old and didn’t box if you want to donate your organs). The understand the concept of a loaded dice. countries in blue framed their question as Many summers later, after becoming a ‘opt-out’ (e.g. check the box if you do not market researcher, I came to realise that want to donate your organs). most people do not understand the concept of ‘loaded dice’ either. Even policy makers don’t understand it fully … and they need to!

Can you see where we are going? In the blue countries, the policy makers - not the people - made the decision that everyone Dan Ariely, professor of Behavioural should donate their organs. The question Economics, presented this chart at a is why policy makers in the gold countries research conference I attended earlier this decided against it (by framing the question as opt-in). Did they not know that they were year. playing with ‘loaded dice’? Any idea what it shows? Have a guess! What makes Denmark similar to the Netherlands Policy makers, do you want people to join and Germany, but completely opposite to your retirement scheme? Frame your question as an opt-out and you will have Sweden? Uhm … did you get it? over 90% of the population in the system. Well, unless you’ve heard Dan, you probably will never guess that we are talking about Now, how does question framing impact the percentage of the population that have market research? Coincidentally, from

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

News & Views

May this year, the European Union e-privacy directive requires all EU website owners to obtain consent (opt-in), before implementing cookies or capturing any online visitor information. ESOMAR just launched a practical guide to help researchers comply with the new law. How do you think this is going to affect our industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to do online market research? According to Dan Ariely and the framing effect, it will make it very, very hard.

Addendum At the time of going to press, the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ICO (Information Commissioners Office) had made these significant last-minute relaxations in its guidance regarding changes to the new EU cookie law. At the top of their website you will find the new style of opt-in cookies. Here is the original EU e-privacy directive.

About the author Patricio Pagani is a company director at Infotools, responsible for product innovations. He is president of the New Zealand Market Research Society and ESOMAR representative. Previously with Coca-Cola, he joined Infotools to lead the expansion of the account to more than 100 countries. More recently, Patricio managed the growth of Infotools business with Microsoft and throughout Latin America. As an Argentinean living in New Zealand, he is now very fond of rugby while staying loyal to football.

Political Polling Code ready for consultation The joint AMRO/MRSNZ working group on political polling has now met twice and in mid September will be releasing a draft proposed code for New Zealand political polling. Feedback will be sought initially from AMRO and MRSNZ members on the draft code, and then a revised code will be opened up for public consultation with media, academics, politicians and other members of the public. The code seeks to document best practice guidelines for the conducting and reporting of political polls in New Zealand. It is divided into three sections: 1. Best practice for the market researcher conducting the political poll. 2. Best practice for the market researcher in reporting results. 3. Best practice for the media in publishing results. The draft code has sub-sections dealing with sampling, collection method, weighting, margin of error, timing and results.

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

News & Views

An example of one part of the code is on sample size. The proposed draft is: • Conducting – A minimum size of 500 is required for nationwide polls. • Reporting – The report from the researcher must include the sample size and the sample size of “decided” voters, being those who had a voting preference on the primary voting behaviour question. • Publishing – A story should include the sample size. The working group stresses it is a draft for consultation, and is extremely keen to get feedback and input into a revised draft.

Feedback will be sought both on the details of the code, but also on the following related issues. 1. Should the code, when finalised, be binding on member companies of AMRO? 2. Should the code, when finalised, be binding on member researchers of MRSNZ? 3. What should be the complaints process regarding polls that are allegedly not in compliance with the code? 4. Should complaints be accepted regarding polls done by companies or researchers that are not members of AMRO or MRSNZ? 5. Should compliant polls be authorised to include a statement and/or logo that their poll complies with the AMRO and MRSNZ New Zealand Political Polling Code as a type of “qualmark”?

The code is an initiative of AMRO and being driven by AMRO members, with the MRSNZ President also a member of the working group. The intent of the proposed code is to increase confidence in the reliability of political polling in New Zealand, and the market research industry more generally, and also to improve the quality A specific consultation document will be of reporting of political polling by providing a published, along with the draft code. It is likely useful and concise best practice guide to media. that consultation meetings will also be held in The general quality of political polling in New Auckland and Wellington for interested persons. Zealand has been consistently high since the late 1960s and the working group wishes to maintain that standard, whilst enabling the public to discern between credible scientific polls and other straw polls.

The working group includes the President of MRSNZ, the Executive Director of AMRO and representatives from Colmar Brunton, Baseline, DigiPoll, Ipsos, UMR and Curia.

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

News & Views

Geeks compete on Kaggle Anthony Goldbloom, founder of Kaggle

Crowdsourcing and competitve geekery sums up the ingenious Kaggle platform, founded by Australian Anthony Goldbloom in 2010. Scientists and analysts sign up to take part in predictive modeling competitions solving problems from the frivolous to the life-ordeath, such as predicting which patients will be admitted to hospital in the next year. Prizes range from ‘kudos’ to millions of dollars. The online leaderboard ensures the data scientists get plenty of bragging rights for their wins. If you haven’t already, check out the site, but be warned, it may make you feel stupid. Debunking the myth of un-cool geeks sitting at the bottom of the pecking order in everyday life, Kaggle’s top contributors are serious over-achievers. Which might also be said for Goldbloom himself. With Australia’s Department of the Treasury and Reserve Bank, plus the Economist magazine on his cv, he’s nobody’s fool. But what stands out about Goldbloom is that he was also a competitive sportsman, representing Australia in sailing. He makes a good posterchild for data scientists. The Sydney Morning Herald quotes him as saying “The very best data miners or statisticians can earn as much as the very best golfers or tennis players.” Quite so. All this from a chap who’s not even 30 yet. Makes me wonder what I’ve done with my life...

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Co-creation King Tim Opie insists that the agencies which will survive are those which know how to collaborate. As Insights & Planning Manager for Fonterra Brands, he doesn’t understand why agencies don’t make the breadth of their exposure into a competitive advantage.

The industry’s future is in your hands

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Desmond Kiernan of the InterVIEW team asks three clientside researchers to look into their crystal balls. The conclusion? The future is in your hands... if you’re ready for it. Kenneth Aiolupotea Auckland Council

Tim Opie Fonterra Brands

Keith Mason Coca-Cola

Times they are a changin’ Predicting the future is never easy. The ever changing needs of research buyers demand that agencies constantly evolve and adapt to stay relevant and valuable. Our clients need faster access to information, 100% accuracy, more relevance, justification of ROI … pretty much more of everything. How good are we at meeting the needs of clients today? If our recent industry awards are anything to go by, the answer is ‘very well’. But nothing stands still for long. Integrating real research insights into a business and following through with their implementation, is a common discussion topic. It appears that the onus is on us to feed a desire from clients for proactivity, inspiration and, most importantly, finding genuine solutions for the business as a whole. Let’s find out from some Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

of our key client side research heads - Kenneth Aiolupotea (Auckland Council), Keith Mason (Coca-Cola) and Tim Opie (Fonterra Brands) about the role research plays within their organisations.

its potential hasn’t been fulfilled. “We’re looking for agencies to provide infrastructure, to allow stakeholder engagement within the council,” Aiolupotea says.

In addition, Keith Mason of Coca-Cola suggests the research industry has more work to do and could be at risk of falling behind. “There definitely is a gap in terms of people thinking beyond the research. We need to make the insight We all know that time generation process faster is of the essence in our and more efficient.” industry and clients are Perhaps moving to also feeling this pressure. a more collaborative Research which ‘looks in approach can address the rear vision mirror’ is some of the challenges losing value. “Real time, we are facing today. Opie proactive & adaptable firmly believes there is a research models are need for research that is critical,” insists Tim Opie much more an integrated of Fonterra Brands. partnership than a tackKenneth Aiolupotea of on. “Competitive mindsets Auckland Council sums often drive zero-sum up how this client tension outcomes – collaboration can create opportunities, can drive exponential & but also challenges: “Our innovative outcomes at stakeholders want quick pace. Both supply side turnarounds ... we need and client side have to be quicker in terms of opportunities to leverage feedback, and research here in an environment transparency. But needs to work efficiently of with communications.” research suppliers work The good news is that with a diverse client research can be the mix every day – why solution to this need, but not leverage it as a it seems at the moment competitive advantage?” suggests Opie.

Adopting a more immersive and collaborative approach

In support of this, Mason articulates there is a real desire amongst clients to move closer towards their customers and stakeholders. Cross agency pollination will allow for the most efficient and specialised way of conducting research. “We want to use specialists in their fields,” Mason says. “It will produce a much more efficient way of budgeting,” he proposes.

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Embracing change is the recipe to future growth Our industry must remember that we’re in the business of insights, not data reporting. Clients need to see value in thinking, and this is not always happening. “We get a lot of feedback like, ‘Oh, we found this insight’ when it’s really a fact,” protests Mason. “Behind that fact is an inherent insight, which we fail to uncover.” Refering to a David Ogilvy quote, Mason talks about some mistakes we continue to make as an industry. “I notice increasing reluctance on the part of marketing executives to use judgment; they are coming to rely too much on research, and they use it as a drunkard uses a lamp post for support, rather than for illumination.” Traditionally as clients, we have been guilty of using research as a means of validating and justifying a decision we have made, rather than as a supporting strategic mechanism for the overall business plan. We have generally put our energy

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Speed Demon Kenneth Aiolupotea feels agencies aren’t fulfilling their potential of being a fast-turnaround information conduit. towards propping up the frequently.” drunk. Scoping the future of As we evolve, the mix market research draws where we look to spend our more questions than money is also changing, answers. It is fair to say, expresses Mason. “We however, that out of want people to come this comes a plethora of and immerse themselves opportunities to add value, in our business and tell enhance relationships and us what they can do to bring the consumer to our solve business issues. clients. Many of the themes Give me a faster way to and challenges that are generate insight, so I can present in our current understand what drivers I industry environment will need to adjust to achieve become amplified in the my business plan. I much future. prefer to find out what has We all know there is happened less frequently, strength in numbers, I want to understand but how many of us why it is happening more have considered our

competitors to be an asset? “I’d like to see more agencies taking a lead in bringing clients together to collectively solve issues,” Mason suggests. With the popularity of mixed methodologies, many of our clients are picking and choosing their research providers: a bit of qual here, a bit of quant there. The product of this, however, can be seen as a fragmentation of insight. The need for us to work together, not as competitors but as collaborators, is predicted to increase in the future. “We need research that speaks to cocreation, not just validation,” Opie points out. Most of us would agree that good market research is what drives a business’ understanding of its consumers. However, there can be a separation between research and the practical movement of a business, which i m p e d e s

change. “How can we do a piece of activation that is a piece of research at the same time?” asks Opie. Speed and relevance are seen to be the key product here, but not the only ones. Allowing the research participant to control their research journey may be an intimidating concept, however it presents a wonderful opportunity to connect, emerge and co-create with our most important and valuable asset. “User design will become bigger in the future,” Aiolupotea assures us. This particular field is already established in other countries and is an emerging field here in New Zealand. Watch this space... as this could potentially have a significant impact on the research industry in New Zealand. M o v i n g towards a model where research is so ingrained in a business’ operation that it is an operation in itself, is a fascinating c o n c e p t .

Immersive Interests

Keith Mason of Coca-Cola gets frustrated when agencies give him facts and call them insights. His future is a world where research specialists works collaboratively. He’s looking for researchers who can immerse themselves in his business. InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Although, in order to reach this point our research agencies must be prepared to ‘see it through to the end.’ We must stand by our own work and nurture it to fruition. “Insights in action is very important to us we need our agencies to understand what it means to the business,” implores Aiolupotea. Mason also shares this view, stating that “we need to adopt a more immersive approach and help organisations build an insight plan to support the execution of the overall business plan.”

Building a research culture

can get as close to reallife environments and the truth as possible to deliver research with teeth. And it means client side has greater confidence selling in research outcomes at the most senior levels if more connected to reality with less traditional research biases. The MRSNZ will need to play a key role here, offering, updating and educating on standards of practice.

For many of our clients, the future of market research will be defined by a level of business integration that has not been seen before. Rather than being a separate commodity to be used at will, research will become instant and forwardfacing, creating insights at the same time as addressing them - it will be truly symbiotic.

Sometimes we forget that, for some businesses, gut feeling and history can trump even the most amazing and valuable market insights. Our clients don’t work in a vacuum. An opportunity exists, perhaps for the MRSNZ, to educate, build The opportunities to respect and highlight the advance research to this value of this craft within next level don’t lie five, and throughout entire ten or twenty years in the organisations. future ... they are here now. The best place to begin By collectively standing this journey forward is to by research and ensuring understand the challenges it deeply saturates a we face now. According to business, we can all take a Aiolupotea, “The MRSNZ step towards this new and need to help define the exciting dawn. changing challenges of the industry, and push for agreement and buyin between research agencies.”

With all this in mind, what will be the role of the MRSNZ in the future? According to Opie, in a consumer and shopper environment of rapid transparency (think social media for one), it’s critical the research industry can leverage – but not exploit – consumer transparency to get better research integrity and client/ customer action. This transparency is a great thing for research if Mason also shares his we can leverage it right without overstepping the thoughts on what he would mark – as it means we like to see going forward.

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

“I think the industry needs to be more vocal ... it needs a few extroverts”. Perhaps sistering up with marketing agencies to build a profile, will help. “We need to build a research savvy culture within our business” suggests Mason.

About

the contributors

Kenneth Aiolupotea Manager of Research, Consultation and Engagement at Auckland Council Kenneth Aiolupotea is an experienced consultation and engagement manager of research at Auckland Council, with over 20 years of professional research experience in designing and delivering local, national and multinational research projects of varying scale.

Tim Opie

Keith Mason

Insights and Planning Manager at Fonterra Brands

Head of Commercial and Strategic Planning at Coca-Cola Oceania

Tim Opie is Insights and Planning Manager at Fonterra Brands NZ, with a focus on building marketing and innovation capability to unlock great insights and commercial results, driving the strategic planning agenda and building a consumer, shopper and customer led culture.

Keith Mason is an experienced commercial marketer and strategic planner with over 20 years commercial and planning experience in The Coca-Cola Company.

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

welcometonew mrsnzmembers The Society is delighted to say hello to a bunch of new members this quarter. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re among our new members, make sure you come and introduce yourself at our next event. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking forward to meeting you. If you know of anyone who would like to become a member of the MRSNZ then please direct them to our membership information on the website: http://www.mrsnz.org.nz/wawcs0146302/idDetails=167/Membership-Information.html Full: Catherine Rose Lion | Jandi Shennan Lion | Kate Brough Auckland Council | Assoc. Prof. Richard Brookes University of Auckland | Shirleen Kok GFK Retail & Technology | Kirti Bedi IGI | Colleen Ryan The Research Agency | Vaibhav Kawale Auckland Transport | Gregory Sampson The Research Agency | Hayley Heathfield The Research Agency | Nicola Gamble Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development Associate: Stephen Kofoed Nielsen | Alyssa Lee Perceptive Affiliate: Deborah Ramos Nielsen Company: GfK Retail and Technology

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Creating Something Better Ritesh Bisoi of Infotools interviews Rob Clark of Nielsen about life, the future and everything. Rob was appointed Managing Director for Nielsen NZ in June 2012 from his previous role as Managing Director, Consumer Group. Since joining Nielsen in 1996, Rob has held a number of senior roles in NZ, Australia and Europe. In these roles, Rob worked with many of the leading global suppliers and retailers in the fast moving packaged goods sector. Rob is now responsible for bringing together Nielsenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core consumer and media measurement services. In addition, Rob has this year been appointed chairman of the Association of Market Research Organisations (AMRO), taking the torch from Ian Mills.

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Keeping an eye on the horizon Asked about some industry challenges in the next five years, Rob suggests the following hold the key:

ROI “In challenging times everyone is being asked to justify all areas of spending. We really need to prove the value of the information we present to our clients.”

Speed “Quicker and easier access to information is going to be critical. Information access and turnaround of insights.”

Managing the fusion of information and research through collective knowledge sharing “We need to do a better job in bringing information sources together to create richer insight. This includes managing the quality of databases, mining of that information, better methodology guidelines and rules in place to ensure consistency in our approach.”

Keeping a work life balance Rob Clark (Nielsen NZ Managing Director and AMRO Chairman) says his three young daughters keep him busy in his spare time. Staying active is something that is quite important and he loves everything from racquet sports to the outdoors. Favourite pastimes are squash (which he has played for 20 years), weekend fishing trips and skiing in the winter.

Inherently intrigued by information Asked about what got him into the research industry, Rob says he has always had a fascination with information and is passionate about the value it can bring. With a background in business and marketing, he has worked with Nielsen in various markets for over 15 years. “I like facts and figures and enjoy the variety and breadth the industry produces. Maybe it is no surprise where I have ended up then.” InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

As researchers, fundamentally our job is all about helping clients make better decisions “It is our obligation to make the industry more attractive for graduates and it is important we help tertiary institutes stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology advancements in research.”

The true value of information is measured by what you can get out of it. Thrilled by the evolution of the industry, he tells us how the advancement in technology can bring so much opportunity. “It is a very exciting time for us, but we can’t keep thinking in the traditional way when the world is moving a lot faster around us,” he says. Entering into a world where there is a lot more information available, there is an interesting dilemma. Rob recognises that “faster and cheaper alternatives may be tempting, but if we are ill-advised or misinformed, we can make wrong decisions and the industry can get tarnished as a whole.” He advises, “We need to maintain quality standards so that bad decisions are not made.”

The AMRO Chairmanship - protection of our industry’s future “It is imperative that we work collaboratively to create industry safety and protect our future,” Rob states. More than ever there is an increased need to establish and maintain a closer relationship with the government – through developmental/educational initiatives and effective lobbying. “I see my role at AMRO being to create something better, to bring our industry closer - that will be a great achievement!” Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Investing in our future is going to help our industry shine Asked about one thing he would change about our industry, Rob replied, “It is our obligation to make the industry more attractive for graduates and it is important we help tertiary institutes stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology advancements in research. Traditionally we haven’t been good at marketing ourselves as a careers option. We need to work cohesively as an industry for the benefit of everyone involved.”

What about your AMRO goals? “We have a range of 10 priority activities that we hold ourselves to account on. Every one of those is of crucial importance to AMRO members and the industry as a whole. Our biggest goal is to ensure that research continues to develop as a business discipline and an industry. But be warned, we live in interesting times and we can be confident that the research scene is changing; client needs and expectations are changing; technology and how people interact with technology is changing. The NZ research industry is going to need to get on top of that change. That is really our biggest challenge.” ■

AMRO Priorities 1 Membership

AMRO has grown from 16 to 24 members in the last 12 months. During 2012 and 2013 we will continue to seek to attract new members in order to strengthen the membership and ensure that we truly represent the needs and views of New Zealand’s research firms, large, medium and small. We are also keen to explore alternative membership arrangements making it easier for industry players and influencers to join.

2 The New Zealand Political Polling Guidelines Election 2011 really demonstrated the importance of polls and their impact on voter behavior. AMRO member polls were among the most accurate in the world in terms of predicting the final results. We also saw a new phenomenon with media and political parties being more active than ever before generating their own polls and using those results to generate headlines. Early in 2012 a group was formed to create New Zealand’s first ever political polling forum. This idea was further developed and in May the inaugural AMRO Polling Forum was held in Parliament’s Banquet Hall attended by researchers, the media, politicians, commentators and academics. Support for a set of published guidelines was almost unanimous and in the months following we have been working with various groups to pull together and formalize a set of guidelines which will be ratified by AMRO, MRSNZ, the political parties, the main news media organisations and relevant academic institutions.

3 Tertiary Engagement This year we worked closely with the Auckland Business School to launch a student mentoring scheme with the final year students in the Market Research

paper. Catherine Frethey-Bentham runs the course and has facilitated the pilot involving 8 mentors from 6 research firms. Our aim is to roll this initiative out to other willing institutions in 2013.

4 National Census Government frequently initiate activities that may have consequences for the research industry. We keep a watching brief on them and where appropriate offer to work with government to ensure that the outcomes are positive or at the very least minimize any unintended and harmful consequences. The review of the census is such an activity. AMRO has engaged with Stats NZ a number of times to assist the policy team with the review and future recommendations. This is one of those instances where AMRO funds and resources an activity that the whole industry benefits from.

5 Privacy Act / DNC Register During 2012 we followed through on the engagement that started with our industry submission in 2010. The main focus of our consultation was to address a recommendation arising from the Law Commission Review that a national “do not call” register be evaluated. We met with Min of Economic Development, Min of Consumer Affairs, Consumers Institute, Marketing Association and others to reinforce all the reasons why we believe this is not an appropriate direction to take. The parliamentary group, led by MCA largely agreed with our recommendations and thus the set of recommendations provided to the Minister of Justice agreed that the current system overseen separately by AMRO and Marketing Association is preferable. Subsequently a small MRS / AMRO team has worked together to strengthen our shared website, ensuring that the public InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

2012 / 2013 find our DNC Register and can sign up more easily.

6 Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act It’s been a long haul but we are getting closer to securing a set of guidelines from government that will clarify some challenges contained in the UEMA. At the moment, using email for research solicitation is technically illegal. We have challenged that as we believe that using electronic communications for genuine research purposes is not “spam” and the Act never intended it to be. We have won some ground with that argument but personnel changes in government have slowed the process. When the guidelines are completed and approved, we will share them with AMRO and MRS members.

7 SUGGING / Disciplinary Strategy / Cross Industry Cooperation AMRO and the MRS Complaints Committee have been working together to formulate a strategy for dealing with recidivist “suggers”. We have dedicated a section of the website to the problem and provided consumer advice as to what to do about it. We also met with the Marketing Association and Consumers Institute who agreed to cooperate to help crack down on suggers and link websites and share copy. The web page is extremely informative to the public. The latest development has been that we have formed stronger links with the Office of the Privacy Commission and they also have a helpful spot on the page. Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

8 Government Procurement

The Government tendering process is something that was identified as a priority for our industry some time ago. With the change of government the investment in social research has declined but it still requires an extremely time consuming and wasteful process for tenderers. We discussed this situation with Business NZ and subsequently various government departments. Fortunately the Department of Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet had been working through similar issues with CAANZ regarding selection of advertising agencies. We approached DPMC last year and requested that a similar exercise be conducted for the research industry. The first meeting between government procurement specialists and AMRO members takes place in October. Our aim is to simplify the process and encourage government to move towards more meaningful, longer term relationships with their research providers and reduce reliance on tendering every project where appropriate. We expect this may take some time but are hopeful of change within the next 12 months.

9 AMRO ISO 20252 There is a global trend towards procurement specialists requiring suppliers to be certified with recognized accreditors. In 2011 we agreed to investigate an improved system of certification. After researching the matter it was agreed that ISO 20252 was the appropriate path to go down as it is the recognized global standard. AMRO engaged with Norine Cruse who was responsible for facilitating the ISO 20252 accreditation process in Australia with AMSRO. The first round of workshops was conducted in February and the next round took place in September. The seven participating firms will be audited and accredited in early 2013 at which point we’ll review the exercise and discuss the next wave of firms.

Innovations

Dear Diary,

Today I caught the smartphone wave… In last quarter’s InterVIEW, Research Now told us that they had acquired smartphone research specialists, iPinion. This month, Steve Von Bevern, Vice President of Research Now Mobile, shares more information: why do research on smartphones? With 46% Kiwis now owning a smartphone and data usage surpassing voice calls, smartphones open another channel to engage respondents. Researchers can use mobile research solutions to enhance their traditional data collection methods– especially with diary studies. Given that 73% New Zealanders don’t leave their home without their device*, it allows researchers to be alongside respondents at the moment of truth. Harnessing smartphone technological features further boosts the relevance of running diary studies- geo-location, calendar triggers and usability of the app make this an easy process for respondents to follow and researchers to track. Here are a couple of real-world examples from our experience. * Research Now research

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Innovations

y 1: Case Stud the bank o t t i g re Takin nted a mo

nt wa anking clie b l tomer ia c r e m onthly cus m A com ld e fi to o-face lution place face-t efficient so e r to s y e h v sur rviews wit te in satisfaction d e r te ers r-adminis s. Consum e h c n a r b interviewe n k t retail ban ey invites o a v r s u r s e d m e r to e s cu trigg when eo-location artphone) m s r o t received g le ab ir branch. e device (t their mobil lose proximity to the in c by they were re achieved e w ts s o c er ys lts and low obile surve ting M . n o ti c Faster resu e ll o elimina n of data c ificantly – n ig s automatio n o ti c g and ata colle e schedulin k simplified d li s k s ta ed n ork o ile also help ir b o M hours of w . s r e e ank manag onest in th h d n a id notifying b d an ith be more c teraction w in F 2 F consumers g n by eliminati st majority of their responses e va lution rs. With th ice, this so v e d e il b interviewe o tilising a m ntativeness u e s s e r r e p m e r to s le cu samp ults mpromise . Lastly, res ts p e c r te did not co in o rtal with n ur through o c c p o g n n a ti c r o t tha b rep t into a we flowed righ le entry. oub need for d

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Case Stud y2

Stop an d smell the rosé A major w in

ery believ es surveys at retail outle ‘in the moment’ m obile ts can deli insights ab ver enhan out the fa c c e t d ors that in This is par fluence pu ticularly s o in a cate r impulsive gory drive chases. decisions n m b y ad the wine a isle or the e while consumers ir favorite stand in retail mer Wine labe chant. l eye appe al, influenc promotio e of in-sto ns, price c re omparison awards or s and wine ratings can tasting significant In a sensit ly impact ive catego p r urchases. y lik in any elem ent – from e wine, a minor ch ange make a m label desig ajor impac n to price t – can on impuls Mobile ca e purchas n capture e decision ‘in the mo the point s. ment’ feed of d back at of hours o ecision making or interactio r days afte n, instead r a visit. It opportun also allow ity to capt s a rich ure bytes, pho tos and ba videos, short audio rcode sca sound ns. These visu al aids help wine mark understan d exactly why one w eters better a custome ine label a r over ano ppealed to ther at th purchase at critical in a highly m oment of impulsive product c ategory.

Innovations What is the key reason to deploy mobile research? While it’s true that mobile surveys are done faster and can bring cost savings, it’s really the quality of data that makes the difference. For example, mobile-based inhome usage tests don’t require respondents to stop what they’re doing to go to a desktop and capture thoughts, opinions and attitudes in a delayed fashion, hours after the behavior occurs. Rather, they provide feedback whenever and wherever they are in the moment. One of mobile’s best features is the ability to enhance that data with photo, video, and audio capture instantly, which has not been available before without asking consumers to carry equipment like cameras or recorders – not the most natural setting. In addition, permission-based passive data off smartphones can be captured as the respondent uses their phone on a daily basis to supplement what you get from attitudinal surveys.

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Innovations Questions to address before a mobile study

The industry is calling for mobile

• Do I need a native app or web app (browser) mobile solution for my diary studies?

As smartphone and tablet purchases grow exponentially among consumers, researchers are embracing this tool globally. Today, there are over 5.6 billion mobile devices - nearly one for every man woman and child on Earth. Mobile devices consist of not just smartphones, but feature phones and tablets as well.

• Do you need geo fencing, geo trigger or venue resolution versions of geo location invites to push survey invites to consumers when they are near specific locations? • Is your study a simple qualitative ‘day in the life’ project where you need to capture responses to a few questions several times in the course of a day? Or a longitudinal study spread over one or two weeks?

By the numbers...

43% 64%

of researchers are actively looking for a mobile survey solution (Research Now research conducted in Australia, US, Canada and UK) of Australian panellists chose smartphone as their preferred methodology (Research Now panel)

Similarly, mobile is overtaking computers when it comes to accessing the web. As mobile quickly becomes the de facto standard and the tool of choice among consumers, researchers must learn to use mobile in order to engage the evolving marketplace. Mobile phones and devices are the most highly adopted technology in history. The ability to conduct data collection via these devices brings an exciting opportunity for researchers to engage consumers in a far-reaching way. With the additional insights gained through mobile, researchers and their clients will be more equipped than ever to make better business decisions that reflect the needs of the marketplace. The time is ripe to take advantage of this new wave in technology, and we couldn’t be more excited. Are you? ■

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Recent events Pool Night

Emily Bing (Colmar Brunton) and Steve Long (Research Now)

The 14th of June saw a Pool Tournament co-hosted by the MRSNZ and Research Now at Ponsonby Pool Hall. Pizza and beer fuelled a nail-biting, adrenaline-pumping sudden-death match. The paired skills of Emily Bing (Colmar Brunton) and Steve Long (Research Now) took out the ultimate prize of a plastic trophy and cap.

Wellington Quiz Night

On the 26th June Wellington hosted the MRSNZ Quiz Night. The ‘Mixed Ownership Model team’ of Jordan Williams, Kerry O’Connor, David Farrar and Mark Unsworth took out the competition which by all accounts was very informed and very fierce!

Jordan Williams, Kerry O’Connor, David Farrar and Mark Unsworth

‘The Value of “Yes and” for Market Research’

Tamaki Yacht Club

On the 5th July the MRSNZ descended on Tamaki Yacht Club to hear Lee Ryan of Raspberry Innovation Research & Strategy deliver her award winning presentation on the role of improv in the emerging new world of innovation practice . ‘The Value of “yes and” for Market Research’ was a entertaining presentation that saw lots of audience participation, laughs and discussion.

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Congratulations to the award winners! THE INFOTOOLS SUPREME AWARD WINNER: Ipsos and Maritime New Zealand THE LION CONSUMER PRODUCTS PLATINUM AWARD: Futurescape Global and Frucor Beverages THE RESEARCH NOW BUSINESS TO BUSINESS PLATINUM AWARD: Colmar Brunton and Frucor Beverages

the 7

Biennial

Market

Research Effectiveness

Awards

THE NINE REWARDS MEDIA AND ADVERTISING PLATINUM AWARD: Ipsos and APN Media: Herald on Sunday THE FIRST NINE REWARDS SOCIAL & COMMUNITY PLATINUM AWARD: Ipsos and Maritime New Zealand THE SECOND NINE REWARDS SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY PLATINUM AWARD: Colmar Brunton and ASB Showground’s Royal Easter Show THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Marcus Wallace of Colmar Brunton THE AMRO EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS AWARD: Ipsos and AMI Insurance THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL INNOVATION AWARD: Sensory Logic, TrueMotives and ANZ THE FIRST LION CONSUMER PRODUCTS GOLD AWARD: The Research Agency and Volkswagen New Zealand

THE RESEARCH NOW BUSINESS TO BUSINESS GOLD AWARD: Nielsen and FMG

THE SECOND LION CONSUMER PRODUCTS GOLD AWARD: Colmar Brunton and Heinz Wattie’s

THE NINE REWARDS SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY GOLD AWARD: Ipsos and Network and NZ Blood Service

THE RESEARCH NOW CONSUMER SERVICES GOLD AWARD: The Research Agency and ASB

For more on this year’s award recipients see www.mrsnz.org.nz for full details and citations.

“Great opportunity for the sponsors to be seen and get exposure to the industry. Most importantly, good to see the real benefits this research is giving to clients” “It was fantastic to see the energy in the room and a really different feeling of industry collaboration from what I remember”

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

“A wonderful atmosphere and turnout that we were proud & honoured to be part of ”

Letters Dear Ed,

Dear Ed,

Agencies don’t work hard enough on Can fonts really bias survey results? keeping tracking studies fresh and I was fascinated to read Errol Morris’ NYT interesting. article on the subconscious effects of font on survey response (and credibility in It’s really easy for internal stakeholders to general): http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes. start switching off from tracking research c o m / 2 0 1 2 / 0 8 / 0 8 / h e a r- a l l - ye - p e o p l e if there isn’t a lot of movement in the data hearken-o-earth/. What font do other and it’s the exact same charts and analysis readers use for their surveys? Will anyone presented each time. By their nature there change their font choice after this revelation? needs to be consistency but I don’t think this needs to equate to being the same and Sam, Auckland boring every time the results are presented. Sure it takes a bit of time and effort to do things differently, but surely it’s better to invest time in that rather than re-pitching for the research or trying to convince us why we should continue to invest in research that might not be telling us a lot. Frustrated MR client s, member Z N S R M Dear ulmona, S m o r f or o Hell lar edit u g e r r u o ping Italy! Y ntly sip e r r u c hing the c (me) is t a w d an n prosecco er the Abruzza sun seteso.v Apennin e itesh, th lle R d i d Mi How r, do? ( o t i d e ing g actin or stepp f h s e t i t grazie R nd tell us wha e a in!) Writ e latest h t f o k you thin Ciao! Sue issue!

nterVIEW

The Editor, I

-215 PO Box 300 52

Auckland 07

New Zealan

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Movers

AND

Shakers The Research Agency is delighted to welcome a true international research heavyweight to the team â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Colleen Ryan.

Colleen Ryan, now at The Research Agency

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Colleen, along with her business partner Wendy Gordon, are considered the global forefathers of modern qualitative research. Together they founded and grew their company The Research Business International (TRBI), into the 6th largest research company and largest independent research company in the UK, before selling to Maritz. TRBI was the company, which spawned the entire boutique research category in the UK and was singlehandedly responsible for producing the generations of thinkers and business people, who have gone on to spread their passion for clever research. Colleen was Chairman of the Association of Market Survey Organisations and finalist in Veuve Cliquot UK Business Woman, before leaving the UK.

focus research / needscope international

unitec

Kay Bramley has joined UNITEC as Director of Insights and Planning. She is now joined welcomes the return of by Kristo Fallas formally from Constance Apelt (as Senior Perceptive as UNITEC Market Research Manager) to the Insights Manager. Quantitative team, after working in the Market Research prime research team at BNZ for three years. We also welcome Sophia is very sad to farewell Senior Blair, a Research Assistant in Account Manager Ann Williams; the Qualitative team. Sophia Ann has gone on to pursue is currently completing her Real Estate and we wish her all Masters degree in Political the best in her new adventure! Studies at the University of We are pleased to welcome Melanie Greenslade as Account Auckland. Manager. Melanie has joined us Congratulations to both after a few years of marketing Brad Callander, who has on client side. We are also been promoted to Research very happy to announce the Manager, and Campbell Grieve, arrival of Jessica Kolk’s (Venue who has been promoted to Co-ordinator) new baby boy Research Executive. Jayden, born Wednesday 25th A fond farewell to Anika Nafis of July. who has been a key member of the qualitative team. Anika leaves us for a new adventure in Melbourne.

nine rewards

is pleased to welcome Glen Murphy, Helen Xu, Danielle Bennett, Sundeep Paidipally and Soujanya Kadiyala to the team. the research agency Glen joins the team in a new is also delighted to welcome role as NZ Agent. Based in two new additions to the Auckland, Glen brings over team. Greg Sampson returns 20 years’ experience in from Lion Dairy & Drinks in market research client service Australia to take the role of developed over the APAC Senior Consultant. Hayley region. Heathfield returns from the Helen’s prior role as an online United Kingdom to take the project manager brings a deep understanding and a role of Consultant. InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Movers

AND

Shakers

consultative approach to client Account Director – Quant, started on 20 August. request in her new role as • Beibei Qi, Senior Data Online Sales Executive. Analyst and Penelope As Digital Sales Manager, Lim, Research Associate – Danielle’s experience with Quant started in July client service in online sales • Kate Brazier Account and advertising will bring key Director returned from partnerships and acquisition parental leave on 30 July. for the business. Congratulations are in order A keen data analyst, Sundeep for Ali Francis, Marcus Wallace, brings technical skills and an Maddy Moore and Elena Rowe eagle-eye for detail in his new who were recently promoted role as Project Manager. from Client Executive to Soujanya, formerly a Senior Client Executive. They Software Engineer at E-volve are joined by Macushla Howell Corporate Technologies, and Carolina Navarro, our two joins the Technology Team as new Senior Account Managers. a Developer to support the Last but not least, Christy continual systems development Chan our Senior Data Analyst and efficiencies. and Dale McCarter Client Executive both had their wedding ceremonies recently. colmar brunton Sadly in Q2 we had to bid farewell to Group Account ipsos Director – Quant Sheila Berry, welcomes back Cherie Bulley Senior Data Analyst Cilia Chan and Philippa Gilbert from and Alesha Buckwell Client parental leave. Executive. We are also pleased to However, we are delighted to announce that Sue Cardwell welcome the following four has agreed to take up a new new additions to the team: role as part-time Marketing • Emily Bing, Account Co-ordinator. Sue will Director – Quant, joined continue to be a Research us from Melbourne in May Manager as well as peforming 2012. marketing duties for part of her time. • Clint Elsom, Group Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

nielsen Nielsen has several new additions over the last few months. The media team welcomes Scott Lemon, Judy Humphris, Faziya Nisha, Ramya Shobha, Nicole Edgar and Jordan Yee. While the Consumer Team welcomes Samuel Darling, Ami Durlabh and Ken Sutton. We would also like to congratulate the following people on their promotions Eleanor Turner (to the role of TV Team Leader), Serena Driver (who has been promoted to join the QC team), Avie Leang to Associate Director, and in Wellington, Nathan Newman has been promoted to Manager. And finally a big congratulations to Serafina Widyanti and her husband Yonathan on the arrival of their little bundle of joy Joshua Ranen Sunarto. Also to David Hall and his wife Yogi on the arrival of their first baby, Caleb. ■

Is pop eating itself?

Duncan Stuart FMRSNZ reviews Retromania by Simon Reynolds

New York City recently I came across Scrap Yard, a small store devoted to taggers. It was the street artists’ equivalent of a bong shop, and from the cramped quarters they sold spray cans (on display in a locked cabinet), as well as t-shirts, books and other paraphernalia that celebrated the golden age of tagging, which in New York was a period between the early 1980s and the early 1990s, before City Hall embarked on a widely successful campaign to minimise this volcanic eruption of street art. Among the strategies was to blast-clean every single subway car each night. So where once the rolling stock of the subway system was a mobile gallery of some of the

greatest and most creative artists (or vandals – depending on your point of view) now the subway system’s zero tolerance campaign forced the underground art movement elsewhere. But here in Scrap Yard, in a cabinet of models – updates on the Astro Boy gestalt – were beautiful little models, in 24th scale, of subway cars, each one beautifully sprayed in quite authentic detail, with the styles of art of that golden age. Guys in their late thirties, I’m guessing they used to be taggers a decade ago, stood and admired these models. This little Scrap Yard cameo was particularly apposite for me because I’d myself been hunting InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

down classic vinyl 45s and a day earlier I’d also been staring in admiration at work from a golden age – in my case some blues and soul tracks from the 1960s. That day I’d also purchased Simon Reynold’s engaging discussion about modern pop culture in which he asks whether popular culture is grinding to a halt.

stuff.

But on a more serious note he asks what it means to society to lose our once dominant sense that we were rushing forward into the future. Now, he laments, the direction is directionless as one artist after another mines the past, and through a process of sampling and Reynolds is a smart writer. He grew up in mashing creates stuff that is new, but so loaded London and was an early commentator on with references that it could hardly be described the Punk movement of the 1970s, and he’s old as progressive. We live in a kind of DJ culture. enough to know from where the sounds of What does this mean about our society? today’s music are mostly derived. And most of it, he’s somewhat disappointed to say, is in the Reynolds harbours a belief that sooner, not later, everyone is going to get sick of rehashing the sounds of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. past.The endless parade of retro-shows (another At times Retromania reads like a rollerEagles reunion, or the touring of bands that coaster litany of name checking as he goes through example after example of groove- broke up years ago in acrimony, and already well past their best) and the block-buster television robbing. In some ways the text reads as a greatest hits package of great moments in popular culture and on that level Reynolds helps old collectors like me tune in to some of the missing pop trivia of our vinyl history. He knows his

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

“Capitalism is Evil,” said one banner, but that was right next to the hot dog stand that was doing good business from protestors.

take bus rides and each time collect one or two timetables. Like Pokemon cards, there were always a few elusive timetables, and the quest sustained them. But one day his son realised that at the bus station he could collect EVERY timetable, in one hit. He could get the whole set. Immediately the boy lost interest in his diverting hobby. What’s the point of a quest if you can download everything? Take this wider. What’s the fun of shopping if you can get everything? If you can choose any look you want from a catalogue whether it be marimekko chic, or French provincial, or 80’s retro – but all of it sampled and mashed-up by some knock-off factory in China? While Reynolds sees no light at the end of the cultural tunnel, he remains hopeful that something big and explosive will occur – much as Rock and Roll did: dropping a bomb in the grey post-war wasteland, or as Rock music did – arriving with a shake of the Beatles long hair, and the curl of Mick Jaggers’ lip in 1963. Over recent decades, these cultural explosions – spectacles such as X-Factor in which artists do Punk, Hip-Hop and even Electronica – came in a their best to interpret the songbook of Stevie series of waves and there was always the sense Wonder or the Beatles don’t bode well. Perhaps, that whatever we enjoy and celebrate today, more than the switch to digital music and iTunes, we could not wait for what was to come next. the death of the music store represents the end Reynolds opines that we’re back in a wasteland of musicians having anything much new to say. again, but he’s hopeful of another explosion. This is about way more than the music. You The book is useful for market researchers who can see – as I did – in the Occupy Wall Street give a damn about the cultural context in which movement in which thousands of people, we now work. Well recommended. This is one gathered in a square not many blocks from Scrap of the few books I’ve Yard, all gathered together but with nothing read recently which much to say. “Capitalism is Evil,” said one banner, caused sleepless but that was right next to the hot dog stand nights. I lay awake that was doing good business from protestors. hours thinking about It was as if every protestor had their little white the Big Stuff. earphones, and were listening to their own selected slogans. In fact there are at least 10 different Occupy Wall St apps available for digital Retromania is devices. But where they help protestors connect, published by Faber & they don’t provide any message or theme. Faber.You can order the book by clicking What the digital era may do is accelerate the here. cultural ride to nowhere. In one lovely sidestory Simon tells how his young son became fixated on collecting bus timetables, which were available – somewhat at random – on the New York City bus system. Simon and his son would

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Stats Champ

An interview with Peter O’Neale of Statistics New Zealand

Have you noticed the way information is really easy to understand on Statistics New Zealand’s website these days? Or how their information releases are turning up in the papers all the time? Perhaps you’ve seen one of their infographics, like the ones below, showing that they’ve not only got more stats than you can shake a stick at, but they know how to make them surprising? Something is going on over at Statistics House. I called Peter O’Neale, Marketing Manager, Statistics New Zealand, for the full story.

Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

SC: It’s felt like Statistics New Zealand has been changing its style. What’s behind the shift? PO: Actually, we’ve had this vision in place for a while already. As part of our transformation programme, one of our projects is ‘Telling Stories’, which includes narrative and visualisation. It’s about making information more accessible to more people. You might say that presenting data visually is not a new idea for us at all - on our website you can see New Zealand Yearbook infographics from the 1890s! SC: What are some of the challenges you face? PO: We’ve had to learn to write in plain English - for statisticians, that’s not easy! But last year, we won a WriteMark plain English

award! SC: Who’s been behind the drive towards making things more accessible? PO: It’s a real culture right across the organisation. We have over 900 staff and we work very collaboratively, sharing these sorts of ideas. For example, with the infographics, like the Queen’s Jubilee infographic, the statisticians find the story and then the publishing team organises the graphic. SC: What sort of impact has the new style of information releases had? PO: We’ve had great results from writing pieces that the media can just pick up and use. And we’ve been working hard to disseminate information as well. One of our successes was the

Olympic medal table which the population team produced. New Zealand looked great when you considered number of medals per million people! We put it out on social media and generated 6,000 views from Facebook! In total, our medal table got over 90,000 visits! SC: Do you do all the work in-house? PO: We also have some really effective collaborations. NZ.Stat is in beta now - that’s an interactive online data hub which will give access to more information than ever - free of charge. Providing as much as possible free of charge is one of our principles. NZ.Stat is a collaboration with the OECD, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and others. The statistics departments of governments around the world are all in the same business - why not collaborate?

SC: Which country is the best? PO: We’re pretty high up the list! Many countries are doing innovative things, but ones which come to mind are Sweden, the Netherlands and Canada.

exciting is making interactive visualisations of data, so people can delve deeper and look at the things which interest them. In the future, we want to have interactive visualisations with our information releases.

SC: What’s the most exciting project you’ve seen? PO: There are a couple of projects I’m really excited about. One is the way we’re transforming our engagement with Maori as a population of New Zealand, both as contributors and users of statistics. That’s still ongoing, but we’re beginning to change our understanding to see things from a Maori point of view. Our Te Ao Marama publication is a really visual snapshot of the views and profile of Maori. We produced it in English and Te Reo, and made it available as an e-book as well. The other project which is really

Graphics from the New Zealand Yearbooks of the 1890s

About the author Sue Cardwell came to New Zealand to work at Ipsos in Auckland in 2010, after working in the UK and Italy. She is currently in her second term heading up the MarComms team of the MRSNZ committee, including being the proud editor of InterVIEW. Her interests include data visualisation and medieval history.

InterVIEW | Quarter 3 2012

Friday night drinks? Meet me at: The gym! What stresses you out: People who are rude and those that are unfair or discriminate. How do you relax: I punch people, and vent at the gym. I am a mad sportsman. Although I do find therapeutic massage and yoga helpful. Favourite food: “Who ate all the pies… I did” – Mike Angove On my stereo/headphones right now is: Hip Hop & RnB – currently listening to Eminem & Fugees. I am a 70’s baby too, so old classic rock always goes down well! Where would your dream holiday be: On any nice beach with my kids. An ideal weekend: Sleeping in with no business admin and kids not bothering me during my sleep time. People who have inspired me recently: Steve Jobs for his vision, foresight and ability to employ people smarter than him. Lance Armstrong is also another one given what I have gone through. The MR innovation I’m most excited about: Progression within online world. However, saying that I don’t think you can ever replace a highly skilled qualitative researcher doing F2F interviews. If you won a million dollars tomorrow, what would you do with it: Stick all but $50K in a bank for the next 6 months to think about it. And then there will be a BIG PARTY where all my clients will be invited! What was your worst job, and why: Account manager at an ad agency. Because I have the multi-tasking skills of a prehistoric ameba. If you had to choose any other profession for yourself, what would it be: Teacher as I love helping people. I would love to teach life skills! What is the one life lesson you think should be learnt sooner rather than later: Life is very short and fragile. Quarter 3 2012 | InterVIEW

Who’s who in MR: 60 seconds with Mike Angove As a specialist recruiter in the research, insights and analytics sector, Mike is a familiar face in New Zealand market research, as well as having a successful career as a professional kick boxer and sports commentator. Mike bravely spoke out about his battle with cancer earlier this year to promote awareness and early detection. Mike lives in Auckland with his two young sons.

winningresearch A series of MRSNZ events / Mondays in Oct & Nov Come see presentations of Awardwinning home-grown research endorsed by clients for their effectiveness. The MRSNZ is pleased to present the following Market Research Effectiveness Award-winning researchers and their research to you! They will share some useful learnings from their winning project and what it takes to win.

AKL / Mon 15 October / 6.00pm Grant Storry, Ipsos and Maritime New Zealand, ‘Don’t Be a Clown’ - Supreme Award Winner & Nine Rewards Social & Community Platinum Awards Spencer Willis and Vanessa Clark, Colmar Brunton & ASB Showground’s Royal Easter Show, ‘ From Gumboots to the Boardroom’ – Nine Rewards Social and Community Platinum Award

AKL / Mon 29 October / 6.00pm Diane Dickinson, Ipsos & AMI Insurance, ‘Journey though an Earthquake Zone – How research helped AMI navigate their brand through major disruption’ – AMRO Effective Partnership Award

Member cost: $30 per event Non-member cost:

Andrew McCulley, Sensory Logic, TrueMotives and ANZ, ‘The Changing Face of Advertising Research’ – Auckland Council Innovation Award

$40 per event

Auckland events at UNITEC, Building 76, Room 1084, Mt Albert Campus, Carrington Rd. Wellington event at the Thistle Inn, 3 Mulgrave St, Thorndon. Make sure you book your place by emailing secretary@mrsnz.org.nz now!

Kathryn Topp, Futurescape Global and Frucor Beverages, ‘Helping ‘V’ Discover a New Blue Side’ – Lion Consumer Products Platinum Award

WgTn / Mon 12 November / 5.30pm Grant Storry, Ipsos and Maritime New Zealand, ‘Don’t Be a Clown’ - Supreme Award Winner & Nine InterVIEW | Quarter 3 Rewards Social & Community Platinum Awards

2012