This article was originally published on Research World Connect. A few weeks ago I attended a lecture “Robot reporters – journalism in the age of automation and big data”, given by Emily Bell (media journalist and director of Digital Journalism at the University of Columbia). Bell was talking about the future of journalism, but much of what she said applied to market research (as it so often does with journalism and research, but that’s another article). Imagine a news story written and
Read MoreInsight Innovation Exchange was a whirlwind. It was the first of its kind in Europe, and with upwards of 40 presentations a day, I often found myself with room envy. Condensing my most memorable memories has been a challenge, but here goes: 1. Virtual Reality. This is a reality - Lieberman Research Worldwide’s VR headset (in the exhibition) plus VR simulator 'Avatar', by Hall & Partners and Simudyne, exemplified that. I personally had a terrifying time plunging into the virtual reality
Read MoreRecent research by the Global Research Business Network found that 41% of people don’t trust market research companies with their data. Although the reason for this is not difficult to rationalise – the commoditization of personal data, qualms about technology and unethical data use – the real question is how to counter the mistrust. To change people’s perceptions, something must change in the way market research companies communicate, and the key to consumer trust is for a brand to behave
Read MoreThis post was originally written for NewMR - for a series on Threats and Opportunities in Market Research, promoting The Festival of NewMR (Monday 2nd December to Friday 6th December). As we race at alarming speed into the future, accessorised with new technologies, swathed in big data and seduced by social media, it is important to step back and reflect on the bigger picture. Sometimes on a day to day level it’s easy to forget that we are living through
Read MoreI was honoured to be invited by Marcello Sasso of Cielo Research to speak about ‘Communicating Insights’ to a room full of eager Italians at the ESOMAR Meet up Italy 2013 in Milan. Staying in a big old palazzo helped me feel at home and I was pleased to see that the sun still shone in Milan in October. Dredging up my rusty Italian proved a challenge, but the delightful audience (including some old friends from Research International) were very
Read MoreEvery different industry and market has a trade media. These publications hold a mirror up to the industries they cover – the good, the bad and the downright ugly. But I have lost track of the time our PR clients have in the past dismissed their trade media as unworthy of attention or effort. They always brief us to aim for bigger prizes – coverage in Nationals or international business media. This is short-sighted at best and can be damaging.
Read MoreA quick scan of any publication, on and off line, quality and tabloid, demonstrates the extent to which market research surveys are used to create news on a daily basis. Everything from a recent large scale report investigating the class structure in Britain, to studies into what percentage of fathers read to their children at bedtime or how many people take their mobile phones to bed with them, make it into the media. So, market researchers are sitting on a
Read MoreI just read ‘That elusive thing called 'insight’', an article on Research Live by Andy Howden of Insight Inside which looks at why insight sometimes fails to gain traction in organisations. Insight Inside asked 30 heads of insight and marketing directors to explore how effectively insight is working in their organisation and how it could work better. One particular point struck me "it was rare to find a business which actually devoted meaningful budget to communicating insights rather than just
Read MoreThere are many brilliant people in the research and consumer insight business, who advise clients on all aspects of marketing, customer experience, innovation and branding but who often do not apply what they preach to their own businesses. Now, I know how hard it is to step back from your own organisation and see it clearly, warts and all. It is even harder to put yourself in the shoes of your potential clients and see what they see, hear what
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