Market Research - Love it Or Hate It?
I have worked in market research for 12 years, and it still fascinates me.
To the man or woman on the street it is either a nuisance being stopped by 'those ladies with clipboards' or to the 'market research-friendly' it is a chance to get a free product, some vouchers or quite often cash.
To the end client - that is the company or brand that has commissioned it - it is an important piece of research that they will use to make product claims, to improve their service, and to get an insight into their customers so ultimately they can make more money.
The market research agency in the middle is tied up with keeping everybody happy!!! And providing what the client wants to know!!! We all know that research is supposed to be independent, that's why a market research agency does it and not the brand.
The issue is that when the agency has collected and evaluated the results they are then passed onto the brand or company that commissioned it, and that brand can tell the consumer as much or as little as they want about the findings.
So my question is - is it truly independent when the brand chooses what they share? My point is most easily and vividly demonstrated by the beauty industry.
Lets say for example that market research product testing is commissioned on a new mascara by a leading brand.
It is done before the product is launched so they can get feedback on how the consumer feels and possibly make a claim as to how good people think it is.
Lets say for example that 200 people test it for 1 week.
They are asked many questions by the interviewer so that the results can be interpreted.
There may have been a question about making your eyelashes appear fuller - 90% of women may have agreed (either strongly or slightly) that the mascara does this.
There may also be a question about dislikes - 70% of the woman may have said that it goes clumpy and sticky.
When the mascara is launched with its shiny new TV ad - a voice over might say - 'it makes your lashes appear fuller' and there will probably be a little note at the bottom of the screen that reads - '90% of women agree'.
However it will not be mentioned that 70% of those women thought it was clumpy and sticky!!!! This is just an example and may be a little extreme but it illustrates the point well.
Shouldn't research be for the mutual benefit of the brand and the consumer? If the product really is that good then the brand shouldn't need to censor it!
To the man or woman on the street it is either a nuisance being stopped by 'those ladies with clipboards' or to the 'market research-friendly' it is a chance to get a free product, some vouchers or quite often cash.
To the end client - that is the company or brand that has commissioned it - it is an important piece of research that they will use to make product claims, to improve their service, and to get an insight into their customers so ultimately they can make more money.
The market research agency in the middle is tied up with keeping everybody happy!!! And providing what the client wants to know!!! We all know that research is supposed to be independent, that's why a market research agency does it and not the brand.
The issue is that when the agency has collected and evaluated the results they are then passed onto the brand or company that commissioned it, and that brand can tell the consumer as much or as little as they want about the findings.
So my question is - is it truly independent when the brand chooses what they share? My point is most easily and vividly demonstrated by the beauty industry.
Lets say for example that market research product testing is commissioned on a new mascara by a leading brand.
It is done before the product is launched so they can get feedback on how the consumer feels and possibly make a claim as to how good people think it is.
Lets say for example that 200 people test it for 1 week.
They are asked many questions by the interviewer so that the results can be interpreted.
There may have been a question about making your eyelashes appear fuller - 90% of women may have agreed (either strongly or slightly) that the mascara does this.
There may also be a question about dislikes - 70% of the woman may have said that it goes clumpy and sticky.
When the mascara is launched with its shiny new TV ad - a voice over might say - 'it makes your lashes appear fuller' and there will probably be a little note at the bottom of the screen that reads - '90% of women agree'.
However it will not be mentioned that 70% of those women thought it was clumpy and sticky!!!! This is just an example and may be a little extreme but it illustrates the point well.
Shouldn't research be for the mutual benefit of the brand and the consumer? If the product really is that good then the brand shouldn't need to censor it!
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