Does research assist or stifle innovation? This paper starts with an overview of the transfer of a revolutionary instant meal technology from Asia to Europe. A classically correct research programme but lacking interpretation and action by the client until too late. A market innovation opportunity lost and the moral is market research data remains just data until converted into knowledge and action by users. Years later lessons are learnt and failure turned into success - the apparently dead patient is resuscitated. Is this proof of the innovation credo of management guru Charles Handy: good ideas are not usually new ideas but old ideas resurrected (researched) at the right time? Or does this simply reinforce the need for marketing and research to work in harmony?
This paper will present an overview of a two-year development programme involving the transfer of a new, revolutionary instant meal technology from Asia to Europe. The novelty of the technology meant the planners could initiate a classical research programme, starting from a clean sheet, and develop in parallel both the formulation and the other marketing mix elements. The process moved inexorably through its various stages: from screening, via taste testing, into the home, and on to full mix research. Ingredients gradually merged to form a complex meal. In parallel, positioning statements turned into novel advertising designed to introduce a new food category, material options became a final pack type and shape, and a name was selected. Considerable problems were revealed by the research along the way which might have brought the whole process to a close; but these obstacles were overcome and eventually some early test scores, which had been at an historically low level, were transformed into a predictive mix test result which indicated that a launch could be contemplated with confidence.
The main thesis of this paper is that researchers are placing themselves in danger from their failure to realize the financial constraints of their clients when researching the new Europe. If researchers see pan-European studies as a profit goldmine, multiplying the revenue of every job by the number of countries now being covered, they will soon discover the error of their ways. A new approach is necessary. It lies with the over-used word coordination and has two elements: structure and technology. These will provide the efficiencies to reflect those being forced on our clients. The future motto for those conducting pan-Euro studies should be less is more.
The need exists to bring the individual back into the forefront of research, whether qualitative or quantitative. It is predicted that in the 90s, the mean score and the group discussion will decline in prevalence & disaggregated data will rule. In the case of qualitative research therefore, the 90s should see a greater emphasis on individual depth interviews, reflecting a closer rapprochement with psychotherapy than in recent years. When groups do come into consideration, the first step will be to consider the possible relevance of family groups, which, after all, are the primary group in society, rather than peer groups. Turning to quantitative research, the 90s will find researchers showing increased interest in techniques that expose differences between individuals rather than those which summarise. This will manifest itself in the avoidance of summary statistics the personalising of the interview the application of vertical analysis the micro-modelling of responses. Overall, whether through qualitative depth interviews or quantitative micro- modelling, in the age of the individual it is this individual who should shine through in the development of market research in the 90s.
Quest International is an Anglo-Dutch Company and one of the largest suppliers of fragrances to the worldwide consumer goods industry, having been formed recently through the merger of PPF International and Naarden International. PPF has been working with RBL-Research International UK for a number of years on worldwide market and product mapping studies which illustrate how a standardised but highly diagnostic data collection and analysis procedure can be applied to study international brands in any market of the world. Few businesses are more internationally-based than the supply of fragrances to the world's fmcg companies. Although Quest is one step removed from the ultimate consumer, it is only by understanding the latter's relationship to brands that they keep the business of their own clients. Clearly Quest cannot match each of their client's worldwide research resources and budgets. Instead Quest must use its market research budget with considerable efficiency and skill in order to remain in touch with the worldwide consumer. Brand mapping enables them to do this.