Abstract:

The shape of the future of European market measurement research services is in the process of appraisal and change. Not least, this is because of the potential impact of technology driven services, originating in the U.S.A. Such services superficially appear to undermine the role of traditional market measurement services, be they either consumer panels or retail audits. By tracing the evolution of the dominant market measurement in GB, the causes and changes in the marketing environment, and the interface of this with the fundamental data model of market measurement, the paper explores the role of consumer panel techniques historically and in the future. In particular the paper demonstrates the potential of how consumer panels can be used to meet changing information needs, with little change to basic data and methodology. The paper draws on recent GB experience to identify applications across the specific range of marketing requirements that exist now, and will grow in the 1990's.