This paper describes the importance of taste and flavour preference to the basic acceptability of a wide range of consumer products, and outlines why reasons for preference are not often well communicated from the consumer to the producer. It illustrates some of the shortcomings of traditional methods of product test research, in particular the drawbacks of open-ended responses and the limited use traditionally made of attribute rating scales. A comparison is made with data sets and methodologies used for brand image analysis, and a similar approach is advocated for product attribute data, illustrated by a typical mapping exercise from a multi-country product test of toilet soap fragrances carried out within the author's company. The example shows how a map, by positioning products in consumers' perceptual space, can lend considerable explanatory power to the analysis. The result is much more effective and actionable feedback from the consumer to the producer - and the perfumer.
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.
This paper addresses some of the issues pertinent to the mapping process with the aim of simplifying the choice of alternatives. A number of commonly used and recently developed mapping methods are systematically compared by partitioning the mapping process into its individual components to examine which (if any) have the largest effect and which have relatively no effect on the map obtained. Results of the comparative analysis, in conjunction with evidence from related research, are then used to suggest some practical guidelines to assist in the selection of appropriate mapping techniques.
Part I of this paper sets out by examining the external factors of change and how corporations are organisationally adjusting to the new reality. Set against this background, the new type of highly adaptable and flexible company has very specific information needs. Above all, it need less raw but more timely and value-added business information across very specific areas of corporate key concerns. Part II looks at both the risks and opportunities in the information industry of which research is a part.
This paper describes the use of mapping as a strategic research technique. Case histories are described in which the use of mapping lead to major changes being made in long-term plans. The specific mapping technique used uses nominally scaled data as input. The question of assessing the viability of market segments is also addressed. A methodology is proposed which uses a manual form of cluster analysis. Data generated by the clustering technique are then mapped so as to identify the composition of segments in the market as perceived by consumers. The value of market segments can then be determined by an analysis of the brands lying close to the centres of gravity of the segments. The topic of attribute selection in order to define attitude is discussed, using a case study on the liquor industry as an example. The overall objective of the paper is to put forward a step-wise methodology of attribute definition, measurement of consumer perception, and measurement of business viability, as an integrated approach to using marketing research as an aid to understanding consumers needs, and hence formulating long-term plans.
In this contribution we investigate the dynamics in the population of enterprises. Enterprises are established or taken over, expand or suffer cut-backs. The result of the development of all these individual firms is the economic change which confronts us all. We have tried to map out the dynamics as well as describing the development of individual enterprises. As the recession is the debit balance of the development of all firms individually, so will economic recovery have to come from these same firms.
Brand mapping is being discussed at the 1981 ESOMAR conference when as a marketing research approach it could be argued that the technique is old fashioned and therefore ill-suited to the needs of pharmaceutical management personnel in the 1980's. In giving this paper I will attempt to demonstrate why I do not believe the above statement to be true. The paper will point out the improvements which have been made in: 1. Data collection methods; 2. Data interpretation both having lead to a significant advance in the overall value of the technique. However emphasis will be given to the different case histories which will illustrate the types of marketing problems for which brand mapping can be used.
The mapping of research data is a special type of multivariate analysis. Like segmentation or cluster-analysis it is a process of data reduction, conceived in order to reveal main structures behind a multitude of data. What distinguishes mapping from other multivariate methods is the fact that its final result does not consist in numbers . Instead of that the structures are expressed by the location of objects (or variables) in space. Mappings take advantage of the fact that we all are accustomed to read maps. The reason why the orientation by a map seems so easy lies in the fact that maps consequently apply the principle of analogy: what is distant in reality is distant on the paper too and vice versa. The principle of analogy is also the key idea behind mapping. In fact we could describe it as a means for transforming digital data into analogy-type information. Detailed numerical information on media audiences is of course necessary for the practical work of media planning. But media mappings may be useful too because they offer quick orientation and help present the media-"landscape" to people who are not familiar with the technical side of media research and media planning.
In the paper I will describe the theories behind and the techniques of the market map, but the presentation of the technique (simple as it is) is not in itself the reason for writing this paper. The interesting point is that the market map is based upon individual human response and thus segments the population into groups with identical individual response functions with regard to the purchase of the product of interest. I hope to show that the line of reasoning that I will follow can ultimately lead to better understanding of how advertising works than can the traditional way of looking at average responses in a target group defined by demography.
This paper sets out to both examine some of the particular and peculiar needs of the small business sector as well as mapping a plea for changed attitudes among marketing (and other) educators.
There is probably very little early post-launch research in the life of a new product which is true concept testing. An informal analysis is made in this paper of the kinds of situation in which a company might feel that post-launch concept research is needed. The likely needs of companies in these situations are discussed. Ideas are presented for improving the efficiency of early post-launch research. These are ideas on sampling, on interviewing and on the use of mapping techniques.