Undoubtedly, when real regional peace is achieved the Arab countries will face fierce competition from Israel's financial, manufacturing and services corporations. This threat must be realized and plans must be developed by Middle East countries to respond and identify ways in which they can, in turn, benefit from the opportunities created to promote themselves in a larger marketplace. A marketplace that will also include Israel. But do they really have any other choice? We know the answer and we are expected to play our role: induce change.
This paper describes how standard Retail Audit data can be enhanced "Management Information". The dynamism seen in the F.M.C.G's in the Middle East markets over the past two years with the explosive launch of new brands has focused the emphasis of this paper onto measuring the relative progress of the launch of new brands and ultimately at an early stage predicting their final success in the market. The ideas expressed in this paper have by no means been fully validated and are given as a hypothesis for further testing. They are produced in response to the request of many internal decision makers who, anxious about the launch of their brands, are looking for ways of monitoring the validity of their marketing strategy without relying on wishful and unrealistic climbs in share. This paper proposes that for new brand launches one needs to monitor and focus on four Retail Audit variables. These are classified as "Total marketing response variables" as they are seen to reflect a measure of how both consumers and retailers react to the various marketing activities occurring at any point in time. One of the four key variables that the paper introduces is the concept of the "Stock Pressure Index." The paper concludes by summarising the conceptual model for using Retail Audit data to predict the success of a new brand.
Market modelling techniques are at the leading edge of market research technology, an increasingly important part of the technical armoury of marketing companies around the world. 'They cover a wide range of applications: from pricing research and concept development to brand image engineering and market testing. My aim here is not to to read out a highly technical treatise on the theory and mechanics of market modelling. I can do better than that - with a straightforward view of the fundamental principles underlying some key modelling techniques - and a demonstration of how they have been adapted for use in the Middle East. Supported by rapid developments in computer technology, market micro-modelling breaks away from traditional market research methodologies. Whilst they were largely confined to the descriptive (or at best diagnostic) micro-modelling allows market researchers to predict what will really happen out there, in the real world. The real world... this is the key point. Maybe it's the only point. It has been said before but I will say it again. Market places are not tidy, well-ordered vacuums where research theories can be put smoothly into practice. If they were, our lives would be simpler, but less interesting. Markets are essentially untidy places, subject to subtle undercurrents, cultural influences - and that irritating phenomenon known as the competition.
In the Middle East, consumer testing of fragrances for personal products poses all of the same methodological problems as in other parts of the world, plus some particular problems having to do with the place of perfume in Moslem culture. The Firmenich Company, as a supplier of fragrances, has attempted to come to terms with these difficulties by adapting its market research methods and at the same time adjusting to the social and cultural climate of the region. The approach is illustrated by a case study, covering a consumer product test of a range of fragrances for a brand of toilet soap, carried out in one of the Gulf countries (Kuwait). The research involved a sequential monadic testing methodology, using a "Round Robin" design, and was carried out as a central location test. Some comparisons are made with similar consumer research carried out in one of the countries of West Africa (Nigeria). The paper will seek to illustrate how it is possible, in this product category, to obtain robust and reliable results from a central location test, providing that careful attention is paid both to the adaptation of the basic testing method, and to the particular connotations of perfume in this part of the world.
Several common problems in designing and evaluating nationally representative sampling frames for countries in the Middle East are identified, with Jordan being used as a case study. Due to the absence of reliable information on several key demographic variables for the population, and practical constraints on finance and time, a "hybrid" methodology combining random selection principles with a quota "overlay" was employed for a national survey of media use in Jordan in September 1993. The design and implementation of the study are described, and key results are presented. Reference is also made to problems encountered during the fieldwork stages, and the procedures used to address them.
In various countries in the Middle East, there are numerous problems facing marketing research, which are hindering and affecting the overall quality of research. Some of these problems relate to lack of understanding of marketing research, others to the culture of the various countries in the region, and yet others, to government controls and restrictions. This paper outlines some major problems facing the research industry in the region.
This paper is an abridged and slightly updated version of a paper that I gave in Rome in 1993. It is a critical account of our experience of qualitative research in the developing countries of the world, especially in the Middle East, which has led us to draw up a set of guidelines for Qualitative Research. It is put forward that the general quality of qualitative research in these countries is poor. Various problems are detailed and the guidelines, which are intended to overcome these problems, are presented and explained.
Unilever markets over 1000 brands of packaged consumer goods in seventy five countries. This activity accounts for three quarters of its global sales. Its well-tried market development strategy has been systematically applied to the Arabian Peninsula over the last six decades. In the last three years, Unilever has moved its top management on-shore to the GCC to assume responsibility for the totality of its consumer goods business in Arabia. New enterprises have been established with additional employment, local nationals are being aggressively trained and increased resources are being applied to better consumer understanding and customer service. The rewards are palpable and Unilever Arabia is now embarked on a trajectory of business expansion on an exciting scale.
Assuming a minimum of peace and political stability can be achieved in the Middle East, free-market economic strategies should be implemented. These should include, among others, privatisation programs of State enterprises, coupled with development of stock exchanges to drain both domestic and foreign capital, similar to the successful programs recently carried out in countries as different as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, India, South Korea, Taiwan or Thailand for instance. The following areas appear to offer promising development opportunities: -Tourism, Industry, Finance, Communications.
The paper is divided in seven sections. The first section describes in brief the background of the UAE TV Meter System's implementation, outlining the size and the criteria followed in structuring the panel, as well as the period over which the system was implemented and tested. In the second section, description of the meter's equipment and its functioning are summarized along with brief highlights on the data processing steps carried out. In the third section, a detailed description of what the people meter can deliver in terms of data produced and types of Analysis, along with sample outputs of live data reports. Also covered in the third part, are the latest Software Tools available and what they offer from benefits to the various Clients such as Media Operators, Advertising Agencies and Advertisers. The fourth section of the paper discusses the advantages of employing a People Meter System in today's complex TV environment and how the 3 main users of its data could benefit from adopting such an advanced system. In order to clarify the specific interpretation of the results and the terms used in the People Meter Analysis as compared to the Classical Research, a set of detailed definitions of the common terms is contained in section five with a descriptive example to shed light on subtle differences of these terms, and on the fundamentals of the TV Meter Analysis. Furthermore, a comparison between the Classical research and People Meter Methodologies is drawn and discussed in two examples covered under section six highlighting the validity of both results obtained through the two research tools, namely People Meter and Classical Research. The Advantages and Disadvantages are also discussed in brief, outlining the difference between accurate measurement techniques of the People Meter and the accurate prediction through simulation of Classical Research results. Finally, section seven summarizes the plans for future regional expansion of the people Meter System to cover Kuwait and Bahrain by mid 1994 and Saudi Arabia and Lebanon by end of 1994 and early 1995 respectively.
Advertising research in the Middle East is often literal and frequently promotes the production of safe, literal TV commercials. But is the Middle East consumer really so literal? Or so under-estimated? By means of investigating the relationship which consumers form with different advertising styles, this paper specifically addresses how the consumer responds to advertising rather than whether or not she has received a particular message. The paper concludes that the consumer is far from literal in the way she process advertising and is more favourably oriented towards new, distinctive advertising approaches. It is supported by original qualitative research evidence.
The paper gives an overview of the relationships between two key pieces of retail audit information, sales share and distribution. It shows how, if used correctly, retail audit data can give management a means of focussing their resources to increase share by optimising distribution of their brands. In order to establish the correct framework, a brief description is firstly given of the relative values attached to sales share and distribution figures. A more thorough explanation is then given on the terminology used and the subtle differences between key variables under the heading of distribution. A pre-requisite for the use of the retail audit data, is confidence in the data itself. The paper therefore, highlights the main areas of concern frequently voiced by retail audit data users and how they can be best addressed. Some hints are given and examples are then shown of how optimising distribution can be anticipated to effect share increase and how the net percentage increase can be estimated in advance. Although the learnings for this paper have been derived from our experience across all the retail audit panels run by AMER, in the Middle East, Europe and the Far East, the examples used and thus the overall emphasis pertain specifically to the retail audits run in the Middle East and to a lesser extend North Africa.