More sophisticated programs in GfK are: Leo trace, allow you to track all respondent's behavior on the Internet. One example is our study, Purchases Journey, i.e. the journey to buy, when we track the whole way of finding information on buying on the Internet, and then we record in the off-line survey the moment of the purchase. The client receives a complete picture of how the decision to purchase his brand arose and matured.
Data fusion or data fusion. I will give an example from the practice of our company. The client set the task of forecasting sales in connection with the change in the shape of the product. Method at our discretion. We used data from three panels: a panel of doctors, a consumer panel and a trading panel. This study, for example, as data fusion, and fact based consulting.
Single source or data from one source. For example, this is data about TV advertising, online behavior and purchases of the same respondent. Single source is a huge step forward, which significantly increases the analytical capabilities. This year we are starting the GXL project based on the GfK consumer panel. By the way, our respondents work on digital technologies, register their purchases using electronic scanners. Now our panelists will have programs installed to monitor their behavior on the Internet, and then people meters to record TV viewing. This will be the classic way to get data from one source.
Big data or big data. First of all, this is the merging of these panels, as I have already mentioned. Secondly, it is an analysis of social media, in which a huge amount of interesting marketing information is concentrated. This analysis can complement traditional brand research.
Thirdly, these are huge opportunities that could be provided by analyzing the data set of cellular operators.
Finally, this is an analysis of the so-called. Return path data or return data of cable operators containing huge data arrays of television viewing.
Another new direction in the field of digital technology is the study of user experience, the so-called. User Experience. Today, the consumer is faced with numerous gadgets, ranging from computers and mobile phones to washing machines. The main requirement of the consumer becomes the functionality and ease of use of the device. It must be studied. User Experience is a qualitative study in which the respondent uses this or that gadget, and we technically record his behavior, observe his actions and interrogate him.
As I have already said, today consumer experience is put at the forefront of research. If before the focus of research was the product, now it is the consumer.
In brand research, more and more attention is paid to identifying the respondent’s own brand, so-called. me brand. For this, for example, associative methods of studying consumer relations with a brand, the so-called metaphor of relationship with the brand, are used.
Changes and research communications with the consumer. For example, a passive viewing dimension has appeared, when the data of our measurements are superimposed on the client’s media plan. As a result, we get the probability of viewing ads or the opportunity to see.
In addition to traditional studies of means of communication and their impact, we are increasingly exploring the so-called. touch points - points of interaction of the consumer with the product and their characteristics. Interaction with the brand is always complex and multidimensional. These are not only promotions and advertisements, but, for example, queues, music, lighting, cleanliness, etc. Each study has its own set of points of interaction with the product or service.
Among the new technologies along with the study of consumer experience is the so-called. co-creation with him. Researchers not only receive information from respondents, but also attract them to create new concepts. We do this on focus groups using our own Smart Creative method.
Another key word of today is innovation. I have already said that our customers have a new position - the innovation manager. Innovation must be managed, and this requires information. Today, innovations are becoming an independent object of our research with the complex application of various methods, which I partially talked about. An example is the development of a new product. When, along with the study of installations in the head of the consumer, we explore a lot of external factors: the dynamics of the product category, communication, economic factors. The product itself may appeal to the consumer. But it is unlikely to be successful if the category falls, for example, margarine, and to develop a new skin cream you may need to study the application of varnish on pieces of furniture. In our company, this approach will be applied as part of the GfK Innovation Roadmap tool.
Today, methods of researching the respondent’s immediate reaction to certain events, including the so-called “body responses”, are actively used today.