Smr Capabilities
- 1. Sommers Marketing Research & Consulting We help you understand your business
- 2. Sommers Marketing Research & Consulting was founded in 1993 to address market research supplier deficiencies identified during my client side tenure as a user of these services. Specifically, Sommers Marketing Research & Consulting specializes in well thought out quantitative and qualitative research programs that focus on adults, teens and/or kids . New products (e.g., package goods, TV networks) Line extensions (e.g., breakfast, snacks, candy, Discovery Health network) Strategic research (e.g., annual health & nutrition tracker,obesity,sugar substitutes, exercise & fitness, segmentation) Sommers Marketing Research SOMMERS MARKETING RESEARCH
- 3. Ted Sommers , Ph.D., Ted brings over 25 years marketing research experience to SMR. He began his career at B&W Tobacco concentrating on strategic, brand, and new product research and then ran the research department for Fisher-Price Toys. For 15 years Ted has run his own full service market research firm that specializes in strategic and new product research for Fortune 500 CPG and media companies. Ted earned his Ph.D. in Experimental Social Psychology from the University of Louisville and taught as a professor at the University of South Carolina.
- 4. Focus Groups Concept Screens Concept Tests Concept forecasts Taste tests (CLT) IHUTS Product forecasts Legal claims tests Sommers Marketing Research Package Goods Research Experience Equity Packaging Advertising development Segmentation Positioning Health/nutrition annual tracker AAU’s/Tracking Studies Adhoc strategic studies Customer Satisfaction
- 5. The amount of time we devote to our clients in terms of research design, analysis, and follow through. We are not a production house that is more concerned with get it in, get it out, and get to the next one. We treat each research issue as unique, truly customize the design to respond to these issues, and do not subscribe to the one size fits all research mentality . Experienced Market Research Support. We do not pass it off to Junior members We become true partners with out clients SMR separates itself from most suppliers… Sommers Marketing Research Client Service #1
- 6. Sommers Marketing Research Quaker Oats 100+ studies conducted for Quaker Oats Research conducted across all SBUs Research examined all age targets (kids, teens, Moms, adults, boomers, 55+) All methodologies utilized including in-person, on-line, telephone, quantitative and qualitative Conducted many studies for new department members so as to “train” them in good research technique Examined tactical as well as strategic initiates We develop partnerships with our clients
- 7. Internal Concept Development Offsite with CEO Direct Reports Identified new network criteria Developed multiple network concepts SMR led this session Multiple Sets of Exploratory/Concept Focus Groups Teens, Boomers, heavy, light and nonfranchise viewers SMR wrote the network concepts and moderated the groups Quantitative evaluation of potential new networks Analytically identified best opportunity was a composite of two of the tested networks Innovative name test Most intrusive name Conveyed the new network essence Synergistic with the Lifetime brand Sommers Marketing Research We develop partnerships with our clients Lifetime Real Women Network Development
- 8. Sommers Marketing Research Lifetime Real Women Network Development Qualitative program research to select programs from existing library (cost criteria) Next day SMR/client working session deleted programs, rescheduled times of programs, and identified editing opportunities from existing footage to create a potential marquee program LRW as a tier driver to motivate consumers to move up from basic cable to digital. In market tests among viewers recruited to sample the network demonstrated that the new network is liked by virtually all viewers (86%) and is reported as a reason to continue to subscribe to digital cable over basic cable. LRW Regional Market AAU (pre/post) Prewave recently out of field. Strong awareness and trial. Separation, as well as synergy, with Lifetime parent. In conjunction with Lifetime developing an ethnic research plan for the network.
- 9. Research Design Psychological training (Ph.D.) in consumer dynamics, communications and research design Research designed with respondents cognitive abilities and research issues taken into consideration Research tools & techniques Interview flow, depth and question communication Research simulation SMR separates itself from most suppliers… Sommers Marketing Research
- 10. Regular Stars & Stripes Crunchy Product Type Visual Conjoint Studies Help Kids Discriminate 1st research firm to implement this methodology in this fashion. Approach takes into consideration kids’ cognitive abilities.
- 11. Packaging / Candy Color / Candy Size Visual Conjoint Studies Help Kids Discriminate
- 12. CSD High School Placement Influence on Teenage CSD Loyalty Issue: Major CSD (Carbonated Soft Drink) firm needed to determine if college contracts which would only allow client CSD brands on campus (multimillion dollar investments) were warranted or was loyalty created from high school contracts sufficient so that college students would continue to drink client brands off campus (surrounding area).
- 13. CSD High School Placement Influence on Teenage CSD Loyalty Solution: Research design included qualitative component for hypothesis generation/input into the construction of quantitative baseline instrument (45 Malls across the country) and follow up year later longitudinal telephone survey. Outcome: Tactics developed as a function of the research. Entering High School next year Graduating High School Attending College Not Attending College Brand #1 High School N=300 N=300 N=300 N=300 Brand #2 High School N=300 N=300 N=300 N=300 Dual CSD High School N=300 N=300 N=300 N=300
- 14. Issue: Develop new impactful/memorable packaging Solution: Respondents collectively were shown multiple package options (e.g., store shelf). Packages were removed, time elapsed while respondents discussed other issues. Respondents were then asked to draw the package they liked the best. Outcome : New packages were developed that differed from those tested. Often respondents combined the most salient elements from various packages Shampoo bottle Package Communication/Optimization (Technique can be used for concept development, message importance/breakthrough, advertising, etc.) A package outline was provided to assist them with this task
- 15. An experiment was devised to determine if kids could accurately report beverage volumetrics over the phone. Kids were asked if they drank a known beverage package size as an anchor (e.g., sports bottle), if not they were asked if they drank more or less of the anchor. Depending on their response they were asked if they drank the next package size, more or less . SMR continued this process until we isolated the amount. Results demonstrated similar responses to in-person interviews conducted 14.2 14.8 14.5 0 5 10 15 In Person Spring In Person Summer Telephone Consumption (ounces) Kid’s Volumetric Estimation
- 16. Problem: Kids give very few unaided responses and very high aided responses 3 levels of brand awareness were gathered: Unaided Category (e.g., fruit cereals) Aided Imagery was recorded by having kids physically sort brand photographs on an imagery battery Sommers Marketing Research For Kids My Age Pre-Post RTE Cereal AAU measuring effectiveness of new ad campaign Least Most
- 17. Program Development Issue: Network was exploring developing a new programming block targeted at kids and needed to identify the programming concepts that generated the most appeal. Usage of traditional kid research tools frequently fail to discriminate. Solution: Qualitative triads used to refine program concepts to take to a quantitative concept screen using the Hierarchical Paired Comparison technique which has proven to improve discrimination among kids. Hierarchical Paired Comparison is a paired comparison task where kids chose the program concept they most prefer between 2 program concepts. They then choose their preferred program concept between a 2nd pair. The chosen concepts are then compared to one another and the responded chooses the best concept between them. This process continues until all concepts are rank ordered . (Schematic showing this process on next slide.)
- 18. Outcome: A full slate of programming concepts identified and further developed by the network. Block became successful and was spun off to form its own network (line extension). Hierarchical Paired Comparison Program A Program B Program C Program D Program C Program B Program C Program Development
- 19. Issue: Parent has 80% market share. Critical that line extension reflects parents heritage/equity while still providing a meaningful point of difference Solution: Respondents first rated parent on all attributes, next multiple new concepts shown monadically, and then all new concepts re-shown and attribute ratings recorded for each concept on the same grid parent had been rated on earlier ensuring parent heritage was salient during research task Sommers Marketing Research Line ext. 2 Parent Line ext. 3 Line ext. 1 Not Very Very (good for you) Line Extension Research 1 2 3 4 5 6
- 20. True benefits of working with the same supplier are realized. This is a tremendous benefit to many of our clients who utilize our talents to design multifaceted research programs that involve both qualitative and quantitative components. SMR separates itself from most suppliers… Sommers Marketing Research Dr. Sommers moderates focus groups and is the primary quantitative researcher
- 21. Issue: Network needed to better understand their viewer’s programming needs. Solution: A network segmentation study was conducted among N=1,000 viewers of client network programming genre. A series of focus groups were 1 st completed from which hypothesized segments were developed and the battery of network attitudes (attributes) were built. Viewers indicated what attributes their ideal genre programming network would possess. Network Segmentation Sommers Marketing Research
- 22. Network Segmentation Outcome: 5 segments identified that proved to differ on all critical/actionable dimensions Demographics Program Interest Competitive network viewership Media Usage (Internet/Magazines) Lifestyles Segments used in all marketing and programming efforts, program blocks developed targeting each segment, sales efforts aligning segment programming to synergistic advertisers, segmentation overlay to Nielsen Households and competitive tactics developed/deployed.
- 23. Network Positioning & Target Audience Identification Issue: Well known established foreign network was being repackaged and introduced as a free standing network in the states. Client needed to develop the most effective positioning for its national roll out and to identify its target audience. Solution: Multiple focus groups identified 10 potential positionings that were taken to a quantitative positioning study that also included demographics, psychographics, lifestyle, TV viewership patterns, and attitudinal batteries used to identify the new networks primary target.
- 24. Outcome: Best positioning preferred by ½ of respondents and proved to be the most effective positioning among all demographic sub groups including the primary target audience. Target audience much larger in scope than anticipated, resulting in advertising sell-in strategy targeted at a broad base of prospective sponsors. Positioning Ranked # 1 Positioning Ranked # 1 Among Demographic Sub Groups Network Positioning & Target Audience Identification
- 25. Twelve years client side experience (e.g., Vice President of Marketing Research for Fisher-Price, Director of Marketing Research for a sales and merchandising agency, Manager of Research at Brown & Williamson Tobacco). We truly understand your needs from your perspective as a marketer and we do not examine issues and develop research programs in a supplier research vacuum. Our analysis factors in our marketing expertise and often incorporates additional client understandings and or previous learnings. We are consultants (Discovery Networks acting research director). Bally Total Fitness external research department and consultant. SMR separates itself from most suppliers… Sommers Marketing Research Client Experienced
- 26. Issue: Bally Total Fitness needed to monitor its member satisfaction at the club, district, area, regional and national levels. Results used to incentivize management at each level. Research needed to gather daily member satisfaction, be cost efficient, able to capture thousands of responses. The results needed to be instantly available, user friendly, interactive, and understandable to a nonresearch savvy audience. Customer Satisfaction Highly interactive website that permits user friendly and versatile crosstabs Quarterly summary reports, for all levels, that provides easily understood tracking data
- 27. Sommers Marketing Research Ongoing Customer Satisfaction Interactive Website
- 28. Sommers Marketing Research Ongoing Customer Satisfaction
- 29. Sommers Marketing Research Ongoing Customer Satisfaction
- 30. Sommers Marketing Research Ongoing Customer Satisfaction Quarterly Summary Report
- 31. Identify Dimension Drivers in Established Food Category to Provide Product Development Direction Issue: Client recently acquired “sleepy” brands in need of revitalization to better compete in an established category. Solution: Quantitative taste test conducted in 15 markets testing complete set of 18 category entrants including current client brands. Tight timing necessitated prerecruit (1 week after project commissioned) Regional frozen products unavailable in all areas required field service coordination and shipping Outcome: New product/line extensions developed
- 32. Identify Dimension Drivers in Established Food Category to Provide Product Development Direction Stated Importance Relative To (Product) Dimension Appeal Normalized different scalars measuring importance and performance to isolate dimensions that offer the most potential.
- 33. Issue: Client asked SMR to conduct RTE category taste tests. SMR developed an efficient approach that examined both performance and equity since a brands market performance is a result of more than just its taste Solution : All of client’s RTE brands were examined against their competitive sets among both kids and adults Over 5,000 interviews 20,000 taste tests 20,000 equity measurements recorded Outcome: New brand strategies/tactics developed and implemented Sommers Marketing Research RTE Category Performance vs. Expectations
- 34. Sommers Marketing Research Brand Users vs. NonBrand Users Liking (Tastings-Perceptions) (+scores indicate cereal liked more after tasting)
- 35. Issue: How is oatmeal consumption impacted by winter weather. Solution: 40 nightly Cati interviews conducted 7 days a week from November 15 – March 15 in the Chicago Metro (Chicago selected to ensure daily similar weather conditions for entire sample) Morning breakfast behavior captured for each family member (controlled for memory decay inherent in other data collection methodologies) A total of 5,000 interviews and 8,000 breakfast behavior observations Oatmeal Consumption as Function of Changing Winter Weather Conditions
- 36. Primary data merged with metro daily weather conditions over this same time frame Examined various weather conditions affects on oatmeal consumption: Temperature shifts of 10 or more from preceding day Wind chill influence Extended warm periods Snow day vs. day after snowfall vs. no snowfall IQO media GRP schedule, advertising awareness tracking, product shipments, and health/nutrition attitudes were incorporated into analysis Outcome: Research impacted media schedules and promotional tactics to combat changing weather conditions Oatmeal Consumption as Function of Changing Winter Weather Conditions
- 37. Sommers Marketing Research Our team approach, unmatched client service, marketing savvy gained on the client side, superior research design, qualitative and quantitative abilities and broad experience across many industries, product categories, and age segments (kids, teens, boomers, geriatrics) enable us to provide our clients with: Partners in Research Understanding Sommers Marketing Research