The touchpoints revolution has created a big bang of rapidly emerging new data sources – but between these points of light, it’s also created black holes in our understanding that only a re-engineered approach to research can fill.
It’s increasingly said that today’s brands are the sum of consumer experiences – and that marketers are in the business of selling customer journeys rather than simply stand-alone products. The problem they face, though, is that very few people are interested in buying complete, off-the-shelf, pre-defined customer journeys. In an era of personalisation, they want to assemble their own: using the touchpoints of their choosing for the purposes of their choosing and at the moments of their choosing.
Marketers need sophisticated information which enables them to look to the future, not the past, says Rosie Hawkins, global head of brand and communication at TNS
Emotion is fundamental to every decision that every consumer makes. It enables our fast thinking, exerts an unconscious influence over our choices and is always, always in play when it comes to how we respond to brands. Brands can only become irresistible to consumers by mastering the secret language of emotion: symbolism.
In this feature, we reveal how conscious and consistent use of symbolism can build powerful relationships, leverage the emotions that govern decision-making, and make your brand an irresistible choice that is almost impossible for rivals to compete with:
India’s market leader in scooters had lost its leadership of the broader two-wheel category, and attempts to regain its position by launching a new motorcycle had failed.
We used a qualitative and quantitative NeedScope programme to explore the dynamics of the market, and look beyond function to reveal all of the needs that scooters and motorcycles meet.
In this feature, we explain the flaws that are reducing the effectiveness of many tracking studies – and why TNS has re-engineered tracking around shorter, smarter surveys:
Yet the power of metaphors mean they must be handled with care. In this feature we look at how the meaning of familiar metaphors shifts between markets – and how translating them is crucial for effective brand planning:
But taking on the Hero role demands a very different approach depending on the market you are operating in.
We present the essential playbook for would-be Heroes, exploring the charismatic power of this hugely important emotional theme, whilst revealing the stark and surprising contrasts in what being a Hero means for different cultures:
In this feature we explain the techniques between our breakthrough in applying Big Data to brand equity, and explore the implications for the future of research:
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