May 2016 round-up

Well, I may ready for warm weather; but the warm weather is not ready for me. While we had some nice days here and there, it is now early June and I still need my duvet! In May, I did my first race – it was a last minute decision; there was no preparation and … Continue reading May 2016 round-up

Consumer education: how can we make salt’s harm visible?

Earlier this month, the British Association of Dermatologists published a press release with the highlights from a survey of Britain’s sun protection habits. The highlights included: 80% don’t apply sunscreen before going out in the sun and then shortly afterwards; 70% fail to reapply sunscreen every two hours as recommended; 35% would only seek shade … Continue reading Consumer education: how can we make salt’s harm visible?

Three steps to spot brewing social media crises

User generated content (UGC), like tweets, blogs or videos, which criticise brands, can spread widely and quickly. If marketing managers leave these conversations unattended, they can go viral, and threaten the brands; whereas handling the negative UGC will reassure other customers (including potential ones) that the company listens, cares and is in control. So, brands … Continue reading Three steps to spot brewing social media crises

Oh, don’t you love the smell of 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline?

Today, a marketing lesson from the kiddo: What he is talking about, here, is the role of smell as a stimulus. Smell (and other stimuli like colour, temperature, or sounds) can create an affective response in shoppers. This can either be a direct emotional reaction to the stimulus (e.g., the smell makes us feel hungry); or … Continue reading Oh, don’t you love the smell of 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline?

April 2016 round-up

It’s Spring, there are flowers peeking everywhere… ... and snow. That’s right. It snowed. At least it melted quickly. I am so ready for warm weather… Here are my highlights for April. Tell me yours, in the comments below. Researching The panel proposal that I was working on last month was rejected. But … Continue reading April 2016 round-up

The limited value of ad views

Think with Google published the results of a very interesting study measuring the effectiveness of different video versions of an ad for a new product. The study uses three alternative approaches – with very different results. The product The ad was for a new line of make up from L’Oreal Paris. The ad … Continue reading The limited value of ad views

Want feedback? Ask your customers… or maybe not

A trip to the gym last weekend resulted in an unexpected market research lesson, which I talked about on Snapchat*: Our usual instructor had been away on the previous weekend, and had been temporarily replaced by somebody else. This one had a very peculiar style – ‘though love’, if you wish. He kept telling … Continue reading Want feedback? Ask your customers… or maybe not

The drivers of word of mouth are: them, you and it

Word of mouth (WoM) is important for all organisations. It is the main source of new business for small and medium enterprises. It is key for the success of niche products, as well as mass market products. So, we really need to understand what drives WoM, don’t you think? Based on my work and … Continue reading The drivers of word of mouth are: them, you and it