Wednesday 17 September 2008

Market Research 2.0 -- the companies who do, and who don't...

Yesterday I attended the 4th annual online market research conference "Research 2.0" of the MRS in London. Extremely relevant content was shared, and there was one thing I realised in the plane on may way back home: Some great multinationals like BBC, easyJet, Unilever and Coca-Cola presented their approaches and uses of the tools the new web has to offer. Some great small market research agencies -- I guess niche-players and mainly UK focussed-- shared their relevant and interesting insights. So all in all it was very worth while being there. But where were the big global research agencies...?

3 comments:

  1. Hi Emiel,

    Maybe the big agencies stay away of "risky" projects or step in when 2.0 has proven itself in their eyes? I would say the fact that these big multinationals you named where present already says a lot about wheter 2.0 has proven itself. I'm interested to see what new tools / approaches you have seen. Care to share? :-)

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  2. Here at GfK, a big agency, we have been leading the way in the UK in using Web 2.0 techniques. We have won ESOMAR awards, plaudits from the UK government and published lots in the International Journal of Market Research. Google myself (mike cooke) and Nick Buckley to access our work. IMHO you are generalising too much :-). i'll be chairing the WARC Online Conference in early March next year. Do you fancy speaking?

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  3. Dear Mike and Andris,

    Thanks for comments!

    Regarding GfK -- and me generalising too much -- let me tell you that your note is a pleasant surprise and it made me check the websites of GfK again.

    Mike, I have not done your company justice. Mea Culpa. In fact the GfK Nop website mentions:

    GfK...explore the theoretical possibilities, but we experiment hands-on with the technologies and gain first hand experience of their strengths and weaknesses. So we maintain a realistic and open-minded position – particularly about the here and now. We regard Web2.0 as a species of change which is taking place alongside others such as globalisation, and a contradictory convergence and divergence in people’s experiences and values around the world. So it needs to be understood in these contexts rather than in isolation...."

    (http://www.gfknop.com/customresearch-uk/expertise/online/web2/)

    A very healthy approach indeed I must say. So Mike, I guess you proved your point!

    It seems that I have not been visiting those conferences and I did not come across the good work your company is doing.

    To your other point: I would love to present a paper on that conference!

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