Today’s connected consumer is intrinsically engaged with social media, and as marketers and researchers, the decisions we make cannot be focused solely on the product or service we are trying to sell. We are challenged to not only maintain a steady pulse on consumers within this ever-shifting ecosystem, but also to understand the very mechanics of the social dynamic itself, and how these external factors impact the attitudes and drivers shaping brand perception and purchase decisions. In this presentation, Menaka Gopinath, President of Ipsos Social Media Exchange (SMX) in North America, will share some of the key challenges brands face in an increasingly connected world, and a few ways in which we can more effectively explore and understand what’s now at play.