This document assesses the impact of digitally-enabled market research techniques, highlighting the growing influence of social media, mobile devices, and other technologies on data collection methods. It outlines various methodologies and tools available, such as online communities, social media analytics, and mobile research, while discussing their advantages and disadvantages. The report emphasizes the need for market researchers to adapt to these technological advancements for effective data gathering and insights.

1. Di it ll E bl d M k t R hDigitally-Enabled Market Research
Techniquesq
A HawkPartners Assessment
September 2011
Brooke Hempell
Brooke.hempell@hawkpartners.com
Scott Wilkerson
Scott.wilkerson@hawkpartners.com
For further information contact:

2. Emerging digital channels and technologies are having a
significant impact on our industryg p y
Just as the Internet revolutionized market research 15Just as the Internet revolutionized market research 15
years ago, social media, mobile devices, and other
digital technologies will have a growing impact on how,
when, and where market research is conducted
The purpose of this document is to assess the pros and cons of
th di it l t l d h th b t ff ti l l dthese digital tools, and how they can be most effectively leveraged
to capture marketing insights
2

3. Social networking usage continues to explode, and is now
widespread among all but seniors
 Nearly half of those over age 35 use at least one SNS – nearly double the
percentage in 2008
p g
90%
100%
% of Internet Users Who Use Social
Networking Sites – By Age
86%
61%60%
70%
80%
90%
47%
26%
30%
40%
50%
26%
0%
10%
20%
September 2005 May 2008 November 2008 April 2009 December 2009 May 2010
3
September 2005 May 2008 November 2008 April 2009 December 2009 May 2010
18‐29 30‐49 50‐64 65+
SOURCE: Pew Research Center

4. Meanwhile, smartphones are now mainstream, and are a
key source of internet access
 Over one-third of American adults now own smartphones
– Ownership is highest among those in their mid-twenties through mid-thirties
y
– Smartphones are used for internet, social networking, and mobile apps
Smartphone Ownership by Age
(July 2011)
% of smartphone users who…
(July 2011)
46%
35%
45%
5% 7% 11% 14% 19%
44%
87%
68%
49%
58%
44%
58%
59%
45%
25%
%
28% 22%
11%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
No cell phone Other cell phone Smartphone
Use the Internet
or e-mail on
Use smartphone
to go online on a
Go online mostly
using smartphone
4
SOURCE: Pew Research Center, July 2011
p p p
smartphone
g
typical day
g p

5. As a result of these trends, market researchers are adopting
a growing number of new technologiesg g g
% of Market Researchers That Have Ever Used…
n=673
22%
22%
28%
34%
M bil S
Text Analytics
Social Media Analytics
Online Communities
10%
11%
17%
18%
22%
P di ti M k t
Apps based research
Eye Tracking
Webcam-Based Interviews
Mobile Surveys
8%
9%
9%
10%
10%
M bil Q lit ti
Mobile Ethnography
Virtual Environments
Visualization Analytics
Predictive Markets
Focus of this assessment
2%
5%
6%
7%
8%
S i G
Biometric Response
NeuroMarketing
Crowdsourcing
Mobile Qualitative
5SOURCE: Green Book Industry Research Trends Report, Spring 2011
2%Serious Games

6. Digitally-enabled methods offer new ways to gather data -
choosing the “right” methodology will be more complexc oos g e g e odo ogy be o e co p e
Factors Influencing Methodology Choice
Type of Information
Depth of
Information
Required
Desired
Amount of
Information to be
Tested
Type of
R d t
Amount of Time to
“Set-Up”
Need for Verbal or
Non-Verbal Cues
Confidence in
Methodology
ChoiceTime to Field
Respondents
Needed – are they
online or not?
Confidence in
Methodology to
Yield Desired
Output
Digital technology enables research to be fielded faster, and often cheaper.
Choice
Research / Get
results
Budget
6
g gy p
It is not expected to completely replace traditional methodologies – but will
certainly provide more ways to gather information

7. The leading techniques focus around leveraging communities,
mobile usage, and computer based applications
Online
Communities
ob e usage, a d co pu e based app ca o s
Leverages an online community for research such as
online focus groups, omnibus surveys, product reactions
DescriptionMethodology
Communities
Research
online focus groups, omnibus surveys, product reactions
and online bulletin boards
Social Media
Analytics
Uses social media sites or tools to mine and monitor
organic conversations about relevant topics, gaining
did l ld i i
y
Mobile
Research
candid, real world opinions
Information is gathered and shared through a mobile
device platform (e.g., Blackberry, iPhone) which delivers
surveys wherever respondents are
Text
Analytics
Gathers unstructured text content (e.g., customer
emails, comments and forum responses) and analyzes
customer sentiment and identifies trends
Web-Enabled
Interviews
Leverages web-conference platform (and potentially
webcams) to conduct IDIs and focus groups quickly and
cost-effectively
7
Eye Tracking
Captures the location, length of time, and movement of
the user’s point of gaze when exposed to visual stimuli

8. The leading techniques can be used for a variety of market
research applications
Technology Potential Uses
Online Communities  Similar to how a “panel” may be used today
 To get a quick reaction to materials
esea c app ca o s
Research
 To get a quick reaction to materials
 To monitor buzz among loyalists / category enthusiasts
Social Media
Monitoring
 Observe market / WOM in natural form
 Uncovers emotions or language about sensitive topics
 Cost effective as an opinion pulseg  Cost-effective as an opinion pulse
Mobile Research
 Quick / real-time feedback for “pulse” questions or omnibus questions
 Highly targeted recruiting (e.g., purchasers or participants)
 Ethnographies (via camera phone photos)
 Location based research (e g surveys distributed according to GPS) Location based research (e.g., surveys distributed according to GPS)
 Experience feedback / satisfaction (post-purchase, at events, etc.)
Text Analytics
 To understand trends in written, spoken or online materials
 Quickly analyze a large volume of material to identify “hot topics”
 T d t lit ti i t i i b b d h i li ti
Web-Enabled
Interviews
 To conduct qualitative interviews using web based sharing applications
or web-cams (cost effective due to low travel / no facility rental costs)
 Similar to when a TDI may be used
 To garner reactions to materials
 To follow up on quant interviews in lieu of open-end questions
8
p q p q
Eye Tracking
 To understand what is most “eye-catching” in materials, messages or
creative concepts

9. Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses
HawkPartners Assessment of Digitally-Enabled Technologies
Technology Advantages Disadvantagesgy g g
Online
Communities
R h
 Panel of people ready to participate
who fit the criteria identified (or are
more likely to fit the criteria)
 Dialogue can provide a real-time pulse
 Can over-represent more tech-
oriented respondents
 May be expensive or difficult to
maintain
Research
g
into consumer mindset
 Easy “disaster check” among loyalists
 Does not offer opportunities to recruit
category naïve respondents
 Observe market / WOM in natural form
 Not every brand’s customers are
talking about them online
Social Media
Monitoring
 Uncovers emotions or language about
sensitive topics
 Can recruit hard-to-find respondents
 Cost-effective as an opinion pulse
 Tends to capture early adopters or
dissenters / complainers
 Context may be missing/unclear
 Not appropriate for quantitative
analysis or projectionsanalysis or projections
Mobile
Research
 Quick and real-time feedback
 Enables recruit via GPS or creative
channels (e.g., on receipts,
event/location signs)
 Can over-represent more tech-
oriented respondents
 IT issues can occur
 Brief interactions make obtaining
9
Research event/location signs)
 Can collect both quant and qual data
g
detailed respondent info difficult
 Additional data charges

10. Each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses
HawkPartners Assessment of Digitally-Enabled Technologies
Technology Advantages Disadvantagesgy g g
Text Analytics
 Brings structure to unstructured text
 Provides quick and massive content
identification and pattern recognition
 Can quickly synthesize multiple
 Can be expensive and time-consuming
 May misinterpret nuances of language
 Often disregards context
 Some variations may simply consist of Can quickly synthesize multiple
sources
 Some variations may simply consist of
word count
 Can recruit hard-to-find respondents
without central location / in office
 Less able to see body language/non
Web-Enabled
Interviews
 Faster to recruit and arrange than
in-person groups
 National representation
 Can be cost effective - no travel or
facility costs
 Less able to see body language/non
verbal cues
 Can skew toward tech-savvy
respondents
 Potential for technical issues
facility costs
 Can capture reactions via web-cam
Eye Tracking
 Avoids respondent bias by giving
insight into subconscious behavior
 Helpful for material evaluation /
 Equipment/staff can be expensive
 Does not provide insights on why
l f t i thi
10
Eye Tracking Helpful for material evaluation /
usability studies to understand user
interaction
people focus on certain things
 Subject to technical problems

11. What is on the horizon? Research will become
increasingly personalized and interactiveg y p
• Neuromarketing and biometrics will become more
Emotions and
Trend Examples
Neuromarketing and biometrics will become more
accessible and cost–effective to execute
• Eyetracking, pulse, heart rate, facial analysis
body temperature will be common measures used
subconscious motives
become increasingly
important
• Games will become an effective way to both
understand customer behavior and sell products
• The concept of “fun” will become increasingly
Fun and games will
become p g y
important (avatars, incentives, virtual worlds,
social media / mobile games)commonplace
• “DiViduals” are digital characters programmed to
reflect a member of a target demographic.
DigiVduals interact with real on-line consumers
to understand how consumers of a target group
are feeling and talking online
Digital characters
interact with real
people on social
di
11
are feeling and talking online
media