Synchronicity is a marketing insights company that specializes in connecting clients with consumers they want to understand but don't normally meet. They do this through qualitative and quantitative research including focus groups, interviews, and immersions. Their team of experienced researchers help uncover meaningful insights that inform strategic marketing decisions. They strive to provide insightful solutions through a holistic, hands-on approach at a competitive price.

1. Introduction to
Synchronicity
Marketing Insights
2015
Who we are
What we do
Why we do it

2. Who we are

3. What is Synchronicity?
One could discuss and debate at great length the multiple meanings
and interpretations of the theory of synchronicity.
The simplest definition you will find, however, is probably the most
concise. It defines synchronicity as…
“a meaningful
”coincidence
It is that chance crossing of paths that has a deeper meaning

4. Our company
We arrange for you to cross paths or connect, with people that you wouldn’t
normally meet in your day to day life. And the synchronicity of it all is that
they are the very consumers you have been looking to communicate with
and understand.
In short, our work is all about making
meaningful
“ ”connections…

5. The team

6. Cobus Visser
Cobus has over 30 years of experience in marketing theory and practice.
He started his career lecturing Consumer Psychology at RAU, the University of
Stellenbosch and the University of Stellenbosch Business School.
Enthused and intrigued by consumer behaviour, he then immersed himself in the
business world and began a career spanning 26 years in the Distell Group of Companies at Senior
and Board level. He held a number of key positions in functional and general management,
including that of Group General Manager (Consumer Insight and Strategy Planner), Group
Marketing and Sales Director (Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery Ltd) and Managing Director (Namibia
Wines and Spirits Ltd).
Specialising in strategy formulation at Board, Group, product portfolio and brand level, his passion
for understanding consumer behaviour and translating insights and learnings into strategy and
action make him an invaluable asset to the Synchronicity team and to all those who work with him.

7. Linda Watt
Linda brings over 20 years of considerable experience in marketing
and marketing research to the table, having worked for both agency and
client, locally and abroad.
Having started her career at Research Surveys, she then spent seven years working for
Nestlé UK, and then a further three years at Distell on her return to Cape Town.
Linda is particularly skilled in handling qualitative research and managing the new product
development process; always looking to uncover and translate meaningful and actionable
insights to assist clients in resolving their strategic marketing issues.

8. Julie Ann Calitz
Jules’ career as a researcher and project manager has spanned more
than 20 years, exploring and immersing herself amidst the South African
culture and its people, from rural to urban, township to suburbs. Most
recently, this included a defining period at Ingwe Communications.
Her in-depth cultural knowledge and understanding, coupled with solid marketing
experience, offers marketers an invaluable resource in terms of true consumer insights and
their application to brands.
Jules is responsible for the co-ordination of all our qualitative field work, and is particularly
skilled at moderating groups and interacting with consumers of all cultures.

9. Thabo Kobedi
Thabo’s natural ability to communicate and his wide network of
associates and friends across South Africa have given him invaluable
experience of over 15 years within his chosen field of face-to-face marketing
and consumer research.
Thabo has an impressive familiarity with different cultures, habits and behaviour patterns of
consumers across the board. He is completely multilingual and can communicate in all
eleven of South Africa’s official languages.
Thabo is a skilled co-ordinator, facilitator and mediator who offers great insight into the
lifestyles, and attitudes making him an essential resource in the task of unravelling
consumer insights and translating them into brand and creative ideas.

10. Sipho Xulu
Sipho started his career in videography and today is a very
accomplished cameraman and film editor. He worked for Group Africa
Marketing and Ingwe Communications for nearly twenty years as a crucial
player in the areas of media capturing and directing and managing projects in
face-to-face marketing.
His natural talent for, and interest in, people’s lifestyles, habits and attitudes made for an
easy transition for him into the research industry, where he now works successfully in the
field of recruitment, moderation, translation, filming and editing. His laid-back, relaxed
manner enables him to blend easily within an environment, allowing him to capture the true
essence of consumer trends, habits and attitudes. Sipho speaks both Zulu and Xhosa and
has a deep understanding of both these traditions and cultures, which makes him a great
resource in the task of taking consumer insights and turning them into creative ideas.

11. What we do

12. Synchronicity’s current expertise
• Strategic marketing consulting
• Marketing plan development
• Portfolio planning
• NPD platform and concept
development
• Outsourced consumer insight
• Exploring current thinking on marketing
principles and their applications (e.g. EB)
• Consolidation of existing data or information
into meaningful insights
• Workshop facilitation
Consulting
capabilities

13. Synchronicity’s current expertise
• Focus groups (formal venue and in-situ)
• Mini groups and large groups
• In-depth interviews
• Experiential qual
• Consumer immersions
• Township and rural area research
• Consumer video footage / vox pops
• Channel training
• Quantitative tracking studies*
• Ad-hoc quantitative studies*
• Online panel and sample research*
• Dipstick (interim measure) quant -
online and F2F
• Multiple product placements
• Targeted product seeding
(to varying levels)
Research
capabilities
* For quantitative research studies, we focus entirely on adding value through insightful analysis and make use of a
reputable research partner to conduct the interviewing process and collating of data

14. Our approach

15. We like to adopt a holistic approach
We believe there is a unique solution to every marketing problem, so we use a blend of the
appropriate techniques to achieve the end result
But, more often than not, a healthy blend of the two for a bit of perspective.
“A beautiful insight can come from a single person”
Synchronicity Marketing Insights
Robust, formal research
techniques for one
objective
Informal observational and
interactive research for
another

16. We like to get close to consumers
We also like to incorporate first-hand consumer experiences within our study design as
far as possible. For instance, exposing clients directly to consumer environments,
consumer observations or through high-quality video footage.
Because we believe this is incredible valuable in terms of
generating insights, adding value to the learnings and
helping clients get closer to and understanding the
consumer that their marketing efforts are
aimed at.

17. Experienced minds from start to finish
At our core, we are a small, diverse team of experienced marketers, with a passion for brands
as well as an obsession with consumers and fascinated by finding strategic marketing insights
and solutions. Each project benefits from the fact that at least one director has hands-on
management from start to finish – this is what adds the value to each study.
Directors are directly involved with:
• discussing and taking the brief
• designing the research solution
• in-house expert recruitment
• moderating the groups
• being in the field with consumers
• managing the process
• delivering the final strategic results

18. Efficient business model, competitive pricing
• As a smaller agency, we are able to be a bit more creative with how we manage our
overheads and our infrastructure – and as a result we have relatively little of these…
• What this means for our clients is that, despite the very experienced
personnel allocated to your account, you don’t end up paying any
more than you would at most other agencies
• All of our project rates are market-related and comparable
to most other research agencies - we just believe that
because of our experience and our business
model, we are able to give you a whole lot
more for that money…
Highly experienced people working on your account
does not have to mean inflated costs!

19. Our edge

20. We strive to be strongly insightful via…
Objectives well answered
• We believe our experience, having all worked on both client and supply side,
equips us very well to understand and help solve the business issue
• Clear consumer feedback
• Insightful Synchronicity strategic take-out and interpretation
Top quality in-house recruitment
• If you aren't talking to the right people, its hard to get the right information…
Strong networks and capabilities within all SA consumer segments
• Township, rural, urban, black, white, coloured, Indian, high to low income, males,
females, old and young, etc
Having experienced minds working on the project from start to finish
• Having a highly experienced mind taking the brief and being consistently involved
throughout the study allows insights to be built and prevents no gaps in
understanding the client’s needs

21. We would love you to talk to us

22. Contact details
Julie Ann Calitz
082 561 2221
jules@synchronicitysa.co.za
Cobus Visser
082 550 7650
cobus@synchronicitysa.co.za
Linda Watt
084 827 6909
linda@synchronicitysa.co.za
Thabo Kobedi
072 714 9420
thabo@synchronicitysa.co.za
Sipho Xulu
082 261 1928
sipho@synchronicitysa.co.za
Our office
29 St Michael’s Road
Claremont, 7708
Bridget Booysen
072 840 6618 / 021 683 8403
bridget@synchronicitysa.co.za

23. Introduction to
Synchronicity
Marketing Insights
2015
Who we are
What we do
Why we do it