This document discusses the need for the marketing research industry to transform and advance beyond a focus on quality and technical aspects. It argues the industry is too slow to adapt and change, while client expectations are accelerating. The marketing research process also needs to change as how people interact and access information changes. The document envisions a transformed future where all information is available to provide insights, and marketing research helps shape changes rather than just reacting. It calls for the industry to provide inspiration to drive changes, work with new technologies and talent, and focus on outcomes over inputs to reach this new frontier.

1. Why Quality
Doesn't Matter
Terminal illness of
Survey Research
Stan Sthanunathan
Vice President – Marketing Strategy & Insights
The Coca-Cola Company
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 1

2. BEYOND
QUALITY…
What is the
next frontier?
Stan Sthanunathan
Vice President – Marketing Strategy & Insights
The Coca-Cola Company

3. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 3
P1-Q5a. How satisfied are you with the impact of marketing research throughout your company? 1 to 5 rating scale (1=very dissatisfied)
of research leaders indicated they are either
“neutral” or “dissatisfied” with the impact
of marketing research in their company.

4. Probabilistic vs Non-
Probabilistic Sample
On-line Research
Data Quality
Respondent
Engagement
Length of
Questionnaire
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 4
The Big
Debates…
Same movie, different characters
and slightly different script

5. Is this the right
debate?
The only debate?
Are we focusing on
Urgent vs Important?
The Big
Questions
29 November 2015 5Confidential - Internal Use Only

6. The world is changing
rapidly
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 6
The debate among our clients
has moved on
Focus is on inspiration, ROI, better
execution, value creation
But we focus a lot of our time and
effort on technical challenges

7. A big paradigm shift is
needed
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 7
It is not about
following the
change as
quickly as
possible
It is about
helping
companies
to shape the
change

8. We Need
to Light
the Way!
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 8

9. End users expectations
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 9
Bring value to the table…
Play at the top of the pyramid
Playing at the bottom comes naturally to us
Win by adding value to daily life
Putting humans at the center
Bringing humans to life
Synthesis
Data Feeds
Craftsmanship
Science
Communication
Storytelling
Inspiring Better
Brands
Old
Value
Center:
Activity
New Value
Center:
Synthesized
learning &
impact

10. Expectations
from our clients
are going to
accelerate
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 10

11. Inspiration
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 11
“Doing more of
the same and
expecting
different results
is definition of
insanity”

12. Translation
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 12
“Doing the
same type of
research and
expecting
deeper insights
is height of
optimism”

13. House to house Online
We have made progress
as an industry
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 13
New approaches to getting insights –
Need of the hour
….But more out of necessity

14. Why is this important?
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 14
Are we well positioned to drive
transformational change?
Are we thinking enough about
research innovation?
Are we putting money behind
this?

15. Technology changes at an
accelerated pace
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 15
We can’t just be in “FINE TUNING” mode

16. We are too slow
to adapt or to change
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 16
10 Years
75 Years

17. Has the research industry
changed at the same
pace?
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 17

18. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 18

19. How people spend their
time has changed over the
years
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 19
32.7 hrs/wk
≈50% of all media hours
2x16.4 hours
8x3.9 hours
Responding to questionnaires is not the most
important pre-occupation of people…
we would like to believe that

20. How people interact with
each other is changing!
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 20

21. Information is getting
democratized
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 21

22. Client expectations
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 22
Infinity
and
Beyond!
Our Mission should be
to go where no man has
gone before

23. What is blocking
our way?
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 23

24. We can’t even agree on a
definition of an insight
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 24
Understanding business and consumer
needs and turning these into
opportunities against the brief
the ability to perceive clearly or deeply
the inner nature of things
The capacity to discern the true nature of
a situation; penetration
The act or outcome of grasping the
inward or hidden nature of things or of
perceiving in an intuitive manner.
Insight is knowledge which you become
aware of that wasn’t obvious on the
surface
Inspiration for ideas
A penetrating understanding, as of a
complex situation or problem
Knowledge about customers needs,
characteristics, preferences and
behaviors based on analysis of
qualitative and quantitative data. Specific
insights can be used to inform marketing
tactics directed at groups of customers
with shared characteristics
An insight is a breakthrough that not only
solves problems and creates change but
is also easily understood and
communicated. However, an insight has
to uncover the true nature of something
in order to have impact
Retrospectively
Self-Evident

25. We don’t know what we don’t
know and… We don’t know how
to know what we don’t know
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 25
Focus
Groups
Survey
Research
Observe
Listen
Synthesize
Deduce

26. What would our final
frontier look like?
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 26
Let’s Imagine

27. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 27
Insight provider
for the world
+300M Active users. Arguably… the best source
of insights for understanding Human Condition

28. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 28
Yielding sample frames
for survey research
+200M search queries daily –
Insights into what’s on people’s mind?

29. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 29
Online retailers revealing
human understanding
Choice of music/books provides
excellent understanding of who you are
R

30. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 30
All information available
at your fingertips
Technological revolution
transforming information

32. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 32
New content on
the web every year
The web being the main source
of killer Consumer Insights
= 16,000 times books ever written!
Petabytes

33. The web as insight
provider
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 33
With content intelligence (via semantic indexing) we can harness
online consumer conversations, delivering insights far beyond
traditional “sentiment.”
Market sizingPreference
Analysis
Emotionality Demographic
segmentation
Popular
Opinion
Netnography: obtaining qualitative data/insights from consumers
chatting online in forums and elsewhere
Faster
Typical market research techniques
may take weeks or months.
Less expensive
Typical market research techniques
are capital and labor intensive.
Better
Bias exists in all market research
techniques. Netnography is more
transparent. And due to its low cost,
it’s a good tool for a “first look.”

34. 29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 34

35. Provide inspiration
and provocation to
drive transformational
change
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 35
What do we do next?

36. In order to reach our
next frontier
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 36
Technology
Vendors
Talent
Our next
frontier

37. What do we need from Clients
and Research Agencies?
Creative Problem Solvers
Story Tellers
Disruptive Thinkers
Visionaries
Act before the changes come…
shape change
FROM TO
Insights Providers
Data Puller
Instruction follower
Analysis Gurus
React after changes
29 November 2015 37Confidential - Internal Use Only

38. Imagine
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 38
Data becoming commodity
Agencies rewarded for business
results delivered
Focus is on
Outcomes… not inputs
Inspiring change… not following
Creating the future… not predicting it

39. Change or be Changed
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 39
Transformation is not an option…
but a business imperative
Getting or not getting a seat at
the table is up to us!
Let us accelerate this journey
collectively

40. THANK YOU
29 November 2015 Confidential - Internal Use Only 40