Flynn Wright

Julie Schneider and Quacky from Youth Emergency Services & Shelter of Iowa (YESS) stopped by Flynn Wright’s headquarters yesterday to talk about the YESS 2010 Duck Derby. While FW’ers stepped up to adopt ducks and take a spin on the wheel, we spoke with Julie about the Duck Derby and YESS’ mission.

“Is that a reliable sample?”
It’s a common question we get in developing market research. Many clients mistakenly confuse reliability with statistical validity. If your data is statistically valid, it’s likely (if done properly) that it is also highly reliable. But what if the situation truly requires nothing more than a qualified gut check? These projects still demand reliable research data and can be accomplished when we work towards “directional sampling.”

In a typical sampling, we’d require approximately 385 respondents in order to collect enough independent, objective responses that not only reflect a sense of reality but also deliver high-quality generalizations about what we’re researching. And while there are situations where your project might necessitate a sample size of two-to-three times that magic number, there are also instances where your project could thrive with the level of confidence and reliability that you get with 100 completed responses. And in these cases, directional sampling can deliver the insight and intelligence needed.

Here are a few examples where directional sampling can provide reliable research data efficiently and effectively:

• Reaction to New Creative: If we’re rolling out a new look for a campaign, especially when that look may be a new direction for a client, directional sampling can give us a sense of the target audience’s reaction. Does the ad make a meaningful impression on the target audience? What is the nature of that meaning? What are the key take-aways of the new creative direction? Using directional sampling to gain insight into these questions can help brand managers understand how creative will resonate when it rolls out to the market.
• Key Players in the Market: Maybe we want to understand the general landscape of the market and some perceptions of a set of known providers. If you use directional sampling to gain insight from, let’s say, a hundred local restaurant patrons, you’ll have a good level of confidence in the findings for the local restaurant with the highest quality Steak De Burgo or the coolest atmosphere, or even who has the best customer service.
• Evaluating Sentiment for Polling Issues: Let’s say that a community is about to bring together a vote for a local referendum. To get a general idea of the breakdown of the upcoming vote and, in general, which way the vote may swing, directional sampling could be used to get the pulse of the community.

In each of these examples, Flynn Wright would sample an adequate number of respondents to be able to provide reliable information to make critical strategic decisions. It’s a powerful research tool and provides a unique opportunity to get a macro view of key research questions.

I always look forward to the Super Bowl™, regardless of the teams walking onto the field. For me the real competition will be seen in the form of :15, :30 and :60 second plays. Because within the advertisers’ playbooks, brands will try to use a mix of humor, emotion, excitement and drive to win over the hearts and minds of millions of viewers. Sunday’s Big Game is the ultimate showdown for TV commercials.

Remember last year’s “Crystal Ball” ad by Doritos? Or how about Budweiser’s “Show Off”?



Tell Us Which Big Game Ads Rule the Field this year!
When you watch the game Sunday, I hope you can find the same enjoyment I do in the commercials. And, if you desire sharing your opinion, you can get in on the action too! We're working with Harvest Research Center to conduct their annual "Big Game Advertising Survey." This is your chance to weigh in on which ads are your favorite and most memorable (and which are the worst), and rate the controversial Tim Tebow commercial (if it gets aired). Each completed entry has a chance to win one of five $100 Visa cards. So sign up and be part of the fun, it's easy and free.

Last year there were over 1,000 people who participated in the Harvest Research survey. Take a look back at the 2009 Big Game results.

If you've run into me in a hallway or near the water cooler, it is likely that I've mentioned something about working on an equation to measure social media impact. And with that, you probably turned and walked away, thinking to yourself how lucky you are not to be plagued with the curiosity that affects most researchers.

At any rate, I've found a few different methods that measure sentiment in social media channels. Facebook has unveiled a prototype of an application called Lexicon and its application is pretty swift. It can track the number of mentions of a specific search term posted on Wall messages. And by doing so, it tracks the quantity of communication. Lexicon also has a feature that measures sentiment, by evaluating the percentage of positive comments to negative comments.

The concept is simply awesome from a marketing perspective. If you wanted to track brand sentiment over time, Lexicon appears to be able to offer some really detailed insights. As a prototype, the showing is somewhat limited, but its something I'll keep my eyes on for a while.

But, the measurement is simple sentiment. And while that is a critical indicator, it would be useful to understand sentiment impact. In doing so, you would have to understand the reach of each comment, factor that reach by a positive or negative number of instances and ultimately, you'd yield a net score. And that net score would, ultimately, be a reflection of the social media impact on that brand.

In research, we're often consumed by understanding the similarities and differences between types of customers. Emerging technology is an area that I've been paying a lot of attention to over the past few years and I was intrigued by an article published by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in late March 2009 regarding wireless connectivity.

The article segments information and communication technology (ICT) users into 10 groups and reveals a significant difference among the segments, which ultimately groups all 10 segments into one of two baskets.

Group 1. Motivated by Mobility (39% of the adult population)

• Frequency of their online uses has grown as their reliance on mobile devices has increased
• Growth of online use is linked to broadband adoption and positive and improving attitudes about how mobile access makes them more available to others
• Mobility becomes a complimentary access point to connect with people and content

Segments

• Digital Collaborators (8% of adults) - Use information gadgets to collaborate with others and share their creativity
• Ambivalent Networkers (7% of adults) - Use mobile devices to connect with others and entertain themselves but don't always like it when the cell phone rings
• Media Movers (7% of adults) - Seek out information nuggests and share through their social networks
• Roving Nodes (9% of adults) - Use mobile devices to connect with others and share information
• Mobile Newbies (8% of adults) - Lack robust access to the Internet, but like their cell phones

Group 2. Stationary Media Will Do (61% of the adult population)

• Does not feel the pull of mobility to increase their frequency of use in the digital world
• Even though this group has more access to broadband, frequency of online use shows no growth or is in a state of decline
• Characteristically overwhelmed by information, have difficulties in getting gadgets to function and are frustrated when the cell phone rings

Segments

• Desktop Veterans (13% of adults) - Dedicated to wireline connections and how it opens the pipeline of information for them
• Drifting Surfers (14% of adults) - Light users and could do without modern gadgets and services
• Information Encumbered (10% of adults) - Feel overwhelmed by information and inadequate to trouble shoot issues
• Tech Indifferent (10% of adults) - Unenthusiastic about the Internet and cell phones
• Off the Network (14% of adults) - Do not use cell phones or the Internet

KEY FINDINGS:

Group Breakdown Driven By Perceptions of Cell Phones: It is interesting to note that Pew's research revealed that the driving difference between Group 1 and 2 was based on how the individuals felt about their cell phones. Group 1, or those motivated by mobility, share positive and improving attitudes about cell phones and a sizeable share said that it would be "very hard" to do without cell phones.  In fact, among this group, the belief that it would be "very hard" to give up their cell phone or mobile device increased between 2006 and 2007. Among the segments in Group 2, or those who were defined as "stationary media," less than 40% said that it would be very hard to give up their cell phone and each segment revealed a decline in this area from the year before.

Connectivity = Continual Information Exchange: For many in Group 1, "always on" technologies allow for greater digital engagement that translates to being "always connected." This was found to be greatest among the segments: Digital Collaborators, Ambivalent Networkers, Media Movers and Roving Nodes.

The High-Tech Bar Has Risen: While Pew's earlier study found that home broadband access was the defining characteristic of being high-tech, the recent study shows that mobile connectivity is the new definition of high-tech.

Penalty for No Access Rises: As institutions migrate information to be consumed online, those who are less engaged miss out on the opportunities available.

The growing rifts between these two groups are important for marketers to understand. The way that a customer consumes media, their perceptions of the opportunities for engagement between the brand and the end user and the ramifications of "disconnected" customers are all critical considerations in strategic planning.