Flynn Wright

Do you get your kicks from graphs, data strings, analytics and reports? Do you dream of building mind blowing research, web and social media reports that would make your grandma weep in amazement? Well our research and interactive team does. They are the cream of the crop hipster nerds. But to do these amazing tasks, sometimes they need an extra hand to pull a lever or push a button.




THE SUMMER RESEARCH AND INTERACTIVE INTERN! You can check out the full details of this internship and apply here. But long description short... we're looking for the right guy or gal to come in here and jump right in. Being hip on the web, social media and research is a great starting point, but we're also looking for someone who can analyze the results of campaigns and gather all the details. Cool, eh?

And here come the sweet bonuses
We believe that interns play an important role in the make-up of Flynn Wright. So, you're not only going to get the chance to work with the best client list in Des Moines right out of the gate. But you'll also get all the free caffeine you want be it coffee or Coke products. You'll get to spend the summer in downtown Des Moines and not worry about paying for parking. You'll get the valuable experience that everyone will be ragingly jealous about. And...you'll get paid!

So get the full details and apply.

“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.

It’s Monday morning after the Big Game and water cooler talk should be buzzing about the Super Bowl ads, but will it? Each year Super Bowl ads are over-scrutinized, over-hyped and, as of late, thoroughly underwhelming. I doubt there will be a lot of buzz around the cooler this year, at least not about the ads anyway. Where were the iconic images? Where were the game-changing ideas? Yawn. (Insert head scratch here.) Oh well, I hope you reached for another handful of Doritos, grabbed a Bud Light and caught up with some old friends during the commercial breaks, because there was nothing new here.

Again in 2010, Flynn Wright partnered with Harvest Research Center to publish response to Super Bowl advertising the evening of the Big Game. Response was similar to our 2009 survey results, and the ads at the top were strikingly similar in style and content. I don’t blame Doritos or Budweiser for sticking to a winning formula. After all, continuity of efforts could in and of itself be a marketing strategy. (My personal belief is that charting a new course each year would be a better way to capitalize on the unique opportunity and expectations of the Super Bowl’s viewership.) However, the field utterly lacked competition. There were some nice ads. Snickers, for one, did a very nice job of leveraging Betty White’s comedic talents with a spot that engaged and reinforced a core brand promise. But there was no shake-up, nothing really new, not even a great new twist on an old idea. This year more than 50 ads vied for the coveted title of Super Bowl champion, but sadly the game itself provided the only true champion. Will the ads of 2010 be remembered? I doubt it. Money well spent? Now that’s a whole other story.

tell us who deserves to be ad champion
Whether or not you participated in last night's Big Game survey, you still can help us determine the best Super Bowl ad. Using our Vibetrak system, re-watch the top commercials and give us your feedback.

Take the Vibetrak survey here »
Download Harvest Research Center’s 2010 results »

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.

For the most part, the use of "proven methodologies" is essential to making good business decisions. But times change, markets change and so does the consumer, so we must keep our eyes open to innovation within the research discipline.

Researchers in general tend to tread lightly where new methods are concerned, but methods must evolve to properly address client goals. Consider consumer testing for advertisements, political speeches, promotional videos and other audio visual content -- these methods often require direct consumer interaction but have long been bound by budgetary constraints. A small sample may lack statistical or geographical validity, while the expense of reaching an accurate level of consumers can kill a project. This is probably the main reason that so few executions are actually tested on any level prior to reaching the market. 

Traditional dial testing methodologies represent a common approach to market research and tend to work well because of their ability to gather direct consumer interaction. But this method often requires that researchers bring consumers to a research facility or focus group center, creating significant expense for rental, recruitment and participant premiums. It’s a catch 22 for research consultants.

An Alternative to Traditional Dial Testing
With no viable alternative in the market, our team decided to take on the challenge of building a better solution, and it's called Vibetrak. With a focus on innovation matched with smart, adaptive research methodologies, this web-based system was created to provide the market with a high sample and quantitative approach to perception analysis testing.

Consider the case of USA Today’s Ad Meter. The publishers of one of the nation’s most anticipated post-Superbowl advertisement rankings utilized only two markets (Chicago, IL and McLean, VA) and just 234 respondents to publish its “best and worst” list. The compromises on sampling undoubtedly introduced geographic product bias and significantly limited the potential for consumer insight. Granted, I’m guessing the folks at USA Today were going for a good story, not great research, but the case could be made here for a little innovation. Ah, the perils of research.