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Welcome to
Marketing
Research
July – Sept 09

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 Why are we here today ? 2

1. Provide a basic understanding of research process and its

implementation in marketing.

2. Enable the student to do real marketing research

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These are tools……….

To enable you to address issues like....

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Questions/ Issues
• How & where do I • Know your Consumer
position my brand? • Know your Category
• Know your Brand
• I have some concepts in • Concept Development &
mind, which one should I Evaluation
go ahead with?
• How do I get exactly what • Writing a Research Brief
I want from the research
exercise?

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Questions/ Issues
• Before I launch my product I • Product testing
need to know if I have got it
right?
• I need to ensure that my brand is
beating competition
• What should I say and how • Communication Development
should I say it in the & Evaluation
communication
• I do a lot of promotions….how do
I know where and how they are
working • Tracking studies
• How do I identify new products
that I could possibly launch? • NPD

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 Definition of MR 6

MR is a systematic and objective identification, collection,

analysis, dissemination, and use of information for the purpose
of improving decision making related to the identification and
solution of problems and opportunities in marketing. (AMA)

METHOD
PROCESS
PURPOSE

USAGE

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Do we really need MR?

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If you know your consumer well

enough to be able to hit upon a core
need and if you have the key insight
that will make him buy the product or
service….
….again and again
….and more and more…

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….then you do not need MR

But sometimes you can still be surprised...

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MR is, in its essence the

marketers’ bridge to the
consumer

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Why study MR?
• Increasing focus on ROMI
– Most basic : Financial return for all marketing expenditure.

Size of potential base Increase in MS, ML Rate of Retention

Conversion of pot to trier/ user Inc in buying freq or qty Conversion of satisfied
customers to advocates or
referrals

MR helps marketers choose better strategies, make better

decisions
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So MR has become far more challenging

1. Inc a/c to ROMI
2. Growth and influence of internet
3. Stakeholders demanding greater influence
4. Explosive comptn – domestic and global
5. More complex marketing decisions
6. Maturing of marketing as a discipline
7. Data availability
8. MR itself is maturing

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Role Of MR in MDM
Stakeholders

Controllable Marketing Mix Consumers

Suppliers
Employees
Product Shareholders
Pricing Environment
Distribution

MR
Promotion Economic
Technology
Legal/Regulatory
Assessing Info Needs Socio Political
Providing info
Competition Mktg decision making Cultural

Marketer

•To identify and define mktg opportunities and problems

•To define, monitor and refine marketing strategies
•To define, monitor and refine marketing action/tactics

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How MR relates to Marketing Planning
Processes in Mktg Planning Appropriate MR
Situation Analysis •Comp barrier analysis
•Analysis of CI data
Id of comp strengths and weaknesses •Trend analysis
Id. Of trends ( opp and threats) •Positioning analysis
•Measure of market share

Selection of Target Market •Mkt segmentation

•Needs assessment
•Purchase behaviour
•Market dd estmn

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How MR relates to Marketing Planning
Processes in Mktg Planning Appropriate MR
Marketing Mix •Pdt design assessment
•Comp pdt analysis
Product •Comp packaging analysis
•Brand image assessment
•Id of brand name
•Concept devlopment
•Pack devment

Price •Pricing patterns and trends

•Price elasticity
•Price – value analysis
•Analysis of price incentives
Distribution •Merchandising display assessment
•Locational analysis
•Market exposure

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How MR relates to Marketing Planning
Processes in Mktg Planning Appropriate MR
Marketing Mix •Message devment – ad concept
•Copy testing
Promotion •Media assessment
•Media buying assessment

Total Offer Evaluation •Evaluation of the offer in total - STM

Marketing Control
Marketing Audit
•How each element of the mktg mix
contributes to the brand
•Assessment of effectiveness of marketing
mix vis a vis comptn

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This is not to say that MR is a

divining rod or a presciption….

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It’s value is limited when…. 18

1. Research is too slow or too late

2. Information cannot be applied to decision
making
3. Insufficient resources to conduct the appropriate
study
4. Narrow vision of Marketer
1. Inappropriately defined task – lack of clarity in objective
2. Cost driven research

MR fails to contribute to MDM andROMI

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Best Practice Principle

View market research as an investment that

generates competitive advantage

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What is Good Research

Characteristics Assessment
Purpose clearly defined Researcher distinguishes between
symptom of organizations problem ,
marketers perception of the problem
and the research problem
Research process detailed Complete process outlined
RD thoroughly planned Sampling
Data collection method
Qre content
Analysis process
High ethical standards Safeguards in place : resp identity
Recommendations do not exceed scope
of study
Limitations revealed Actual vs Stated or actual vs desired
Actual vs Proposed samples
Impact on study thereof

What is Good Research
Characteristics
Adequate analysis
Clarity of findings
Conclusions justified
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Assessment
To arrive at the right conclusion
When presented – not reams of tables
Logically organised
Building up the story
Clear conclusions
Executive summary
No leap of faith – the reader shd come
to the same conclusions while reading
the report
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Classification of Research

Problem Id Research Problem Solving Research

•Mkt Potential •Segmentation

•Mkt Share •Product
•Sales Analysis •Pricing
•Forecasting •Promotion
•Distribution

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 Who conducts Research? 24

Internal External

Commcn
Consumer MR firms Consultants
Agencies
Goods and
Services Ltd Service
Full Service Ad Agencies Mktg
B2B Goods Consultants
Custom Specialists
and PR Agencies
Services General
Proprietary Methodology Sales Business
Industrial Method Specialists Promotion Consultants
Goods and Agencies
Services Syndicated
Direct
Field Marketing
Media Agencies
Data entry
Tab houses

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Exercises

Can research help?

How can Research help?

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Exercise 1
• A fine – dining Chinese Restaurant is located in a
mall , on the same floor as a well designed Food
Court . Seating 200 , turns over each table on
weekends – twice. Next door is a Vegetarian set
menu chain – also very busy during weekends.
• Weekdays are a problem – with 25-30%
occupancy. Both the Food Court and Veg
restaurant does better.
• Comes to you for help.

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Exercise 2
• A neigborhood kirana shop has transformed itself into a small
supermarket of around 2000sq ft. Reputed for the excellent
quality of ‘own label’ is also very well stocked –from floor
mops to imported chocolates. Has a loyal customer base.
• In the last 6 months, has noticed that spends per customer
during beginning of month has fallen from Rs. 2000 to Rs.
1500.
• Number of customers has remained the same.
• Is wondering if the new Hypermarket 5km away is
responsible.
• Approaches a friend in a research company for advise.

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Exercise 3
• As the head of a large Full Service MR firm in Mumbai ,
you have been observing that over the last 3 years, your
position as a day 1 comp has slumped to day 3 . The
quality of talent has also shown a downtrend.
• You have revised your offer and now matches the average
for the institute , but this year too has been disappointing.

• Can research help?

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 Exercise 4 29

• A premier bookstore is interested in setting up a 20,000 sq

feet store in Powai, opposite your campus.
• Along with books, stationery, music, films, toys,
accessories…. Will also have a café , a small theatre screening
international films and a lending library funded by the offer of
“repurchase “of books bought from the store. The customer
gets a 40% off on the next purchase of equivalent value.
• Informal feedback suggests that the store will get good
response. They are looking at a footfall of at least 500 on
weekdays and 2000 over the weekend , with an average bill
of Rs.700.

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 Exercise 5 30

• A telecom service provider wishes to assess satisfaction levels with services provided.
Identify a research company you would want to work with.

• As a marketer of an established fairness brand , you are exploring opportunities to

export your brand to China , which is a large fairness cream market. Select an agency.

• As the brand manager of a new brand of hair care ( a very cluttered market) have
developed what you believe is cut- through advertising. You wish to test it. Select an
agency

• You wish to assess penetration of dishwash liquids and frequency and quantity
purchased at an all India level to take the decision to enter the category or not . Which
agency will you approach.
• .

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