 |
//////////
The Olympics are coming to London
With the 2010 Winter Olympics now a fading memory, the baton for Pierre de Coubertin's Olympic legacy has well and truly been handed over to London and the rapidly changing urban landscape at the Olympic site, in the east of the city, is a constant reminder that the London 2012 Olympics are now less than two years away.
With the 2010 Winter Olympics now a fading memory, the baton for Pierre de Coubertin's Olympic legacy has well and truly been handed over to London and the rapidly changing urban landscape at the Olympic site, in the east of the city, is a constant reminder that the London 2012 Olympics are now less than two years away.
As well as the localised impact the games will have in London including increased visitor numbers, investment and infrastructure, the worlds biggest sporting extravaganza is expected to attract over 4 billion TV viewers from over 200 countries worldwide generating an unimaginable quantity of advertising and communication touchpoints.
Against this background it is paramount that media and platform owners and potential advertisers and sponsors fully understand the myriad of opportunities that exist.
The 2012 Olympics will provide a unique platform for enhancing global brand equity, and as London's premier media, sport and entertainment strategy and consultancy agency, Brand Driver is in a prime position to partner with you to help develop and shape your communication and brand strategies both before, during and after the event. Whether you want to understand the potential value of Olympic advertising or sponsorship, develop a multi-platform digital broadcasting offer or simply have a need to better understand the views of consumers or audiences towards the Olympics then we have a custom-built research package to suit.
To find out how Brand Driver can help you achieve gold medal strategic insights please contact William Reeve at william@branddriver.co.uk or Grant Montague at grant@branddriver.co.uk
//////////
Brand Driver ranks in UK's Top International Research Firms
Brand Driver is delighted to have earned its place in Marketing magazine's Top Market Research League Table 2009. Our strength in working worldwide means we rank in the top 30 UK firms offering international research.
Brand Driver is delighted to have earned its place in Marketing magazine's Top Market Research League Table 2009. Our strength in working worldwide means we rank in the top 30 UK firms offering international research.
In the 9 years since Brand Driver was established, we have worked hard to achieve a reputation for excellence in international media and entertainment market research and strategy. We are naturally pleased to see some fantastic results reflected here.
//////////
Emerging Markets Research Surge in South Africa, India, Russia & Central Europe
Recently we have noticed a definite expansion in our client's attentions; established markets such as France, Germany, the US and Japan remain valuable sources of revenue and shifting consumer trends and preferences make research there as important as ever but now new emerging markets are also coming to the fore. Our understanding of the TV and media landscape in newer and emerging markets make us an ideal partner for companies looking to expand their footprint and harness the opportunities available.
Recently we have noticed a definite expansion in our client's attentions; established markets such as France, Germany, the US and Japan remain valuable sources of revenue and shifting consumer trends and preferences make research there as important as ever but now new emerging markets are also coming to the fore. Our understanding of the TV and media landscape in newer and emerging markets make us an ideal partner for companies looking to expand their footprint and harness the opportunities available.
Brand Driver's knowledge and strategic expertise in emerging markets spans across six continents: markets which have proven especially interesting include South Africa, the Middle East, India, Eastern Europe and Russia. Each of these markets has revealed significant levels of potential for international brands and we are looking forward to exploring these opportunities further with our clients in the coming year. We provide in depth market landscape reports enhanced by interviews with senior executives experienced in the territory.
This platform of understanding then informs tailor made programmes of research which may include market segmentation, technology take up studies, brand development, launch/re-launch, content and scheduling research and communications testing. Whatever the issues involved, all studies are adapted to suit the local culture and conditions whilst retaining a strong emphasis on action points and identification of market opportunities.
//////////
What goes on in the minds of kids?
Understanding kids has always been difficult. Their abilities change fast as they move through the years from toddler to child to tween and their interests can be all consuming and transitory, or the early signs of lifelong passions. They are fickle yet committed at the same time, fun, funny and deadly serious about the stuff that matters to them. Tapping into their hopes and desires and finding ways to genuinely connect with today's kids and resonate with their lives is a continual challenge for many of our clients. Add to this the increasingly complex technologically enabled world that kids inhabit and cutting through effectively becomes even more demanding.Brand Driver has always worked hard to understand kids; recent projects include studies to greenlight TV pilots, target and market DVD releases, apply character franchises across multiple product ranges, create kids furniture and understand the role of the internet in pre-school development. We have watched, listened to, talked to and interacted with kids across all ages - bossy 4 year olds, boisterous 8 year olds and bored 13 year olds; we've faced them all and used our wide range of skills to find the means to learn from them. We love our visits to kids' worlds. Talk to us for more information on how we can help you.
//////////
It's all gone digital now - hasn't it?
We spend half our lives online these days and the web is a powerful medium for brands and services to connect with their audiences. But our own daily experiences tell us this isn't always done to best effect as online experiences frequently frustrate as much as they delight. Brand Driver works closely with a number of clients to ensure that their online presence adds positively to the brand experience - recognising the need for coherence at all touchpoints and the potential ability of the web to add real value.
We spend half our lives online these days and the web is a powerful medium for brands and services to connect with their audiences. But our own daily experiences tell us this isn't always done to best effect as online experiences frequently frustrate as much as they delight. Brand Driver works closely with a number of clients to ensure that their online presence adds positively to the brand experience - recognising the need for coherence at all touchpoints and the potential ability of the web to add real value.
Recent web studies have looked at online advertising for movies, road safety for kids, brand linkage between TV channels, shows and their web presence and the role of the internet in supporting parents in all aspects of family life. We have explored how advertising works, how movies get watched and how students learn. We've looked at how needs and experiences vary at home, on the move, via laptops and via mobile - and understood what users truly value when online and how to meet those needs in a way that supports their experiences offline as well.
In the world today the internet offers a vast array of choice and competes powerfully with other forms of entertainment, information and communication. Its potential is endless. But viewing that potential through the eyes of the user is essential to understanding where technology will ultimately lead us; it is not enough for it to be possible - people must understand that possibility and want to embrace it in their lives. Our research looks at those tipping points where possible becomes commonplace and explores what it takes to shift consumer behaviour from the realms of geeks/ media people to the mainstream.
//////////
Brand Driver moves into the Middle East
Understanding the rapidly evolving TV market in the Middle East is a challenge Brand Driver recently faced for clients investigating the opportunities there.
Understanding the rapidly evolving TV market in the Middle East is a challenge Brand Driver recently faced for clients investigating the opportunities there.
The region is characterised by huge diversity and it evades easy generalisations; even which countries are part of the 'Middle East' is open to debate. Once the first hurdle of defining the region is overcome, succinctly conveying the multiple complexities of the region (such as marked differences in terms of wealth, culture and demographic makeup) and how they influence TV behaviour and preferences is a fascinating task and one which the team really enjoyed.
Identifying past, current and potential future trends within the media landscape was particularly interesting, as several factors make the region very distinctive; most notably the very young demographic (half the population are under 25) the disparity in terms of wealth (the Middle East is home to the super rich and the very poor) and varying levels of cultural conservatism.
The recent growth in FTA pan-regional satellite channels has challenged notions of what is and is not culturally acceptable, as governments have lost the ability to regulate what their population is viewing. This has revealed that the region can contain all manner of apparently contradictory values - and along with the internet, TV is empowering individuals to choose what they eant to consume in a way like never before. Niche audiences have become more demanding and expectations of an offering tailored to them have increased.
Many factors make this region challenging - viewing audiences defy measurement, channel business models are often unprofitable and signal piracy is widespread. Yet investment in media continues to pour into the region - including the emergence of a drive to boost local production, and many are excited about such a 'media positive environment'. Given the complex issues and rate of change within this region, research is essential now more than ever.
//////////
Brand Driver is recruiting interns!
Brand Driver has had a very successful year working with our key clients on some great projects. This continued success means that we are now looking to the future and thinking about recruiting some new talent.
Brand Driver has had a very successful year working with our key clients on some great projects. This continued success means that we are now looking to the future and thinking about recruiting some new talent.
To kick this off, we are formalising our qualitative internship programme. We will be recruiting interns yearly for a 3-6 month placement, with the first round of recruitment starting shortly. We are looking for enthusiastic, self sufficient graduates with a passion for qualitative research and the media industry. The internship could lead to a permanent position as a trainee research executive.
If you're interested in finding out more, please contact Katherine: katherine@branddriver.co.uk
//////////
Brand Driver offers new approach to test mobile advertising effectiveness
Brand Driver has recently developed a new and powerful approach to measure mobile advertising effectiveness. There are several advantages in our approach; advertisers and marketers can now accurately investigate the impact of mobile advertising on brand awareness and other engagement and interaction metrics, understand the potential click through rates of mobile advertising and evaluate potential mobile advertising concepts before launch.
This methodology enables exposure to mobile advertising directly on respondents mobile hand-sets through web-links sent via SMS. An online pre and post exposure methodology is utilised to measure uplift in brand awareness and other key image diagnostics.
Respondents are directed to the host web-site rather than the specific advertising concept(s) to ensure a more real-life browsing experience and a significant time-lag is put in place between exposure to the advertising and the post stage evaluation. This ensures a more realistic and undirected response in the post-stage compared to other similar mobile ad evaluation approaches.
We have designed a scalable and actionable methodology that can be adopted to work across a number of different requirements including:
- Across sectors - the approach can be used within any specific sector
- Across target audiences - we can target respondents if there is a need to evaluate advertising targeted at a specific demographic or consumer segment
- Across mobile advertising types - we can use this methodology to include banner advertising, search advertising, SMS push advertising, Mobile TV advertising, affiliate advertising etc
- Across other advertising platforms - we can also follow the same approach with other types of advertising; online, TV and radio, by directing respondents to the platforms where the advertising is being viewed and interviewing them in the same way
Using this new approach, Brand Driver, on behalf of the IAB and in conjunction with Kit Kat, have recently conducted the UK's first publicly available mobile brand study (http://www.iabuk.net/en/1/
mobiledisplayadvertisingraisesawarenessandrecognition010709.mxs.)
For more information on the IAB study or Brand Driver's mobile advertising research approach please contact Karen Wise at karen@branddriver.co.uk or William Reeve at william@branddriver.co.uk
//////////
Brand Driver conducts UK's first publicly available mobile brand study for the IAB & Kit Kat
A pioneering research study conducted by Brand Driver on behalf of the Internet Advertising Bureau - the trade body for digital marketing - and in conjunction with Kit Kat has found that effective mobile display advertising can impact positively on brand awareness and recognition.
The UK's first publicly available mobile brand study to cover ad effectiveness across a range of mobile internet sites used data collected from a representative sample of 600 mobile internet users.
Using a bespoke methodology designed by Brand Driver that mixes online and an innovative SMS research approach, respondents were exposed to mobile banner ads for FMCG brand Kit Kat across four major mobile sites and completed a 10 minute online questionnaire both pre and post ad exposure to measure uplift in brand awareness and other key image diagnostics.
The results of the study have formed the basis for a new set of IAB guidelines, designed to increase the effectiveness of mobile ad campaigns and the methodological approach devised by Brand Driver will be used as a blue-print for the IAB in any future research in this area.
Go to (http://www.iabuk.net/en/1/
mobiledisplayadvertisingraisesawarenessandrecognition010709.mxs.)
For more information on the IAB study or Brand Driver's mobile advertising research approach please contact Karen Wise at karen@branddriver.co.uk, or William Reeve at william@branddriver.co.uk
//////////
Brand Driver has been working with one of the world's most recognised television brands in connection with a high profile channel rebranding. Our research supported the relaunch and helped define the channel's position in the increasingly crowded and fragmented TV landscape.
//////////
