Market research insights
driving global business

• November 2011

Brands and the celebrity effect

Brands frequently turn to celebrities for endorsements to help connect consumers with their products and services. But celebrity reputations can change like the wind. So who does America trust?

• November 2011

Social Media Helps Keep Marketing Promises

Social media allows people to share more about the brands they love, or hate. Opinions expressed in social media can build or break a brand, especially if they don’t take the opinions seriously.

• November 2011

Love, honour and obey

A brand’s life cycle can be like a rollercoaster ride. But don’t fret. Here’s the lowdown on what brands should be asking to pull themselves out of the rut and sustain their relationship with consumers.

• October 2011

Modern Family

For brands to stay ahead of the game, they must communicate to the evolving nature of families. How are they developing different tactics to suit the modern family?

• August 2011

Getting it just right

After Twitter and Facebook got all your friends and family hooked, it wasn’t long before brands decided to share this space too. But are all social media strategies good for brands? And can social media backfire when brands go over the top with it?

• August 2011

Evolution of a logo

Brands and their logos change to keep up with the times, but how can they know which changes are necessary and which may end up causing permanent damage?

• July 2011

The brand game

Our love of sports leads brands to build a symbiotic relationship with sporting events in the hope that people will channel some of their fanaticism to the brands supporting the events.

• June 2011

Social networking Russia

Global social networks may be leading the way in developed countries, but they are still coming to terms with how to enlarge their user base in emerging markets.

• June 2011

Humanitarian brands

When deadly natural disasters hit home these days, brands are expected to pull their weight with non-government organizations in raising funds for relief efforts. Is social responsibility their ultimate goal and do consumers believe in the good doer brand?

• May 2011

Reds in the Black

Though wine used to be exclusive, it now has an open door policy as Chinese investors gain interest. What is spurring the Chinese to buy wine by the barrel?

• May 2011

Made in China

Previously known for mass production of cheap goods that are sold in Walmart and other megastores, China no longer needs to imitate. Revamps on local goods are making foreign brands take a deeper look as the competition gets fierce.

• April 2011

The fog of blogs

As with many things in the online world, the rules of brand blogging are hazy at best. Independent bloggers who are not paid could be the balancing intermediary between consumers and brands in disseminating information. And brands must tread carefully when dealing with expressive bloggers.

• March 2011

To err is human, to forgive depends

Brands vie for customer loyalty. But expectations vary depending on the nature of the brand. What status do brands hold in our minds? We look at how brand personalities affect the relationships they build with customers.

• March 2011

How should government get its groove back?

Governments have not benefited from recent advances in customer experience research that have improved products and services in the business world; rather, they still embrace a paradigm where customer satisfaction is the ultimate measure.

• January 2011

The shock bloc

Nowadays it’s not so much “anything goes” as “anything has been and gone”. The web allows consumers to speak out – and if brands are becoming a little daring or risqué, nobody should be offended. Welcome to the rise of Maturialism.

• November 2010

Rise of the Kidults

It's no secret that the gaming industry has been incorporating adults into their target market for a while now, but marketing strategies have had to change and adapt for the new growing market of "casual gamers" that Nintendo so effectively opened up with their introduction of the Wii console. With these largely adult consumers on the rise, enter the PlayStation Move and the Xbox Kinect.

• November 2010

Collect and go

Prior to the boom of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, group online shopping in Asia was never that popular. But with internet evolution and consumer sentiment rebounding collective buying is gaining full force to offer consumers more value for their money.

• November 2010

Who’s the boss?

It's widely accepted that the strength of the relationship between a person and a brand or business is influenced by many factors, including planned communications such as advertising. Other factors such as consumption experience, incidental communication and competitor activity also play their part. Within this mix of influences, some believe that the role of the CEO or other leaders can be pivotal. Synovate conducted a quantitative study with 100 adults in the US looking at this very issue.

• September 2010

Get mobile

The theory of evolution is a simple one: adapt to your environment, or die. Right back when the world was nothing more than a glorified ice-cube, man was able to adapt to his surroundings and survive. We now try to make it in a global business network, and to do this we need to be adaptable and innovative. And this is where a new iPhone webpage for Toyota executives comes in.

• September 2010

Social Media Blues

There appears to be a growing dissatisfaction, and a rather public one at that, among users of social media sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Ironically, people are using these very networks to voice their opinions, which range from issues about poor security to being bombarded with too many ads; and not to mention the stress of coping with a high maintenance digital lifestyle.

• September 2010

The evolution of loyalty

Ensuring loyalty to a brand has become increasingly complex as new approaches and online technological platforms change the dynamics of company-customer interaction, and businesses explore various new ways of communicating with consumers.

• September 2010

Women on Top

Cue 2010 and a paradigm shift. Call it Girl Power, call it Women on Top, call it whatever you want, but there is a distinct trend for blokes to be the homemaker – more concerned with bargain blackberries than bargaining via their BlackBerrys – and leaving it to their spouse to bring home the metaphoric bacon.

• August 2010

Desktop destroyers

It’s clearly the age of mobile technology in which laptops, notebooks and the recent advent of hybrid tablet devices like the iPad, of which 3 million were sold within the first 80 days of its US launch, appear to be ruling the IT roost. With tablets estimated to account for 23% of all US PC sales by 2015, and sales of mobile PCs estimated to account for over 68% of all PCs sold worldwide by 2014, the writing seems to be on the wall. Are the days of the desktop, the predecessor of these new fangled devices, literally numbered?

• July 2010

A brand new day

After the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by countries around the world as a standard accounting language, companies were required to value brands that they own, and to disclose this in their annual financial statements. Now another sea change is here as a new ISO standard (ISO 10668) provides guidance on how companies measure the monetary value of their brands.

• July 2010

Wheels on fire

That the Tour de France rivals the football World Cup for Europeans' affections reflects the Tour’s status as the world's greatest example of events-based marketing and one that will truly astonish any marketer unfamiliar with the history of the race.

• June 2010

Ready for kick-off

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa on 11 June, signalling the first African hosting of a major football tournament. According to a study by Synovate, South Africans are more than ready to show the world their enthusiasm. Here are the some of the key findings from the study.

• June 2010

The right chemistry

After decades of bad press for their attitudes concerning profits over social responsibility, the pharmaceutical industry faces a challenge from within. Is this the change we’ve been waiting for?

• June 2010

Green Lean Machines

Hybrid cars that run on a combination of petrol, electricity and/or bio-fuels are no longer novel. Discover more about this, and other innovations to hit the motor industry this year. The developments may have the power to make the auto industry greener and cleaner.

• May 2010

Building the hits of tomorrow

New music artists are achieving their dreams of stardom, including great sales, fans, hitting the charts and critical success, all without the marketing support of a major record label. How are they doing it?

• May 2010

Tucking into food trends

A look at how eating from local sources, keeping close tabs on sustainability and staying at home to dine are shaping the way people eat in 2010.

• May 2010

The new experience of luxury

‘Luxury’ is perhaps the most overused term in the marketing industry’s vocabulary, selling everything from hotels to toilet paper. However, because the globe’s richest are today able to afford most things material, their focus has moved towards using their money to discover otherwise unobtainable experiences and adventures.

• April 2010

Leave it to the experts

Unique products that reflect one’s taste, personality, and lifestyle are the ultimate sign of sophistication and identity. In the past, only the wealthy could afford custom-made products but nowadays, everything can be customised. Mass customisation is something companies can and should adopt to gain a competitive advantage over rivals.

• April 2010

Beware the eruption of wrath

The explosion of an Icelandic volcano has shed light on the power of the consumer to foment revolt against brands. As social media becomes part of the arsenal of customer complaint, companies better watch out.

• December 2009

Virtual opportunities present real dangers

By now it is clear that in order to survive, let alone thrive, in business it is imperative for brands to have a clear, strong and synchronised presence in online channels, such as social media and websites.

• October 2009

Happy with home-grown

In booming middle class India, brands don't get ahead by being "foreign" or from the "West" – home-grown, or at least adapted, brands are far more likely to appeal to India’s proud professional classes.

• October 2009

Sponsorships on the cheap

While your brand may not have the financial resources to grab yourself a spot on next season’s Manchester United jersey or sign up Kim Clijsters, there is great value to be found in up-and-coming stars and sports that reach your target audience.

• September 2009

Five things brands could do better on Twitter

In:fact correspondent Linda Collard gives her take on first impressions and the power of mobile tweeting - and reveals how in just eight weeks she went from zero to dependent on the power of Twitter.

• March 2009

The colour of money

Colour matters. It affects our everyday life, our everyday behaviour, and constitutes 80% of all of the visual information our brains receive each day. Colours play a huge part in the choices we make.

• March 2009

Luxury goes back to its roots

In the midst of a global recession, luxury is returning to its roots: the ordinary purchases of extraordinary people. Ultra rich consumers are not afraid to spend millions on just one more private jet, yacht, or mansion.

• February 2009

Building a recession-proof brand

In times like this, brands should show what they're made of. Some will fall, some will survive and others will thrive. To make sure your brand is one of the winners, you need to know what people are doing, feeling and buying.

• June 2008

Research on the slopes

As the most vocal champion of snowboarding as a sport, Jake Burton Carpenter has proven that being one of your own customers can be an essential ingredient in the success of your brand.

• June 2008

LEGO learns a lesson

With a company ethos rooted in learning through play, if the child in all of us is growing up too soon, where does that leave a traditional toy retailer? Judging from past results, the answer certainly used to be worried.

• June 2008

Owning the media channel

If the medium is the message, which medium do today's hottest brands and companies choose to get their messages out? Is simply buying an ad on a website or a 30-second spot on TV the best use of today's advertising dollars?

• June 2008

“Til death do us part” marketing

The dating/courtship/marriage analogy has been used for many years to describe the progression of a relationship between a customer and a brand. Practitioners find it a useful device for conceptualising the goals of relationship marketing.

• June 2008

Me, myself and I

Fitting products hand-in-glove with individuals as opposed to basing them around certain categories and groups that come close is the new way forward.

• June 2008

Powering up loyalty

Measuring customer loyalty in a generally non-competitive industry, such as utilities, requires one to think about loyalty in non-traditional ways.

• September 2007

China’s pre-Olympics pulse

Brands have spent mega-millions on legitimate sponsorship deals to secure their connection to the Olympic Games. How is all this affecting the grass roots population of China? To be brutally honest, very little!

• September 2007

The fantasy is reality

Forget about fantasy sports being a pursuit solely covered by a small group of fanatics, it boasts a range of sponsors including Barclays, Budweiser, Coca-Cola and Toyota.

• September 2007

The marketing marathon

Massive marketing campaigns for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing have been in place for several years, but it's only recently that companies have begun splashing their logos on billboards and products across China.

• September 2007

Olympic sponsors vie for China’s passion

Big name sponsors are spending heavily on the 2008 Olympic Games. But are the Chinese paying attention?

• September 2007

To love or loathe a logo

The logo for the London 2012 Olympics has been the subject of much heated debate. Two experts weigh in on why they feel so strongly about one little graphic.

• September 2007

Lording the Olympic rings

Running the Olympics is tricky business. On the one hand, the organisers want to reach every corner of the globe. On the other, they need to keep the Olympics' proprietary insignia away from unauthorised users.

• August 2007

Brands taking Asia by storm

Almost four billion of the world's people call it home. Its affluent and middle class consumer base is growing faster than any other across the globe. And brands, both local and global, are fighting for their place among its markets.

• April 2007

Cult status

Luxury brands have become an everyday reality for millions of Asians - cutting across countries and income segments. Eating instant noodles for a month in order to buy the next LV bag is an easy choice for many Asian women.

• April 2007

Logo design: getting the right of way

When 3.4 million acres in England and Wales became public access land, a new logo was needed to identify the areas. Whether on signposts or maps, the logo needed to be unobtrusive, visually attractive, simple and pictorial.

• April 2007

Touching on the intangible

Since the 1980s the intangible value of businesses has grown by staggering proportions. The notion of valuing the intangible, particularly a brand, has become a serious concern and developed into a global business.

• April 2007

Flying higher

Turning a national brand into a global brand is a tough business - just ask any airline. As long as existing regulations deny airlines the commercial freedom enjoyed by other industries, this seems unlikely to change.

• April 2007

Battling against a brand

Big name brands pack a punch, but do they always have the power to take down the local talent? In the Phillippines, Tony Tan Caktiong got the jump on McDonald's and now his Jollibee brand boasts double the sales.

• April 2007

Reinventing brand research

If you want to know how your next marketing campaign will affect brand sales and equity, you can now get a much clearer picture.

• April 2007

Brand DNA: the core values

A successful brand is not just a marketing luxury anymore - it is the benchmark of overall success. Building a valuable brand requires commitment, consistency, integrity and attention to detail. And it all starts with the DNA - the core values - of a company.

• April 2007

Brand and deliver

When women in Japan line up for hours to buy a Louis Vuitton bag they can't afford, it's much more than a bag or some accessory they hope to own. They want an image - a lifestyle even. They want a modern brand.

• April 2007

How much for that celebrity?

Product endorsements have been going on for years. But in today's brand-focused environment, the search for the right celebrity to match a brand has taken on Olympic proportions.

• April 2007

Branded by design

Manufacturers, facing fierce global competition, are turning to design for the kind of innovation that will generate new revenue and greater profit margins, while increasing brand awareness.

• April 2007

Kodak gets its groove back

Film photography, the business that made Kodak a household name, has been rendered obsolete with the onset of digital cameras. It's old business model destroyed in a flash, Kodak has tried to move into a field already beset with competitors.

• April 2007

Big national brands

These five brands have made quite a name for themselves in their local markets. Now, they are setting their eyes on the world, looking to expand their operations to all parts of the globe.

• April 2007

The brand: in quotes

"I want to work for a company that contributes to, and is part of, the community. I want something not just to invest in - I want something to believe in." - Anita Roddick, founder and former CEO of The Body Shop

• April 2007

The brands in your bloodstream

Tylenol, Prozac and Viagra. Chances are you're well aware of these brands whether you have ever needed them or not. And that's the point. The reason we know these drugs is because they are extremely powerful brands.

• March 2007

Brands battle for emerging market hearts

Combining quantitative data with the deeper insights from a qualitative approach, Synovate surveyed over 13,000 consumers in 20 Hotspots markets to gain a better understanding of their relationships with brands.

• December 2006

Do motorsports rev up brands?

More than one-third of motor racing fans would be influenced by a manufacturer's success on the racing circuit when buying a car or motorcycle, according to a recent global study by Synovate.

• November 2006

Insight into low income consumers

Low income consumers in the world's emerging markets want many of the same things out of life and the same quality in their products as middle class consumers and differ mainly in their purchasing behaviour.

• November 2006

Thailand - no longer on a shoestring

A new, three-year marketing campaign, “Thailand Unforgettable,” aims to lure high-end travelers and niche holiday-makers to a country known more for backpackers, hostels and rock-bottom prices.

• July 2006

GM Foods: Fright or delight?

Basic familiarity with genetically modified foods varies considerably across markets and, among people familiar with GM foods, opinions are equally diverse, a Synovate study found.

• April 2006

Branding a nation

• April 2006

Multicultural marketing

Racial and ethnic minorities number about 100 million (or one-third) of the United States population, so marketers of all stripes need to stay on top of multicultural ideas, trends and sensitivities.

• April 2006

Destination branding

Branding a country or city means that often deeply held views or stereotypes must be challenged. In creating lasting brand equity for your destination, however, there is the danger of expelling old stereotypes and simply replacing them with new ones.

• March 2006

Destination branding

Branding destinations is a risky, but rewarding, business. The key is to find a a good fit between the destination and the brand. Get back to basics and create an approach based on that destination's unique strengths, whether climate, infrastructure or people.

• March 2006

Branding a country

Nation branding is a new paradigm for statecraft that focuses on how countries can control their brand image and establish their true cultural, social and historical identity by carving themselves a "perceptual niche" in the global community.

• January 2006

A question of quality

Western consumers are still skeptical about the quality of Chinese and Korean goods, with only one in eight respondents from the US and key markets in Europe thinking highly of their products, a Synovate survey showed.

• December 2005

Selling beauty to men

A Synovate survey of men in the Philippines, China, Hong Kong and Korea found that the pretty boy mindset is pretty strong and might lead to some excellent opportunities for marketers.

• November 2005

Consumers who care

LOHAS, or " lifestyles of health and sustainability" consumers are an enormous and lucrative demographic who care deeply about the social and environmental impact of their choices, whether they are buying health care, cars, or cosmetics.

• August 2005

The lives of Asian youth

Today's young Asian is a multi-tasking, interactive, digital-driven consumer according to Young Asians, a new survey released by Synovate.

• March 2005

A genuine look at fakes

Real brand manufacturers need to put a bit of effort into giving fakes negative associations because many people don't see anything wrong with buying counterfeits, a Synovate study found.

• February 2005

Drinking habits around the world

A majority of people in China, Korea, Poland and the United Kingdom drink alcohol, but the amount and type of beverage consumed varies considerably by market, a Synovate study has shown.

• November 2004

We study students

Just ten years ago, poverty was a rite of passage and a badge of honour for Britain's students, who were often defined by their political activism. But a study by Project Edge found that today's undergraduates eschew activism in favor of an aspirational lifestyle. The marketers who make students feel special and who tailor innovative campaigns to the habits, routines and nuances of their lives, will reap the rewards.

• November 2004

Dying for profit

To survive in a competitive industry, funeral businesses in the United States are turning to market research and developing new products and services for niche markets among fast-growing communities like Hispanic-Americans.

• September 2004

The Athens Olympics

A Synovate survey found wide interest in the Athens Olympics, with 82% of respondents saying they watched the event.

• July 2004

The economy of flight

Three quarters of people think an airline trip is just like a bus trip, and should bet "fast and cheap," while 64% will always choose a budget airline if the ticket price was lower, according to a Synovate study.

• June 2004

When telephone surveys are not enough

Mapping brand equity uncovers strengths and weaknesses of a product or service within the mind of the consumer in comparison to competition within the market. Great brand research uses a variety of methods and is sensitive to cultural differences.

• June 2004

Tracking the Vanguardistas

Marketers reach out to Vanguards - the well-connected creative-types that set trends and influence people - in order to generate buzz and promote their brands. But they have to be careful - Vanguards are wary of corporate courtship.

• May 2004

Packaging preferences

Big packages can work well in the United States, where buying in bulk is considered efficient, but in the Philippines, small packages are seen as a better deal, a Synovate study found.

• April 2004

From cool, to uncool and back again

In the 1980s, Levis jeans managed to revitalize a tired brand by turning a negative into a positive. The uncool jeans your parents grew up in became the original jeans, helped by some stylish TV commercials featuring James Dean look-alikes.

• March 2004

Affluent Asians

Asia continues to be a hot market for makers of luxury goods, with cities like Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Jakarta, Indonesia, leading the way, a Synovate study found.

• February 2004

Cell phones and number portability

Number portability potentially offers a considerable business opportunity for the US cell phone network operator who is best able to attract their competitors' deserters, a Synovate study found.

• January 2004

Fan: short for fanatic

Professional sport is a huge and growing global business and with billions of people regularly tuning in to watch their favourite teams, no marketer can afford to ignore sports, according to a Synovate survey.