Market research insights
driving global business

• 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?

• February 2011

The lowdown on High Street

High fashion houses are widening their consumer base by collaborating with high street chains. With more and more crossover, do high fashion houses risk losing their chic edge? And what does the accessibility of high-end labels mean for the casual consumer?

• November 2010

India: Where to now?

It's easy to have a changing relationship with India – people love its colourful culture and rich heritage but lament about its infrastructure that is struggling to keep up with the country’s rapid economic growth. Find out more about Synovate's research in this area, commissioned by Businessworld magazine.

• August 2010

The style spies

Monitoring the markets and working in the office all day leaves little time for a professional working man to stay in style. Yes, nipping off to a newsstand and buying a fashion magazine to read is an option. However, male fashion fans are finding it's much easier to visit their favourite websites, and get instant help from a willing army of fashion bloggers, who act as style spies.

• July 2010

Don’t worry, be happy

Nearly two years after the global recession sent shockwaves around Asian markets, consumers in Asia appear to have put recessionary fears firmly behind them and are anticipating a period sustained economic growth.

• March 2010

The relocation of luxury

Asian consumers account for half of the US$80 billion global luxe industry. China’s luxury market is growing so rapidly that it will become the biggest in the world within four years and in India there are three-month waiting lists for items with the “right” label attached.

• November 2009

Boutique or not boutique?

That is the question in this fast-growing segment of the hotel market. Jessica Morris explores just what it means to be "boutique" - from the number of rooms to hotel ownership to the amenities provided.

• September 2009

New Russians, new chic

In the fourth-largest luxury market in the world, Russians are voting with their wallets for sophistication and national heritage as showiness starts to fade into the background.

• August 2009

Boot-cut beats black tie

“Jeans are the new lipstick,” says Synovate UK CEO and luxury retail expert Jill Telford. In a recession, some lower expenditure, high pleasure items like denim jeans sell just as strongly as they do when times are good.

• April 2009

A One-derful night

Linda Collard talks hotels, guests, marketing and technology with Martin Dishman, Managing Director of The One Hotel Group in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

• 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.

• June 2008

What would you do to be beautiful?

Beautiful things give us great pleasure. Art, music, landscapes... it goes without saying. But where do we stand on beautiful people? It's a tougher proposition because, frankly, we're not all 'Brangelina' or Aishwarya Rai.

• 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.

• July 2007

Latin American elites are big spenders

Affluent consumers and business executives in Latin America are world citizens and have similar purchasing power to elites in developed markets and want the best products and services that global marketers can offer.

• 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

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.

• 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.

• June 2006

Living with - or without - technology

Almost half of us think new technology looks cool even if we don't understand it, according to a recent Synovate survey.

• September 2005

Puppy love

Health insurance for pets is increasingly being seen as a serious investment, a Synovate study found.

• July 2005

Road rage

Fourteen per cent of drivers in India claim they have been physically assaulted or were at the receiving end of a weapon wielded by other drivers in the past 12 months, according to a new survey by Synovate.

• May 2005

Save or spend?

Many financial pundits recommend putting aside 10% of everything you earn, but only in Asia is this recommendation followed by the majority of respondents, according to a Synovate study.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.