Market research insights
driving global business

• July 2011

Your phone…the new store

Consumers often look at brands to fulfill their needs. Now, as mobile shopping becomes hot, brands can engage their consumers via their phones to get more involved with the brand.

• May 2011

Obsolete power

In today’s tech crazed world, planned obsolescence (deciding when a product will become obsolete to make way for the new) has become the norm for most of today’s gadgetry. However, instead of simply pushing out the old, this is bringing continuous improvements and new experiences for the ever-demanding consumer.

• March 2011

The Droid you’re looking for

Although Apple’s operating system has made remarkable strides in dominating the smartphone market, Google’s Android is a strong contender. With higher flexibility to complement handset manufacturers and the support of non-iPhone users, its power is slowly shaking the market leader.

• February 2011

The Price is Right?

It comes as no surprise that price is a main factor in a consumer’s attitude to products and brands. As such, most consumer research focuses on the relationship between consumers and price. Does the product cost too much or too little? The most common occurrence of this is the simple price-demand curve, and while it is clearly important, a decision as important as setting a product price needs to include other considerations as well.

• 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

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.

• 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

Into the wired

Heading into the great outdoors used to be about getting away from it all, facing nature head on and enduring – even relishing – all the hardships that came along with it. While the latter is still partly true (we still face nature head on, but we've found ways to make the hardships less… hard), today’s outdoor enthusiast can (and oftentimes does) stay just as connected with the world as they would in a downtown net café.

• 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?

• August 2010

Magic Mushrooms

Mushrooms aren’t known to inspire the most exciting of dialogues (except perhaps among chefs), but to the numerous fans of solar energy, the growing legion of wave farmers, and the squadrons of Don Qui-eco-xotes tilting about their windmills, the humble fungus could make a significant mark in cleaning our environment and providing alternative energy sources.

• 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

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.

• 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.

• July 2010

Health comes home

Technology that used to belong only in sports laboratories or doctor’s surgeries is rapidly finding its way into the home. All sorts of affordable, interactive devices are now available to help you monitor your own health and fitness levels from within your own living room or while on your favourite training route.

• 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

In too deep?

Three-dimensional images have been a part of photographic history since the very early days of image reproduction, but the technology is now at point where electronics manufacturers feel confident about taking it to the mass home market. With everything from the World Cup to Avatar being presented in 3D, are consumers ready to take the plunge?

• 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.

• February 2010

Walking the green mile

Being an environmentally friendly consumer takes more than just feeling good about your purchases. It all depends on how green the brands providing those “green products” you opt for are.

• January 2010

Krafty marketing got a lot right

What most pundits, real or self-proclaimed, overlooked is that the Kraft's Vegemite team actually came up with a solid new product, well received by consumers (ok, other than the name), selling well – and arguably a surplus of brand engagement.

• January 2010

Picking yourself up

Some of today’s hottest brands created yesterday’s biggest failures – but knowing how to bounce back is what led them to the top.

• January 2010

Turning a page (with a click)

Dog eared pages or scuffed up screens? The battle for readers’ eyeballs is heating up and to the victorious hardware manufacturer will go the publishing spoils - but no clear winner has yet to emerge.

• July 2009

Is ‘green’ set to drive the car industry?

If money were no object would you buy the gobsmackingly powerful, gorgeous sports car or a green ecofriendly car? Surprisingly, Synovate found that six in ten people would choose a green car instead of their dream car.

• March 2009

Trends with nine lives

The past is cooler than ever, and every industry looks back to previous trends to find inspiration for future ones. What was once outdated is now kitsch, what was once “so last season” has now become collectible.

• March 2009

Drawing insight from social networks

The communities on social websites such as MySpace and Facebook represent a tremendous opportunity for researchers to become involved in, participate in, observe and analyse thousands of conversations.

• March 2009

Collective minds

How do you give the people what they want? It’s a simple question that businesses and manufacturers struggle with daily, but there may be a simple answer: let the people do it for you.

• 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

Fighting cancer with persistence

Some of the most heralded anti-cancer agents of recent time, like Avastin and Nexavar, are based on the premise of a discovery made in 1971 - though it took time to cement itself, that discovery sparked a major trend.

• March 2009

TV: Outside the box

First came the big terrestrial television broadcasters. Then there were the cable networks. Now, high-speed internet makes high-quality, online video available to anyone - erasing some of the old rules for making a TV network.

• November 2008

Men: Beauty or brawn, or both?

Synovate took a long, lingering look at male beauty in 12 markets across the world, speaking with nearly 10,000 people about beautiful blokes and what makes them that way. We discovered cultural differences as well as some surprises.

• July 2008

Is ‘green’ the new black?

The second annual Synovate and BBC World News climate change study showed that more and more people are concerned about climate change (72% across the globe and as high as 88% in Spain).

• June 2008

What people say, what people do

Social scientists have struggled for generations with the issue of what people say versus what people do. If we as researchers cannot trust what people tell us, how can we predict what will happen with the products and services we research?

• June 2008

How Nintendo won the videogame war

Nintendo, the Japanese videogame maker, has bounced back from the digital doldrums with its groundbreaking Wii. But just a few years ago, the videogame pioneer was in danger of being consigned to the history books.

• June 2008

Giving it all away

Sample Lab, a store in Tokyo Harajuku district, offers customers free samples in return for providing valuable feedback to market researchers.

• 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.

• May 2007

Music 2.0 is here

Music is mid-revolution. It's a quiet revolution but a sure one. While marketers and industry experts spend time debating the impact of new technologies, Asia's youth are simply using them... or are poised to do so.

• 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

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.

• November 2006

Trials and error

Are drug tests, or the drugs themselves, ever safe? Dave Wong speaks to Synovate Healthcare Group Research Director Dr Stephen Godwin about the profitable but precarious world of drugs and drug testing.

• 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.

• 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.

• May 2006

Alternative engine technology

Despite record oil prices in most countries and concerns about global pollution levels, awareness and adoption of alternative fuel engine technologies are fairly low, according to a recent Synovate survey.

• 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.

• November 2005

A tale of two brands

For Republic Flour Mills (RFM) and Universal Robina Corporation (URC), two food companies based in the Philippines, embracing market research was an important turning point in their respective businesses.

• November 2005

A dog’s life

Increased demand for high-tech and high-end pet products has created room for entrepreneurs who understand the needs of pet owners, and can create products and services that enhance animal well-being, vitality and style.

• November 2005

Evolution or extinction

Using innovative research to understand the market and get into the psyche of the consumer, companies can make their mark by acquiring technology and offering it in an attractive or inexpensive package, rather than focusing solely on technical innovation.

• June 2005

Are surveys reliable?

Synovate tested the honesty of 2,640 survey panellists in the US, Germany and Thailand and found that the reliability of survey data varies significantly depending on the perceived "safety" of the survey topic.

• November 2004

The obesity wars

As brands adapt to meet the needs of a new generation of informed, nutrition-savvy consumers, it is important for consumers to realize that nutrition is also a personal responsibility. In other words, the obesity war must take place on both sides of the counter.

• 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.

• 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

Trial and error

America's top trial lawyers are increasingly turning to mock trials — small, representative focus groups that resemble a jury — to test how persuasive their client's case is and demonstrates the impact that various arguments will likely have on a real jury.

• 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

Hollywood ending

Test screening a movie can provide important information as to who will like a movie and why, but, directors can be hesitant to cede creative control and piracy is costing the movie industry about US $3 billion a year in revenue.

• 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.