Welcome to your Research Business DAILY Report .
CINT CEO Bo Mattson issued a press release Tuesday that reads more like a statement of
concern than a news item.
Mattson says too many market research agencies are choosing to ignore advances in technology--to
their detriment.
Referencing mobile devices and DIY, he stated that "the biggest barrier is lack of understanding
and fear of the unknown."
Mattson's observations complement the thoughts of Burke President Jeff Miller at a CASRO
conference last week that U.S. MR agencies don't need to react to every newly available
research technology or methodology.
The reason: generally tepid MR agency acceptance of those new factors.
In an ironic bit of timing, Mindshare Technologies Chief Experience Officer Lonnie Mayne chose
Tuesday to express himself on BizCommunity.com about the inadequacies of traditional market
research.
Mayne pointed to consumer confidence and spending patterns shifting "with the speed of a Tweet,"
as well as traditional research's quality, timing and cost shortfalls.
Mayne underscored a gigantic shift in required sample size. Formerly, hundreds or thousands
of respondents were needed; now, a single individual's comment about a situation can
be sufficient to set things in motion.
That also speaks to the intensity of customer lifetime value.
Tuesday's BusinessDayOnline.com featured the urging of Jonathan Alabede, CEO of Nigeria's
Brand Futurz agency, that marketers in Africa engage in far more MR.
Africa accounts for only 2% of the world's MR, most of that from multinational firms.
Alabede blames African marketers' disinterest on culture, deep lack of understanding of
what research can do, misconceptions about cost, a lack of government encouragement and
a shortage of MR talent.
On that last point Alabede explained that talent shortages are worsened by African marketers
hiring away the smartest researchers from agencies when agencies do work the client.
One last thing. RBDR is expanding its staff. Meet our new correspondent, my grandson Kovi.
We hope he'll be reporting regularly, or hopefully from time to time.
That's today's Research Business DAILY Report. Have a great research weekend and we'll see
you Monday.
