How we researched and helped devise a new energy service that increased customers nine-fold

Background and challenge

Ovo Energy is a small energy supplier who wanted to create a new service to take on the might of the ‘Big Six’.

Energy research approach

• Team working to create stimuli to express the new energy service.
• Customer depths and groups with existing and potential Ovo customers in all energy regions (including lapsed Ovo customers and also customers of the ‘Big Six’).
• Research also involved recycling and refining stimuli in just 4 weeks.
• Followed finally by analysis and debrief.

New Ovo Energy service that’s helped increase customers nine-fold

Results

Identified widespread unmet need for a new brand to challenge the ‘Big Six’ and the also the ingredients for a new service proposition. Since launching the new service in January 2014 the number of Ovo customers increased nine-fold. Also awarded uSwitch ‘Energy Supplier of the Year 2017’, winning 11/12 awards.

See Ovo Energy’s refreshing new energy services.

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How we helped research and establish a new property business

Property research challenge

To understand needs, criteria, and guidelines to establish a new home building business in the North West of England.

Property Research Approach

Team working to create new home propositions; visuals and descriptions of new homes.

1. Secondary research to assess the size of, and trends in the local housing stock.
2. Telephone and face-to-face depths with local estate agents to assess needs, and up and coming areas.
3. Group discussions with potential new home buyers to understand needs for, and reactions to, potential new homes (using a range of creative stimuli).
4. Analysis and then debrief of findings and recommendations.

Results

First, we determined a specification for new homes including potential ‘killer’ features to guide building and marketing. Then we identified the most attractive target market and their decision making journey. Finally we created an outline business and marketing plan to confirm project feasibility, and provided insights on how to improve the brand.  As a result, all initial properties were sold. We also inspired a more refreshing brand in Livv Homes; after four years they are now a well-established and regarded Merseyside home builder.

Open the door to a new home from Livv Homes .

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How we uncovered insights to increase healthcare brand sales nine-fold in three years

Objectives

To understand consumers oral hygiene attitudes and habits. Also reaction to a new product with a view to developing new communications to accelerate brand growth in Central and Eastern Europe.

Healthcare marketing research approach

1. Working session and secondary research to focus health-care market research programme.
2. Compilation of research stimuli in 3 languages using great ideas from around the world..
3. In-home consumer depths (all filmed), paired depths, and also mini-consumer creative workshops in 3 countries (Hungary, Poland and Russia). All were preceded by a product trial pre-task.
4. Analysis then followed by interim debrief and working session.
5. Film production to summarise insights.
6. Presentation and working session with international team.

Results

Provided many insights on consumers, their needs and attitudes in three countries. Also clear direction for a new brand communications, which in turn, inspired a new advertising campaign.  As a result, our work drew management attention to this overlooked health-care category. Sales and customer penetration also increased nine-fold in the following three years.

Watch the new Corega advertising on You Tube.

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How we helped devise a successful global communication campaign

Objectives

Having concerns about the effectiveness about their current advertising, CIMA wanted to understand accounting students, the student journey and determine the most effective brand and communication strategy.

Professional services market research approach

1. Research planning workshop followed by collaborative working to create communications stimuli for research.
2. Professional services international market research included CIMA stakeholder depths, student creative workshops (UK school and University student discussions) and depth interviews (potential, current and also previous accounting students in overseas countries).
3. Analysis followed by interim debrief and also second stage creative development working with several agencies.
4. Quantitative research in 8 countries; UK, China, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in order to assess the most appealing and persuasive advertising idea(s). Also to determine opportunities for improvement.
5. Analysis followed by debrief and finally a working session.

Results:

Identified key drivers and barriers to taking CIMA qualifications and a blueprint to enable consistent and distinctive global communications covering rational and emotional benefits, personality and style and tone.
As a result a new global campaign was agreed and launched in all countries. This has contributed to 15% growth in students in 2 years.

See the results of our work on CIMA’s website.

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How we helped research and revitalise this world famous media brand

Objectives

To understand audience attitudes to The Famous Five in three countries (Germany, France and the UK). Also to revitalise the brand, create a blue-print for international brand development and attract new audiences.

Media market research approach

1. Research planning workshop to assess brand issues and also opportunities to explore in research.
2. Extended creativity to create research stimuli. Produced in German, French and English, this included mini advertisements to express the brand positioning. Also images and copy to express the brand style and tone and storylines.
3. Media market research involved creative consumer workshops with different ages of children, parents and also teachers in 3 countries.
4. Analysis followed by debrief and finally a working session.

Results

Provided many insights and positioning direction to revitalise and build The Famous Five as a global brand. Also the justification and guidelines for new TV series development covering content, format and style and tone. Our work inspired the CGI television series, The Famous Five on the Case. This aired on Disney Channels around the world.

Watch episode 1 of The Famous Five on the Case.

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How we uncovered insights to improve technology use and education outcomes in schools

Objectives

To understand the drivers and barriers to increasing adoption and usage of information and communication technology (virtual learning platforms). Also the role of parental reporting in schools in order to improve educational outcomes.

Education market research approach

1. Collaborative working session to hypothesise issues, opportunities and schools’ ‘learning platform journey’.
2. Development of product and communications stimuli for research.
3. Education market research included teacher and IT professional depths and groups with primary, secondary and also special schools.
4. Analysis followed finally by a debrief and proposition refinement.

Results

Revealed both school and teacher barriers and drivers to using information and communication technology (ICT). This included the most persuasive messages and highlighted the importance of tangible services to support schools. Also recommended policies and strategies to maximise school, teacher and educational benefits from ICT.

Using ICT to increase attainment in schools.

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How we helped uncover insights to inspire new desserts

Objectives

To understand consumer attitudes and needs to eating sweets and desserts out of home with a view to unearthing insights to inform new product and category development.

FMCG market research approach

1. Research planning workshop preceded by trade observation and secondary FMCG market research to investigate the current range of products on offer out of home.
2. Creation of advertising and also creative stimuli to provoke insights on needs and for new product opportunities.
3. Family group discussions in various out-of-home eating establishments and also creative consumer workshops with different demographic groups.
4. Analysis followed by debrief and finally a working session.

Results

Provided a series of visual and written insight platforms to inspire and focus product development. In addition to many pointers to improve operations in a key trade channel. In turn this also helped cement trade working relationships with a leading restaurant chain.

The delicious range of desserts on offer at McDonald’s UK.

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How we helped uncover insights to design a new charity

Objectives

To uncover needs and gaps in the market and define a new charity brand for this pioneering social enterprise.

Charity development approach

1. Discussions to determine issues and also opportunities for a new charity.
2. Created creative stimuli for new charitable services.
3. Combination of depth interviews with local and national stakeholders and creative group discussions with potential beneficiaries, donors and also influencers/partners.
4. Analysis and finally report copywriting and delivery.

Results

Our charity market research revealed numerous insights on potential beneficiaries and gaps in the market. As a result this has clarified the opportunity for a new charity to focus effort to transform the well-being of those living in part of the Merseyside region and join the dots in local services.

More about One Ark – a new charity, part of the Livv Housing Group, serving the North West of England.

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How we helped Camelot create new lottery games

Objectives

To understand attitudes to a recently launched game, sales drivers and inhibitors in order to provide insights to improve the game and develop new games.

Gaming market research approach

1. Research planning workshop to uncover insights, issues and opportunities to explore in research.
2. Creation of advertising and game stimuli to provoke and reveal insights on needs and new product opportunities.
3. Gaming market research involved a range of qualitative research methods. Including retail trade depths, in-home consumer depths and also creative consumer workshops i.e. group discussions.
4. Analysis followed finally by a client debrief.

Results

Provided comprehensive understanding on customer drivers and barriers to playing the lottery and other games. Also many insights with which to focus new game development and boost sales. As a result this helped secure renewal of The National Lottery license.

Play the National Lottery.

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How we understood the lives of tweenagers and revitalised an iconic brand

Objectives

To understand tween-age girls, their lives, interests, media, music and technology needs to optimise Top of the Pops magazine and website.

Music market research approach

1. Research planning session with the client team to hypothesise issues and also opportunities to explore in research.
2. In-home individual depth interviews with tween-age girls, paired depths and also mini group creative workshops. All respondents also undertook creative research pre-tasks. These included diarising how they spent their time and also becoming investigative journalists to interview their friends.
3. Analysis followed finally by debrief and a working session.

Results

Provided many insights, both highly visual, and auditory, on the role of music in girls’ lives. This informed magazine content and brand guidelines. As a result this inspired the launch of a new digital magazine and circulation growth of 25%. TOTP is the best selling teen title.

Catch up with the latest music and fashion gossip in BBC Top of the Pops magazine.

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