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Monday, December 22, 2014

Top Digital Impact Blog Posts of 2014

We’ve published a lot of interesting, innovative, and inspiring blog posts about digital impact and media insights this year, so we wanted to take a moment to look back on the most popular posts of 2014. Here are the topics our readers enjoyed the most this year:

GfK’s SVP of Media & Entertainment On How Viewing Devices and Services Impact Audience Measurement: We sat down with David Tice, senior vice president, Media and Entertainment at GfK Custom Research, to discuss how the explosion of devices and services for viewing is impacting audience measurement. According to Tice, the two screen environment has made it easier for people to see an advertisement on TV and then go onto their smartphone or tablet and visit the website if they are interested. And, this in turn, has been really helpful to advertisers. “People’s use of television, whether it’s younger or older folks, hasn’t changed a lot. What’s changing is the source of what they are watching,” he said. ‘In the past it was your broadcast or cable networks, now people are using their TV sets to watch Netflix, Amazon or Hulu, because they want to use that bigger screen, that better quality sound than just watching it on a laptop or a tablet.” To read the full post, click here.

TV is a Key Player in The Future of Media Planning: The Television has been homes for over 60 years and it's still not time it out just yet. Thanks to the drastically changing ways we consume content these days, TV advertising is at a crossroads: advertisers are now planning integrated TV and online video advertising campaigns. Today, TV is one of the fastest-moving areas of advertising, with new campaigns aiming to capture the massive opportunity of linear TV, smart-TV, and online video viewers. Advertisers are looking for holistic campaigns that capitalize on the opportunities of engaging with consumers across multiple screens. To read the full post, click here.

10 Things You May Not Know about Binge Watching: Binge watching has become a new norm and the negative connotation of a "couch potato" is fading along with the term itself. The term came from Urban Dictionary and used to refer to watching a TV series on DVD in succession. Now the term has changed to include watching online on sites such as Netflix or Hulu for days on end. Earlier this year, Theresa Pepe, VP of Ad Sales Research at Nickelodeon, told us, "binge and TSV will continue having an impact on networks.  The overall time it takes to gauge a show or network’s performance no longer fits into a 3 or 7 day window." To read the full post, click here.

World Cup With a World Problem: Illegal Streaming: The 2014 World Cup started in the middle of June and ended on July 13th. This was to be a memorable World Cup not only for the play on the pitch but for the illegal streaming as well. It is estimated that 500,000 people watched the Russia vs. Belgium game illegally. While this number was high, the more important games had even more viewers. Even though there were legal live streams viewers still watched illegally. According to a poll by The Washington Post, one in five watchers went on "some shady website." To read the full post, click here.

Report: Mobile Technology is Transforming the Face of Creativity and Design: The New Creatives Report, a U.S. survey of more than 1,000 creative professionals and 500 students in creative disciplines, found that 77 percent of creatives believe change within the industry is happening rapidly, with two-thirds expecting their role will be significantly different within three years. Additionally, 87 percent of those who create mobile content believe doing so has had a positive impact on their work. “Creatives are going mobile, and this means a sea change for the creative process,” said David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Digital Media Business Unit at Adobe. To read the full post, click here.
Technology is Changing How We Understand the World:  Magnus Lindkvist, Trendspotter & Futurologist, discussed how technology is not only changing how we do things, but also how we understand the world, business, and people as well as the emerging space of marketing science. According to Lindkvist, technology is changing how we do things and how we understand the world, business, and people. It visualizes the fringes of society in a new way. Before, the mainstream was dominant by its strength in numbers, but in the ‘thoughtsphere’, a Minnesota flute tribe or Namibian upstart company can have the same perceived presence as a king or queen. To read the full post, click here.

Best Use of Social Media for Television: The finalists for the 2014 Shorty Awards are in and here's a look at the finalists in the Best Use of Social Media for Television. Candidates were chosen by examining the best TV Show Twitter accounts that share updates, behind the scenes videos, commentaries and even some insight to future episodes and connect and engage with their fans. We took a closer at the Finalists, how they use social media and their accomplishments. To read the full post, click here.

Social Television: How Social Media Changed The Way We Watch TV: Social media has revolutionized the way we watch television. In the past few years, social media and Internet usage around the world has skyrocketed. Despite initial fears from some professionals in the TV industry who wondered if social media and the web would drastically reduce the amount of time people might spend in front of their television screens, the television industry has actually been able to effectively adapt to meet the needs of today’s social-savvy viewers. In fact, more Americans—and more of the world—are now turning to their TVs to watch shows and programs that offer unique, socially integrated viewing experiences. To read the full post, click here.

HBO Research Director Tackles Cross-Platform Media Consumption: Jason Platt Zolov’s daily grind as market research director at HBO would probably overwhelm anyone who isn’t comfortable making sense out of uncertainty. But that’s the nature of media research today: Platt Zolov manages to deliver reliable insights under challenging market conditions using less than perfect source materials. In a recent interview, Platt Zolov discussed some of the obstacles he faces and how he’s addressing them. “Multi-platform usage is really one of our biggest issues,” Platt Zolov told us. To read the full post, click here.

DirecTV LatAm Audience Researcher Eyes Insights Partnerships: DirecTV Latin America Audience Research Director Luiz Duarte—credited with introducing set-top RPD as a syndicated product in 2010—is eyeballing insights partnerships with some big names. Duarte has made a name for himself as a savvy innovator in industry circles, notably by building commercially available ratings services at subscription viewing providers (ex. TiVo StopWatch). Now he’s looking to take the DTH digital giant’s data to the next level by collaborating with other sources, including less traditional media. “The Holy Grail of media data is the single-source panel,” Duarte told us. To read the full post, click here.


About the Author: Amanda Ciccatelli, Social Media Strategist of the Marketing Division at IIR USA, has a background in digital and print journalism, covering a variety of topics in business strategy, marketing, and technology. Amanda is the Editor at Large for several of IIR’s blogs including Next Big DesignCustomers 1stDigital Impact, STEAM Accelerator and ProjectWorld and World Congress for Business Analysts, and a regular contributor to Front End of Innovation and The Market Research Event,. She previously worked at Technology Marketing Corporation as a Web Editor where she covered breaking news and feature stories in the technology industry. She can be reached at aciccatelli@iirusa.com. Follow her at @AmandaCicc.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Mondelez International Reveals How to Measure ROI for Social Media Marketing

Twenty years ago, in the early days of cable, brands like the Food Network and the Discovery Channel were built, and they became iconic brands. They became very large businesses with huge consumer followings that have also been attractive to advertisers. What's different this time around is that by using new digital platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Apple, you are able to get global distribution and global monetization instantly."*

The use of digital platforms is no longer the way of the future, or something that's nice to have - it's how your consumers are engaging with different media brands. Earlier this year, at The Media Insights & Engagement Conference, we had Twitter's Global Ad Research Director Jeffrey Graham take the stage to showcase not only how PEOPLE use Twitter, but also how COMPANIES are using the platform to connect with users.

For 2015, we're taking social one step further with B. Bonin Bough, Vice President of Global Media and Consumer Engagement, Mondelez International. During his keynote, Measure ROI for Social Media Marketing, B. Bonin will help you truly understand the impact of social on your distribution strategies and how you can build even stronger, more meaningful connections with your consumers.

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference 2015
February 3-5, 2015 // The Westin San Diego // San Diego, CA

Plus, you'll also hear from Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, iHeartRadio Clear Channel, Revolt TV, Discovery Communications, A+E Networks, Viacom, NBCUniversal, ABC TV, Univision, CBS Corporation, Turner & more. Click here for the full speaker list: 

Download the agenda for full session details: http://bit.ly/1A5Eb4s

Introducing the REMI [Research Executive Media Insights] Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Media Industry! The Media Insights & Engagement Conference team would like to acknowledge an individual whose outstanding contributions, innovations, or leadership has impacted the way research has shaped the media industry and entertainment landscape. The REMI Award recipient will be announced during The Media Insights & Engagement Conference on February 3-5, 2015.

Submit your nomination by Friday, January 2nd and save 20% off the standard rates: http://svy.mk/1GkDjc5

Mention code MEDIA15LI and save 15% off the standard rate. Register today: http://bit.ly/1A5Eb4s

We hope to see you in San Diego this February, as we explore the new world of multi-platform, hyper-viewing in the post-disrupted media landscape.

Cheers, 
The Media Insights and Engagement Conference Team
@_MediaFusion
#MediaInsights15
digitalimpactblog.iirusa.com


* Quote by Steven Kydd, Co-Founder Tastemade from NBCUniversal's 2014 Curve Report

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

REVOLT Audience Insights & Strategy VP On Engagement in the Digital Media World

Next up, in The Media Insights Interview Series brought to you by The 2015 Media Insights & Engagement Conference, we were lucky enough to catch up with Jake Katz, VP, Audience Insights & Strategy at REVOLT. He shared with us some of his key insights into audience engagement strategy in the growing and evolving digital media landscape.

This year, The Media Insights & Engagement Conference gives you an up-close, contextual view on the changing media experience to create better engagement strategies informed by actual viewing behaviors. This event gives you an opportunity to explore the new world of multi-platform, hyper-viewing in the post-disrupted media landscape, advance new insights and create future partnerships. This event is playing host to companies with some of the highest purchasing power in the industry, many of which spend more than $2.5 billion annually on advertising.

IIR: What has been your most successful audience engagement strategy?

Katz: Make your consumers owners. In building a TV network from scratch, some of the biggest strategic challenges fall within understanding how a content brand lives and engages across screens and platforms. When launching this brand, REVOLT launched on Twitter almost a year prior to the channel actually going live on linear. We had a constant dialogue with our target audience on Twitter, that leading up to our linear launch, built advocacy. Many folks call our 15-29 target narcissistic, but what is often less celebrated in the press is that by asking for their input, the Millennial/Post-Millennial audience then has a shared responsibility of your success. That said, REVOLT was a top trending topic the first night it launched the actual network on TV.

IIR: How has the new 2-screen environment affected TV advertising?

Katz: Historically the TV business drives off of presenting itself as a reach vehicle within the advertising community. The reality of our target audience is that TV content continues to drive the pop culture conversation, but is watched across many different screens at many different times around its actual premiere. Our vision at REVOLT is that in a world where viewers value social media as much as they value traditional media, TV is where you spark "engagement" and when your content creates dialogue in social, digital is where you check the box of "reach" and "frequency." Multi-tasking media behaviors are an opportunity, not a dilemma.  

IIR: How do you synthesize data to make it more meaningful?

Katz: Given that our world now moves at the speed of social media, no matter what category you play in, we are now in the business of understanding "why" not "what." By the time you have identified "what," it is too late. Consumers are super-served, if not overwhelmed with messaging and content, so marketers must understand how they can tap into relevance subconsciously but project a POV in their positioning. This means my job as a strategist is not to inform what the audience wants through a series of PPT charts, but study in to and strategize around the psyche, motivations, and drivers of the culture + conversation we are seeking permission to enter.

IIR: What does the always-on shopping trend mean for your business?

Katz: It used to be that you would engage a target a consumer a certain number of times so that when they were in purchase-mode, your offering would be top of mind. The rise of online shopping has made it so that now your target consumer is always in purchase mode, and furthermore, expects a shorter distance between discovery and purchase. The always-on shopping trend means that our ad-partners must message to our target audience as if they are in research mode, subtly prompting them to continue the journey of consumer curiosity online. 

IIR: Can you tell us a little bit about what to expect at your session, “Post-disruption, the New, New Media Landscape: How to Do it”?

Katz: To launch and build a TV network for 15-29s in 2014, I cut to the truth of the Millennial conversation and uncovered actionable new rules of consumer engagement through our insights initiative, Road to Truth. As we kick off 2015, I have just launched our next insights project called Code of Content. Why? Because the evolving media landscape demands more than just traditional media placements, and as a result, compelling content marketing is king when it comes to engaging the Millennial audience.

If "the medium is the message," we need to understand how brands live in a world of many screens and platforms – not just for our brand, but to answer questions throughout the industry and across categories. Through Code of Content's expert interviews, surveys, and ongoing mobile 
ethnographies, we are decoding these four Ms of content marketing:

1.       Motivation: Underlying emotional and functional content needs among 15-29s
2.       Medium: Pushing culture through the lens of various distribution platforms (e.g. TV, social media, digital, apps)
3.       Mode: Content format (e.g. A tweet, pic, gif, video clip, episode)
4.       Message: Content purpose, tone, and characteristics

Want to hear more from Jake? Don’t’ miss his session, “Post-Disruption, The New, New Media Landscape: How To Do It” at The Media Insights & Engagement Conference at 10:00 am on Thursday, February 5, 2015. To learn more about this event or to register, please visit our website:  http://bit.ly/1z7uPDS


About the Author: Amanda Ciccatelli, Social Media Strategist of the Marketing Division at IIR USA, has a background in digital and print journalism, covering a variety of topics in business strategy, marketing, and technology. Amanda is the Editor at Large for several of IIR’s blogs including Next Big DesignCustomers 1stDigital Impact, STEAM Accelerator and ProjectWorld and World Congress for Business Analysts, and a regular contributor to Front End of Innovation and The Market Research Event,. She previously worked at Technology Marketing Corporation as a Web Editor where she covered breaking news and feature stories in the technology industry. She can be reached at aciccatelli@iirusa.com. Follow her at @AmandaCicc.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

TV is a Key Player in The Future of Media Planning

The Television has been homes for over 60 years and it's still not time it out just yet. Thanks to the drastically changing ways we consume content these days, TV advertising is at a crossroads: advertisers are now planning integrated TV and online video advertising campaigns.

Today, TV is one of the fastest-moving areas of advertising, with new campaigns aiming to capture the massive opportunity of linear TV, smart-TV, and online video viewers. Advertisers are looking for holistic campaigns that capitalize on the opportunities of engaging with consumers across multiple screens.


According to Videology's head of global TV strategies, Rhys McLachlan, consumers are there, the data is there, online video has matured as an advertising media, and the foundations for a TV market have been established. He shared with Media Tel some key points that advertisers should know when creating integrating TV ad campaigns.

Consumer habits have changed TV. While conventional TV is still a powerful medium, it is becoming more supplemented by all manner of consumption across a multitude of devices. The majority of viewing experiences are delivered to the consumer over IP, and this means the advertising route to viewers is more sophisticated, dynamic, and trackable.

There is data to create opportunities. Data enables the delivery of the right content at the right time to the right audience. By combining online with TV viewing data, it is possible to create single-source/multi-screen metrics – giving advertisers the statistical and behavioral information they need to deliver campaigns that incorporate TV and are optimized by online.


TV is the future. These are early days for addressable TV as a key element of the media-landscape, but this as a huge opportunity. By making use of data and bolstering that with platform data from the online video space, advertisers can plan their TV buying based on the audience that's watching a show. 

Thursday, November 20, 2014

GfK’s SVP of Media & Entertainment On How Viewing Devices and Services Impact Audience Measurement

In the first of The Media Insights Interview Series brought to you by The 2015 Media Insights & Engagement Conference, I caught up with David Tice, senior vice president, Media and Entertainment at GfK Custom Research, to discuss how the explosion of devices and services for viewing is impacting audience measurement.

This year, The Media Insights & Engagement Conference gives you an up-close, contextual view on the changing media experience to create better engagement strategies informed by actual viewing behaviors. This event gives you an opportunity to explore the new world of multi-platform, hyper-viewing in the post-disrupted media landscape, advance new insights and create future partnerships. This event is playing host to companies with some of the highest purchasing power in the industry, many of which spend more than $2.5 billion annually on advertising.

According to Tice, the two screen environment has made it easier for people to see an advertisement on TV and then go onto their smartphone or tablet and visit the website if they are interested. And, this in turn, has been really helpful to advertisers.


“People’s use of television is, whether it’s younger or older folks, hasn’t changed a lot. What’s changing is the source of what they are watching,” he said. ‘In the past it was your broadcast or cable networks, now people are using their TV sets to watch Netflix, Amazon or Hulu, because they want to use that bigger screen, that better quality sound than just watching it on a laptop or a tablet.”

Tice explained that in Gfk’s tracking research, each year they have seen that more digital viewers are using a TV set than are using computers.

Check out my full podcast interview with Tice below:


Want to hear more from David Tice? Don’t’ miss his session, “Insights into the effects of internet technology and video platform proliferation on viewing behaviors” at The Media Insights & Engagement Conference at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, February 4, 2015. To learn more about this event or to register, please visit our website: http://bit.ly/1xS9zS0

About the Author: Amanda Ciccatelli, Social Media Strategist of the Marketing Division at IIR USA, has a background in digital and print journalism, covering a variety of topics in business strategy, marketing, and technology. Amanda is the Editor at Large for several of IIR’s blogs including Next Big DesignCustomers 1stDigital Impact, STEAM Accelerator and ProjectWorld and World Congress for Business Analysts, and a regular contributor to Front End of Innovation and The Market Research Event,. She previously worked at Technology Marketing Corporation as a Web Editor where she covered breaking news and feature stories in the technology industry. She can be reached at aciccatelli@iirusa.com. Follow her at @AmandaCicc.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Insights on Diversity in America from US Census Bureau, Univision, TV One & HBO Latin America

Earlier this year, the U.S. Census Bureau projected that "by 2042, so-called racial minority groups will make up the majority of the U.S. population."

New technologies and viewing behaviors are not the only things that media professionals have to worry about - the new challenge is connecting with an ethnically diverse audience. What are you doing to better understand this "new America" and engage with them on a deeper level?

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference has brought together research leaders from ethnic networks (including MNet America, TV One and Univision) to discuss The Changing Face of America with the U.S. Census Bureau's Data Dissemination Specialist, Marilyn Stephens. This keynote and panel discussion will present an overview of ethnic population growth and their incredible spending power, as well as viewership, media consumption and more.

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference 2015
February 3-5, 2015 // The Westin San Diego // San Diego, CA
Download the conference brochure for full details: http://bit.ly/1v9uOR7

Plus, you'll also hear from HBO Latin America on:

Decoding the Entertainment Landscape in Latin America Across Generations
In order to understand the evolution and current state of the Latin American Media Consumer, HBO Latin America conducted an audience segmentation study to uncover the consumption habits and traits that define today's generations. By uncovering these specific segments, HBO can more specifically target their heavy consumers, loyal viewers and potential subscribers. Find out what Luis Duarte, Audience Research Director, DirecTV Latin America (and Media Insights 2014 speaker) is looking for in partnerships: http://bit.ly/1BpdQ49

 For the full session description, download the conference brochure: http://bit.ly/1v9uOR7

Join us in San Diego and gain the insights you need to understand and engage with the Changing Face of America. Register by Friday & save $600: http://bit.ly/1v9uOR7

Cheers,

The Media Insights and Engagement Conference Team
@_MediaFusion
#MediaInsights15

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

How Social Media is Becoming More Focused on Visuals

How many Snapchats have you sent within the last hour? When was the last time you chatted on the phone or saw the recipient in person? Snapchat is quickly becoming the new means for communication as the enticing image based, concise text focused, app allows users to conveniently keep in touch. While traditional advertising via TV, billboard, and radio are ongoing, advertising through a platform where users have chosen to accept ads and want to see them can bring effectiveness to another level. Consumers barely look up from their phones when walking the streets… or even driving, for that matter. What are they looking at? Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook- apps that require minimal mental engagement yet provide short and fast entertainment while walking down the street.

With about one in three millennials currently using the platform, it only makes sense for brands to step in and capitalize on the situation. Unique and eye-capturing content is the only route to take when trying to engage with consumers via the time constricting app. Snapchat allows marketers to connect with fans in a simple yet memorable way with the advantage of prompting impulse purchases due to the fact that the message will quickly vanish!

 Photo credit: LA Times.Business

From “snapping” coupons to consumers to offering sneak-peaks, this type of marketing is on the rise and will only continue to grow as these real-time, image-based apps emerge. Now lies a great opportunity to step in and start a trend of connecting with consumers before it too becomes commonplace.

Furthermore, Instagram has also become a great source for advertising. There is so much that can be captured in an image and distributed to “followers” that allow this platform to take giant strides in a marketing sense.

In choosing to “follow” a certain brand, the user commits to seeing all image posts that brand populates. In the consumer’s eye, the brand must narrow down their single post to the best, most memorable and action inducing image and/or saying to capture the attention of the user. In doing so, the consumer is no longer bombarded by continuous and exhausting ads as that ended up in “un-liking” a brand’s Facebook page in the past. Instagram creates a visually appealing platform for consumers to glance down at and connect to while on-the go.

Gain a competitive advantage by seeing who your followers follow. What other companies are they following? What are they posting? Any potential partnerships? How will you incorporate these ever-growing trends into your marketing plan?

Janel Parker, Market Research Consultant at SKIM, an international consultancy and marketing research agency, has a background in Marketing and Psychology from Cornell University. Her previous experience at a social media agency combined with her knowledge from SKIM provide for a unique understanding of the relationships between social media and marketing. She can be reached at j.parker@skimgroup.com.


Friday, October 31, 2014

Call for Submissions Now Open: The Media Insights & Engagement Case Study Competition

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference announces a call for submissions for the Case Study Competition.

At the first annual Case Study Competition & Awards, three jury selected finalists will present innovative, results-driven methodologies and applications from field-tested research. Based on a combination of jury and audience votes, the winning case study will be announced before the end of the conference. The Case Study Competition is open to all marketing insights, intelligence and research analysts, managers, directors, vice presidents, suppliers and consultants.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 5, 2014. For complete information, including submission details, judging criteria and entry form, please click here: http://bit.ly/1pY6yKj

We encourage you to pass this announcement to any individuals or groups who you feel would be potential candidates for this competition.
To learn more about The Media Insights & Engagement Conference, visit our website: http://bit.ly/1zJ8bVC

Best regards,

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference Team
@-MediaFusion
#MediaInsights15
Digitalimpactblog.iirusa.com


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Desktop to Wrist Watch Surveys: The Future of Market Research

When was the last time you recall sitting at your computer with leisure time to Web search as you please? Between commuting, longer days at work, squeezing in that workout, and finally eating, it is becoming very uncommon for one to find time to sit down at a computer and search the Internet. Minimal leisure Internet time therefore makes reaching potential online survey panelists even more tough to reach.

How is this impacting the data collected from online market research? For traditional online surveys, it seems it is becoming harder and harder to reach preferred data numbers let alone certain target groups. Where does this lead us to and how can we overcome this obstacle?

The most obvious and trending answer brings us to mobile. Allowing users to take abbreviated, reformatted surveys via mobile device is one way to increase sample size and reach what was traditionally called the “general population.” Making the survey-taking experience simplified, convenient, and ready for today’s constant on-the-go consumers will drastically change the current problem of unreachable respondents. In addition to reaching more consumers, mobile has numerous advantages over traditional desktop online surveys. Take, for instance, geolocation capabilities which allow for tailoring of surveys according to the respondent’s location. Or in-store research, allowing customers to actually be in store making tradeoffs and purchases to evaluate choices in the environment we try to replicate online. Qualitative research can be enhanced with mobile devices, allowing respondents to video their shopping experience and take images.


Similarly, smart eyewear has recently come into play within the market research realm. Allowing for even more consumer behavior analysis, this technology will play a large roll in qualitative research in the years to come. Voice capabilities, eye-tracking, geolocation, you name it- these weapons of market research will change the industry!

Both of these alternatives have been discovered and are currently being explored for use. What options could 2015 bring? I believe the visual options have advanced far enough and we now must turn to understanding consumer behavior from a psychological standpoint. How can we measure what consumers really are thinking and understand this down to a neurological level. How does this then interplay with rational vs. emotional decision making models and how can we use this to influence consumers? Will the next generation eyewear include on the fly brain scans? Will the smart watch measure circulating neurotransmitters and predict choice behavior?

Changing times come with changing measures. To remain relevant we must approach this development with open arms and continue to keep looking forward!


Janel Parker, Market Research Consultant at SKIM, an international consultancy and marketing research agency, has a background in Marketing and Psychology from Cornell University. Her previous experience at a social media agency combined with her knowledge from SKIM provide for a unique understanding of the relationships between social media and marketing. She can be reached at j.parker@skimgroup.com.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Can You Think Like Google and Amazon?

What would Google or Amazon do if they purchased your company?  What would happen if they entered your industry?

We are proud to Introduce DISRUPT, a unique one day strategy accelerator,  taking place on December 3rd, 2014 in Chicago, at the offices of Leo Burnett.

DISRUPT brings together executives across disciplines to uncover the major forces impacting the B2C world. Our intelligence lead Dr. Hitendra Patel in combination with our expert industry facilitators will help you create a future action plan to adapt to industry disruptors, and ensuring your business remains relevant, by rethinking your current business model and unveiling areas for growth. 

Visit the website for more information: http://bit.ly/1pUkAMU

This Strategy Accelerator will help you:
  • Learn how to apply powerful techniques of disruption to help your business stay at the leading edge
  • Uncover how these strategies work and, more importantly, what tactics you need to employ to achieve strategic disruption
  • Leave with an action plan tailored to your business that will help you lead your company through creative disruption into competitive advantage.


View the full agenda here: http://bit.ly/1pUkAMU

Meet your Intelligence Lead:

Dr. Hitendra Patel
Managing Director, IXL Center
Chairman of the Innovation and Growth Program, Hult International Business School

Dr. Patel has helped over 50 global companies and their executive teams build innovation capabilities and get innovation results. He has helped drive innovation transformation initiatives at companies like Johnson Controls, Hewlett Packard, LG, Alibaba.com, CEMEX, Cadbury, Verizon, and P&G. He understands how to make innovation real from the top-down and bottom-up in complex and large organizations. Read his full bio here: http://bit.ly/1oQ2vEU

Join us as we prepare you for the future of your business.

Cheers,
The DISRUPT Team

#DisruptThinking

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Adapt & Thrive in the New Age of Media with Insights from CBS, Clear Channel, Viacom, Yahoo! & more

If you really want to know what's going on in media, without embellishment or hype, David Poltrack is the guy. At The 2014 Media Insights & Engagement Conference CBS's Chief Research Officer broke down the current state of TV.

Poltrack reminded us that once upon a time TV programming was limited to only about half of the day, during a significant chunk of which a lot of people were at work with no desktop computers or devices. The rest was dead air. Programming is now available 24/7, anywhere. "Ten years ago, it was adapt to survive," said Poltrack. "Now we're in adapt-and-thrive mode." Click here for a summary of David's presentation.

Join us in February as we further explore the New Tipping Point of Entertainment Media. Jeffrey Cole, Center for the Future & Research Professor, USC Annenberg School for Communication will focus on television's shift to digital, and how broadcast and cable will change as channels go over the top, content trumps everything and the consumer is in complete control. Download the brochure for details: http://bit.ly/1sKjZAI

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference doesn't only cover television, we cover all the changes taking place within the industry overall. Featured sessions include: 

  • The New Age in Mobile Music Consumption - Radha Subramanyam, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing Research, Clear Channel Media + Entertainment
  • Bruce Friend, President, Global Media & Entertainment, Vision Critical
  • Viral Video Hits: The Why, The How & What Established Networks Can Do About It - Shari Cleary, VP Digital Research, Viacom, Kimberly Maxwell, Senior Director Strategic Insights Research, Viacom
  • Consumer Behavior & Consumption Across Media: The Digital State of Play - Tony Marlow, Head of Category Insights, Yahoo!
  • The New Habit of Always-On Shopping - Christian Kiugel, VP, Consumer Analytics & Research, AOL
  • And much, much more!


Download the conference brochure for the full agenda and session descriptions: http://bit.ly/1sKjZAI

Join us in February as we embrace the new multi-platform media landscape. Register today using code MEDIA14BL for a $100 off discount. http://bit.ly/1sKjZAI

Cheers,
The Media Insights and Engagement Team
@_MediaFusion

#MediaInsights15

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Spotify Looks Inside Data & Music Intelligence for Insights

New Spotify blog is the music streaming service’s solution to personalized discovery

Attention music lovers and market researchers alike: Spotify has created a The Spotify Insights Blog that will use consumer data to highlight how the world is listening to music.  The music blog will feature articles about music and how people experience it - pulling from the company's own listening data and music intelligence from The Echo Nest, the technology company Spotify bought in March that powers Web radio, recommendations, and playlists.

According to Eliot van Buskirk, Spotify's ‘Data Storyteller’ who runs the new blog, there will be several articles published each week about the way music has changed over time.  "It will create new ways for people to listen," Buskirk told CNET in a recent interview. "It can be daunting when there is so much music out there."



Working with the company's analysts on these musically-driven scientific experiments, Van Buskirk said his intent is to keep telling these stories, releasing these fascinating maps, info-graphics, articles, more lengthy than a regular company blog. It's a way to get these stories to anyone who's curious, including music fans, fans of data trivia, and journalists. 

“Most companies don't open their inner data stores to the outside,” he explained. “We want to turn it into these clear-cut nuggets of, hopefully, entertainment that's definitely scientifically driven.”
With streaming music services like Spotify growing more popular every day, their catalogs of millions of songs have solved one problem for consumers: access to nearly all the music in the world without breaking the bank. But, have also created another problem: with all that music at customers' fingertips, how do they find the songs they like but don't yet know? Spotify is solving this personalization conflict, along with video compatriots like Netflix and YouTube.

"A lot of the time we don't know what we're going to find until we start looking," said Buskirk. "The idea is to be rigorous with the data and expose our methodology, being as scientific as we can and telling as many reality-based stories as we can."


About the Author: Amanda Ciccatelli, Social Media Strategist of the Marketing Division at IIR USA, has a background in digital and print journalism, covering a variety of topics in business strategy, marketing, and technology. Amanda is the Editor at Large for several of IIR’s blogs including Next Big DesignCustomers 1stDigital Impact, STEAM Accelerator and ProjectWorld and World Congress for Business Analysts, and a regular contributor to Front End of Innovation and The Market Research Event,. She previously worked at Technology Marketing Corporation as a Web Editor where she covered breaking news and feature stories in the technology industry. She can be reached at aciccatelli@iirusa.com. Follow her at @AmandaCicc.  

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Get to Know Your Audience Better with Facebook’s New Insights Tool

Marketers, you’re in luck! Facebook recently launched its Audience Insights tool for advertisers, which was designed to help marketers learn more about their target audiences, according to the social network.  The company stated in a news release, “The more customer insights you have, the better you’re equipped to deliver meaningful messages to people.”

Today, social media allows marketers to reach consumers in a unique, untraditional environment where they are deeply engaged and constantly generating meaningful conversations. There is a huge opportunity in making sense of the social data created by the billions of users who broadcast their interests and opinions across social media channels like Facebook.


Not to be confused with Page Insights, Audience Insights is different because it looks at trends about current or potential customers across Facebook, whereas Page Insights looks at the interactions with your Page (likes, comments and shares). Some ways Audience Insights can help marketers learn about their audiences include: understanding what demographic traits index highest for page audience vs. the entire Facebook population;  identifying the pages liked most often by the audience that has liked the page and; viewing the Personicx lifestyle categories that index highest for brand page audience.

According to a recent post on InsideFacebook by Grant Parker, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at 4C, Facebook Audience Insights has begun rolling out within Ads Manager for all U.S. marketers, with global access coming in a few months.  


About the Author: Amanda Ciccatelli, Social Media Strategist of the Marketing Division at IIR USA, has a background in digital and print journalism, covering a variety of topics in business strategy, marketing, and technology. Amanda is the Editor at Large for several of IIR’s blogs including Next Big DesignCustomers 1stDigital Impact, STEAM Accelerator and ProjectWorld and World Congress for Business Analysts, and a regular contributor to Front End of Innovation and The Market Research Event,. She previously worked at Technology Marketing Corporation as a Web Editor where she covered breaking news and feature stories in the technology industry. She can be reached at aciccatelli@iirusa.com. Follow her at @AmandaCicc.   

Monday, September 15, 2014

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference Brochure Now Available

"This conference hit the rare trifecta of top quality attendees, inspiring speakers and great organization. Looking forward to the 2015 event." - Tom Ziangas, SVP Research, AMC Networks

Tom’s not the only one looking forward to the 2015 event, we’re excited to be able to present you with your first look at The Media Insights & Engagement Conference brochure. Download the agenda now: http://bit.ly/1sbalEc

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference is the industry’s must attend event for next generation research & engagement strategies helping you overcome challenges and decipher the future of media. Featuring best practices and lessons learned from ESPN, ABC TV, Netflix, NBCUniversal, Revolt TV, AOL, Yahoo!, Warner Brothers, GroupM, HBO Latin America, AMC Networks, Aereo, Viacom, Clear Channel, Google, Discovery Communications, Turner Broadcasting, Univision & more. 

Download the brochure for the full speaker line up:  http://bit.ly/1sbalEc

The Media Insights & Engagement Conference 2015
February 3-5, 2015 // The Westin San Diego // San Diego, CA



What’s New for 2015?

The State of the Industry: Deciphering the Future Keynote Panel hosted by David Poltrack, Chief Research Officer, CBS Corporation, Howard Shimmel, Chief Research Officer, Turner Broadcasting & Liz Huszarik, EVP, Media Research & Insight, Warner Bros

A Call to Action for Millennials: Boost Your Skill Building and Professional Development Master Class facilitated by Tom Ziangas, SVP Research, AMC Networks and Jess Aguirre, SVP Research & Media Planning, Crown Media Family Networks

Rising Stars vs Experienced Leaders Interactive Session, giving an inside look at the power of both rising stars and experienced researchers as they try to tackle the issues the industry faces today.

Uncover the Changing Face of America and what it means for your viewership with insights from Marilyn Stephens, Data Dissemination Specialist, Media Lead, US Census Bureau, Julie Zwissler, SVP, Marketing & Partnerships, MNet America, Stephanie Yates, VP, Research, TV One and Michele Meyer, VP, Network Research, Univision

The Media Insights & Engagement Case Study Competition & Awards. Submit your innovative, results-driven research methodologies and applications to be reviewed by our judges. Winners will be announced at the event!

And much, much more!

Download the conference brochure for the complete program: http://bit.ly/1sbalEc

Join us in February to explore the new world of multi-platform, hyper-viewing in the post-disrupted media landscape to accelerate new insights and create future partnerships.

We hope to see you there!

Mention code MEDIA15LI and save 15% off the standard rate. Register today: http://bit.ly/1tXjYsp

All the Best,

The Media Insights and Engagement Conference Team
@_MediaFusion
#MediaInsights15


Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Call for Guest Bloggers: FEI Toronto & Consumer Insights Canada 2014

The team here is looking for 2-3 volunteer guest bloggers to write about their experiences onsite at the upcoming FEI Toronto event taking place September 29 - October 1, 2014, at the The Ritz-Carlton in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Our theme this year is Accelerating Systemic Innovation Growth: From Ideation to Execution.

The Front End of Innovation (FEI) is a global event brand that has become the annual meeting place of the most seasoned innovators across the globe dedicated to advancing, celebrating and championing innovation.

Scholars, bloggers, practitioners and graduate students are invited to apply to become our official event scribes and publish their unbiased recaps/takeaways for the rest of the innovation community as we make our way through the conference's comprehensive 3-day agenda.

Free Pass to FEI Toronto & Consumer Insights Canada

In exchange for helping us live blog the event and providing online coverage, you will receive a complimentary all-access pass to the Front End of Innovation Toronto 2014, as well as access to our new concurrent, colocated event, Consumer Insights Canada: A 3-day experience focused on the power of insights in motivating smarter decision making - understanding what drives consumer behavior using new, innovative research  methodologies to connect with consumers in a meaningful and impactful way.

How to Apply

Apply today by sending your name, title, company, short biography and links to your blog or writing samples, along with a few sentences about why we should choose you to be our 2014 Guest Blogger to vrusso@iirusa.com.

We will review your submission and contact the chosen Guest Bloggers directly with more details.

* Guest Bloggers are responsible for their own travel and lodging.

* If you are a consultant or a solution/technology provider, please see contact details below for sponsorship/exhibit opportunities: Contact Liz Hinkis, Business Development Manager at 646.616.7627 or ehinkis@iirusa.com.


Thursday, September 4, 2014

A 21st Century Monk: The Secret Weapon Behind the Success of Google, Facebook, PepsiCo, and Eli Lilly

The future of a successful organization calls for leaders to instill wellbeing into the heart of how they lead.  Join Gregory Burdulis, a 21st century MONK, at the Foresight and Trends conference , as he discusses emerging cultural pressures pushing mindfulness to the tipping point in society and business. Greg brings his learnings from the monastery to companies such as Google, Facebook, PepsiCo, Eli Lilly and for the first time FT'14!  Wellbeing spans across industries and roles. Its effects on productivity, product line, innovation, leadership, growth and brand health are linked to sustainability and profitability. Explore how foresight around wellbeing can create a positive change that will drive the bottom line. 
Foresight & Trends 2014
November 11-13
SLS Hotel
Los Angeles, CA

Learn the secrets to cultivating a healthier, more engaged workforce, and social  innovations that help consumers, citizens, and your business flourish from these leading speakers:

Why 2020's Strongest Brands & Companies Are Already Using Wellbeing As a Core Strategy
Tom LaForge, Global Director, Human & Cultural Insights, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
Renee Moorefield, PhD, CEO, WISDOM WORKS GROUP
This session shares a framework of leadership practices that help leaders integrate wellbeing into everything they do. It will highlight The Coca-Cola Company's multi-year strategy to make wellbeing a leadership priority - inside and out - and show why and how companies are incorporating wellbeing in brands, relationships with communities, business partnerships and workplaces. Participants of this session will also gain new insights about the enablers and challenges to building the kind of leadership talent that values wellbeing as an essential part of performance and a deeper purpose for leading.

We promise this video will put a smile on your face: http://bit.ly/YbNxx2

We Are Treating the Symptoms and Not the Disease
Doug Stover, Senior Managing Consultant, GALLUP
Research tells us that people who score higher in wellbeing perform better on the job and have lower healthcare costs - two vital factors to executives, community leaders, and of course, to all of us as individuals. But, very few Americans across the country are achieving a high level of wellbeing. While many employers report offering solutions to curtail unhealthy behaviors, a vast majority of employees see their job as a detriment to their overall wellbeing. Are your investments treating the symptoms or the disease?

The Power of Purpose
Mark Demich, VP Leadership Development, HYATT HOTELS
This session will focus on how purpose can drive everything from operations to branding to HR. Hyatt is focused on aligning (and in some cases) designing itself around its "Higher Purpose." Examples and discussion will center on how "Higher Purpose" can drive choices and changes within operations, brands, marketing, corporate social responsibility and HR.

And, many more! Download the brochure for full conference details: http://bit.ly/1uBQz7H

Mention code FT14BL & Save 15% off the standard rate. Register today: http://bit.ly/1u3jqDB

What can you expect at Foresight and Trends? Emerge yourself in an experience unlike any other, you will uncover latent trends and synthesize that information so you can challenge the status quo and ensure commercial success. 

For a taste of last year's memorable FT experience, check out the Foresight & Trends YouTube Channel here: http://bit.ly/XhXet8 

Cheers,
Foresight & Trends Team
@future_trends
#FT14
www.tumblr.com/blog/worldfuturetrends