Author: Vitalija Narstyte

CASUAL DINING SECTOR: DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABILITY?

Vitalija Narstyte Uncategorized
CASUAL DINING SECTOR: DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABILITY?

CASUAL DINING SECTOR: DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABILITY?

CHALLENGE

In a crowded marketplace, our client identified the need for a foundational understanding of the casual dining market, with a specific focus on sustainability, in order to stand out and attract new customers (whilst not alienating a loyal customer base).

A core objective of the research was to understand whether there was a consumer demand for sustainable dining and, if so, how this should be communicated to diners. Does sustainability impact diners’ decisions on where to eat on a rational or emotional level? Are diners willing to pay more for a sustainable dining experience?

There was a clear need for further evidence before any commercial decisions or changes were made.

ACTION

We built a research programme focusing on the stakeholders which mattered most to our client and where there was the greatest potential for a positive change – their customers.

A large, robust study was conducted to profile the casual dining market and understand the emotional and rational motivations and drivers of dining decisions. Did this include sustainability?

Alongside this, we conducted a number of qualitative, face to face interviews with diners at our client’s restaurants to understand the ‘why’ behind these motivations.

OUTCOME

With the client’s objective to understand the impact of sustainability on dining decisions, we delivered insight on where sustainability sat alongside other emotional and rational drivers.

We provided clear, tangible direction and prioritised ideas on how our client could incorporate sustainability into their future operations and strategy, giving them a point of differentiation from competitors, without distracting from their core offer.

THE SAY DO SUSTAINABILITY STUDY

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THE SAY DO SUSTAINABILITY STUDY

THE SAY DO SUSTAINABILITY STUDY

CHALLENGE

Business leaders face ever-increasing pressure to reduce the environmental impact of their activities, but many brands are failing to incorporate sustainability as a pillar of their customer proposition.  This might be due to:

  • Lack of evidence for the business benefit reinforced by outdated views as to the importance of sustainability
  • Conflicting signals around the level of consumer demand for sustainability. Depending on who you listen to sustainability is either the most important criteria for consumers nowadays or a “nice to have”, easily cast aside in favour of a cheaper price or more convenient offer
  • BAU/other business priorities get in the way – there is a perceived conflict between what we want to achieve with our business/brand and what we have to do in order to be sustainable

A key factor that can help motivate change towards more sustainable business decisions is evidence – robust, relevant and actionable insight.

ACTION

We partnered with our sister company, Say Do, to conduct The Say Do Sustainability Study (SDSS).

SDSS was an online, quantitative survey amongst 5000 ABC consumers in the UK.

It covered individual consumer perceptions of, attitudes towards and actions around sustainability, with specific drill downs into casual dining, tourism, personal mobility, home energy and outdoor clothing.

We followed up the quantitative research with online qualitative zoom interviews, talking to a mix of consumers about their personal stories when it comes to leading a more sustainable life.

OUTCOME

The research provides the evidence base that proves there is an opportunity to make sustainability a pillar of a business’ customer proposition and that there is a commercial advantage in doing so. In addition, it acts as a tool to inspire and guide action for more positive and responsible decision making.

Almost all of this target audience believe that they can and should be doing more to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

We identified 5 customer segments, based on sustainability attitudes and behaviour.  Brands that tap into and target these segments stand to benefit from unlocking the latent demand for more sustainable products and services.

The research identifies clear barriers across each of the segments and how companies can motivate consumers to value and prioritise sustainability, optimising the commercial opportunity and gaining competitive advantage.

Video edits from the qualitative element help bring the customers to life and we can hear how they face the sustainability challenges in their own words.

Listen to a Well Informed Enthusiast.

Find out more about the everyday challenges that get in the way of being more sustainable.

 

PEOPLE

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PEOPLE

We work with our clients to understand all stakeholder groups, enabling change that results in responsible business practice

We know that to make a business truly sustainable, our research must include and benefit all key stakeholder groups and the wider community. This is why we talk to everyone, from the people that make up your supply chain to your customers and prospects. Whether it’s deep dive internal management interviews or global online customer surveys, we make every contact point count.

PLANET

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PLANET

All our research supports sustainability strategies, whatever the brief

We know that market research has little long-term value for our clients without sustainability at its centre. We review each brief to assess how the research can be designed and executed to deliver to the project objectives and simultaneously have a positive social or environmental impact. Understanding your sustainability targets will enable us to ensure your project is aligned with them and accelerate your progress towards them.

PROFIT

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PROFIT

Our insights unlock the value in synergy between profit and planet

To be a force for good, businesses must be commercially, as well as environmentally, sustainable: they need to strive for competitive advantage and growth at the same time as benefitting people and planet.

Our research proves that stakeholders across the board are becoming more environmentally savvy and socially responsible and that businesses have an opportunity to leverage this heightened awareness for both commercial gain and planet positive change. We aim for the sweet spot that identifies insights that support the alignment of environmental, ethical and commercial targets.

PARTNERSHIP

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PARTNERSHIP

Our collaborative approach ensures clients get the most out of our research

We will work in partnership with you, rather than for you, so that we get to know your business from inside out and earn your trust. We pride ourselves on building enduring relationships with our clients based on honesty, transparency and integrity. This approach not only ensures our research is rigorously tailored to your specific needs and stakeholder types but also gives everyone in the partnership peace of mind.

We believe passionately that the benefits of market research should not be limited to commercial organisations. This is why we are partnering with Pilotlight (https://www.pilotlight.org.uk/ ) to make our expertise available to UK charities who might otherwise not be able to afford it.

JAGUAR LAND ROVER – BRAND HEALTH TRACKING

Vitalija Narstyte Uncategorized

 

WE CREATED THIS FILM FOR OUR CLIENT IN 2018 TO HELP SHOWCASE THE ROLE, IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT OF BRAND HEALTH WITHIN THE BUSINESS

CHALLENGE

When JLR first approached us in 2009, they had been conducting brand tracking research for decades with a well-known research agency. This traditional approach wasn’t delivering the insight they wanted to drive commercial growth, and they were looking for a more effective alternative.

ACTION

From the outset, we focused on the deceptively simple question, “How does this brand make you feel?”

Our Thoughtscape approach puts the consumer centre-stage. Instead of only measuring what the client wants to know, our brand positioning research allows us to assess what drives buyer behaviour. We’re constantly searching for the small truths that will help give our client a competitive advantage.

Initially, we focused on five key markets but this has expanded to over 25, across five continents. We transform the data into powerful insight using Thoughtstring, our unique language coding technique.

With these sophisticated tools at our disposal, we’ve become expert at revealing the signals hidden in the noise. Using bespoke technology, we manipulate the data in real time and integrate results with other studies to help us see the bigger picture. Working with JLR’s Customer Insight team, we deliver results which work for everyone from local marketing managers to global executives.

OUTCOME

Our insights have guided JLR through the last nine years of growth. For Jaguar, this has covered the introduction of XE and F-PACE, the development of the British Villains campaign, and the launch of extended warranties in USA.

For Land Rover, our insights have guided them through an equally successful period with the launch of Evoque, the revitalisation of Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, and the introduction of the Discovery Sport.

CREATING OUR CYBORG

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) are constantly exploring new ways to gather customer insight. Combined with a tightening of belts in recent years this has meant an ever-increasing need to assess the value for money of insight spend. Consequently, JLR wanted to explore the viability of reducing the high cost associated with its emotional brand tracking inputs. So, four years ago, MM Eye began a journey to create a more efficient solution – could an AI solution take on the heavy lifting done by human coders – could it be done, could the level of detail needed be retained and could the existing high precision & quality be matched?

The journey started by reviewing off the shelf products & ended with development of a new, bespoke & transferable ‘Cyborg’ system (a human-machine pairing). JLR’s emotional inputs have never looked so good!

Watch our video presentation from the recent Market Research Society AI | Data | Analytics Virtual Summit where we, together with our client JLR, take you through the process.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR MM-EYE

Vitalija Narstyte Knowledge
A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR MM-EYE

A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR MM-EYE

Following a management buyout in June 2020, the MM-Eye business is now stronger than ever. Long term client relationships and a highly skilled, loyal team have seen MM-Eye through the turmoil of Covid, and ongoing client commitment means we are positioned strongly for future stability and growth.

We have taken time to review and challenge what we do. We believe MM-Eye can and should be a business that can help clients and wider stakeholder groups deliver positive change.

As a start we are working to achieve B Corp certification in 2023. This will involve a complete review of our internal and external commitment to social and environmental sustainability and a proactive stance to working as a force for good. We are engaging with internal and external stakeholders to understand how we can work together to deliver positive change for people, planet and profit.

For clients we want to ensure that our market research has genuine long-term value for both their business and the wider community. We will review each brief to assess how the research can be designed and executed to deliver to the project objectives and simultaneously have a positive social or environmental impact. We aim for the sweet spot that identifies insights that support the alignment of environmental, ethical and commercial targets.

We believe passionately that the benefits of market research should not be limited to commercial organisations. This is why we are partnering with Pilotlight (https://www.pilotlight.org.uk/) to make our expertise available to UK charities who might otherwise not be able to afford it.

WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES

Vitalija Narstyte Knowledge
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES

WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES

CHALLENGE

Our clients, who were developing an electric vehicle (EV), wanted to understand the consumer reality of owning such a vehicle: what’s it’s like to live with an electric car, day-to-day?

They were conscious that those responsible for the design development were removed from the reality of everyday consumer needs – despite their technical understanding of the model.

There was a requirement to bridge this knowledge gap quickly and without the cost of a full-blown research project.

ACTION

Typically, for such a challenge, we would undertake an ethnographic approach. However, given that there was neither the time nor budget available for such a detailed study, we had to think laterally and look for a more immediate, low-cost alternative.

A member of the MMEYE team was actively considering buying an electric car. On the face of it, she’s an ideal target for the product under development: living in a London suburb and commuting into central London. She’s a frequent driver, looking for a small, city-style car to replace her current car. Hoping for something modern, fuel efficient and, ideally, eco-friendly, an electric car appears to be a perfect match. The only potential obstacle is that she lives in a flat, with no access to charging at home (a frequent problem for urban dwellers).

She hired a BMW i3 (with range extender) and took to the road. With a combination of everyday self-ethnography, and a day of professional video footage, she lived the EV ‘dream’, experiencing two weeks of ownership. She travelled and charged in different locations, testing the product to see how well it would meet her needs.

OUTCOME

Two weeks of experience were condensed into a six-minute video that allowed our client’s internal teams to be fully immersed in the world of EV ownership and walk a mile in the shoes of an EV “owner”.

The client reaction was immediate and positive. The video changed the assumptions and expectations that had underpinned the product development, forcing a change in perspective and providing an essential reality check.

The need to attract an urban customer and the reality that many of these would not be able to charge at home, combined with the complexity of charging elsewhere, demanded a refocus on the importance of EV range provision.