Digital consumer insights collection technologies are becoming a hot topic in the online qualitative research space. However, while researchers are increasingly seeing their value, it is unlikely that stakeholders have even noticed what collection tools are being used – not unless they are seeing tangible benefits, or ROI, from them. Stakeholders are interested not so much in the tools or methodology used as in the quality of data in the final output. And we believe the best way to collect quality data is through online Read more »

We have officially become a global society. As demonstrated during the economic downturn, our actions can impact even the farthest-reaching countries today. So what does that mean for researchers and businesses? That they need to start thinking beyond themselves – or in other words, more globally. While global qualitative research has long been the go-to for larger companies looking to expand overseas, in the age of the consumer, more and more businesses are seeing its value – as getting to know your consumers near and Read more »

We are all consumers – we consume through action, not through our heads. At least according to Dr. Oskar Korkman, Insights Creation Director at Nokia.   At The Market Research Event 2011, Korkman discussed how consumer practice acts as the true foundation for innovation. In other words, to watch and listen to a consumer as he or she interacts with a product or reacts to a brand’s messaging is much more valuable to the innovation process than having a consumer tell you how he or she Read more »

Institute of Qualvu addresses the myriad needs for qualitative research – and how researchers use digital technology to meet them. It’s usually true that excellence is directly related to exertion; that doing something exceptional requires extraordinary effort.  But sometimes it isn’t true – at least for the end-user – and great results can come pretty easily if the right tools are provided.  That’s become the world in which qualitative researchers find themselves thanks to technologies that can digitize market research without compromising results.  When, why, Read more »

To be empowered today means to have a voice. Whether in the work place or the community, having a voice equates to having influence. But what about those who are hesitant to speak their mind? Who don’t offer their opinions un-elicited, if at all? Consumers today can be divided into two categories: the introvert and the extrovert, or the “non-sharer” and the “sharer,” respectively. While extroverts are known for sharing openly about their wants, needs, and experiences, introverts are more likely to live inside their Read more »

Research means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but to the people we call “consumers,” it mostly means someone interrupting what they are doing to ask them questions that require them to recall their shopping process or why they fell in love with a brand.  They get called during dinner; intercepted during shopping; scheduled for an in-person interview that interrupts their daily routine; cajoled to fill out a survey by the checkout clerk. In other words, traditional research tactics often Read more »

Understanding current and future market trends is critical for any business today. And with 2012 right around the corner, it is time to start planning for the new year. But to do so, we must understand the market on all levels.  So what is the forecast for market researchers? For marketers? For businesses in general? According to the GreenBook Research Industry Trends (GRIT) 2011 Fall Report, the future is in social media and mobile research. 2012 in particular will see massive growth – almost double Read more »

Is a new array of digital research options better than what we used to have?  Only if they provide a better outcome. That was one of the key lessons that came out of the first Institute of Qualvu (IQ) webinar, which you can view on demand here.   IQ is Qualvu’s initiative to build a comprehensive resource library for those whose jobs involve finding out what consumers think and how they behave. In its debut session, we turned our attention to factors to consider when Read more »

The next digital frontier in qualitative research is here…and it’s in the form of a software-driven, people-powered innovative process that delivers unprecedentedly rich insights that inspire better business decisions. Design.Collect.Deliver.Share., Qualvu’s cutting edge online process, is the real breakthrough changing qualitative research – and, for those who couldn’t make it, the topic of our most recent webinar. John Williamson, Qualvu Founder and CEO, introduced the webinar by examining the gradual move towards innovation in the qualitative research industry and how, with the growth of the Read more »

Qualvu Launches Institute of Qualvu (IQ) for Researchers Interested in Enhancing their Value Proposition Denver, CO – October 18 – As we enter the “consumer age” of empowered buyers who are not afraid to speak up, a new level of customer obsession becomes vital for the success of any business. Consequently, businesses need to move faster and demand real time information and recommendations if they want to keep up with the evolving times. Digital tools have posed new opportunities that can help researchers deliver what Read more »

Whether we recognize it or not, images have a powerful impact on our brain. They bring things to life, engage us, and, according to a new study, trick us into thinking we were a part of them. A recent study by Priyali Rajagopal and Nicole Montgomery found that a commercial’s imagery has a greater impact on our lives than we ever imagined. It found that commercials can trick our memory into believing that a scene from television actually happened in real life – in our Read more »

Obsessions come and go. Pogs; pet rocks; chia pets; popped collars; scrunchies; beanie babies. They come into our lives, become our new obsessions, and then slowly fade away as the next big thing comes to market. Marketing in many ways is no different. It is an ever evolving industry that changes with the times. And as of late, marketing has developed a new obsession, one that may be here to stay: the customer. While marketing has always been targeted at the customer, it’s really been Read more »

Who doesn’t love a good picture book? They bring to life the characters, setting, and story line through vivid pictures that pull readers in. They are easier to understand because you can see the story unfolding right before your eyes. And they keep you engaged with their colors, shadows, and fine details. A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives to capture and hold your attention in a way that traditional story books cannot. While originally intended for small children with short attention spans, adults Read more »

Have you imagined what you would do if you were ever on camera? Would you become camera shy? Or ham it up? While we don’t really know what we would do until the lights come on, Qualvu has found that participants are anything but shy when asked to share their experiences on camera – even introverts who wouldn’t speak up in a focus group.   In a recent study, when asked to document themselves answering research-driven questions via mobile video, participants were surprisingly forthcoming with Read more »

Companies aren’t known for having favorite authors, but our vote goes to H.G. Wells.   Wells had an extraordinary imagination. He imagined aliens invading Earth, immortalized it with “The War of the Worlds” and lived to see it scare a nation with its 1939 radio adaptation. He imagined cars and trains leading to what we now know as suburbs. He predicted the European Union. And he is one of our favorites because he imagined the Invisible Man 1897 — and in 2011, Qualvu uses a Read more »