How did you first become interested in consumer research?
As a junior in college majoring in chemistry at Loyola University Chicago, I thought chemistry graduates only worked in the lab. That summer, I had a job at a major personal care company in Chicago. I worked in the Product Integrity Lab and spent so much time doing titrations, more so than my college lab work, that I knew then I did not want to be a lab chemist. It just wasn’t for me – I liked interacting with people too much, which is limited when you work in the lab. You can’t talk to machines. Some people loved it, I didn’t! During that summer, I met many chemistry graduates who worked in the consumer side of the business and loved what they were doing. I formed great connections, and that networking opportunity turned into a passion for consumers.
Twenty-plus years later, I am still in it. I’ve held roles in clinical, consumer, sensory, claims and market research in various CPGs, and now foods. My job has allowed me to have thousands of conversations with consumers and travel all over the world, while keeping my scientific and statistical hat on. The world is my laboratory. Listening, observing and being in-the-moment with consumers is such an adrenaline rush. There’s never a dull moment talking with consumers – you just never know what you’re going to get! I’ve learned so much and there’s still so much more to learn.
What is the biggest challenge in working at a company with a legacy as rich as Mars/Wrigley’s?
As part of Mars, all Wrigley Associates like myself are guided by The Five Principles. As a consumer researcher, I bring to life our quality principle, “The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.” The “consumer is our boss” truly resonates in what I do every day. We depend completely on consumers for our success and we tirelessly seek to understand their needs. I help build lifelong relationships from one generation to another through our products and brands and continue to be relevant to changing cultures and lifestyles for the future. This is the heart of my consumer‐centricity.
Describe your preferred method when conducting interviews with consumers.
I love one‐on‐one conversations with consumers. This can happen anywhere: at home, a central location, the market or anywhere in the world. I don’t think I can ever shop personally without talking to someone in the aisle and asking about their purchase or why they are pondering in front of the humungous selection for a category. I sometimes even buy one of our products for a customer. When you have an intimate conversation with consumers, it’s a richer conversation and interaction when you give your consumer 120 percent of your attention. Nothing excites me more than when I am in the consumer’s home turf – where she feels she is safe and in control telling me what excites, delights and surprises her about products she loves. Because along with these moments come opportunities. A great researcher is always listening for that – just when you think there is nothing else to do with your product, voila! A new aha! A new insight inspires you. This is what research is all about after all – it’s a discovery.
Why bother doing one (interview) when you think you have all the answers? That’s just it, we never do. When we are developing a new product, I am a huge advocate for taking prototypes to consumers early on, outside the confines of the team and the walls of our offices. Listening and seeing consumers’ reactions for the things we missed allows us to make improvements before we get deeper in product development – before it’s too late. Teams are typically uneasy about this process. I always say it’s not about consumers nit-picking your product but to learn about how we can make it better. Better is good! Then the light bulb turns on!
What do you hope to focus on in the coming year?
Continuously improving our research toolbox is a process. Doing quantitative research is not enough, we need to understand the why behind the numbers. Keeping up-to-date with trends, technology, new behaviors, new locations and how consumers are interacting with our products is always fascinating. We’re constantly evolving and our tools need to evolve as well. Consumers may be at home chewing gum but what else are they doing differently than before? There are always new insights. We have so much more competition, no longer just the other brands but distractions from multi‐media, gadgets and everything else. The challenge is, how can we continue to make a difference and be a part of their lives?
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement within marketing research to date?
Having my teams directly converse with consumers. It’s uncommon for teams to actually talk directly to consumers in qualitative research. Most of the time, in a focus group situation, teams are behind the one‐way mirror. We call it a focus group but we know where our focus is during the sessions. We are taking the time to be there, why not sit with them directly? Why not listen and observe more intently to what they are really saying and doing, not just what we want to hear or see? We can still have all the snacks! When I introduce teams to this idea, it’s not that they don’t want to do it, they just don’t know it’s possible. I say research is all about possibilities and this is only one of them. I know I’ve been successful when my team wants to continue interacting with consumers directly.