Vision Critical launches ReactionPlus; unveils virtual retail bank environment
Vancouver, B.C., research company Vision Critical has released ReactionPlus, its approach to audio and video testing intended to help researchers measure audience reaction to audio and video content on multiple dimensions with timely results. The testing tool aims to capture respondent feedback across up to 10 different dimensions to determine which feelings are being triggered throughout the programming; which words, images and sounds trigger engagement; at what point a storyline captures or loses its audience; and which presenters have the most appeal and why.
ReactionPlus works by having respondents watch or listen to content and input reactions into a graphical interface. Reactions and feelings are recorded as programming plays. Immediate feedback is followed by a summary evaluation following content exposure. Audiences are also segmented (core, casual, non-users or demos) to help clarify how the content appeals to specific targets. Reports are generated automatically and are immediately available online through an interactive reporting portal. Content and results are stored in one central location for review. Results include an overall reaction score, which benchmarks results versus other content; moment-by-moment visualization of results; a net promoter score, which determines the potential to go viral; and reaction among audience segments.
Separately, Vision Critical has developed a virtual retail bank environment for testing layout concepts; positioning of elements like greeters and tellers; and other visual cues like posters, signage and video screens. The virtual bank environment uses many of the same tools and concepts used by retailers and consumer packaged goods manufacturers for virtual shelf sets and retail store environments. Virtual branch respondents are asked to interact with the bank branch environment during a structured virtual tour or “fly-through” where their route is already mapped out through the retail branch location. The bank’s branch design teams can structure multiple iterations of the fly-through, changing messaging design and display elements.
Each tour is followed by research questions. Respondents can also interact with the environment during the tour, typically through click-map activity where respondents click on elements of the design that draw their attention most. For more information visit www.visioncritical.com.
Tobii Glasses aim to make eye-tracking more mobile
Stockholm, Sweden, research company Tobii Technology has launched Tobii Glasses, an eye-tracking system created to help researchers in commercial, scientific and government organizations gain insight into the preferences, reactions and personal experiences of people in mobile, natural settings. Tobii Glasses are intended to look and feel like a pair of modern-looking eyewear and allow subjects to walk around freely, making it easier for researchers to create a real-world environment in which to capture user behaviors while they browse in stores, use a computer, try out a new product, read an advertisement, etc. Additionally, the glasses are lightweight and don’t have cameras or mirrors in the field of view or require the user to carry equipment. For more information visit http://tinyurl.com/tobiiglasses.
SSI shares its ClicKnowledge for free
Survey Sampling International, a Shelton, Conn., research company, has rolled out SSI ClicKnowledge, an interactive tool designed to deliver metrics on 30 countries to an individual’s PC at no cost. Researchers can choose the information they need and how they want it displayed: one metric across multiple countries; several metrics within the same country; or a world map of all country information. Metrics include demographic insights, such as population, age, gender and income breakouts; marketing research statistics, such as market research spend per capita; and country rankings, such as global competitiveness and network readiness. For more information visit www.surveysampling.com.
Mzinga releases updated OmniSocial suite
Waltham, Mass., research company Mzinga has released the latest version of its cloud-based social software suite OmniSocial, designed to allow businesses to connect, interact and share knowledge remotely with their employees, customers and partners. OmniSocial has been updated to allow easier branding, configuring and deployment - either as private or public community sites or as integrated applications within existing Web environments. The release also introduces greater integration with public and private-label Web and business applications, mobile apps and enhanced analytics to provide real-time access to community performance metrics.
Updates to OmniSocial include increased cloud-computing capacity; a new administrator control panel, including spaces within sites where groups of users can interact around specific topics or areas of interest and expertise with controlled access; OmniMobile iPhone and Blackberry apps; and enhanced analytics and dashboards, including user reputation, trending content reports, search word analysis and heat maps.
OmniSocial is currently available. The full feature list, application and widget catalog and pricing are available upon request. For more information visit www.mzinga.com.
Techneos updates SODA platform; teams with Ipsos for mobile research
Vancouver, B.C., research company Techneos has released version 1.3 of its SODA research application, which incorporates enhancements and new features, such as pre-loaded surveys that enable previously-known information like addresses, database lists or results from other surveys to be pre-populated and assigned to individual participants or interviewers for completion. Other highlights to version 1.3 include messaging and collaboration; enhanced double-byte language support; data cleaning; and Microsoft Excel 2007 compatibility.
Separately, Techneos has collaborated with Paris research company Ipsos to launch technologies and applications for mobile research. Their latest project called The Great British Weekend was conducted during the May 2010 Bank Holiday using Techneos’ survey research application, SODA, across multiple Nokia and BlackBerry devices. For more information visit www.techneos.com.
Thumbspeak opens doors; debuts mobile network and iPhone app
Scottsdale, Ariz., research firm Thumbspeak LLC has opened for business and launched its Thumbspeak Mobile Opinion Measurement Network; the Thumbspeak Mobile Application for the iPhone; and the Thumbspeak Mobile Targeting Tool. Once the Thumbspeak Mobile Application for the iPhone is downloaded, the user can register by answering attribute questions (i.e., age, gender, education, employment, marital status, location). After registration is complete and the user has joined the Thumbspeak Mobile Network, businesses can begin to ask questions and offer rewards directly from Thumbspeak’s Web site. The iPhone application is free and available at the iTunes Store. For more information visit www.thumbspeak.com.
The NEA makes its foray into social media; releases study findings
The National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, D.C., has released results of its Audience 2.0: How Technology Influences Arts Participation study and launched YouTube and Facebook channels. The findings in Audience 2.0 are intended to help arts organizations better understand their audiences’ uses of technology and electronic media. The YouTube site (www.youtube.com/neaarts) will feature videos from the Endowment highlighting NEA programs, art events, speeches, artist profiles, among other content. NEA Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/washington-dc/national-endowment-for-the-arts/33192104484) will include status updates on new NEA content; photos and videos of Heritage Fellows and NEA Jazz Masters; and audio samples of NEA Jazz Moments and podcasts. For more information visit www.arts.gov.
GfK study results reveal the XTreme Shopper
GfK Consumer, a division of GfK Custom Research North America, New York, has released results from Future Buy, its first-annual integrated study of shopping behaviors, including the emergence of the XTreme Shopper, a consumer who seeks out and makes use of all technologies and information resources available in order to take control of their shopping and purchase experience. Additional highlights from the 2010 Future Buy study include the role of emotion among the new breed of shoppers; the importance of mutuality and co-creation in brand loyalty; and the new shopping value equation. For more information visit www.gfkamerica.com.
MarketTools releases updated EFM solution; takes Zoomerang social
San Francisco research company MarketTools Inc. has released the latest version of its enterprise feedback management (EFM) solution MarketTools CustomerSat. Updated features include several social media enhancements, such as listening, social media measurement, analysis and engagement; services and training in EFM and social media deployment; an enhanced dashboard and user interface; a new analytics report center; and optimized action management for the contact center.
The updates to MarketTools CustomerSat are intended to represent the company’s vision for the future of EFM, which includes a standard that allows organizations to optimize the customer experience by incorporating integrated listening, advanced analytics and multichannel action management. For more information visit www.markettools.com.
Separately, MarketTools’ online survey solution Zoomerang has expanded its capabilities to allow users to launch online surveys on Facebook and Twitter. For more information visit www.zoomerang.com.
Western Wats offers two new panel tools
Orem, Utah, research company Western Wats has released its mobile survey research solution, Western Wats mobile, which is designed to detect and optimize surveys for mobile browsers and deliver surveys via SMS text message. The Western Wats mobile panel consists of mobile users who’ve explicitly agreed to engage in survey research via their mobile device.
Separately, Western Wats has debuted {n}fusion sampling, a sampling methodology intended to expand and diversify the reach of online sampling frames beyond managed panels by combining the company’s managed panel with additional samples from mobile phone users, phone-to-Web recruits, social communities and river respondents. For more information visit www.westernwats.com.
The Learning Incubator aims to reach U.S. Hispanics
Culturati Research and Consulting Inc., San Diego, has debuted the Learning Incubator, an online tool intended to combine online panels and the use of intimate online communities to conduct research with the U.S. Hispanic demographic. The Learning Incubator aims to allow brands to interact with target consumers through Expert Panels, which last four-to-eight weeks and have eight-to-10 participants. The panels are managed by a moderator. The community feature allows marketers to post questions on the community wall and receive immediate results, and the survey feature can be used to gather quantitative data or be integrated into Expert Panels to complement the findings.
Additionally, the tool also functions as a virtual community. Known as Expresandote.com to panelists, the site offers community forums, daily health tips and quotes. For more information visit www.culturatiresearch.com.
New tool to take retailers SURFing
MMR Research Worldwide, Oxfordshire, U.K., has developed an optimization tool to help consumer packaged goods brands determine optimum product ranges for both size and structure. SURF (steal and unduplicated reach and frequency) aims to measure the power to displace and sources of steal and then calculate the predicted impact on sales of any change in the product lineup. SURF was created to advance the industry-standard method, TURF (total unduplicated reach and frequency), which relies on appeal to assess overlap and breadth of interest as a basis for decision-making. The technique was devised by MMR Research Worldwide. For more information visit www.mmr-research.com.
Briefly
Stamford, Conn., research technology company FocusVision has enhanced its InterVu video-enabled online focus group solution. InterVu is designed to allow companies to conduct research across different remote locations with full two-way audio and video capabilities. With the latest updates, the offering also incorporates InterVu Archive. InterVu Archive has the same functionality as FocusVision’s Streaming Archive, which aims to allow users to mark their research, make clips and reels, receive video-synchronized transcripts, download audio podcasts and request a CD of the research. For more information visit www.focusvision.com.
Ipsos OTX MediaCT, a Los Angeles research company, has launched LMX, an annual syndicated study designed to explore the media habits of young families, involving 2,000 online kids ages 6-12 and their parents. LMX Family consists of two waves: (M)eDiary, conducted among children to capture past-day activities, and an activities and usage module, involving kids and parents that surveys device ownership, usage and co-entertainment activities. For more information visit www.ipsos-na.com.
Berkeley, Calif., research company NeuroFocus has developed its eight-dimensional Luxury Perceptual Framework, identifying the “little moments of luxury” that exist in consumers’ precognitive responses to NeuroFocus clients’ brands, products, packaging, in-store marketing, advertising and customer service. The Framework includes consumer reactions to the following eight dimensions: more; variety; purpose; rare and unique; time and labor; me; care and details; and aesthetics. For more information visit www.neurofocus.com.
20|20 Technology, a division of 20|20 Research Inc., Nashville, Tenn., has added four languages to the 13 already supported by QualBoard, the company’s bulletin board focus group platform. The four new languages are Hindi, Thai, Indonesian and Dutch. For more information visit www.2020research.com.
New York research company Universal Survey and its partner Survey Healthcare have established physician and health care professional panels across the major European, Asian and Russian markets. For more information visit www.universalsurvey.com.
Dallas research company Toluna has launched a weekly data-driven newsletter called TolunaTopics, which is intended to provide a snapshot of interesting factoids gathered from the Toluna community. Additionally, Toluna has rolled out its UPS (Unified Panelist System) 10.0 globally. For more information visit www.toluna-group.com.
The Institute for Corporate Productivity, Seattle, has launched WorkforceSurveys.com, a market research panel dedicated to the human capital practices of high-performance organizations. Human capital and human resources professionals are invited to join the panel to participate in workforce productivity surveys. For more information visit www.i4cp.com.
Boston research company Invoke Solutions has rolled out a new business division and product for the DIY survey market called groketeer. The tool’s features include an easy-to-use interface; automated charting of survey data; data filtering; statistical testing; data display customization; creating PowerPoint slides; creating Excel crosstabs reports; and data sharing. Groketeer will operate as a separate strategic business unit within Invoke Solutions. For more information visit www.groketeer.com.
The NPD Group, a Port Washington, N.Y., research company, has released The Retail and Brand Landscape Report Series 2010, which examines the shopper engagement process. For more information visit www.npd.com.
Surge Research, New York, has expanded fielding of its omnibus survey and polling offering to seven days a week. The company’s surveys pertain to communications and public relations professionals. For more information visit www.surgeresearch.com.
New York research company WorldOne has expanded its panel to over 500,000 phone-verified medical professionals in over 30 countries. For more information visit www.worldone.com.
D3 Systems, a Vienna, Va., research company has released Comparison of Women’s Aspirations and Daily Lives In Common Practice in Northern Sudan and Egypt, survey data contrasting the desires and daily lives of Muslim women in the named regions. For more information visit www.d3systems.com.
London publishing house Routledge has published Protecting Main Street, a book by Paul Lubin, president of Lubin Research, New Rochelle, N.Y. The book addresses detecting and preventing discrimination and unfair practices in the financial service industry. For more information visit www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415996013.
EMI - Online Research Solutions, Cincinnati, has developed an internal digital fingerprinting technology called SWIFT (sampling with integrated fingerprinting technology) Dashboard. SWIFT Dashboard is designed to generate a user stamp made up of non-personal information to screen someone from entering a survey more than once. EMI plans to roll out its algorithm to respondents in fourth-quarter 2010. For more information visit www.emi-ors.com.
The 2010 Out Now Global LGBT Market Study from Out Now Consulting, the Netherlands, has expanded into three additional countries: Poland, South Africa and Australia. For more information visit www.outnowconsulting.com.
Bellomy Research Inc. (BRI), Winston-Salem, N.C., has released version 1.1 of its SmartIDEAS Community application, which is designed to allow members of BRI’s private market research online communities to upload mobile pictures via the application. The applications also displays the monthly Points Leader Board used for monthly incentives. Version 1.1 is available for members and sponsor clients as a free download at the iPhone App Store. For more information visit www.bellomyresearch.com.
IPinion LLC, a Lewis Center, Ohio, division of Chennai, India, research company Dexterity, has rolled out its technology and panel for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users. Panel members can download iPinion from the App Store and participate in market research surveys, in-store studies and ethnography studies. For more information visit www.ipinionrewards.com.
San Francisco research company Peanut Labs has launched two global online panels in Italy and Spain. The panels, Social Media Italy and Social Media Spain, are intended to profile an online population of social media users. For more information visit www.peanutlabs.com.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, research company Itracks has launched a Facebook app for its panel members. The application, developed with Cologne, Germany, research company Globalpark, is designed to allow Talk Now panel members to access market research opportunities, review their survey history, refer friends and check point balances from their Facebook account. For more information visit www.itracks.com.
EDigital Research, Hampshire, U.K., has released eConceptTest, a solution designed to help marketers test and examine ideas, services or products on the general public. EConceptTest blends qualitative and quantitative insight tools with the goal of providing marketers with opinions, emotional responses and rational thinking to create a proposal for new features or services. For more information visit www.edigitalresearch.com.