Case Studies
Issue: Advertising/Branding
One of ICR's clients in the PR industry, working on behalf of the world's largest consumer packaged goods advertiser, wanted to utilize a market-by-market research effort in its overall promotional campaign to bring pre-launch attention to a new over-the-counter heartburn remedy. ICR used multiple listed sample sources to screen for frequent heartburn sufferers (a low-incidence population) in each of 24 American metro areas. The results of the survey provided market-specific findings to be offered to local media outlets. Incidentally, the PR campaign was such a success, the national advertising campaign incorporates some of the key images presented by the PR firm, and the manufacturer literally had trouble keeping up with the demand for the product.
Industry: Financial/Banking/Insurance
Issue: Advertising/Branding
A top-ten bank wanted to work with ICR to evaluate the performance of its commercial treasury management services. Seeking to provide the utmost flexibility of survey options to its clients, the bank chose ICR, knowing that we offer an integrated web-based and telephone-based sampling system, which can be updated on an hourly basis. This way, clients who choose to respond by the web are taken off the phone list; also, clients who are called can still indicate that they will complete the survey by the web. Of course, the web survey style and design conform to the bank's official logo, color, and font schemes.
Industry: PR/Advertising & Research, Financial/Banking/Insurance
Issue: Advertising/Branding
A long-time client of ICR's is actually another market research firm that specializes in analysis of banking and financial services. They rely on ICR to solve the often demanding sampling and interviewing needs for their syndicated tracking research products. In one study, the target audience includes home equity loan/line holders, prospects, and rejectors. ICR harvests sample in each of the three homeowner segments, via our ICR EXCEL omnibus, for a period of 7 to 8 weeks in the springtime. Then, in the summer, this audience is recontacted by phone to complete a 20-minute survey specifically addressing their attitudes and usage of home equity lending.
Industry: PR/Advertising & Researchh
Issue: PR/Opinion Polling
One of ICR's PR clients specializes in the promotion of healthcare and pharmaceutical products and services. While the intent of the research is to build public awareness and support for a particular medical solution to a health problem, the nationally-representative nature of the ICR EXCEL telephone omnibus also gives the PR firm and its end clients valuable insight into the self-reported incidence of different ailments and the current market share distribution of different drugs used to treat these ailments. Of course, the surveys always have to pass legal muster before they are fielded, to minimize any competitive "push back" because of leading questions or biased sampling.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: Advertising/Branding
An international manufacturer of ingredients for personal care products had developed a new hair spray formulation. Qualitative research showed that this less-expensive formula also provided superior hold. ICR conducted a quantitative, in-home use test of hair spray using a monadic design to compare consumer satisfaction with this new formula. The successful results allowed this manufacturer to prove its superiority to a marketer of one of the best-selling hair sprays and become their exclusive supplier.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: Advertising/Branding
A well-known marketer of candy products had developed a new and unique candy product that they felt would appeal to both kids as well as adults. ICR designed and executed a taste-test study that validated this belief and also helped this marketer develop the optimum positioning and set of flavor offerings for their successful launch to both target markets.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: Advertising/Branding
Following a highly-publicized report by the FDA of its finding of dangerous levels of lead in selected brands of candy imported from Mexico, a candy importer needed to quickly understand what impact this might have on their key brand -- even though this brand was not cited in the FDA report. Within one week of the initial phone call from this importer, ICR drafted a questionnaire, developed and sample of Mexican-American adults and teens, conducted an A&U study and delivered a full report which allowed our client to more fully understand the effects on its target market and take immediate, appropriate measures to counter this potentially harmful publicity.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: PR/Opinion Polling
Before launching a significant advertising and PR program to U.S. Hispanics, a major beer marketer wanted to understand their own and their competitors’ image among beer drinkers, particularly younger males. Using ICR’s HispanicEXCEL omnibus service, this marketer was able to quickly and cost-effectively benchmark both awareness and attitudes among their target customers.
Industry: PR/Advertising & Research
Issue: PR/Opinion Polling
ICR was contacted by a Japanese research firm to conduct a study to assess U.S. attitudes toward the dropping of the atomic bomb that ended WWII. ICR worked with the firm to format the questionnaire such that it was oriented toward American respondents while maintaining consistency to a Japanese study being conducted concurrently. The results of the survey were presented in Japan to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Industry: Financial/Banking/Insurance
Issue: Advertising/Branding
On behalf of a professional organization representing insurance agents, ICR conducted a three-pronged research effort aimed at identifying trends in the industry and how these impact perceptions of the association and what needed to be done in the way of continuing education services (CES) for its members. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted with C-suite industry leaders, telephone interviews were conducted among Human Resource and Benefit Managers and, finally, online interviews were conducted among members to test aspects of CES changes. The results of the research identified key aspects of the insurance business that need to be addressed by association CES efforts to keep members informed and relevant to their clients.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: Advertising/Branding
A professional trade association contracted ICR to conduct qualitative research regarding consumer shopping behavior in supermarkets regarding a particular type of product. Focus groups were conducted in three areas of the United States among participants screened and qualified as purchasers. Results of the study will help the association and its members to better position their product for maximum visibility and purchase.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: Advertising/Branding
A food manufacturer wanted to conduct a study among consumers across the United States to measure the perceived relative quality of one of its products versus the leading competitive brands. ICR worked with the company to develop a paired comparison taste test. Results of the study identified specific aspects of the product that were rated higher or lower than competitors that our client could capitalize upon to increase share of market.
Industry: PR/Advertising
Issue: PR/Opinion Polling
A real estate firm had been hired to redevelop several acres of ground in the middle of a small town in New Jersey. It was required to conduct a market survey of the community and hired ICR to develop a questionnaire that would objectively reflect the attitudes (positive and negative) of residents toward the proposed redevelopment. Results of the survey were presented by ICR to the mayor, town council and residents in a live, televised public meeting.
Industry: Professional Services
Issue: Customer Sat/Loyalty
A national benefits consulting firm wants to track changes in the types and costs of healthcare plans employers offered their employees. Utilizing a combination of mail, web, and telephone surveys, ICR is able to gather detailed health benefit information annually across a cross-section of U.S. employers.
Industry: Professional Services
Issue: Customer Sat/Loyalty
When a leading professional staffing firm wanted to understand trends affecting the managers and employees, they turned to ICR. By conducting telephone interviews with Fortune 1000 managers, ICR was able to identify key changes in workplace attitudes and practices.
Industry: Professional Services
Issue: Customer Sat/Loyalty
When a major staffing company wanted to understand how management and employees across the U.S. differ in their perspective of workplace issues, they asked for ICR's help. By using ICR's EXCEL omnibus services, attitudes of employees were assessed. Then telephone interviews with HR managers were conducted in order to learn how management perceived the same issues. By comparing the results of the two surveys, similarities and differences in the attitudes of workers and management were ascertained.
Industry: Technology
Issue: Advertising/Branding
How do you know a new product idea is on target? If prototypes are available, one of the best ways is through in-market product placement. In the case of a "lite" Web browser for the home, ICR recruited a sample of consumers, placed the product with them, conducted periodic online data collection to understand experiences using the product, and end-of-test focus groups to gain detailed feedback on product issues and improvements. The result is a virtual roadmap for development and engineering teams, mapping product requirements to the needs that drive sales.
Industry: Telecom & Utlilities
Issue: Advertising/Branding
Whether for consumers or businesses, there are always multiple offers that can be used to attract new subscribers for a telecom, Web or other service. In this case, using simulation modeling, ICR determined both which offers would be successful in the marketplace, but also the optimal sequence for introducing the offers in terms of maximizing new subscribers.
Industry: Financial/Banking/Insurance
Issue: Advertising Branding
This project involved collecting factual data from multiple respondents in major bank, thrift, and credit union institutions in the US. For this, ICR built a custom website for data collection, which could track the different managers in each institution responding to the survey, allow for the entry of information in a nonlinear format, and provided error and logic checking to identify unusual patterns of response requiring follow up. In a report released by the US Federal Reserve Board in December 2004, this work documented the passing of an era -- the end of the paper check as the dominant form for business and consumer payments in the US.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: Advertising/Branding
A well-known computer retailer and consulting services' company came to ICR because they were looking to better understand the process in which their products/services are acquired, as well as the present and future role of the Internet in the process. ICR implemented a two-part study - qualitative and quantitative by targeted three-groups of key-decision makers whom are responsible for purchasing office products. The results of this two-fold study provided a detailed understanding of the various steps in product/service acquisition and ultimately valuable information in marketing their products and services to these key-decision makers.
Industry: PR/Advertising & Research
Issue: PR/Opinion Polling
An ICR client in the PR industry, working on behalf of a financial institution, wanted to gain the insight of business owners in the medical practice on a variety issues that affect them including the challenges faced in running a successful business. In this research effort, ICR procured a sample list targeting physicians, as well as various medical specialists. The culmination of this research provided our clients with factual medical-practice information for their PR campaign that would prove to be relevant and useful to their target audience of business owners in the medical profession.
Industry: Financial/Banking/Insurance
Issue: Customer Sat/Loyalty
One of ICR's clients in the financial services industry wanted to launch an employee value-added satisfaction survey and, in doing so assure complete confidentiality of each individuals identity and responses. ICR designed a two-fold methodology that included a self-administered questionnaire where surveys were completed anonymously and placed in a central collection box, but under the guidance of a proctor; the survey was also designed to give employees the option to participate via the web, where the survey was hosted on ICR's web site. The results of this study were illustrated in a detailed presentation, and included perceptual mapping, where employee's responses were viewed in groups to maintain anonymity of the individual. As a result, these analytic survey findings provided our client a foundation to improve in areas where employee uncertainty exists.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issue: Customer Sat/Loyalty
One of ICR's clients, a Marketing Consultant, on behalf of a business-to-business e-commerce company providing networking and services for the global finance community, wanted to survey customers in order to gage level of satisfaction and wanted immediate feedback on any low satisfaction scores, as well as a report on customers requesting a re-contact. ICR executed a monthly telephone tracking study targeting their customers. The results of the survey provided our client with overall satisfaction scores of customers sampled, as well as daily reporting on individual satisfaction levels of customers granting permission to share responses; this enabled the client to take immediate action in addressing customer concerns.
Industry: Financial/Banking/Insurance
Issue: Advertising/Branding
One of ICR's financial services' clients wanted to conduct a research study to better understand Americans' attitudes toward debt, how consumers manage their debt, and if they've ever considered using the equity in their home to help in the management of debt, and in unison wanted to survey their target markets. ICR implemented two methodologies - a national survey utilizing ICR's consumer omnibus, EXCEL; and a custom telephone study among homeowners within our client's targeted DMA. The results of both the national and market specific surveys served as support of a public relations campaign on consumer debt.
Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Issues: Advertising/Branding
A manufacturer of antiperspirant / deodorant products wanted to measure the attitude and usage of their new product after a national multi-media ad campaign. In less than 7 days, ICR TeenEXCEL was able to define the awareness, trial and usage generated by their ads and most importantly, which ads worked best.
Industry: Social Science
Issue: Social Science
When a national child and family service organization was looking to understand the rate of child abuse, they called ICR's teen research experts. Using our teen omnibus, they were able to quickly gain the evidence they needed to prove the seriousness of the problem for American children.
Industry: Social Science
Issue: Social Science
In 2001, the nonprofit research organization The Pew Hispanic Center was founded to help improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos' growing impact on the entire nation. They chose ICR and HispanicEXCEL to take the pulse of this important group. ICR has helped the Pew Hispanic Center conduct the research necessary to issue regular reports on the behavior and opinions of Latinos on various public policy issues. See the latest report: Attitudes Towards Immigrants And Immigration Policy. Also see the following reports: The Hispanic Media Survey and The 2002 National Survey of Latinos.
