Global Audiences: Typical Engagements
International Market Sizing and Demand Estimation: PC Hardware and Software
A major software developer asked ConStat to measure the degree of usage and licensing of its software in a specialized PC hardware category currently experiencing rapid growth. Encompassing both qualitative and quantitative elements, this two-phased research project included 175 in-depth and nearly 1,900 quantitative surveys across six countries.
The project included interviews with wholesalers, retailers and end users of this hardware category to obtain a complete picture of its distribution and usage. Estimates were provided for total demand of the new product line and cannibalization of existing hardware products. The goal of the research was to determine the factors necessary to drive the choice of software used on these PCs.
The research was used to help guide development of programs designed to give the client greater control over share of its software in this expanding hardware category.
Advertising Effectiveness: Networking Equipment
The client wanted ConStat to extend a U.S.-based research project to Latin America (Brazil and Mexico). Our team conducted a pre- and post-awareness and usage survey among corporate IS/IT decision-makers responsible for networking equipment and services and line-of-business decision-makers with budget responsibility. A total of 300 interviews were conducted in each wave (wave intervals were six months), split equally between countries and target segment.
The goal of the research was to assess the impact of advertising on awareness, usage, and perceptions of our client’s products and services. The research also was intended to assess our client’s position relative to other companies competing in Latin America.
Results from the research indicated the advertising had a greater impact in Mexico, influencing awareness and perceptions of our client’s products and services between both IS/IT and line-of-business decision-makers and improving its position relative to the dominant players in the market.
Few changes, however, were evident on the key measures tracked among respondents in Brazil. Based on data collected in the pre-wave, ConStat subsequently identified four positioning themes that were important in the selection of technology brands, lending insight into the relative positioning of our client’s brand vis-à-vis its competitors and providing direction for future revisions to the campaign.
International Product Satisfaction/Brand Equity: Design Software
A leading software maker selected ConStat to design and execute a brand equity study designed to uncover the most compelling value propositions for a well known, but embattled, Web software product. The challenge faced by the product team was to determine if their existing brand name was strong enough to effectively compete against two other well-entrenched solutions, or if in spite of their recent product improvements, past functional weakness had so damaged the brand that a new name had to be considered.
ConStat’s team recommended a multicountry quantitative, online research program built to measure overall satisfaction against several competing brands, and which at the same time identified the most compelling features within each of them. Achieving this within the client’s tight timeline and budget required a thoughtful approach to the design. The entire project was successfully completed within six weeks, and the total cost was under the client’s expected budget.