Scary data
Data can be scary. It may tell you something you don’t want to know. Too much of it can be overwhelming. And what if you interpret it wrong? Or if the data is just wrong?
What could be scarier?
The opportunity your missing. To make your product better. To be first to market. To save on cost. To be prepared for the thing no one else has yet to see.
The right data can tell a powerful story. But how to tell when to trust it?
- What is the source of the data?
- Has this data been right in the past? (still no guarantee)
- What is the risk of inaction?
- What is the risk of taking action?
External forces impacting research
When you conduct a singular research study you’re measuring a snapshot of attitudes, awareness, and actions. However, research doesn’t happen in a vacuum and it is important to remember how outside factors may be impacting your results (yes, control groups can help, but if the external force is great enough, it will be tough to escape its impact).
Take for example a tracking study we did measuring recreation activities. We saw a large drop in certain outdoor recreation between two studies – but the first one was conducted in spring and the other in winter. If you measured the concern over the flu among the general public, the research during the time of the flu season would likely result in higher concern.
A recent example? Toyota took a hard fall in J.D. Power and Associates’ Initial Quality Study this year. While Toyota obviously has had a rough year, their ratings were likely hurt further by the timing of the survey which took place from February through May (The below graph shows Google Trends data on “Toyota Recall“, point C, which peaked immediately before the survey).
While the goal is often to measure the impact of these events, other times it is not ideal to measure the impact of a short-lived event and you at least should be aware of the possible impact. What to keep an eye out for? Three big ones are:
- Seasonal and weather (e.g blizzards, heat waves, etc.)
- Political events
- News stories (yes, a catch-all, but even a brief news story on a topic can change the opinions of respondents)*
* You can use news monitoring services like Google Alerts to keep an eye on developing stories.
Our Outstanding Woman in Business
Corona Insights is thrilled to recognize Karla Raines as a Finalist for the Outstanding Women in Business 2010 with the Denver Business Journal in the Consultant Category.
- The judges reviewed the more than 400 pages of nomination
forms for nearly 240 nominees. - 35 Finalists were chosen in 11 different categories.
- Karla was one of only 3 in her category.
The award luncheon, hosted by the Denver Business Journal at the Marriott City Center, was filled with powerful and inspirational women from all sectors: nonprofit leaders, banking and finance professionals, small business owners and so on. It was an honor to see Karla’s name among this illustrious list. Thank you to the Denver Business Journal, the judges and event sponsors for this recognition.
We are very proud of our own Outstanding Woman in Business and the contributions she makes every day to our company and our community. Congratulations to all of the Finalists and keep up the excellent work!
(In photo from left to right: Amy McClellan, Corona Insights; Jane Hajovsky, Colorado Cancer Research Program; Judy Regensteiner, CU Center for Women’s Health Research; Karla Raines, Corona Insights; Kevin Raines, Corona Insights; Greta Gloven, Iliff School of Theology; Jackie Norris, Norris Consulting Services; Leo Lewis, Corona Insights)
Welcome, Amy!
Corona Insights is thrilled to welcome our new Strategy Consultant, Amy McClellan!
With over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, the Strategic 
Consulting practice is happy to have Amy back in her home state and on the team. Her background includes being the first Executive Director of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC) and previously the Manager of School and Community Partnerships for The Cleveland Orchestra.
Further music to our ears, Amy began her professional career as a concert violinist with the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra and has performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe as a member of a small new-music ensemble. She is also an avid swimmer and a travel enthusiast.
With her breadth of knowledge and positive energy, Amy is a great fit for the Corona dynamic.
To find out more about Amy, click here.
Unthink your brand?
Ever since KFC launched its “Unthink” campaign, I’ve wondered what effects it may have on the company and its franchisees – for better or for worse. If you’re not already familiar, the campaign was developed to promote KFC’s grilled chicken they introduced in April 2009, rather than the original fried chicken the company is so well-known for. It’s now been almost a year and a half since the company added its “unfried side” to the menu and it turns out that overall sales are down and many franchisees are frustrated with the new company strategy.
Of course, it’s easy to say in hindsight that this campaign wouldn’t work as well as planned (and, to be fair, other factors play in to declining sales – not just the new strategy), but it’s possible the company strayed from its core business too much by encouraging its customers to “Unthink KFC.” This story reminds me of Oldsmobile’s “Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile” campaign, where the company attempted to reinvent itself in the late 1980s. Oldsmobile decided to rebrand itself as a new generation of car but in the process neglected its historic brand and its most loyal customers, which some say played a large part in the regression of the company. KFC is now at a similar crossroad with the decision to either promote newer, healthier options to reach a new market or promote its tried-and-true fried products to maintain its core group of consumers.
Several franchisees have already expressed concern about how the marketing strategy may confuse customers and hurt the brand (KGC, anyone?). A recent Businessweek article states how the company now faces lawsuits from these disgruntled franchisees who state that KFC unwisely turned its back on its Southern fried heritage, resulting in lower sales and therefore less income for store owners.
The KFC and Oldsmobile case studies not only serve as good examples of how important branding can be, but also how important research can be. I’m curious as to what types of market research KFC conducted before its “Unthink” campaign was launched, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how the company moves forward with its marketing strategy from here on.
What do you think? Is KFC going down the right path by offering healthier options to attract new customers over time, or should it stick more to its brand and focus on its traditional consumer base?
Friday fun: Polls on annoying polls
If people find voluntary televisions polls are annoying, what are they thinking about your survey? Be sure you’re asking good questions with a well-designed questionnaire, being respectful of participants’ time, and being as unobtrusive in executing the survey as possible.
From the Fail Blog.
Elusive data.
We love data. Give us a bunch – or allow us to go gather it on our own – and we’ll roll around in it for hours. Ok, maybe that sounds mildly creepy.
We talk a lot about the virtues of data, but there is one important caveat – you have to have good data. Sounds easy, right?
While I’m not going to write a dissertation here on how to set up databases or program data collection forms, I do hope to provide some high level thoughts on the process of data collection (not just the tools):
- Determine what data needs to be collected. Start with the end in mind – what do you hope to gain from the data? Also consider what is possible – what is feasible to collect?
- Create a system. This one of the biggest areas I have personally seen gone astray. You can have all the databases, software, and forms, but if the data doesn’t get in there right, or consistently, the whole database breaks down. Develop a simple process that everyone can follow. Then enforce it. Where possible, make it automated or at least integrate with other processes.
- Share success. It can be hard for people collecting, entering, and sorting the data to understand how they are helping the big picture. Keep them informed with how their efforts have helped and the benefits gained.
- Review and update regularly. Something not working? Need additional/different information? Check your data and processes regularly to ensure you get the most out of your data.
What else has been helpful in getting the right data?
Possible end to the census in Britain
A recent Economist article (July 17th, 2010 edition) discussed the very real possibility that next year’s census in Britain could be the nation’s last. Instead, information would be gathered from other government databases combined with periodic polling. The large data sets combined with the immense computing power needed to make sense of it is one factor leading to the possible change. Quickly changing societies is another. Britain would not be the first either, with many other European countries having already adopted similar methods.
Those who oppose censuses cite the cost and government power and misuse of the data. Those for it fear the loss of the continuous and consistent data set. And there are always data concerns as to how accurate some counts are in quickly changing societies, especially when Jedi Knights are becoming a major religion (which is a phenomenon in itself).
Since the Census in America is required by the Constitution we probably won’t be seeing such a dramatic change here in the immediate future, but the changing nature of censuses in other countries is an important trend to keep an eye on for those that rely on the data.
A lunch time treat
Downtown Denver has become a Mecca for mobile restaurants. Think tricked-out food truck (P. 16 of ColoradoBiz magazine, 08/10 issue). These trucks are selling everything from cupcakes to biscuits and gourmet lunches. The cupcake truck, who was affectionately named Clementine by her Facebook group, sports a large following (including our own resident foodie, Meredith).
Today I spotted the next era of the tricked-out truck – a van that provides skin care for ladies – and one with some sass! Good-bye appointment, hello service on the lunch hour. And it’s super cute too! It definitely gets one’s attention.
It’ll be interesting to see if this new business model is viable in the long-term. It is built around a unique offering brought directly to the customer with a sense of style for differentiation. Time will tell.
Now, let me see where Clementine is today…
Corona starts “Insights for Good”
In our continued effort to give back to the Denver community, Corona Insights is excited to announce a new event, Insights for Good.
There is a lot of marketing talent in Denver – and there are a lot of great nonprofits that need great marketing talent. However, getting the two together isn’t always easy.
So what is Insights for Good?
Insights for Good is a gathering of local marketing professionals that want to give back to a local nonprofit while also networking with like-minded professionals.
How does it work? The first 15-20 minutes is like many networking events – introductions and conversation. Then the nonprofit will introduce themselves, give an overview of their challenges, and then the brainstorming and real interaction begins. The goal is to generate as many fresh insights as possible that the nonprofit can take away to further explore and build on.
There is no further commitment beyond the one night – just an evening of networking, brainstorming, and doing some good!
Our first event is already scheduled and nonprofit selected. We will be hosting The Journey Institute by brainstorming ideas on how to get the word out, building buzz, and getting submissions for an upcoming event. No matter what your expertise or interest in marketing is, we can use your help!
To learn more, join the group, and RSVP for the event, visit our meetup page.
You can also follow the group on Twitter @InsightsforGood.
And thank you to the Colorado AMA for their support in promoting this event!
FOLLOW US
Radiance Blog
SHARE / BOOKMARK THIS PAGE