Market Research

Marketing is all about building commitment.

Our market research model is based on that simple premise. To gain commitment to new ways of thinking, feeling or acting, we have to understand people’s current position. In other words, we have to engage.

Engagement is the first step. It allows us to understand motivation and beliefs; it encourages input or support; it gains deeper insight; it helps us frame an argument or key campaign message. Without engagement we cannot know the aspirations and motivations of the people whose commitment we seek.

And understanding levels of commitment and opportunities to engage often requires specific and detailed insight via market research.

We’re Qualified Practising Market Researchers, full members of the Australian Social and Market Research Society. We believe research must always assist in guiding future decision making. Too often it’s just a rear vision mirror, telling us what has already happened, and explaining how you got where you are. That may be useful, but too many researchers are too timid to make the most valuable recommendation of all. That is, on the basis of where you’ve been and where you want to go, this is what you should do.

It isn’t easy. The best research comes from asking the right people the right questions, listening to what they tell you (not just what they say), interpreting with sound marketing knowledge, experience and a good dose of intuition, then giving clients what they really want: answers to questions and sound advice for future direction.

‘Following our brand audit workshop in June 2006, Penny Burke and Essence Communications designed and conducted a research program on our major brands to gauge overall impressions from our customers and to understand any gaps that exist between the expectations we have set for our brands and the reality of what we are delivering. The research program was an important part of ensuring we are on track with our brand strategy and best marketing practice.'

Stephen Silk, General Manager Strategic Marketing, Victoria Racing Club

At Essence, we believe the best results are achieved when research takes place in a creative yet conducive atmosphere. Generally this is not in the conventional group-room format, with its two way mirrors and bags of potato chips, but in a location that’s more comfortable to respondents or better still, close to the real point of commitment.

‘Penny was instrumental in analysing the research material that Defence had commissioned and in identifying the need for separate research to support the review. This research proved to be pivotal in the report’s recommendations. In the many focus groups we conducted on bases, she demonstrated her skills in very quickly developing a good rapport with the participants and eliciting useful information from sometimes cautious individuals. Her written work was excellent, concise and to the point.'

Air Commodore Ken Birrer, Australian Defence Force

Thus we’ve looked in pantries and school lunchboxes to understand the motivation and real level of commitment by mothers to the issue of obesity and healthy eating. We’ve taken teenage girls shopping to understand their views about retail, discussed the role of religion in churches, shared with Lotto players their dreams of living the high life, and discussed policies to address alcohol-fuelled violence in nightclubs with patrons and licensees. And through it all, we’ve maintained our focus on asking the right questions of the right people at the right time.

Then giving a clear recommendation of what to do next.

To understand more of our Research Philosophy, click here for our free e-book, The Seven Vital Facts You Need To Know About Market Research.