John Evison

The HFS Research predictions panel - "Predicting the Unpredictable" had us debating and laughing (and rethinking our footwear). This was the penultimate session of the day before our fab emcee Elena Christopher and our CEO Phil Fersht wrapped us up at #HFSReinvent Here's what's up for the future, according to us... David Cushman Thanks to Agentic AI, we will see the first one-person unicorn within the next two years—a $1B start-up with no employees. Sam Duncan We will experience the “Great Enterprise Divide,” as GenAI acts as a key growth catalyst. Josh Matthews The Greenlash will be unmasked as a Greenhush. Followed by panic. Me: The future of CX is Agentic. But the impact will vary wildly by industry. Saurabh Gupta The IT services industry is ripe for disruption and cracks will start appearing in 2025. Tony Filippone Software companies compel customers to stop DIY’ing their GenAI technology. Lucky to work with this fun and smart bunch... 😃

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Price Match has been two things in the UK a) A headache for brands b) A blob that continues to grow and change shape - a blob that is poorly understood Retail Cities has been helping major A-brands better understand the blob and come out on the other side with better category strategies. As Price Match is exported to more European countries, now is a good time to ask two questions. 1) How can we understand the blob? 2) What comes next? In this teaser piece, we give you a sample on ways to understand and fight the blob. One final question for you: What are you waiting for? Become a Retail Cities Member company and get access to the insights you're missing (but your competitors may not).

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I’m pleased to share my latest co-authored article, on CMOs in the CPG industry – a group that faces a widening remit, as the sector seeks growth following a challenging last decade.     The evolution of their responsibilities means they’re expected to deliver across two broad areas: portfolio management – to identify new growth opportunities – and capability enhancement, to improve performance.     And while many understand the task at hand, few (only 27%) believe their organisations have the mature, fit-for-purpose operating model required to succeed.    Here, my colleagues Biljana C., Jeff Jacobs, Jessica Moulton, Oliver Gediehn, Pavlos Exarchos, Stefan Rickert, Warren Teichner, Fleur Fetherstone Porter, and I explore both the challenge and the growth opportunity for marketing leaders at consumer companies – and examples of companies already making it a success.     https://lnkd.in/eQjhxQDf   #Growth #Marketing #CMO #CPG #B2B2C #Consumer #Retail #ConnectingForGrowth 

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Here it is, the third and final instalment in our Bolt Insight series with Kearney, delving into the unstoppable rise of private labels in the retail industry. This article builds from our previous research, involving 4,000 consumers across 10 countries, highlighting the shifting relationships between A-brands and private labels.    In this piece, the Kearney team delves into the strategic measures A-brands can adopt to counter the rising prominence of private labels. The valuable insights we've uncovered not only spotlight the challenges but also reveal strategies that brands can implement to preserve their market position amidst rapid industry changes.   A huge thanks to Kearney for their exceptional contribution and partnership!   Click the link to read the article for yourself - https://lnkd.in/evMWT7cz     #BrandStrategy #MarketInsights #MarketResearch #Consumerinsights #Retail 

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With the recent headline inflation numbers looking solid, and retail sales returning to growth in May after the April slump, you have to wonder whether the positive streak for confidence will continue next month, even with the Tory narrative of "see, you can trust us with the economy" feeling more than just a little out of touch (and unlikely to be enough to get them back in power). Consumers do like certainty, and this week's BoE hold reinforces that, with fears of worse mortgage pain to come undoubtedly quelled. But brands and retailers should be careful not to equate this result with people feeling positive overall - it is more like they are less negative. There remains a long way to go I suspect before consumers will be happy to spend more freely again, with the major purchase index barely changed from 12 months ago at minus 23. High interest rates makes savings an appealing place to put any spare money, so as long as interest rates remain high, consumers with debt and consumers without will respectively have barriers and motivating drivers to keep hold of their money.

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Consumer sentiment is choppy globally, with central banks delaying interest rate cuts and recent inflation and GDP readings surprising in the wrong way (US, Australia). The UK is far from immune to what's happening across the world, and I've said before that the path to recovery has some significant barriers to overcome. UK consumer confidence has improved a little again, and consumers seem to think there is light at the end of the tunnel. It will be interesting to see if confidence in future finances translates to a positive impact on retail sales, and to what extent that may hold back any further declines in UK inflation... and central bank cuts. It feels like everyone has forgotten that the low interest rate environment post GFC was meant to be short term before getting back to historic averages. Now that we are back to the historic average, everyone is clamouring for cuts "back to the norm". Memories are short. We might find 4-5% is the norm for a while yet!

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Dear Rachel (please do fill Keir in later, but you're the real decision maker here): You've rightly identified the UK's productivity as the most important issue you have to tackle: productivity drives growth which funds public spending. We all know some of the standard prescriptions: more public investment (you're changing Hunt's fiscal rules to enable this), relaxed planning rules for housebuilding and energy infrastructure. But there's one more thing. Productivity doesn't just mean producing more stuff in less time. It means producing stuff that people WANT more. It's the value of outputs, not their quantity, that's in the numerator of the growth equation. And the way to do this is to understand the consumer better. A growth plan must have a foundational place for figuring out what people want. (which might not always be what they SAY or THINK they want - we can help people go deeper inside their minds to understand their real needs.) Industrial policy is great - coordinate investment and create network effects - but only if we build what people want and need. Public investment and better services are great - as long as they're oriented towards consumer demand. In the NHS, what's important to people? Getting treated faster and with the best medicine, yes; but also not having their time wasted by organisational and communication bottlenecks. In education, what's important? Better testing outcomes sure, but also happier children and schedules that fit with parents' lives. In energy, what's important? Better grids and generation and capacity smoothing, but also: reassuring and resolving fears about interruptions or vehicle range; helping people feel less worried about the impact of using energy. The public sector is already a decent client for consumer research, but it could do more; even the private sector isn't always doing it effectively. Imagine everyone in every organisation, everyone in the civil service, and everyone in politics, had watched 1 hour of tightly edited interviews and survey results to tell them what their customers, users or citizens really want. It might be transformative. Understanding people better -> investing in better products and services -> more value -> more growth. And it won't cost £28 billion either.

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Despite a downward trend in crime in England and Wales, 6 in 10 Britons believe that crime in the UK has risen over the past 12 months. New polling from Ipsos has found that a substantial majority of Britons (79%) believe that crime is a big problem in the UK. People are slightly more optimistic about crime and anti-social in their own area (41% think it is a big problem locally) compared to the UK as a whole. However, 43% say they are personally worried about a victim of crime. Concern is highest among those aged 18-34 (56%), and ethnic minorities (61%). 62% of those aged 55-75 are not worried about being a victim of crime How can crime be reduced further? The public cite more police on the beat, better parenting, and longer prison sentences/no early releases as the things that will do the most to reduce crime. Two thirds (67%) say they rarely or never see uniformed police officers patrolling their local area despite the same proportion believing more uniformed police officers in their area would be effective at tackling crime and anti-social behaviour locally. Conservative voters are more likely to say more police, longer prison sentences, better parenting, better discipline in schools and capital punishment for murder are more likely to reduce crime. Along with longer prison sentences, Labour voters think preventative policies like better parenting, more constructive activities for young people, more investment in mental health services, more effective programmes for behaviour change and better drug and alcohol addiction support will do most to tackle crime in the UK. Hannah Shrimpton, Head of Crime and Justice research at Ipsos UK, says "This poll chimes with our campaign tracker showing that crime and anti-social behaviour is looming increasingly larger in people’s minds as the election approaches." #Crime #ASB #CrimeResearch #GE2024

Great to be at DTX London once again. Whilst multimodal gen AI is, of course, everywhere; interestingly, Derren Brown & Adrienne Adhami pushed on the human aspect in their keynote: “AI is unable to deliver the human experiences of resonance and connectedness”. In this present age of tech reinvention and synthetic data, our research similarly continues to re-emphasise that the human dimension is still an irreplaceable component. Human input being a necessity in accommodating ethical considerations; being absolutely central to providing contextual understanding; as well as making lateral, creative, jumps in problem solving. Ultimately, HI-HO (human in - out). #digitaltransformation #b2btech #b2bmarketing

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In the UK, 74% of domestic wealth is held by the over 50s. And in the next two decades, our working population will shrink by 25%, whilst at the same time the population over 60 will grow to over 40%. It's similar in developed economies across the world. Brands that exclude this age group risk acute revenue loss. Keen to stay ahead of this megatrend? Listen to this week's episode of Sustainable Futures to hear Jonathan Hall talk with Andy Simpson, commercial director of 55/Redefined, a specialist consultancy that helps businesses attract, engage and grow with over 50s. Listen to the podcast episode here: https://lnkd.in/eFpQVFfW Curious to learn how equipped your brand is to tackle this demographic shift? Kantar’s new Brand Inclusion Index can reveal how the aging population view your brand compared to other age groups, click here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/es4yc5Vv

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Looking forward to sharing our recent whitepaper 'Sapio Research Finance Pulse - Expectations beyond transactions'. The report showcases consumer and business perceptions of payments 💸 , cryptocurrency 💹 , AI 🤖 , and much more!   Some of the highlight stats:   🔵 9% of consumers don't have access to digital banking apps - How can Fintech providers support those that are digitally excluded?   🔵 Those in Finance roles are most likely to be using AI as part of their role (63%), but just 15% of consumers would accept financial advice from an AI   🔵 60% agree that the B2B payments sector is lagging behind the B2C space - Can B2B payment providers match the level of CX for consumer purchases, or is it just not possible?   Let me know if you're attending Money20/20 - it would be great to chat!   #Money2020 #Fintech 

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Is Retail Media Delivering the Best ROI? Retail media is booming, with the number of digital screens in stores skyrocketing. There are success stories out there – I recently highlighted one such case involving Co-op. However, I can't help but question the efficiency of the current spend and its alignment with shopper behavior, and here's why: The other day, I observed a c. 2-minute digital reel in the BWS area of a Tesco store (you can watch it below). Here are my thoughts: 1. Right Brands, Wrong Place Most advertised brands were alcohol-related, fitting the store area. But NONE of them were on the shelves below the screen. This creates friction in the purchase process, making it less likely for shoppers to convert. In fact, the Baileys Colada Limited Edition wasn't available in-store, nor was there shelf space for it – so impossible for shoppers to convert 2. Decent Content, Poor Alignment with Shopper Behaviour: The creative and messaging were generally good (IMHO), including some clever use of  cognitive biases and clear CTAs in places. But, each brand took 20 seconds to convey its story – far too long for a typical shopper. In my 30 minutes of observation, no one watched a full 20-second video… let alone the full reel (granted, this is a very small slice of trading hours!) And here’s something I’ve always wondered about multi-brand reels…what if your target shopper isn’t walking past when your brand is featured? At least with good old fashioned cardboard… you have permanent presence for your campaign's duration; and, with a good design, can get your message across in the “much less than 20 seconds” you typically have to converse with a busy shopper. I’m assuming there must be some positive results - otherwise, this trend wouldn’t continue. But is in store digital retail media the best possible version of itself right now? And if not – who pays for the inefficiencies? What are your thoughts? Are we maximizing the potential of retail media, or is there room for improvement? Mike Anthony - I'm sure you will have some thoughts to share on this! #RetailMedia #ShopperMarketing #InStoreAdvertising #icshoppers

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Price promotions and combo meals are the most popular tools to navigate the current market situation and address the economic concerns of consumers. Studying promotions is one of Meaningful Vision key solutions. The Guardian published a story about the growth of meal deal popularity using some of our data, highlighting that meal deals are becoming a hot topic in the market. https://lnkd.in/ejsCsGrG #MeaningfulVision #RestaurantIndustry #MarketAnalysis #TheGuardian

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Industrial M&A activity in Q2 has certainly provided shoots of much needed optimism with overall volumes up 6% on prior quarter, and more encouragingly, up 13% in EMEA. The pricing gap experienced by many buyers and sellers over the last year or so may be narrowing with deal multiples on an LTM basis decreasing to 11.6x (EV/EBITDA), its lowest level since Q3 2023. We expect the more settled macro-economic environment to fuel confidence for deal markers however upcoming US elections and continued geo-political tensions around the world may continue to drive the “watch and wait” mindset. Read our Q2 Industrials M&A review for an overview of industrials deal activity and trends.

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Revisiting a big trend: Healthy treats are in! 🌿🍫 Have you seen this too? Let's talk about what it means for your brand. Get in touch for a chat. #TrendSpotting #HealthyTreats #Marketresearch #TheLifesightsCompany

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Our recent Board Monitor UK report revealed that a fifth of business leaders lack confidence in their executive teams' ability to deliver results and the traditional divide between non-executive board directors and senior management seems to be weakening. Read more in The Times article below to find out if this shift, driven by rising pressures and complex challenges like AI and cybersecurity, is leading to increased operational involvement from boards, resulting in heightened tensions within the boardroom. With comments from Alice Breeden and Kit Bingham. https://bit.ly/4dGitLh (subscription needed) #Leadership #Boards #BoardMonitor #UK #Boardroom

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Having attended this excellent conference last month, arranged by FlexMR, I wanted to share the write-up from Research Live, as I think it does a good job of summarising some important take-outs from the day... In my work with client-side insight teams, I've seen first-hand how high a priority it is for insights to be communicated with impact, if they’re going to drive real change and have commercial value. The article highlights how insight leaders are now more focused than ever on storytelling and building strong relationships internally. I've always believed that great insights should be shared in a way that inspires and provokes and facilitates actions - otherwise it's value is indeterminable. Market research and insight agencies should be helping, in this regard. The most impactful and valuable work is created when suppliers and buyers work in alignment on this. #MRX #MarketResearch #MarketingResearch #insights

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Want a puzzle with missing pieces? Probably not. Want insights that miss out on big chunks of people you want to connect with. Probably not. Untapped Opinions is a signatory to the MRS Inclusion Pledge, it is an initiative by the Market Research Society (MRS) to promote inclusivity; to ensure as a sector we recruit, develop, and give equal opportunities to people from the full breadth of society and to ensure we deploy research methods that don't systematically exclude groups of our society. If you're doing research, choose to include. Choose to work with one of the 100+ companies that have signed the MRS Inclusion pledge. Well, I mean ideally choose to work with Untapped Opinions 😁 but in the spirit of creating a rising tide for all boats, please at least choose to work with a signatory! Have a great weekend!

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