January 2006 GMI Newsletter

Home > About us > News > Newsletters > 2006 > January 2006

Keep your finger on the pulse of Hispanic markets with GMI panels.

Through a new a strategic partnership with iHispanic Marketing Group, a leading search marketing and Internet strategy company based in La Jolla, California, GMI has dramatically expanded its Hispanic panels in both the U.S. and Latin America.

It is estimated there will be over 16 million Hispanic Internet users in the U.S. by 2007 according to a study by eMarketer in 2004, which will represent 8.4% of all users. The target demographic, aged 18 to 34 years old, is the most dynamic segment of the Hispanic online population. Market research firm TNS Media Intelligence reports that total advertising spend geared towards Hispanics reached $4.1 billion in 2004, compared to $3.8 billion in 2003. As for Latin America, it ranks fourth among total worldwide Internet users, and is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world.

With over 43.5 million U.S. Hispanics making up almost 15% of the U.S. population, Hispanic consumer opinions are a force to be reckoned with. "This explosive growth coupled with their tremendous purchasing power has companies competing for a larger market share of this largely untapped market," explains Jim Weisfield, Vice President of Business Development for GMI.

Ignacio Hernandez, CEO and founder of iHispanic Marketing Group said about the new relationship: "By partnering, we can contribute our extensive knowledge of the Hispanic online community to GMI's Global Panel, one of the largest and most highly profiled managed panels in the world. Together we can go to market faster and ensure higher panel retention."

For more information, or to get a quote on Hispanic panels in the U.S. or Latin America, contact us.

Back to top

GMI opens new offices in Germany, the Netherlands, and Russia

In response to the growing global demand for comprehensive online market research solutions, GMI has opened three new offices and expanded its senior-level management team. New offices include:

• Munich , Germany - headed by Uwe Lorenz, Managing Director for Central and Eastern Europe.
• 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands - headed by Leon de Konig, Managing Director for Northern Europe
• Moscow , Russia - headed by Dr. Alexander Shashkin, Managing Director for Russia and CIS.

The opening of the Dutch and German offices is part of a wider strategy to increase GMI's presence in Europe. GMI recently expanded its European senior management team with three new senior-level appointments - all of whom came from SPSS. In November, GMI acquired MI Pro AS, a developer of next-generation desktop analytics software, which is now run as a wholly owned subsidiary of GMI based in Norway and Sweden. New European language versions of the Net-MR market research software platform will also be released in 2006.

Russia is not only the largest country in the world, but is also a huge market showing increasing demand for leading-edge technology. Dr. Alexander Shashkin explains: "As more and more international companies extend their business to Russia, and Russian-based corporations become more competitive, access to relevant, real-time market intelligence is crucial to staying agile and responsive, both at home and abroad."

Back to top

Simon Chadwick studies the state of business intelligence in North America.

A centralized and integrated data management system, with wide and easy access, has broad appeal. That's the conclusion of internationally recognized researcher and Cambiar co-founder, Simon Chadwick. He's been conducting online interviews with officers, VPs, directors and managers in 461 organizations that represent a full spectrum of functions from Market Research and Marketing to Manufacturing and Retail.

Organizations aren't using their information management systems.

Despite the fact that 61% of organizations claim to have automated information management systems (under a variety of labels), only 8% of information is actually managed and disseminated using these systems. Overwhelmingly, email, paper and in-person meetings are still the methods of choice for information dissemination.

Most existing BI-type systems are not integrated across the entire organization, especially in larger ones. Departments guard their own information, and make sure it cannot be accessed on an enterprise-wide basis.

Complacency rules, except in market research.

Two-thirds of the respondents say they are satisfied with their current solution. More than 90% of officers claim they are "satisfied" and 52% are extremely satisfied. VPs and corporate management also report being satisfied, but more moderately so. This reveals more complacency than satisfaction, since so little of the information in these organizations is actually disseminated or managed using the installed systems.

MR respondents are less satisfied than others with the systems in place, suggesting the possibility that another solution could have its place.

More deployments planned in the future.

Of the organizations who have not deployed BI systems, 39% think they will do so in the next 5 years--the majority in the next two years. This means that 75% of all organizations will have deployed BI-type systems by 2008. Yet, if these organizations utilize their systems as little as those who have already deployed, it will not significantly impact the overall pattern of information management and dissemination.

Enterprise Research Management from GMI: a new type of research intelligence

GMI is developing a system to help companies break information out of separate, unshared silos with:

• Consolidated, centralized data storage and management that brings together all primary and secondary survey data
• Integrated data that offers a holistic view of the enterprise: customers, prospects, employees, suppliers, partners, investors, analysts and the media
• Instant deployment and dissemination capabilities so information can be shared across an organization
• Control from a customizable dashboard that links to the enterprise's BI platforms

By taking a modular approach to implementation, companies can gradually roll out ERM's capabilities across their enterprise, by region or by functional area, to full global implementation. ERM will also help you manage access rights to provide high security and control of sensitive data.

According to our survey, GMI's "Enterprise Research Management" would be welcomed by 63% of the respondents. What do you think?

Back to top

NEW Net-Panel 2 is friendlier, more intuitive and even easier to use

If you've been using Net-Panel to build and manage your proprietary panels, we have good news. Net Panel 2 improves the user experience and performance of GMI's flagship panel management tool. With a much friendlier user interface and enhanced functionality, panel management is easier and more intuitive. You can upgrade to the new and improved Net-Panel 2 with:

• No cost - your portals and panels currently hosted on Net-Panel 1 are migrated to the Net-Panel 2 platform, compliments of GMI.
• No change - your account and proprietary data are not impacted by the migration to Net-Panel 2 in any way.

In this release, we've made improvements to these areas:

 If you're new to Net-Panel, you can use this new enhanced version to:

• Create and manage panels and portals
• Import and export panelist data
• Manage panelists and your email communications with them
• Offer and track incentives
• Sample panels and field studies

For a free demo, email us

Back to top

Sony and Sanyo: The Best and Worst in Consumer Electronics Brands

Stewart-Allen BrandBarometer measures the health of the world's most famous consumer electronics brands.

Worldwide Brands Apple Canon Casio Dell Hitachi Hewlett-Packard Microsoft Nokia Panasonic Philips Pioneer Sanyo Sharp Sony Toshiba

The Stewart-Allen BrandBarometer recently surveyed 17,502 highly profiled consumers worldwide about 15 leading international consumer electronics brands. The study reveals that Sony is the most popular brand, while Sanyo earns the dubious distinction of being the least popular across all ages, genders and income levels in 18 countries around the world.

Founded by international marketing expert Allyson Stewart-Allen, director of International Marketing Partners Ltd., and powered by GMI, provider of integrated solutions for global market intelligence, the BrandBarometer asked consumers about:

• Perceptions and experiences of these brands
• Levels of trust
• Overall quality
• Perceived country of origin

Sony and Nokia were rated as the two most reliable brands out of the 15 studied. When asked to associate values with particular brands, BrandBarometer respondents perceived Sony as 'luxurious', Nokia as 'innovative', 'friendly' and 'engaging' while Apple was voted the most 'individualistic' and 'exclusive,'. Microsoft is seen as 'powerful' and the most 'American' brand. Sony also scored well in other areas such as 'international', 'trustworthy' and a 'luxury' brand. Nokia received high scores for being 'customer-focused', for 'listening' to its customers as well as for being the most 'responsive' and 'empathetic.' Sanyo, on the other hand, is regarded as the most 'stagnant', 'dull', 'insignificant' and 'weak' of all of the brands in the study.

"The appeal of some runaway brand leaders such as Nokia is a result of consistently managing the brand experience. What is striking is that some of the world's best-known names are adrift and losing appeal despite their heavy investments in marketing," comments Stewart-Allen.

To download the full Consumer Electronics BrandBarometer report, please contact GMI directly.

Back to top

Net-MR Tip of the Month

Give your panelists default profiles, and save time when importing!

Use Net-MR's newest Panel Management tool--Net-Panels 2--to create default panelist attributes. It will save you spec-writing time when importing new panelists and help you to maintain quality data that is consistent!

Visit our Training Center via the Resources tab in your Net-MR account to view our helpful, process-oriented guides and simulations.

For more information on the latest release of our industry-leading panel management software, go to the Net Panel 2 article in this month's issue. This new version is provided free of charge to all current Net-MR customers.

Back to top

Best Practices

The top 10 questions to ask prospective online vendors

Do some online interviewing of your own

In the last three years, the number of companies offering online data collection services has tripled. Figuring out how to differentiate between those offerings-and the quality of those offerings- is no small task. Here's a checklist of the top questions to ask potential online partners. It was developed by a senior research director asking people who frequently direct online research, and by listening to prospective vendors. These top ten questions-and a guideline on how to evaluate the answers-are reprinted with permission from the January 2006 issues of Quirks magazine.

GMI has answers that will impress you. We're ready to answer your Top Ten questions and many more. Find out why GMI Global Panels have grown to be one of the largest and highest integrity panels on the planet, the choice of 15 of the 25 largest research firms, and countless Global 2000 companies. Email us.

Back to top

Who's New at GMI

Lora Moody, Sales Director, Denver, USA
With nine years of experience in building and managing strategic client relationships in the consumer goods and services industry, Lora has built a successful career as a sales executive. For the last two years she has served as Business Development Director for Direct 4 Media in Denver Colorado responsible for outside sales of direct mail programs to small and medium-size businesses. Previously she was Business Development Manager for FIND/SVP a market research, business intelligence and solutions consultant, and an Account Manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises.

Thyra Lees-Smith, Sales Director, Los Angeles, USA
Thyra comes to GMI from Nielsen Entertainment, industry leader in consumer-based entertainment data and research, where she spent the last seven years. Most recently she served as Manager, Business Development in Client services. During that time she worked with such high profile companies as Warner Music Group and HBO, helping to lower the client attrition rate and growing the core subscription base by more than 35%. She has also held positions as Database Manager for Normal Marshall and Associates and Client Service Assistant for Biometrics.

GMI also welcomes:

Mario Menti, Solutions Architect, London
Kai Wang, Assistant Marketing Manager, China
Trevor Little, Trainer/Gold Support, UK
Lyndon Nerenberg, Developer, Vancouver
Michael Dyck, Developer, Vancouver
Peter Gordon, Developer, Vancouver
BethAnn Burton, Technical Writer, Vancouver
Kim Morrow, Business Analyst, Vancouver
Jason Taylor, Associate Director, Development, Vancouver
Noele Weed, Sales Assistant, Seattle
Tony Chan, PHP Programmer, Seattle
Michelle Locke, Facilities Manager, Seattle
Amy Arnold, Project Manager, Customer Service, Seattle
Ashish Bhargava, Project Manager, Operations, Boston

Back to top