Millward Brown continues to embrace mobile research as part of its aggressive regional mobile data collection strategy in Africa and the Middle East. The strategy will enable faster delivery of insights to marketers in these regions.
"Market research must adapt to meet clients' needs for faster feedback on brands and marketing activities," said Charles Foster, Managing Director for Africa & Middle East at Millward Brown. "As we become a more mobile-based world, what better way to engage with consumers than by delivering surveys directly to their mobile devices. It makes research in emerging markets, fast, accurate, affordable and accessible. At Millward Brown in Africa and the Middle East, we're at the forefront of mobile development work worldwide, and South Africa has been appointed as a hub for our core mobile work."
Millward Brown has developed new software to work on mobile, and has partnered with a mobile panel specialist, in order to provide an integrated solution to its clients that exploit the benefits of the mobile platform such as speed, cost and data accuracy. Tracking studies in Saudi Arabia and Tanzania have already migrated onto the mobile platform targeting consumers with both feature phones and smart phones. Many more clients are actively considering the shift to mobile and have found that the mobile data collection methodology can be adapted for brand equity, tracking, ad testing as well as numerous other ad-hoc applications such as instore and sponsorship evaluations, geo-tagged location based research and time critical campaign evaluations - unlocking whole new opportunities for our clients.
This strategy mirrors Millward Brown's focus on mobile in other regions. Millward Brown in Asia recently announced that Nestlé Malaysia has already adopted a mobile-enabled solution and has migrated a brand and communications tracker onto mobile. Khoo Kar Khoon, Communications Director for Nestlé Products Malaysia, said, "We were really pleased with the results of the pilot study. The benefits in speed and data quality were instrumental in our decision to move forward, and we expect even greater efficiencies over time. We're keen to explore mobile in more of our research where relevant."
Millward Brown South Africa first started piloting mobile studies in 2009, and have actively been using mobile as a methodology since then, conducting numerous mobile surveys across 16 African countries, and reaching thousands of respondents on every type of internet enabled handset imaginable. In one recent study done for client using geo-targeted respondents, 600 responses were received within three hours. The data was ready for analysis the following day, and was in line with existing client data at a national and regional level, displaying a level of accuracy that is vital for any market research data.
The global AdReaction study conducted by Millward Brown in over 18 countries including South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, collected data in this manner, and looked at mobile users' receptivity to brands in this intimate space, providing valuable insights for marketers and publishers seeking to effectively leverage the mobile channel in their brand-building efforts. Download the report to read more.
"Millward Brown's mobile expertise is more than just a data collection methodology, but is a critical channel for marketers who want to embrace new technology and benefit from the massive opportunity for growth in mobile marketing communications," concludes Charles Foster.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Africa & Middle East
moc.nworbdrawllim@retsof.selrahc
South Africa
moc.nworbdrawllim@trawets.drahcir
Sub-Saharan Africa
moc.nworbdrawllim@inalkas.aymuos
Kenya
moc.nworbdrawllim@agiahtig.sirhc
Nigeria
moc.nworbdrawllim@trebor-ireg.ogu
Dubai
moc.nworbdrawllim@irellok.tnahsarp
Egypt
moc.nworbdrawllim@maharba.neevarp
ABOUT MILLWARD BROWN
Millward Brown is one of the world's leading research agencies and is expert in effective advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research. Through the use of an integrated suite of validated research solutions - both qualitative and quantitative - Millward Brown helps clients build strong brands and services. Millward Brown has 86 offices in 56 countries. Additional practices include Millward Brown's Global Media Practice (media effectiveness unit), The Neuroscience Practice (using neuroscience to enhance traditional research techniques), Millward Brown Optimor (focused on helping clients maximise the returns on their brand and marketing investments), Dynamic Logic (the world leader in digital marketing effectiveness) and Firefly Millward Brown (a global qualitative research business). Millward Brown is part of Kantar, WPP's insight, information and consultancy group.
