Noelle Gall

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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In a world of "hyper-crisis" of inflation and geopolitical tensions, Dutch brands have risen, powering our economy with stability and growth. With a 10% rise in value this year, these brands are not just surviving—they're thriving, outpacing the general economy. This proves that strong brands are more crucial than ever. Interested in discovering which Dutch brands are leading the charge? Download the Kantar BrandZ most valuable Dutch brands 2024 report now. Don’t miss out on the insights that could shape your strategies! https://lnkd.in/efbjyDGf #BrandZNL2024 #DutchBrands #BrandGrowth #BrandValue

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Hear what Kantar's Jane Ostler has to say about LINKAI: Ads’R’Us or Ads’Aren’t’Us? The new Toys’R’Us Sora-generated brand film has received much criticism and commentary since it was premiered in Cannes last week. It shows the origin story of its founder, Charles Lazarus, as a boy, with the giraffe brand icon guiding him through galactic toy-type adventures. There are undoubtedly some uncanny valley moments as the boy’s face morphs throughout, and some of the animation sequences don’t seem to link together very well. But is it all bad? We ran this GenAI film through LINKAI, our advanced creative development solution trained on hundreds of thousands of ads assessed by real people. It didn’t do too badly. It’s fairly well-branded, and scores OK in most creative metrics. It’s impactful (74th percentile) because it’s enjoyable and well branded. It’s likely to build the brand in the long term (Power Score 74th percentile). Its Persuasion score is average (55th percentile) - a miss because it means it’s not predisposing people in the short term. Although it’s created from a child’s POV, it’s probably targeted at the parents, who may not spot all of the oddities. I think the music is a problem. With the filmic opening sequence it could have done more to grab attention - a recognisable track may have helped. I also wonder if films should disclose that they are Generative AI-created (like hashtag#ad for influencers, which they still omit to add with frightening regularity - one for fans of the ASA weekly email). As a brand that’s been liquidated and has come back to life, this is an opportunity for a Phoenix-like execution and needs to make its mark. The fact that it’s AI-generated has itself led to lots of PR. The best edits were chosen (presumably by humans) so there may have been some real duds behind the scenes. Verdict: not as bad as you’d think, but could be better. It’s clear that AI is getting there. Interested to hear your views. hashtag#generativeAI hashtag#ads hashtag#marketing

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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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If you didn't catch the Big Sustainability Debate at our #MakeSustainabilityReal conference, take a look at the summary article below. As one of our clients said, "you brought to life the big questions that we live through every day in our companies." #Kantar #SustainableTransformation

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British grocery price #inflation has also fallen for the fifteenth month in a row to 2.4%, the lowest level since October 2021 and 15% points lower than this time last year, whilst sales rose by 2.9% over the four weeks to 12 May. Grocery price inflation is gradually returning to what we would consider more normal levels. It’s now sitting only 0.8 percentage points higher than the 10-year average of 1.6% between 2012 and 2021, which is just before prices began to climb. Typically, an inflation rate of around 3% is when we start to see marked changes in consumers’ behaviour, with shoppers trading down to cheaper items when the rate goes above this line and vice versa when the rate drops. However, after nearly two and a half years of rapidly rising prices, it could take a bit longer for shoppers to unwind the habits they have learnt to help them manage the cost of living crisis. For the full article and the latest #GroceryMarketShare 👉 https://lnkd.in/eDTdVxz3 Worldpanel by Kantar #consumerbehavior

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Are refills a non-starter in the consumer packaged goods market. @thegrocer reports that Freshways has radically overhauled Milk & More since acquiring the business last November, with a shift towards more mainstream brands and the removal of most products in its much-vaunted refill offering (Source: The Grocer 'Freshways dismantles ‘farm shop on wheels’ in value push' https://lnkd.in/e3iWk2rs). Some of the challenges of refill (albeit looking at the luxury sector) are explored in this article: https://lnkd.in/ehDdG62W

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Blueprint for Brand Growth is now revealed! ◾ We’re bringing you the new go-to framework to help your Brand grow ◾ We’re giving you the evidence you need, to help you and your team influence your revenue and profits. ◾  We’re excited about where the Blueprint can take your Brand

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Who remembers this exchange between Lord Alan Sugar and Pepsi? Lord Sugar, questioning the appeal of Pepsi over Coke, was met with a cheeky "OK Boomer" from Pepsi. A clever retort, sure, and it certainly positioned Pepsi as a brand that resonates with younger, more modern audiences. But does this type of humour actually hit the mark? With generational ribbing, it's easy to forget that not all consumers within a generation share the same preferences or behaviours. In fact, our latest Ipsos UK Generations Report reveals that consumers have diverse identities and tastes that often defy generational stereotypes. So, while Pepsi's response might have sparked some laughs, it also underscores the risk of alienating consumers who don't identify with these stereotypes or find them offensive. Instead of leaning on tired clichés, let's focus on understanding the real values and motivations that shape consumer behaviour. Want to learn more about how to connect with consumers across the generational spectrum? Check out our report here: https://lnkd.in/eKTH788p #GenerationalMarketing #IpsosGenerations #OKBoomer #PepsiVsCoke

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Empathy is not a trend. In recent years I’ve received more inquiries about analysing brands that offer value and care - to figure out their “empathy model” than you would believe. Empathy is not a model. Where brands extend care and anticipate needs beyond and beside product is where the magic happens. Can you learn how to do this? Sure. In fact I’ve been teaching workshops on cultivating curiosity (and therefore further down the line empathy) for years now. However - not everyone gets it. Empathy requires genuine curiosity - which requires one to love their work and love getting to know about people, culture and ‘boring’ everyday things that challenge everyday people. Empathy is not a shortcut. In fact it can be disastrous to try to work backwards with the aim of finding “empathy pain points”. Empathy is intimacy. For brands that get it right - you can skip straight to customer loyalty and evangelism. How can you start practising (and I’ll make more posts on this if there’s interest): 1. One small step. Remove “these people/our target/user type xyz” from your team lexicon. Just keep a note for a week of how many times you correct yourself and others. #brand #empathy #customerjourney #insights

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Attention brands on a premiumisation journey within your portfolio! In my latest paper written in collaboration with Effie UK, we have explored evolving Aspirations and what it means today. We are shifting away from a view of affluence that is associated with perfection, heritage, and hierarchy to a different articulation of affluence defined by action and authenticity. Concrete Effie case studies to bring the learning to life include TUI, DFS and Vodafone with expert commentary from Toby Horry, Maria Koutsoudakis and Mark Sng. Check out this latest paper in the Dynamic Effectiveness series along with the other three which tackle gender portrayal, the empathy gap and Nostalgia in advertising (link in comments). #Ipsos #EffieUK

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Is your workforce future-proof? 🤔 New research from Ipsos UK reveals a huge gap between what employees want and what employers are providing when it comes to skills development. 🤯 Here's the kicker: 74% of employees are eager to learn new skills, but only 54% are getting the opportunities they need. This is especially concerning given the rise of AI and its potential impact on jobs. 🤖 Let's chat about how Ipsos can help you create a learning culture that empowers your employees to thrive in the future of work. 🚀 #LearningAtWorkWeek #AI #LearningAndDevelopment #CareerDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement

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With over 50 years of consumer research focused on mothers, we understand their pivotal role in shaping households. In light of Mother's Day, we reached out to them to explore how this special Sunday differs from their regular routines. Here's what we found: 1. **Small and Touching Messages:** Many mothers cherish heartfelt messages from their loved ones, which make them feel appreciated and loved. 2. **Small Family Parties:** Some mothers enjoy intimate gatherings with their families, creating precious memories together. 3. **Self-Planned Parties:** Others take the initiative to plan parties, especially for newer or younger parents, fostering a sense of community and support. 4. **Relaxing and Enjoying:** Some mothers simply relish the day as it unfolds, finding joy in the simple moments of relaxation and togetherness. These insights shed light on the diverse ways mothers celebrate Mother's Day, highlighting the importance of recognizing and honoring their invaluable contributions to our lives. 🌷 #MothersDay #CelebratingMoms #ConsumerInsights

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🎙 Podcast Alert!! 🎙 Elections and Brands combine as two of Ipsos UK's many areas of research expertise come together for new research. Using our Brand Success tools, we looked at Rishi Sunk and Keir Starmer through a Brand lens of Empathy, Context and Expectations. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Brand Sunak and Brand Starmer and how might these attributes play out on July 4th? Read the report in the comment below but firstly have a listen to our Brand Success podcast where Hazel Freeman and Chris Murphy are joined by UK Director of Politics at Ipsos Keiran Pedley https://lnkd.in/e2Hautsy - the podcast is also available on Apple on on your preferred podcast platform! #IpsosBrands #BrandSuccess #GE2024 #Elections #Brands #Podcast

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For many small or medium sized FMCG suppliers, using market data & insight to drive commercial success isn't always straightforward. That's why we've partnered with Rachel H and the team at NielsenIQ to launch a new training programme, combining practical support with real-life examples and feedback from retail buyers to boost your chances of commercial success. Further detail below 👇

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Our Blueprint for Brand Growth is fast proving to be an indispensable aid to CMOs who wish to ensure their brands are on course for financial growth by being 'meaningfully different to more people'.  Make sure your brand is on the path to success and what you can do to accelerate it here: https://lnkd.in/g9MRUyQC   #TheBlueprintforBrandGrowth   #BrandStrategyUnpacked    #KantarNZ

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Do check out Brian’s blog on the growth driver in our Blueprint for Brand Growth, and get in touch to learn more.

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Because who can resist a bit of Mark Ritson! Why is this article applicable to leaders in market research and insight agencies responsible for the growth of their agency? Because we are all trying to build relationships and brand salience with existing or potential clients, and as Mark suggests in this article: "Salience. Long and short. Distinctive assets. Category entry points. ESOV. Funnels. Double jeopardy. Emotion. Attention. Mental and physical availability. Creativity. The whole shebang works differently but just as powerfully across B2B markets." If that is the case - and I strongly believe it is - then there is no excuse, if you are serious about growing your research and insight agency. You need to understand and start to use marketing practices to build your agency's profile and pipeline. If you'd like to talk about this more - how to do it successfully and how to start doing it, then get in touch! #mrx #insights #marketresearch #marketingresearch

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