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Posts Tagged ‘Consumer Insight’

Worthington Enterprises, User Experience & Customer Segmentation Research

Written by kinopicz Posted in Uncategorized

The Context

Worthington Enterprises “manufactures and markets category-leading brands found on the shelves of mass retailers, home improvement and specialty stores around the globe.” Reflecting the entrepreneurial spirit of its founder, Worthington Enterprises places a high value on understanding and serving its customers.

The Critical Questions

Managers of revered brands such as Coleman, Balloon Time, and Garden Weasel asked Illuminology for help acquiring a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of their customers. What opportunities might there be to better serve customers as they do a variety of tasks and jobs? Could those customers be segmented into meaningful, actionable, accurate segments?

Our Solution

Over the course of multiple projects for different brands, Illuminology worked collaboratively with Worthington Enterprises’ team members to design and deploy customized research that was tailored to the needs of the engagement. For example, contextual inquiries with customers (conducted both in-person and virtually) allowed our researchers to observe and explore how products were used in their natural environment(s), and how the customer experiences with those products could be optimized. And high-quality, nationally representative customer surveys allowed our researchers to use advanced statistical techniques that assigned customers to different segments.

Illumination

The various quantitative research engagements produced valid and reliable estimates of customer preferences and behaviors, in addition to actionable customer segmentation models. And the qualitative research engagements helped provide the Coleman, Balloon Time, and Garden Weasel brand managers with useful insights into how, why, where, and when their customers interacted with the products.

Resolution

The information and insights that Illuminology delivered to Worthington Enterprises helped it to estimate the total addressable market for different categories, to guide a variety of new product development efforts, and to inspire its product and channel marketing.

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Park National Bank, Brand Positioning Research

Written by kinopicz Posted in Uncategorized

The Context

With over $9.8 billion total assets, nearly 2,000 associates, and over 90 locations across the country, Park National Bank (PNB)’s footprint is large! However, PNB hasn’t always been known by one brand name: instead, in the recent past it had 12 different brand names, with many of those names referencing a different geographic area it served. As PNB continued to grow, its leaders knew such a differentiated brand would not be sustainable. Therefore, PNB and its marketing partners engaged Illuminology to conduct a large scale quantitative and qualitative research project focused on how to reposition the public’s understanding of these trusted, established brands.

The Critical Questions

To what extent were customers willing to accept a transition to a common, unified brand name? What concerns did they have about such a transition? Did they feel positive, neutral, or negative about such a transition, and how strongly did they feel about it?

Our Solution

Working in partnership with PNB, Illuminology designed and deployed many focus group sessions across the areas served by the bank, along with high-quality, representative surveys of both prospective customers and current customers. Illuminology analyzed the data from these various research methods and then clearly summarized the key findings for sharing and review by PNB’s senior leaders.

Illumination

After hearing emotional stories about customers’ experiences with their bank, and after reviewing sophisticated analyses of the quantitative data, Park National Bank, its marketing partners, and Illuminology understood that a change to a common, unified brand name would be accepted by the majority of customers as long as certain information (e.g., what will change, what will not change) was clearly communicated before, during, and after such a transition.

Resolution

In 2019, Park National Bank transitioned to using one brand name for each of its locations, unifying the customer experience. The organization continues to grow while maintaining its focus on the communities and residents it serves.

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Ohio Liquor (OHLQ), Brand Positioning & Market Research

Written by kinopicz Posted in Uncategorized

The Context

With the Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) managing retail liquor agencies across the state that carry more than 5,000 different liquor products and generating significant revenue for JobsOhio, understanding consumer sentiments is crucial. OHLQ’s 2022 “Savor the Summer” advertising campaign aimed to engage Ohioans and boost sales during the warmer months. OHLQ sought to understand perceptions towards the campaign to inform decision-making for future campaigns.

The Critical Questions

How do Ohioans react to OHLQ’s “Savor the Summer” advertising campaign, specifically focusing on spokesperson perceptions? What are their preferences and concerns regarding the campaign’s messaging and spokesperson?

Our Solution

OHLQ embarked on a qualitative research endeavor, involving a set of focus groups with Central Ohio residents.

Illumination

The focus group sessions conducted by Illuminology uncovered fascinating insights into Ohioans’ reactions to the “Savor the Summer” campaign.

Resolution

Armed with the nuanced understanding gleaned from the qualitative research, OHLQ was equipped to tailor its marketing and messaging strategies effectively. By leveraging the insights obtained through collaboration with Illuminology, OHLQ refined its approach for future campaigns to resonate better with Ohioans.

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Ohio Credit Union League, Membership Research

Written by kinopicz Posted in Uncategorized

The Context

Because of its dedication to help Ohio credit unions grow, succeed, and advance, the Ohio Credit Union League (OCUL) prioritizes listening to the voice of its customers. To enable such listening, OCUL engaged Illuminology to conduct multiple annual surveys of its members.

The Critical Questions

How satisfied are credit union leaders with their overall experience with OCUL, and how likely are those leaders to recommend OCUL to their peers? What services, tools, and opportunities do credit union leaders want their statewide association to provide? And what topics do credit union leaders want to learn more about from their statewide association?

Our Solution

Working in partnership with OCUL, Illuminology designed and deployed multiple online surveys to OCUL’s members. When designing the survey questionnaires, a choice was made to have two sets of questions. One set of questions would be asked each time (e.g., satisfaction ratings), allowing OCUL to detect statistically significant changes from year to year. And the other set of questions would be modular, changing each year to focus on strategically important concepts at that time.

Illumination

After administering these annual membership surveys, Illuminology was able to produce valid and reliable information that helped OCUL better understand how its members evaluated its performance and how OCUL could better serve its members.

Resolution

Each year, OCUL carefully reviews the research findings and takes actions informed by these membership surveys. And over time, OCUL has received increasingly positive evaluations from its credit union members, along with strategic information that helps OCUL ensure it provides members with the products, services, and supports that are needed.

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