AUCKLAND, Tuesday: Rainger & Rolfe managing partner Ant Rainger writes: “Earlier this month, at the annual Market Research Conference, I challenged the industry to take greater ownership of their insights and play a greater role around the commercialisation of their work.
“The response was muted at the time but since then evidence has emerged a nerve may have been touched.
“Findings were presented that showed the vast majority of senior research professionals rated the quality of the insights they provide clients and in the main these insights are valued and where possible, applied.
“Findings were also presented that showed the same cannot be said for their views of creative agencies – and often their reluctance – to build creative solutions on a platform of the insights provided.
“As part of this narrative Rainger & Rolfe was able to demonstrate the alternative approach – and the value of insight-directed creativity – with several case studies of work that was built directly out of consumer dialogue.
“You motivated those who do have the energy and enthusiasm to change the game.”
“Some of the campaigns won grand prix awards, some smashed sales targets, some smashed research objectives. But there was never any luck because they all emerged from listening to the consumer.”
Rainger suggests it’s the way his agency works and the only way to optimise communication outcomes. “I’m lucky because we have a creative director and a creative department that value quality research.
“It does make me wonder if Rainger & Rolfe is perhaps NZ’s most insight-directed creative agency?”
Rainger says he wasn’t reprimanded by the association but has enjoyed “great feedback from attendees that this is exactly what the industry needs”.
One respondent wrote: “I really enjoyed your presentation and thought it was an excellent challenge which we definitely needed to hear. I think it was a timely reminder that we, as an industry, are poor at embedding ourselves in the client teams we deal with and that we can offer a lot – but only if we’re at the table!
“Not sure if you heard but one of the young researchers referred to your paper in a panel session on the future of research that was conducted in front of the whole conference. He was seriously motivated by the idea that we need to show up again and again and again.
“It was great to see that you’d motivated those who do have the energy and enthusiasm to change the game.”
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