Research tools cloud truth

Alan Mitchell asks whether marketers have lost touch with the consumer (MW September 27). I would reject this argument – on the grounds that there is little evidence to demonstrate that marketers have ever understood the customer.

Armed with their CHAID analyses and their residual mean squared errors, companies may think and claim to know their customers. But marketers are fooling no one but themselves if they believe that they can “really” understand the consumer.

Gary Boyes

Senior Research Fellow

International Institute of Banking and Financial Services

Recommended

Coca-Cola relaunches sports drink

Marketing Week

Coca-Cola is to compete with GlaxoSmithKline’s Lucozade Sport drink in the European market, with the relaunch of its Powerade sports drink. The company has appointed Wieden & Kennedy (W&K) Amsterdam to create the advertising for the launch. Although Powerade has been on sale in the UK since April, it will be repackaged and allocated an […]

Asda tests in-store ‘green’ detergent vending system

Marketing Week

Asda is testing a detergent vending machine and is considering introducing it to all of its 247 UK stores if consumer reaction is positive. The environmentally friendly OnTap machine allows customers to dispense Asda’s range of Logic liquid detergents (biological, non-biological and colour) as well as EasyIron Zest fabric conditioner into refillable pouches. The trial, […]

Davies Little Cowley wins Keycamp account

Marketing Week

Davies Little Cowley Fiddes (DLCF) has picked up the £1m advertising account for Keycamp Holidays. The agency replaces incumbent Summerfield Wilmot Keene & Partners with immediate effect and will handle all aboveand below-the-line work. Keycamp is a camping and mobile home operator offering self-drive holidays to Europe. The pitch was overseen by the AAR. Keycamp […]