Survey research is under pressure: consumers are over questioned, response rates are declining, and activity levels in consumer panels are decreasing.

We need to make surveys more engaging, fun and attractive. Participants will pay attention again if we enhance survey design and functionalities, facilitate peer-to-peer consumer interactions, make them accessible from any device, or apply principles of gamification. In addition, we need to increase the informational relevance of surveys by making them able to tap into emotional and subconscious behavioral drivers.

Survey plug-ins allowing better understanding of the reason why

While surveys are predominantly used to draw quantitatively robust conclusions, we integrate more qualitative modules into our surveys in order to better understand motivations and feelings and to discover routes for optimization. Examples of plug-ins are tagging tools enabling consumers to zoom in on specific stimuli and provide in-depth comments and recommendations, composition of collages, and scene-by-scene rating and commenting of television commercials.

Implicit measurement uncovering subconscious decision-making

We integrate specific 'stress' tasks in surveys allowing us to capture implicit drivers of consumer behavior. By doing this, we prevent rational processing and obtain direct access to consumers' brains. We integrate implicit measurement techniques in surveys for understanding the relative strengths of a brand's distinctive assets, the effects of packaging changes, or to match visual stimuli to brands or consumer insights.

Peer-to-peer interactions enabling crowd sourcing

We use the dynamics of peer-to-peer interactions between survey participants to crowd source. Typically, this involves brainstorming exercises among survey participants, coding of open ended questions by survey participants, and exit forums allowing discussions among survey participants.