GfK TechTalk

Smartphone Instant Messaging: The dawn of a new era in communication

Adelynne Chao — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:06:45 +0000

The evolution of messaging Since the advent of SMS messaging two decades ago, this method of communication has become a solid revenue stream for operators with over 350m SMS messages sent every day in the UK alone[1]. More recently, the rapid adoption of smartphones and the increasing demand for mobile data – which soared fortyfold [...]

Design goes subtle

Colin Strong — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:27:37 +0000

The look of mobile devices has changed considerably over the past couple of years, or more precisely since Jan 9th 2007 when the iPhone was first unveiled. Since then there has been a gradual movement toward the ubiquitous large touch screen, rounded corners and thin form. To illustrate this, handsets from Samsung, Nokia and Apple [...]

Digital psychology: What Smart Data says about you

Colin Strong — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:23:53 +0000

As I started planning my summer holidays for this year (yes, I like to be organised) I was struck by the sheer scale of the digital footprint that I was creating. I used Google to search potential destinations, looked at travel reviews, local destination websites, tried to see what the apartment looks like using Google [...]

Where next for word of mouth?

Olly Robinson — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:29:29 +0000

(You can read the full version of this article in the latest edition of GfK TechTalk here.) As consumers, we’re handing over more and more data about ourselves in exchange for products and services we take for granted. It’s this individual-level data that’s likely to provide the next generation of recommendation models, and the user experiences [...]

Turning UX into hard metrics

Tim Bosenick — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:54:10 +0000

(You can read the full version of this article in the latest edition of GfK TechTalk here.) The importance of the User Experience (UX) is increasingly recognized for the crucial role it has to play in take-up and loyalty of devices & digital services. The consumer devotion to their product eco-system of choice, the way in [...]

Charlie bit me: How can brands create viral marketing materials?

Colin Strong — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:44:27 +0000

(You can read the full version of this article in the latest edition of GfK TechTalk here.) Most of us love getting a link to a piece of internet material which we find amusing and then forward on to our friends. It’s harmless and generally leaves us with a good feeling so it is easy to [...]

Discoverability drives choice, adoption and loyalty in the digital market

Simon Pulman-Jones — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:18:42 +0000

(You can read the full version of this article in the latest edition of GfK TechTalk here.) Pleasure for its own sake is becoming as crucial to the effectiveness of digital operating systems as the fundamentals of UX design. We are seeing a new dimension for UX: discoverability – the joy of discovery for its own [...]

Around the world in….the shoes of a tech researcher

Liza Kiggin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:13:57 +0000

As a qual researcher in the tech sector, I’ve travelled the globe to meet consumers and understand how my clients can better address their needs. Reciting my anecdotes to family and friends, with only a soupçon of embellishment, I’m often greeted with the faintly amusing, yet all too familiar retort; ‘you really should write a [...]

Gamification interview with Kam Star: Using play to engage with customers

Laura Fry — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:00:18 +0000

Marketers are increasingly turning to ‘Gamification’ to increase loyalty and change the way in which people interact with their brand. But what exactly is Gamification and how, if at all, should companies be using it? Kam Star, CEO of PlayGen, has the answers – and one thing’s for sure: a successful Gamification strategy requires a [...]

SMBs are embracing technology, but lack full awareness of the associated IT security threats

David Pritchard — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:26:49 +0000

Synopsis: While austerity measures in the face of economic uncertainty are curtailing IT spending among small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) in the UK and USA, we still see that many are keen to invest in technology to help develop their businesses. Mobile working solutions and social networking are key emerging technology trends for companies of this size [...]