(March 8, 2012) Orlando, FL – Vision Critical, a leading global technology and research firm, will be a presenter at The Gartner Customer 360 Summit next week.  The event, which runs this year from March 14 -16^th in Orlando, Florida, provides the very latest in strategic and tactical insight into understanding, engaging and managing customer experiences.

“Vision Critical provides Voice-of-Customer and Voice-of-Market solutions that enable continuous engagement with existing and prospective customers for the purpose of uncovering the deepest customer insight possible,” says Vision Critical founder and CEO, Andrew Reid, who will be onsite and available to share his expertise.  “We are a natural extension of BI, CRM and SMM.  Our solutions uncover ‘why’ consumers feel and behave as they do, and combine this with the ‘what, where, when’ provided by these other behavioral data sources.  The result is a complete 360 degree customer view.”

Attendees can visit the Vision Critical booth to experience Vision Critical Community Panels, Surveys, Discussions and Customer Experience Management (CEM), an integrated online solution suite that offers a complete360 degree customer view.  Visitors will also have the opportunity to engage with Vision Critical experts, such as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Gordon McNeill and Executive Vice President, Mark Bergen.  Please contact Vision Critical for more information at www.visioncritical.com.

The event brings together business and IT leaders to experience new research and innovative thinking in a variety of session formats on the most critical CRM topics, including customer experience management, integrated marketing and sales, data quality and business analytics and mobile and social strategies.

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions including the world’s leading community panel platform. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

(March 7, 2012) San Francisco, CA – Apple’s announcement of the iPad 3 today marks another milestone for the company’s dominance of the tablet market.  Despite increasing numbers of competitors entering the market space, Apple iPad 3 ownership and purchase interest has continued to grow, according to a new study from Vision Critical, a leading global technology and research firm.

The study surveyed a representative sample of over 5,000 people across the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia. Part of Apple’s ongoing market domination could be attributed to brand awareness. Nearly half of respondents in the four countries were aware of the imminent launch of the iPad 3.

Furthermore, the study shows that tablets, and the iPad specifically, have moved beyond early majority and reached all demographics:

• Females are just as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as males.
• Adults aged 35-to-54 years are almost as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as those aged 18-to-34 years.
• Respondents aged 55 years and older remain less enthusiastic.

Tablet ownership has surpassed the netbook device, and come on par with other mobile devices such as e-readers and portable gaming systems.

Purchase intent for the iPad 3 is strong in total, with an emphasis on the younger male early adopter profile. Despite the strong growth and purchase intent for the iPad 3, there is no single outstanding feature among those rumored to be announced driving consumer excitement. Some of the anticipated improvements—such as retina display, increased processing power, and 4G LTE connectivity—do generate some interest, but it is likely that they are seen more as logical improvements to the existing device rather a revolutionary change that Apple fans will hope for when Tim Cook takes the stage in San Francisco. The situation is perhaps similar to the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 announcements. Consumers have become so accustomed to ground-breaking devices and improvements from Apple, so simpler, yet logical and effective changes, seem mundane.

Price is also a key barrier to purchasing an iPad. The iPad currently costs from $500 USD to $800 USD, making it a significant purchase for most consumers. At this price consumers need to have very specific needs in mind that they will fulfill with the device, but well over half of those not interested in a tablet state they just simply don’t know what they would use it for (60% US, 57% Britain, 70% Canada, 67% Australia). General Internet browsing is actually the number one use/reason for interest in or owning a tablet, over any specific features.

Methodology

This study was conducted by Vision Critical as a part of an ongoing research series tracking evolving consumer adoption and attitudes towards tablet computers. Based on online fieldwork collected from March 1 to March 4, 2012, the study involved representative samples of 1,001 adults in the US, 2,000 in Britain, 1,002 in Canada, and 1,003 in Australia. The study was run on Vision Critical’s Springboard America Panel in the US, Springboard UK Panel in Britain, the Angus Reid Forum in Canada, and with sample partner Nine Rewards in Australia.

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions including the world’s leading community panel platform. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

(March 7, 2012) Sydney, Australia – Apple’s announcement of the iPad 3 today marks another milestone for the company’s dominance of the tablet market.  Despite increasing numbers of competitors entering the market space, Apple iPad 3 ownership and purchase interest has continued to grow, according to a new study from Vision Critical, a leading global technology and research firm, and online community Nine Rewards.

The study surveyed a representative sample of over 5,000 people across the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia.  Part of Apple’s ongoing market domination could be attributed to brand awareness. Nearly half of all respondents in the four countries were aware of the imminent launch of the iPad 3.

Furthermore, the study shows that tablets, and the iPad specifically, have moved beyond early majority and reached all demographics:

• Females are just as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as males.
• Adults aged 35-to-54 years are almost as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as those aged 18-to-34 years.
• Respondents aged 55 years and older remain less enthusiastic.

Tablet ownership has surpassed the netbook device, and come in on par with other mobile devices such as e-readers and portable gaming systems.

Purchase intent for the iPad 3 is strong in total, with an emphasis on the younger male early adopter profile. Despite the strong growth and purchase intent for the iPad 3, there is no single outstanding feature among those rumored to be announced driving consumer excitement. Some of the anticipated improvements—such as retina display, increased processing power, and 4G LTE connectivity—do generate some interest, but it is likely that they are seen more as logical improvements to the existing device rather a revolutionary change that Apple fans will hope for when Tim Cook takes the stage in San Francisco. The situation is perhaps similar to the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 announcements. Consumers have become so accustomed to ground-breaking devices and improvements from Apple, so simpler, yet logical and effective changes, seem mundane.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is Apple’s strongest contender in Australia, reaching 76% awareness (62% US, 66% UK, 58% Canada). This is a 27% lift compared to last year, and the media attention about the controversy with Apple may have contributed. 9% intend buying a Galaxy Tab, compared to the category-leading iPad at 22% (Definitely or Probably will buy).Price is also a key barrier to purchasing an iPad. The iPad currently costs from $500 to over $900, making it a significant purchase for most consumers. At this price consumers need to have very specific needs in mind that they will fulfill with the device, but well over half of those not interested in a tablet state they just simply don’t know what they would use it for (60% US, 57% Britain, 70% Canada, 67% Australia). General internet browsing is actually the number one reason for interest in owning a tablet, over any specific features.

Big brand names prove to be very helpful in establishing awareness for tablet computers: 40% are aware of the Blackberry Playbook, Lenovo’s IdeaPad/ThinkPad closely follows at 39%. The LG Optimus is known to 30% of Australians, the Sony Tablet S to 29%, the Motorola Xoom to 27%, and Acer Iconia to 23%.  However, all these brands struggle to convert awareness to purchase intention as no more than 2% of Australians would consider buying any one of these brands.

Global brand Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet computer has an awareness of 41% locally, despite Amazon having yet to announce their rumoured launch of an Australian site. The Kindle Fire’s strong presence is testament to the Australian penchant for overseas internet shopping, helped by the strong Australian Dollar. Purchase intent for the Kindle Fire is already 4% (Definitely or Probably will buy), indicating this could become a strong contender in Australia once launched locally.

Methodology

This study was conducted by Vision Critical as a part of an ongoing research series tracking evolving consumer adoption and attitudes towards tablet computers. Based on online fieldwork collected from March 1 to March 4, 2012, the study involved representative samples of 1,001 adults in the US, 2,000 in Britain, 1,002 in Canada, and 1,003 in Australia. The study was run on Vision Critical’s Springboard America Panel in the US, Springboard UK Panel in Britain, the Angus Reid Forum in Canada, and with sample partner Nine Rewards in Australia.

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions including the world’s leading community panel platform. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

About Nine Rewards
Nine Rewards, part of the Nine Entertainment Co., manages online panels in Australia and New Zealand to promote products, acquire customers and gather insights.

With over 1.4 million permission-based members across Australia and a growing panel in New Zealand, Nine Rewards has large online communities with a unique recruitment source mainly across Nine Entertainment Co. such as Ticketek, Magshop and ninemsn.

(March 7, 2012) San Francisco, CA – Apple’s announcement of the iPad 3 today marks another milestone for the company’s dominance of the tablet market.  Despite increasing numbers of competitors entering the market space, Apple iPad 3 ownership and purchase interest has continued to grow, according to a new study from Vision Critical, a leading global technology and research firm.

The study surveyed a representative sample of over 5,000 people across the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia.  Part of Apple’s ongoing market domination could be attributed to brand awareness. Nearly half of all respondents in the four countries were aware of the imminent launch of the iPad 3.

Furthermore, the study shows that tablets, and the iPad specifically, have moved beyond early majority and reached all demographics.

• Females are just as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as males.
• Adults aged 35-to-54 years are almost as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as those aged 18-to-34 years.
• Respondents aged 55 years and older remain less enthusiastic.

Tablet ownership has surpassed netbooks, and as on par with other mobile devices such as e-readers and portable gaming systems.

Purchase intent for the iPad 3 is strong in total,  with no single outstanding feature among those rumored to be announced driving consumer excitement. Some of the anticipated improvements—such as retina display, increased processing power, and 4G LTE connectivity—do generate some interest, suggesting that while consumers may be intrigued by what incremental enhancements will ultimately be included in the new product release, they are also accustomed to ground-breaking devices and improvements from Apple, so simpler, yet logical and effective changes may seem mundane by comparison.

One new iPad 3 feature that was rumored, but is now not expected, is a smaller form factor for the tablet. There is in fact very little perceived interest in a smaller version of the iPad, suggesting this may be one of the key differentiators that could protect the iPad from a growing competitive field that includes the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. No single tablet comes close to the iPad in terms of awareness, ownership, and purchase intent, but these newer tablets are likely to be key drivers in the growth of the overall tablet market.

The Amazon Kindle Fire is the strongest contender in the US with nearly four- in-five aware (79%; 59% in Britain, 49% in Canada, 41% in Australia), and purchase intent just behind the iPad (17% of respondents will “definitely” or “probably” buy one). The Samsung Galaxy Tab holds a stronger global presence with more than half of people in all countries aware of its existence (62% US, 66% Britain, 58% Canada, 76% Australia). Based on the recent data, however, the Amazon Kindle Fire may have to prove its worthiness with a smaller screen, but it has a distinct advantage when it comes to price, costing less than half than the least expensive iPad.

Price is the key barrier to purchasing an iPad. The iPad currently costs from $500 USD to over $900 USD, making it a significant purchase for most consumers. At this price consumers need to have very specific needs in mind that they will fulfill with the device, but well over half of those not interested in a tablet state they just simply don’t know what they would use it for (60% US, 57% Britain, 70% Canada, 67% Australia). General internet browsing is actually the number one reason for interest in owning a tablet, over any specific features, consistent with previous research conducted over the past 2 years by Vision Critical on iPad adoption and usage.

Methodology

This study was conducted by Vision Critical as a part of an ongoing research series tracking evolving consumer adoption and attitudes towards tablet computers and emerging media consumption. Based on data collected from March 1 to March 4, 2012, the study involved representative samples of 1,001 adults in the US, 2,000 in Britain, 1,002 in Canada, and 1,003 in Australia. The study was run on Vision Critical’s Springboard America Panel in the US, Springboard UK Panel in Britain, the Angus Reid Forum in Canada, and with sample partner Nine Rewards in Australia.

 About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions including the world’s leading community panel platform. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

San Francisco, CA – Apple’s announcement of the iPad 3 today marks another milestone for the company’s dominance of the tablet market.  Despite increasing numbers of competitors entering the market space, Apple iPad 3 ownership and purchase interest has continued to grow, according to a new study from Vision Critical, a leading global technology and research firm.

The study surveyed a representative sample of over 5,000 people across the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia.  Part of Apple’s ongoing market domination could be attributed to brand awareness. Nearly half of all respondents in the four countries were aware of the imminent launch of the iPad 3. 

Furthermore, the study shows that tablets, and the iPad specifically, have moved beyond early majority and reached all demographics.

• Females are just as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as males, and people aged 35-to-54 are almost as likely to own or be interested in an iPad as those aged 18-to-34.
• Respondents aged 55 and older remain less enthusiastic.

Tablet ownership has surpassed the netbook device, and come in on par with other mobile devices such as e-readers and portable gaming systems.

Purchase intent for the iPad 3 strong in total, with an emphasis on the younger male early adopter profile. Despite the strong growth and purchase intent for the iPad 3, there is no single outstanding feature among those rumored to be announced driving consumer excitement. Some of the anticipated improvements—such as retina display, increased processing power, and 4G LTE connectivity—do generate some interest, but it is likely that they are seen more as logical improvements to the existing device rather a revolutionary change that Apple fans will hope for when Tim Cook takes the stage in San Francisco. The situation is perhaps similar to the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 announcements. Consumers have become accustomed to ground-breaking devices and improvements from Apple, so simpler, yet logical and effective changes, seem mundane.

Methodology

Price remains a key barrier to purchasing an iPad. The iPad currently costs from $500 USD to $800 USD, making it a significant purchase for most consumers. At this price consumers need to have very specific needs in mind that they will fulfill with the device, but well over half of those not interested in a tablet state they just simply don’t know what they would use it for (60% US, 57% Britain, 70% Canada, 67% Australia). General internet browsing is actually the number one use/reason for interest in or owning a tablet, over any specific features.

This study was conducted by Vision Critical as a part of an ongoing research series tracking evolving consumer adoption and attitudes towards tablet computers. Based on online fieldwork collected from March 1 to March 4, 2012, the study involved representative samples of 1,001 adults in the US, 2,000 in Britain, 1,002 in Canada, and 1,003 in Australia. The study was run on Vision Critical’s Springboard America Panel in the US, Springboard UK Panel in Britain, the Angus Reid Forum in Canada, and with sample partner Nine Rewards in Australia.

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions including the world’s leading community panel platform. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

“Alliances like this allow Vision Critical to provide select business partners with enhanced capabilities to service their clients,” says Brett Glover, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Vision Critical. “Online consumer engagement continues to be the arena in which meaningful insights are distilled. We’re excited to take our existing relationship with C+R to the next level.”

The Sparq^™ platform allows C+R to create online customer panels to perform both quantitative and qualitative research and develop reliable and affordable community panels for their clients.

“Partnering with Vision Critical has provided us with a means to continue to go above and beyond for our clients,” states Erin Barber, Vice President Online Immersion at C+R.  “The Sparq^™ platform not only allows us the ability to perform quantitative research, but surveys can be programmed with enhanced survey creation tools to improve respondent engagement.  The forum area in Sparq^™ is good for generating qualitative discussions for specific research initiatives, as well as on-going open forums to consistently listen and provide our clients with their customers’ experiences and feedback.  Plus, the set-up is quick and easy so most research questions can be answered within days.”  

About C+R Research

C+R is an established, marketing insights firm that leverages the best of emerging and traditional quantitative and qualitative research methods to provide custom solutions tailored to the unique business needs of their clients. For more information, visit http://crresearch.com and follow C+R on Twitter at www.twitter.com/emergesmarter

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions like Sparq™, the world’s leading community panel program. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

(Vancouver, BC) – Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Vision Critical reveals new research with a romantic twist. The K-Y® Brand Intimacy Report and Rogers Innovation Report show us the dynamic connection between intimacy and technology.

What would you rather be doing? Turns out, according to K-Y® Brand’s Intimacy Report, most Canadians prefer having sex over catching up on entertainment gossip (88%), playing video games (84%), working out (76%), or having a night out with friends (64%). Despite sex being a favorite pastime, it would seem Canadians just can’t get enough of it. More than half of Canadians (55%) report having sex less often than once a week with their partners, with 42 per cent stating they want to have sex more often!

It’s not just more sex they want, either. The majority of Canadians (64%) wish their partners would be more proactive in spicing up their relationships – everything from more vacations together (61%), to more date nights (50%) to simply trying new things (47%). Further research showed that while half of Canadians in long-term relationships (51%) feel that they are very honest and open with their partners when it comes to discussing their sexual fantasies and desires, the same proportion believe that their partners feel embarrassed to share theirs.

“In long-term relationships, it’s easy for day-to-day interactions to become routine and repetitive, but it’s important to find new and creative ways to stimulate your partner both emotionally and physically,” says Dr. Teesha Morgan, relationship expert and registered sex therapist. “Making time for both is the key to connecting with your partner and keeping things exciting in the bedroom and out on Valentine’s Day and beyond.” Half of Canadians (50%) wish their partners would put more thought into planning for special occasions, with Valentine’s Day being in the top four celebrated holidays by Canadian couples after birthdays (88%), Christmas (86%) and anniversaries (85%).

Speaking of excitement? Try using more technology. The Rogers Innovation Report revealed that more than one quarter of Canadian technology users say they stay connected with their significant other to keep their relationship exciting. In fact, young adults spend around 2.5 hours using technology to communicate to their significant other each day. 

Are you single? Wondering how to ask that special-someone out this Valentine’s Day? Or, are you in a relationship you’d rather not be in? Surprisingly, the phone remains the most popular method, with 48 per cent of those surveyed having been asked out over the phone and 18 per cent acknowledging they were dumped the same way. While 31 per cent of 18-24 year olds surveyed said they have been asked out via a social networking site like Facebook, the favorite approach is still the phone. More than half (60%) of 25-34 year olds surveyed have been asked out over the phone.

What about texting? Is it a viable form for wooing? Apparently so. More than one-in-four (27%) respondents aged 18 to 24 think it is fine to ask someone out on a first date through a text message, 40 per cent say they’ve actually been asked out in a text message before, and 12 per cent have been dumped that way.

Overall, if you are looking to ask someone out, best bet is to call them. In a relationship? Try spicing things up this Valentine’s Day with a saucy text message. From what these studies show, your partner will appreciate it!

Research Methodology

Rogers Innovation Report: From January 13^th to January 23^rd 2012, an online survey was conducted among 1,403 randomly selected adult Canadians that own a smartphone or tablet and use texting, social networking, video calling, email, instant messaging, or BBM. The margin of error is +/- 2.6%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to region and gender. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

K-Y® Brand Intimacy Report: The K-Y® Brand Intimacy Report survey was conducted in December 2011 by Vision Critical on behalf of K-Y® Brand among English-speaking Canadians age 25 years and older that have been in a long-term relationship for three or more years. The total sample size for this study is 1,000, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1% 19 times out of 20.

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions like Sparq™, the world’s leading community panel program. For more information follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

Toronto, ON – Beyond celebrity endorsements and social media reviews, traditional media opinions still reign supreme in shaping Canadians’ purchasing decisions, although there is a significant generational gap, according to new research conducted by Vision Critical on behalf of the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF).  For example, when asked whose opinion of a new product matters more – an editor’s or a celebrity’s – a full 42 per cent of Canadians reported caring more about an editor’s opinion, compared to only four per cent who felt a celebrity’s take mattered more.

“Our study delved into the dynamics of influence on Canadians’ shopping habits, examining media influences, ‘circles of trust’, and the impact of social media on our buying process,” said Carol Levine, chair of the CCPRF. “What we discovered is that hierarchy of influence is a much more complex force than people may expect.”

According to The Impact of Influence poll findings, commissioned by the CCPRF and conducted by Angus Reid/Vision Critical, when Canadians are ready to purchase a product or service today, the hierarchy of go-to research sources plays out as follows:

• Facebook trumps Twitter (21 per cent versus 15 per cent), but blogs trump Facebook (29 per cent versus 21 per cent)
• Company websites, however, trump blogs by more than a 2:1 ratio (68 per cent versus 29 per cent)
• Ultimately, traditional media sources – newspapers (86 per cent), TV (83 per cent), radio (78 per cent), and magazines (73 per cent) — still outrank all of the above as the go-to source for information

But this equation of influence changes dramatically for younger generations:

• Almost four in ten Canadians (38 per cent) aged 18-34 consider blogs to be one of their top research sources when purchasing a product or service, compared to less than half that (16 per cent) of Canadians aged 55 or older
• YouTube mirrored the same pattern, with 27 per cent of Canadians under 34 years of age reporting it as one of their top research sources versus only 15 per cent of the boomer generation (adults over the age of 55)
• Moreover, 18-34 year old Canadians were twice as likely as their older counterparts (aged 35-54) to list social media sources such as Facebook as credible news sources (22 per cent versus 12 per cent).  Interestingly, they were also more trusting of company websites as credible news sources than boomer Canadians (23 per cent versus 10 per cent)

“A significant portion of our younger generation sees blogs, YouTube, Facebook and company websites as credible sources of news. This suggests to us, that in their minds – and in contrast to older Canadians – the boundaries of credibility between news, “circle of trust” conversations and marketing are blurring,” explained Levine. “In our social media world, where one individual’s opinion can stand out against a sea of other information, ‘exposure’ as we know it is passé; young Canadians are hand-picking who they want to pay attention to, no matter the source.”

In addition to generational differences, there is a wide gap between how all Canadians are influenced today, versus how self-identified socially engaged respondents are influenced on what to purchase.  For example, The Impact of Influence study found:

• If a blogger posts a positive product review that is contradictory to a traditional news report (newspaper or magazine), average Canadians are more likely to believe traditional media according to the survey (32 per cent versus 13 per cent).  In contrast however, self-identified influencers were almost twice as likely to believe bloggers over media (21 per cent versus 13 per cent)
• 41 per cent of self-identified “early adopters” of new products and services, and 41 per cent of avid smart phone app users count on blogs as one of their top research tools, when considering buying a product or service, compared to 29 per cent of the general population
• While one in five Canadians (21 per cent) rely on Facebook to research new product/service information, in advance of a purchase, that figure jumps to 30 per cent among self-identified social media savvy consumers
• 35 per cent of bloggers use YouTube for researching products and services they are considering buying whereas only 21 per cent of average Canadians do the same
• Just over six-in-ten poll respondents (62 per cent) who considered themselves to be the influencers among their social circles, said they would visit their favourite stores online to stay in the know. This figure drops to 52 per cent when looking at the national average
• Interestingly, almost 1 in 3 Canadians (31 per cent) admit conducting research simply as a means to justify their purchase

“The vast differences in media usage and social media credibility among socially engaged Canadians compared to other Canadians have great implications for PR professionals and marketers as a whole,” said Levine. “The mind map of the socially engaged Canadians in contrast to their counterparts shows us that the future of public relations lies in strategies that are inherently share-worthy by design.”

About The Impact of Influence study

From the context of shopping habits, The Impact of Influence study dissected the opinions and behaviours of socially engaged Canadians including experimenters, early adopters, and social media savvy consumers such as bloggers, and avid smart phone app users to discover who and what influences them.  The study then examined how far behind average consumers lag in their thinking patterns.

Survey Methodology

From September 29th to September 30th 2011, an online survey was conducted among a sample of 1,014 Canadian adults, who are Angus Reid Forum panel members. The margin of error — which measures sampling variability — is +/- 3.08%, 19 times out of 20. The sample was balanced by age, gender and region according to the most recent census data. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

About CCPRF

The Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF) is a national organization of relations consulting firms operating in Canada. The CCPRF is dedicated to promoting the role of public relations in business strategy and organizational performance.  The goal of the Council is to promote the professionalism and development of public relations consulting and provide thought leadership in areas that influence industry growth. The CCPRF also aims to advance the business of public relations by building its value as a strategic business tool, by helping member firms manage successful and profitable businesses, by promoting the benefits of a career in public relations consulting and by providing professional development. For more information visit www.ccprf.ca

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions like Sparq™, the world’s leading community panel program. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

]]> http://www.visioncritical.com/newsroom/vision-critical-research-finds-traditional-media-opinions-most-influential/feed/ 0 http://www.visioncritical.com/newsroom/vision-critical-research-finds-traditional-media-opinions-most-influential/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VisionCritical/AngusReidPublicOpinion/~3/-3w_0MXiTfw/ http://www.visioncritical.com/newsroom/vision-critical-national-panels-appoints-new-director-of-quotations-and-partnerships/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:16:18 +0000 Jessica Lubell http://www.visioncritical.com/?post_type=news&p=8232 (Toronto, ON) January 31, 2012 – Vision Critical National Panels appoints Bouavanh Chatooria to Director, Quotations and Partnerships. Ms. Chatooria has been with Vision Critical for two years and has been a key contributor to the turn-around and rapid growth of National Panels during that time. Ms. Chatooria will be a key driver in building-out the Springboard B2B Network capabilities alongside consumer ones.

“In the ever-changing world of online sample, we need to keep our finger to the pulse of the industry and sources of quality sample as it rapidly evolves and Bouavanh will take the lead in that role.” says Rob Berger, Senior Vice President, Managing Director – National Panels at Vision Critical, “Working alongside Chris Andaya, this talented team will bring the Springboard Network and National Panels to even higher levels of growth in 2012.”

In addition to Sparq^TM, the world’s most advanced and widely used online community panel system, Vision Critical’s suite includes Firefly Surveys, a research tool that capitalized on the power of online social engagement through qualitative and quantitative surveys; and Customer Experience Management (CEM), a centralized web-based portal that gathers and integrates customer feedback to provide intuitive reporting capabilities to system users on a hierarchical basis. Actionable insights emerge that can quickly and directly impact business strategies. Vision Critical continues to win awards and recognition from their impressive product offerings, technology solutions and evolving partnerships.  Most recently, Vision Critical was named as one of the most innovative research firms by industry experts, GreenBook Blog.

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions like Sparq™, the world’s leading community panel program. For more information, please visit www.visioncritical.com  and follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical

The well-attended event focused on the important role of online community panels in market research. “The growing importance to anticipate the consumer’s changing needs makes the immediate feedback from community panels an extraordinary strategic tool for businesses.” states Antonella Massari, senior executive vice president of UniCredit Group.

Vision Critical’s executive vice president Ray Poynter, a keynote speaker and the author of Handbook of Online and Social Media Research, presented the latest trends in market research methodologies and showcased the rapid changes brought by proliferation of social media. Italian consumers embrace new technology with enthusiasm, especially mobile Internet and use of social media. It should be noted that Italy has one of the largest mobile phone markets in Europe and one of the highest mobile internet penetration in the world.

Dinko Svetopetric, Director of European Partnership at Vision Critical showed the audience why now is the right time for Italy to join the online and community revolution. Svetopetric told the audience that “It’s like having a room full of your best customers next door, and it’s always on!” – a message that was quickly picked up by leading Italian financial reporter il Sole 24 Ore.

The Online and Social Media Event was organised by Demoskopea who recently announced that they were partnering with Vision Critical to bring community panels to Italy. “We are thrilled to see such a significant number of leading Italian companies interested in community panels.“ says Fabrizio Angelini, Director of Demoskopea. “Today’s event demonstrates Italy is at a tipping point of recognizing a fresh and engaging way of listening to customers.”

About Demoskopea SPA

Demoskopea is a major privately owned Italian independent research group, with over 45 years of activity and a network of international partnership. The Digital Intelligence Division is focused on netnography and in developing new research techniques through augmented reality and internet applications.

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical pairs the world’s leading market research specialists with the most innovative software developers, marrying the precision of market research with the speed and power of online technology. Serving over 600 global brands through offices across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, Vision Critical creates powerful software and research solutions like Sparq™, the world’s leading community panel program. Follow Vision Critical on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/visioncritical