Quirk’s Chicago 2023 has just wrapped up its two-day event from March 27-28. It was full of learning, networking, and exploring the latest trends in market research. Our team was excited to sponsor the event and network with researchers globally, attend insightful sessions, and gain valuable industry insights. Here were 3 key takeaways and highlights from Quirk’s Chicago 2023:
Sustainable Changes
One significant insight from some of these sessions was that consumers are placing greater emphasis on sustainability. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability, and brands are taking notice. However, insights professionals have a crucial role to play in the fight against climate change. By understanding how consumers define and think about sustainability, as well as identifying high-impact initiatives that food brands can take to reach sustainably-minded consumers, insights professionals can help drive meaningful change in the industry. As Stephanie Vance emphasized in her session, “Innovating for the Sustainably-Minded Consumer: Insights from Food Shoppers,” while sustainability is important, consumers still prioritize quality and price. Therefore, insights professionals must consider how to position sustainable products in a way that aligns with consumer needs and preferences. The insights industry must evolve its best practices and take a proactive role in delivering insights that drive sustainable business practices. This can help companies achieve a sustainable bottom line alongside a financial one, making it essential for insights professionals to stay ahead of the game.
Sustainability is of the utmost importance here at Behaviorally and we have written about “The Sustainability Conundrum” in “The Power of Packaging to Drive Shopper Growth” and also hosted a virtual event with other insights professionals on this vital topic called We Better Behave, where you can watch archived footage.
Making Emotional Connections
In today’s competitive marketplace, it is essential for businesses to understand their customers on a deeper level to build strong relationships and drive growth. Sessions have highlighted the importance of building an emotional connection with customers, as research has shown that an emotional connection to a brand or product encourages consumers to make a purchase and be selected. CEO of Beall Research, Anne Beall’s session, “Want your brand to capture their hearts? Identify and address buyers’ emotional needs,” highlighted that customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend the brand if they self-identify with it. This is especially true for younger buyers, who have more diverse emotional needs especially as the growing segment becomes the primary shopper target audience.
In the session, “Beyond surveys: Leveraging online communities for business growth” with T-Mobile, the best practices for building and managing online communities were discussed, with examples of successful implementation. By utilizing a community platform, businesses can create a space for customers to engage with each other and with the company, leading to a better understanding of their emotional context.
To learn more about pulling at the consumer’s emotional heartstrings, check out chapter “How Does It Make Me Feel” in our complimentary e-book, “The Power of Packaging to Drive Shopper Growth” here.
The Fight Against Inflation
Many presentations focused on the ongoing economic uncertainty. It has had a major impact on businesses and consumers, posing significant challenges for insights professionals in providing accurate insights and recommendations to their clients. Supply chain disruptions, pricing sensitivity, and unstable consumer confidence are the primary challenges that brands face. Consumers are now making complex decisions about how to spend their money during an economic downturn. They may switch to cheaper alternatives, consider purchasing from different brands or stores to save money, and plan their purchases more carefully by researching and comparing prices and reviews online before making more informed decisions.
The sessions also shared insights on how consumers’ attitudes toward private label brands have been shaped and how inflation pressure prompts them to re-evaluate their spending habits. This information can help insights professionals to better understand consumer behavior and develop strategies that can adapt to changing consumer attitudes and spending habits.
Read Jeff and Scott’s blog post “Managing Through Uncertain Times” on this very topic.
THE AUTHOR
Lauren Francis is a Marketing Coordinator at Behaviorally with a passion for branding and consumer behavior. When she’s not working, Lauren enjoys spending time with friends, working out and using her creative side with painting and openness to experiment with her culinary skills.
Click here to connect with Lauren on LinkedIn.
