Blog articles by Nicole Gardere

How AI can enhance creativity, quality and efficiency in research now

Artificial intelligence is already redefining the norms of data collection and analysis. The technology is surely critical to the continued success of research professionals in delivering precise and actionable insights.  

However, what’s possible now? How and where can you tap into the power of AI to enhance research outcomes this year?  

In a recent webinar, SKIM’s AI expert Nino Hardt and FMCG Director Jessica Rainalter revealed six real-world examples of AI in practice across market research.  

Edrington UK is the sales, marketing and distribution business of internationally renowned spirits company, Edrington. The company’s portfolio includes beloved whiskies and cognacs such as The Macallan, The Famous Grouse and Jim Beam. When the pandemic disrupted consumer behavior and paths to purchase shifted more towards digital channels, Edrington needed a data-driven approach to understand the changes and help prioritize its marketing strategies.

How could Edrington adapt to new shopper journeys, and optimize marketing effectiveness to drive growth in traditional and digital channels?

At Quirk’s London, Edrington UK’s Senior Consumer Insights Manager, Rebecca Ramsay, shared the company’s challenges and outcomes from delving into the new path to purchase. Joining her on stage was Stephen Scales, Director, who led the project at SKIM. Stephen detailed the insights and activation approach used, including the decision journey methodology and how our team helped create impact on Edrington’s future marketing strategies.

If you’re facing similar shifts in consumer behavior and shopper journeys, Edrington’s success story is enlightening and inspiring. Here’s a recap of their talk.

How can a global organization improve strategic decision-making, align all stakeholders around an action plan, and accelerate deployment?

These were the exact questions Danone faced last year in its plant-based acceleration unit of the specialized nutrition division.

As one of the top global food companies, adapting to changing consumer behavior is always a key challenge for Danone. Consumer demand was rising for plant-based products. Danone wanted to continue to grow infant nutrition by leveraging plant-based assets from the company. Danone’s global strategy and insights team saw an opportunity to use business wargaming to help accelerate strategic decision-making and growth for its plant-based portfolio.

Business wargaming is a data-driven, agile decision-making approach that helps companies make faster and more holistic and bold decisions.

I recently sat down with our clients at Danone to discuss their new approach for agile, cross-functional and collective decision-making. Read on to learn how Danone used business wargaming to transform strategic decision-making and lead the business into a promising new market. 

2020 has seen a significant acceleration in the digitization of healthcare. Telehealth, in particular, is playing bigger role than ever before – impacting patients, healthcare professionals (HCPs), hospitals and pharma companies alike. To explore the effects and implications of COVID-19 on pharma marketing strategies, our healthcare team conducted research on how patients experienced this change to a more digital health system.