Friday - June 1, 2012 | 14:45-15:45
Salon F

Crowdsourcing: A Disruptive New Force in Market Research?

Most people are aware of crowdsourcing for innovation and problem solving, but far fewer know that it can drive deep market insight that is difficult, if not impossible, to gain using only traditional market research methods.

Recent advances in crowdsourcing practices are driving dramatic participation rates, producing rich data streams and enabling new research capabilities.  Crowdsourcing combines aspects of social media, specific process methodology, new data analysis techniques and knowledge of how crowds behave to guide large groups of people to contribute to new levels of market understanding.  Moreover, these crowd communities can evolve to become “on-demand” market research assets for those companies that develop them. Companies like Procter and Gamble have permanently incorporated crowdsourcing into their overall portfolio of stakeholder engagement and market intelligence.

This session will:

  • Outline specific crowdsourcing techniques that are being used successfully by major global enterprises for market research
  • Highlight several case studies of crowdsourced market research
  • Identify best practices and biggest pitfalls of crowdsourcing for market research
  • Define the major differences between crowdsourced and traditional market research

Richard Einarson - Vice President, Chaordix Inc.

Richard brings over thirteen years of experience in the software industry with a wide range of skills from sales and marketing to product management and client implementation.

He has helped bring strategic direction and execution of highly effective digital and social media engagement programs to multiple companies and within the political arena.

Sharon M. McIntyre, BA, Cert.PR/Mktg., Dip.DE, M.Ed., DSocSci.
(2013) CMO, Chaordix Inc

Sharon is a highly experienced marketing professional and doctoral social science researcher. Specializing professionally in high-tech industry marketing and branding strategy, she also researches, writes, teaches and speaks about the intersection between location, innovation and technology. Sharon has shared her passion for marketing and creativity with global corporations, start-up enterprises, public sector organizations, and students for 20+ years. She has held senior marketing positions and consulted in a variety of domains including crowdsourcing, business software, oil & gas technologies, housing, telecommunications, publishing, and the arts. In her role as Assistant Professor (Marketing) in the Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University, she drove a complete curriculum reform to build an innovative undergraduate marketing program with her colleagues. Sharon has lived and worked internationally, communicates in English and French, and holds dual Canadian and Irish (EU) citizenship.