Thursday - May 31, 2012 | 14:45-15:45
Salon E

The Luxury of Ignorance Has Expired -
The next Generation of Shopper Insights and Research Protocols

The emergence and convergence of technology combined with the explosion of choice at shelf has put significant pressure on the market research community to define new research methodologies that define a faster and more efficient path to analysis and interpretation.  There is a significant need for speed as the luxury of ignorance has expired. We must find new ways of conducting and interpretation research with actionable insight in order to stay relevant in a sea of choice.

Many companies struggle to understand the emotional benefits that drive and influ­ence shopping behavior and the path to purchase. To fully understand the key drivers of shopper behavior we must first accept that shoppers have a deep seeded need for self-actualization, self-creation, security and connection.

Understanding shopper behavior and the path to purchase is not a spectator sport as you must combine qualitative and quantitative research to get accurate insight. The Institute (IRIE) in partnership with Minavox is conducting  a research study that will utilize quantitative analysis to understand key drivers of behavior and then reconcile those findings with actual behavior in a simulated retail environment across multiple categories to identify key drivers of shopping behavior at all points in the path to purchase.

Inez Blackburn, IRIE - University of Toronto

Director of Research – The Institute of Retail Innovation  and Education

Inez Blackburn is a globally recognized speaker and industry leader, innovator and pioneer in launching global brands with over 25 years experience. She has worked with many Fortune 500 companies and led numerous executives through her Positioned for Profit Seminars and Marketing to the Max Workshops. She has been on the Dean’s list for excellence in teaching for 10 years and is a featured trainer at numerous executive events. Her first book Pride Passion Profit – 7 Steps to Category Development has sold over 5,000 copies and is well positioned to help companies take their category plans to the next level.

Inez Blackburn is currently the President of Market Techniques & Innovations Inc and Research Director at The Institute for Retail Innovation and Education and an Adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, Wright State University, and S.P. Jain University in Singapore and Dubai.  Inez conducts both quantitative and qualitative research in a State of the Art Research facility and ROI Lab leveraging best in class technologies and research protocols.

Prior to becoming addicted to research and an Adjunct Professor, Inez held numerous executive positions for numerous CPG Companies for National Brands and Private Label. She was the Vice President of Marketing for Cott Corporation where she was responsible for developing and launching Private label Brands for major retailers in Canada, the United States, Europe.

She has worked extensively with major corporations and has played a pivotal role in implementing Customer Centric Strategic Plans, Marketing to the Max, Retail Trends and Opportunities, Demand Planning Best Practices, The Balanced Scorecard, and teaching companies how to leverage the power of Collaboration for a sustainable competitive advantage. The Evolution of Category Management, Category Development and Activity Based Costing are just a few of the customized training sessions she conducts.

Inez is often featured at conferences around the world and conducts training seminars on Category Development, Product Life Cycle Management, Supply Chain Strategy and Marketing according to the Art of War, Generation Text and The Era of Postponement .

Todd Nowensky - Minavox

Todd Nowensky has been in the high tech industry for over 15 years with hands on business development experience in Canada, US, Europe and Asia. Working closely with some of the world’s largest corporations, Todd has been at the forefront of the implementation of the latest HR and Market Research technologies and strategies being deployed by these organizations.