Will Twitter change the way that market researchers communicate?

Amber Coulter – The Research AgencyAngela Gao – Survey Sampling International

Bill Zuo – Survey Sampling InternationalDaniel Alexander-Head – Colmar Brunton

Julia Bode – The Research AgencyPrashant Hari – Colmar BruntonRay Poynter – The Future Place

Shizue Vieira – Fem MarketinghouseSue York – The Future Place

Initially PresentedESOMAR APAC

Kuala Lumpur – 27 April 2010

Angela Ray Shizue

Plan of Action

Background to Twitter

ContrastsTwitter in ChinaTwitter in Japan

The Tweetference so far

Interactive session

Background to TwitterLaunched in 2006

Alexa.com ranks Twitter at 11

140 character ‘Tweets’

TermsReTweetHashtagsTwitter WallFollowing ≠ Followers

China

• Twitter not available in China• But micro blogging is used

2 pioneers in 2007-Fanfou (the 1st launched May 2007)-Taotao (QQ launched it August 2007)Flourishing in 2009-Digu -Sina Weibo

Typical China micro bloggingTao tao micro blogging

ChinaSina micro blogging http://t.sina.com.cn/

Conclusions - China

• Key drivers of micro blogging- Ease of use, including seamless links

to popular chat services- Mobile connections, especially via

smart phones- Buzz marketing- Relationship circle effect

Japan - Overview• Twitter came to Japan in 2008• April 2009, 520K users

– August 2009 2 million users→2010 5 million users

• 95% Twitter users access by mobile phone– Charge for certain contents on Twitter

• Company communication Tool– Mr Song of Softbank uses Twitter to communicate

with his 20K employees

• More info with 140 characters limit post– Ocean→ 海

Japan – Advertisements

Japan – Advertisements

Japan – Advertisements

Conclusion - Japan

• Long term users and Twitter’s future in Japan– TV show– 10 million users by end of this year

– Japanese Twitter book, Masato Kogure

Tweetference

3 Questions

#qstn1 Which country would you most like to visit in 2011?

#qstn2 What is your favourite drink?

#qstn3 How would you define market research in 140 characters?

Interaction Time!Live Feedback

#Raypoynter doing a good job educating us about how to use twitter for research #esoa7:17 PM Apr 26th via UberTwitter

At ESOMAR APAC listening to a session on Twitter in MR by @Raypoynter #esoa7:29 PM Apr 26th via web

@RayPoynter Thanks Ray! Just trying to get an idea of what it's like for those physically there... #esoa #ESOMAR #MR6:13 PM Apr 26th via TweetDeck in reply to RayPoynter

#qstn1 – Where want to visit next?

Diverse views 33 responses USA 4, Thailand 2, China 2, Canada 2 Did seeing other responses make them more

diverse?

Free format responses “England with the kids. Greece with the wife”

#qstn2 Favourite Drink

Alcoholic or Not? 32 responses 14 non-alcoholic 13 alcoholic 3 listed 1 soft & 1 alcoholic 2 said task was impossible

#qstn3 What is market research?

Constructionist“Market Research is a way of gaining a glimpse of the lived reality of consumers”

Post-positivist“Scientific approach to consumer insight”

Consumer“Any technique that involves the consumer (directly or indirectly) in the process of market understanding, planning or evaluation”

Business“Beyond insights - participation in decision making and taking full responsibility if decision goes wrong”

So?

Twitter is helping create a two-speed industry

Connected researchers, who can leverage crowdsourcing and who tend to hear things first

Others

Thank You

Amber CoulterAngela Gao

Bill ZuoDaniel Alexander-Head

Julia BodePrashant HariRay PoynterShizue Vieira

Sue York