Lightspeed Begins Global Mobile Survey Roll-Out

Lightspeed Research has begun the roll-out of a global service offering consumer surveys via mobile devices, with initial launches in Great Britain and Australia. The firm says it plans to expand into the US and other countries in Europe and Asia Pacific over the next few months.

The service promises 'the ability to conduct highly targeted surveys that capture data almost immediately from respondents fitting the selected profile and location.' In addition, through the use of proprietary software it allows respondents to submit photos from mobile camera phones via MMS, linked directly to their responses.

Lightspeed has tested the potential for such surveys extensively over the past few months in a program of Research on Research, reporting some of its findings back to the industry at large (www.mrweb.com/drno/news6337.htm ). As a result it claims the new approach offers 'the same high quality' as its existing proprietary online panels. In terms of applications, the company suggests the mobile phone research approach is 'best suited for short surveys, particularly when researching younger consumers during events or on the go'.

The resulting survey results can be combined with the consumer profile data the firm holds on all its panellists, including coverage of media consumption, car ownership, health and well-being, sports and leisure, business, and financial services.

European CEO David Day says the format has exciting new possibilities: 'Mobile phone research is ideal for understanding consumer opinions and attitudes outside of the home or around specific events. The addition of respondents submitting photos, whether adverts they have seen or even the contents of their fridge, enables us to bring clients really close to their respondents. We see a huge number of applications in media, brand management and commerce.'

One of the tests involved a survey during the half-time break in the European Champion's League final in May, and achieved 60% completed surveys during the break and 90% within an hour of going live; another took place during last month's Live Earth global series of concerts and contacted panellists in Australia, Great Britain, and the US.

Lightspeed's panels provide access to household members across 34 countries in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Part of WPP, it is online at www.lightspeedresearch.com.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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