ESOMAR's Picture of Brazilian MR

Marketing and opinion research appears to be a growth industry in Brazil, with a turnover of US$ 197 million in 2000. This is according to information released in ESOMAR's new global market research study. The sector grew by 11 percent overall during 2001 and continues to show steady growth into 2002.

ESOMAR believes that much of this growth parallels regional and global developments in Latin America. The whole region has witnessed recent significant growth in the presence of multinationals and their brands, an increasing pace of commerce, and a liberalisation of trade and investment. These trends are particularly pronounced in the Brazilian context.

As a result, ESOMAR's latest report describes how ordinary Brazilians are becoming more 'mature' consumers. There is evidence to prove that this is pattern is to be found in heavier and more sophisticated product use, along with greater involvement with brands and rising consumer expectations. These consumers are arguably becoming a force to reckon with in terms of customer satisfaction and marketing support.

Within the Brazilian MR industry itself, many of the prominent agencies are in fact international and enjoy good technological resourcing. They are increasingly servicing clients in the manufacturing sectors (47 percent of research was commissioned by these companies in 2001). Other key client sectors emerge as business to business and financial services. At the same time, ESOMAR has found that the vast majority of research (85 percent) is commissioned by domestic clients, with a far smaller proportion of research (15 percent) originating from external clients. Nearly all (95 percent) of the research is consumer, with only 5 percent made up of non-consumer.

Looking at the types of research and interviewing methods that are in place, ESOMAR suggests that 13 percent of total research turnover is generated by continuous, ongoing research. More significantly, 87 percent is still created from ad hoc projects. Of these ad hoc projects, 63 percent is quantitative and 24 percent qualitative. Over two-thirds of quantitative interviews are conducted face to face and another fifth of the interviews are carried out by telephone.

Given the buoyancy of the industry, Brazil has seen a number of professional organisations spring up in recent years. These include the ABA (Associação Brasileira de Anunciantes), ABIPEME (Associação Brasileira dos institutos de pesquisa de Mercado), ANEP (Associação Nacional de empresas de pesquisa) and SBPM, (Sociedade Brasileira de Pesquisa de Mercado). All four have undertaken to abide by the ICC/ESOMAR International Code of Marketing and Social Research Practice.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.