'Insights 2020' to Study Future of MR and Analytics

A number of research organisations have come together to lead a new industry initiative called 'Insights 2020 - Driving Customer-Centric Growth', with the aim of studying the future of market research, insights and analytics strategy, structure and capability.

The partnership comprises Millward Brown Vermeer, The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), ESOMAR, Kantar, and Korn Ferry, and is chaired by Keith Weed (pictured), Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Unilever. Their new Insights2020 study will aim to develop a framework, practical guidelines and case studies to help marketing and insights and analytics professionals define the role of insights and analytics in driving business strategy and growth; build and organize the function in their companies; and emulate the leadership competencies and behavior of 'over-performing' organizations.

Insights2020 builds on Millward Brown Vermeer's Marketing2020 research program, designed to help global CMOs align marketing strategy, structure and capability with business growth; and which included contributions from more than 250 CMOs and 10,000 marketers across 92 countries. Commenting on the latest launch, Weed said: 'In Marketing2020 we showed how successful companies are driving business growth through big insights, purposeful positioning and total experience. With Insights2020, we're excited to go even further and specifically explore the role, structure and capabilities of successful insights and analytics organizations in today's evolving market.'

Weed will be joined on the Advisory Board by a number of business and academic leaders, including Diego Scotti, CMO, Verizon; Rob Norman, Chief Digital Officer, GroupM; Harish Bhat, Member - Group Executive Council, TATA; Julian Prynn, Marketing Director, Middle East, BAT; Professor Jerry Wind of The Wharton School; Barbara Lamprecht, Brand and Marketing Strategy, Volkswagen; Tony Fagan, VP Research, Google; Gayle Fuguitt, CEO and President, ARF; and Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP, parent of Kantar and Millward Brown.

Findings will be presented at the ESOMAR Congress in September 2015, and details about the study are online at: www.insights2020.org .