Nielsen Debuts Category-Specific Journey Analysis in NZ

In New Zealand, Nielsen has launched a research solution called CMI Journey, aiming to help clients understand how and why consumers make decisions, and how this converts into purchases. The new tool builds on the company's established Consumer & Media Insights (CMI) offering.

CMI Journey draws on a 'robust' sample of New Zealand consumers, and covers 30 of the country's consumer categories and more than 50 touchpoints across paid, earned and owned media - the latter include TV, radio, streaming, online video, search, social media, out-of-home, retail environments, recommendations and word of mouth. The research brings category perceptions, purchase triggers, evaluation criteria, conversion drivers and post-purchase advocacy together in a unified evidence base.

The approach defines five 'interconnected' phases of consumer decision-making: understanding existing category experiences and perceptions before active consideration begins; identifying the needs, emotions, life events and triggers that prompt consumers to consider a purchase; revealing how consumers research and compare options; examining how price, availability, convenience and other factors convert consideration into action; and exploring post-purchase experiences and advocacy.

Nielsen says the tool will allow media owners to demonstrate the part ads in their publications play; advertisers to identify where consumers progress, hesitate or abandon their journey; and agencies to plan across channels and to build sharper proposals, among other benefits. Lucas Carreras, Executive Commercial Director, Pacific, notes: 'CMI Journey represents an important evolution in how the advertising industry can connect audience intelligence with commercial outcomes. Knowing who your customers are is only part of the picture. The real opportunity lies in understanding what drives their decisions, the moments that influence their choices and the role media plays along the way.' Helene Maurer (pictured), the company's Commercial Director, NZ adds: 'CMI Journey addresses a critical challenge facing New Zealand's advertising and media industry. Every category has its own path to purchase, and consumers don't make decisions in a straight line. Someone choosing an insurance provider will have very different motivations, information needs and media interactions compared with someone buying a car, planning a holiday or choosing where to eat. CMI Journey gives us the ability to understand those differences in much greater detail.'

The new solution will be accessible through Nielsen's Clear Decisions platform.

Group home page: www.nielsen.com .