Ipsos Knowledge and Ideas

The Emergence of the Pro-Patient

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Pharmaceutical Executive Article Published January 1, 2012 – Much has been written about the increasing influence of patients in the healthcare decision-making process, but this assertion oversimplifies the changing dynamics of healthcare. Patients are not taking over the healthcare system, and this oversimplification could easily lead to poor marketing choices.

It is more accurate to say that the healthcare ecosystem is now comprised of multiple stakeholders with a far more complex decision-making dynamic than existed just a few years ago. In addition, patients are not a single homogenous unit. Some may have little or no impact on treatment decisions or healthcare choices while others may take an active individual role. But the ones that we find really interesting are those taking on almost an 'activist' role, impacting not only their own healthcare, but potentially many, many others as well. We call this last group the "pro-patient."

This is the pro-active patient. They are not just personally empowered and assertive, but broadcast their experiences, opinions, and objectives and therefore have a far wider sphere of influence.

Canada's Most Influential Brands

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Brands have meaning. Brands have personality. Brands have attitude. And because people so often identify with, relate to, and define themselves by them, brands have influence. Ipsos Reid identified six dimensions that contribute to influence:

Leading Edge
Trust
Relevance
Presence
Corporate Citizenship
Engagement

Learn more about these six dimensions and the companies that make up the Top Ten most influential brands in Canada by reading our latest Point of View.

The Medicines Adherence Challenge

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Pharmaceutical Executive Article Published December 1, 2011 – In a joint initiative with NCL, Pharm Exec convened an expert panel in October 2011 to examine how best to make progress and agree on some practical steps to address the declining rates of adherence for three key chronic diseases.

Competitive Context: With Health and Wellness, a Whisper Can Be More Powerful Than a Scream

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As marketers, we are trained to shout our message from the rooftops. But particularly when an improvement to a product's health profile has been made, sometimes a whisper is more powerful than a scream. In this Competitive Context series, Brad Bane provides some of the lessons learned by Ipsos in introducing better-for-you concepts that consumers are actually willing to buy. He also provides a not-so-subtle reminder that taste is always king.

Life is Iterative, so is Segmentation

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Segments are dynamic not static: Who will migrate to other segments, who will form the basis of emerging segments, and how will they respond to marketing actions? Capturing the dynamic nature of segments means there is never a "final" solution, just solutions at a specific point in time. If so, actionable segmentation is more than data, technology or analytic sophistication. It is a management challenge that requires adaptation over time. Learn more about the virtuous circle of segmentation by downloading Ipsos' latest Point of View.

Making Your Strategic Research Work Harder for You

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Undertaking strategic research is a risky proposition. It's high profile. It's expensive. And it's never straight forward. There are multiple issues to be addressed and many different points of view to take into consideration. Ensure you get the most out of strategic research by reading our latest paper, in which we use market landscaping to illustrate the use strategic research for broader purposes.

Competitive Context: Spend Your Time on Innovations That Matter

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Within the consumer packaged goods realm, we clearly need to be approaching innovation differently if we want to uncover the big new opportunities that spell success for a brand. After all, do you really want to spend your life on just line extensions? In this Competitive Context series, Brad Bane provides guidance as to how to best advance your "big idea" through the innovation process.

Competitive Context: To Disrupt or Reinforce at Shelf, That Is the Question

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Depending on whether your brand is the leader or the follower, depending on the specifics of the retailer (sales strategy and tactics clearly should vary across retailers, even for the same brand), declaring a strategy of reinforcement or disruption at shelf serves as the right jumping-off point for your shopper strategy discussions. In this Competitive Context series, Brad Bane shares his thoughts and advice on impacting consumers along the multiple touch points of the shopper journey.

Eight Secrets to Successful Retailer-Manufacturer Collaboration

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We all know it sounds good in theory: retailers and manufacturers should work together more closely to meet shoppers' expectations. However, putting this into practice can be challenging. Where should you begin? What are some potential areas of collaboration? How do you make it happen?

Read our latest Point of View for insights on how retailers and consumer packaged goods manufacturers can join forces to develop better shopper understanding and improved shopper marketing.

Harnessing the Power of Language

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Download this paper to learn more about the four important rules to follow in order to hone your concept writing.