At Kadence, our global footprint and cultural diversity mean we often celebrate significant cultural festivities. This year, we celebrated Chinese New Year by sharing our New Year’s resolutions with one another – celebrating everyone’s positivity for the year ahead.  

Staff celebrating Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is the equivalent of Christmas in the West, the 15 day long holiday opens up a wealth of opportunities for brands. According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, Chinese consumers spent $149 billion across the holiday in 2019. This is the time of the year when spending and travelling peak on a phenomenal scale. This blog post explores the trends around spending and travelling, and what this means for brands.

GIVING MONEY & GIFTING IS BIG BUSINESS

We know from our extensive work in China that gifting is a big part of the country’s culture – the extent of this was brought to life on a project where we interviewed High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) in China who buy luxury mobile phones as presents for business partners.

At Chinese New Year, gift-giving turns into cash-giving. Money is traditionally given in red envelopes to friends and relatives as a gesture of good fortune. Over the past few years, the Chinese are sending red envelopes as digital cash gifts via China’s top messaging app, WeChat. The app has 400 million users, evolving from a basic chat app like WhatsApp into a platform that includes e-commerce, taxi-hailing, payments and more.

Traditionally, one would only give red envelopes in person, but technology has made it possible to send money to just about anybody. Last year, over 14 billion ‘red envelopes’ were shared between WeChat users on New Year’s Eve alone. The chart below from Statistica shows the dramatic increase in exchanging digital red envelopes on WeChat over the past few years.

Statistics: Digital red envelopes exchanged on WeChat during the Spring Festival holiday

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR BRANDS?

If consumers are sending money digitally on WeChat, could gifts be sent digitally too? Starbucks China has since tapped into this behaviour, where one can buy a friend a coffee which can be redeemed at any Starbucks store. WeChat’s existing infrastructure and vast user base offer a platform for brands to extend their offering from in-store and online to social media. Who wouldn’t want a McDonald’s or even a luxury candle from a friend 750 miles away?

BIGGEST ANNUAL MIGRATION OF HUMANS

Chinese New Year is the biggest annual human migration in the world, with 2.5 billion trips made each festive period. This includes workers seeking employment in large affluent cities or university students returning to their rural hometowns to visit relatives.

We have seen this first hand from conducting a study with Didi (a Chinese Uber equivalent) drivers for a major fuel and energy provider. Didi drivers save up holidays and money to travel home in order to spend quality time with their families, after a year’s hard work.

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WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR BRANDS?

The vast distance and traveller volume associated with this phenomenon present some interesting opportunities for brands, and not just in the state-funded transportation industry.

The average individual journey taken at Chinese New Year is 255 miles, which makes us wonder how consumers spend all that time? Can entertainment or gaming brands tap into this ‘lost time’? What are the implications of all this screen time for advertisers, for example, adverts on China’s biggest streaming platform Tencent Video. 

Or how can convenience food, snack, or drink brands capture share of wallet on these long journeys? Perhaps a new variant of existing products to fuel on-the-go consumption would fill the gap?

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES

One of the most interesting aspects of conducting research in China is bringing the cultural nuances to life for our clients. We like to immerse ourselves in the world of the end consumers by being there in person. Whether it’s discussing career goals with accountants or exploring the luxury needs of HNWIs – we believe conducting the qualitative explorations ourselves yields the greatest insight.

We’ve had some wonderful opportunities to solve and advise global clients on business issues, from tackling regional differences to evaluating potential Chinese brands as a joint-venture partner. This market continues to surprise us on a daily basis. There is so much we are yet to explore as global brands tap into the world’s fasting growing economy.

Chinese New Year - Group of staff holding red envelopes
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About Amy

Amy has worked at Kadence for over five years having previously worked in Millward Brown Taiwan. Born and raised in Taiwan, Amy is bilingual in Mandarin and English. Amy sits in our London office, often travelling to China to explore the market on the ground.

Her language and insight skills make her the perfect candidate to broach the gap between UK clients and Chinese consumers (or vice versa). Effortlessly interpreting Chinese consumer voices and turning them into to actionable insights for UK clients.

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In 2020, we’ll share more reports and short reads to help you get ahead of the latest market research and consumer trends. But, before we do, we’re looking back at our most-read LinkedIn posts of the past year to point you in the direction of our top reports and blog posts from 2019 – covering everything from the future of cars to the booming cannabis market in the US.

The launch of our Urban Mobility study

In February 2019, we launched our Urban Mobility study, a new piece of global research exploring how people across the world commute. Our launch event at the London Transport Museum brought together industry experts from Drivy, Waze and Bloomberg as we discussed the future of travel and transportation and the innovations we expect to see in this space.

Missed the event? You can download the full Urban Mobility report here.

Understanding the Concerned Consumer

From calls for recyclable packaging to moves to eat less meat, we’re seeing the rise of the concerned consumer. But what are the issues that really matter to consumers when comes to food and drink? And what implications do these trends have for marketing and product innovation? Our Concerned Consumer research sought to explore, by understanding the attitudes and behaviours of 5000 consumers across 10 countries which match the global footprint of our offices.

Get your copy of the Concerned Consumer report here.

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What do therapeutic cannabis users in the US look like?

As the legal markets for cannabis expand in the US, we wanted to understand what therapeutic cannabis consumers look like. Are they really that different to the average US cannabis consumer? We found they’re more likely to consume cannabis everyday and are more likely to consume using non-combustive methods, such as edibles and vaping concentrates.

We visualised the full findings in an infographic on our blog. If you want to learn more about cannabis consumption in the US, you can download the full report.

The Best Market Research Agency in the World (probably)!

In December, Phil Steggals, MD of our Singapore office, explored ESOMAR’s Insight Market Development Index, taking a tongue in cheek look at why this must mean that Kadence is the best market research agency in the world … probably!

Read the blog post here.

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Kadence is the best Market Research agency in the world (probably).

Admittedly word ‘probably’ in the headline is ‘doing a lot’ – but it does in fact play a lovely dual role. Firstly, to hark back to the glory days of Carlsberg’s branding, a series of fantastic ads that ran for many years, in many parts of the world (have a Google, if you don’t already have a favourite!) – and secondly to ensure that there is not a legal outcry from others. As a diligent researcher, I have of course checked on the Advertising Standards of the claim ‘best’ and so I shall be providing the ‘objective claims’ required.

Earlier this year, ESOMAR released their Global Market Research report – their annual look at the size of market research across the world. For the first time, within this report they released the IMDI (Insight Market Development Index) ranking – an inaugural ‘look at various aspects that affect the industry, and informs the reader about the degree of development of the sector in any country compared to others’.

There are 3 parts that make up the index:

  • The Global Prices study – a biannual report that informs what prices, on average, are to be expected in each country and for a wide variety of projects
  • The Global Market Research Report – the document listed above, a yearly publication that presents in detail the state of the insights industry
  • The Representative Index – an indicator for the representation of the professionals both within the country and at a global scale, extracted from ESOMAR’s worldwide member base

According to this index, there are a ‘group of countries that belong to the High Industrial Development, enjoy a highly developed industry with decent per capita turnover, strong representation of end-clients and specialized workforce and above average price levels’

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The country that tops this list? Singapore. So Singapore is the most ‘developed’ research country in the world. So, we need to look at Singapore, we need to find the ‘best’ agency in Singapore. Well. As it turns out Kadence won the Gold Award at the ‘Agency of the Year’ Awards in 2019 presented by Marketing Magazine – these are the only awards in the country that specify the ‘Market Research Agency of the Year’.

So, if Kadence is the Agency of the year in Singapore – which is the most developed market in the world for Kadence – it is quite clear that Kadence is the best agency, in the best market in the world.

So there we have it. Proof. I am privileged to run the best research agency in the whole world.

Although, if I am honest (and I am hoping you have picked up on the tongue in cheek nature of this post), there is no such thing as a ‘Best Agency’. There is a huge collection of brilliant people, working for brilliant research companies. I have often said that as an industry we are too hard on ourselves – always looking over our shoulder and proclaiming that AI, Big Data…the Internet…will change everything! As an industry, market research is here to stay – and the successful companies of the future will embrace the new – as well as adapting the old. For Kadence, much like the focus of Carlsberg in 2019, we will be starting this next decade by looking to do what we do….only better. No probably about it!  

Have a great Christmas and New Year all!

P.S. If you want to hear some of the reasons why we made it to Agency of the Year in Singapore – check out this video.

As Greenbook endeavors to expand its presence within Asia, Kadence International identified with that desire to spread innovative market research practices across the world, for the betterment of the industry. With that in mind, Kadence International stepped up and became Title Sponsor for its third IIeX Conference in Dec 2019.

IIeX Bangkok 2019 - logo

The two-days conference brought together both clients and agencies in Thailand and within the region, and the Kadence booth was at the center of all ‘buzzworthy’ interactions and conversations, discussing what interesting methodologies are being carried out, and what kinds of possibilities and potential the future can hold, when clients and agencies achieve perfect synergy.

IIeX Bangkok 2019 - venue with groups of people

To that point, Kadence’s presentation at the conference was great proof of that: it worked with Bloomberg on a project, the first of its kind in Asia, by marrying neuro-centric measures of respondents and traditional quantitative surveys, to understand consumer reactions to the same ads placed on different platforms. Results of the study will be released in the public domain in Q1 2020, but the study proved how traditional research methodologies, in the face of evolving technologies, can still play a complementary role in enhancing outcomes and strengthening gained insights 

IIeX Bangkok 2019 - speakers presenting

The presentation was part of a larger series of sessions that covered other interesting subject matters: from Google’s sharing of what makes a fad a trend (or, when does a ‘thing’ actually become a THING) and the commercial potential that brands can tap into when thinking about the urban phenomenon of loneliness, to why the over-60-year-olds are brands’ best bet for market growth in Asia and how visual communication partially explains chat platform Line’s success in Thailand, there were food-for-thought aplenty, and many topics that sparked discussions during lunch and networking breaks

Kadence also noticed 3 phenomena during the conference, which it believes is evidence that a larger trend is taking shape:

  1. Greater willingness to appreciate research from a multitude of angles – Google’s own study on the formation of trends highlights how data analytics, however advanced and wide in reach, can only explain part of the story
  2. Greater access to research respondents outside of traditional channels – on top of reaching out to online panels for respondents to complete online surveys, there’s increasing experimentation to access data from a brand’s own users (e.g. True Mobile in Thailand and its millions of subscribers), or new vendors that are using different platforms to offer agencies that reach (e.g. crowdsourcing, social media, etc.)
  3. Distinction vs. differentiation – precisely because of the plethora of new partners for both agencies and brands to work with (e.g. in the space of accessing respondents for studies), the ones that work well understand the classic marketing notion of ‘distinction’: what they offer may not be different to their competitors, but they are at least clear about what it is that allows them to stand out from the crowd
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In summary, that larger trend is the notion of ‘connections, not alternatives’; this is at the heart of Kadence’s strategy for 2020, as it believes in order to raise the impact of research within the region, through meaningful insights and business-relevant recommendations, it will benefit by playing that ‘matchmaking’ role, working with partners who’s business is in making sense of cutting-edge research technologies, and deciphering that to put it together with traditional research, in service of answering clients’ strategic questions. Kadence is certain that the industry will certainly benefit from the notion of ‘this-AND-that’, rather than ‘this-OR-that’

IIeX Bangkok 2019 - presenting with data

Kadence Singapore has recently completed refurbishments to the office, with new spaces for relaxation and optimal collaboration, to celebrate our 15th anniversary in Singapore. To further commemorate the occasion, Kadence Singapore brought together our clients and strategic partners to join us in an office warming party last month. We took the opportunity to showcase the new office space, some strategic partners we work with, as well as the innovation-led methodologies and studies we do here in Kadence.

To mark our 15th year in Singapore, we showcased 15 innovative research tools and techniques used in Kadence during the Open House, including virtual reality, neuromarketing, eye-tracking, Emotional Connection Matrix, etc. We also invited some of our partners, Dynata, Sight-X, and Outside Voice, who shared how research can be enhanced by some of their latest tools. These 15 innovations are grouped into 6 different zones in the office, which allowed our clients to learn about these initiatives, while exploring the new areas around the office.

Open House 2019 poster

The half-day event has sparked many interesting ideas and conversations on the future of market research, and how innovation and traditional research methods can work hand in hand to enhance insights.

In addition to great food and drinks, Phil Steggals, MD of Kadence Singapore, also gave a speech thanking everyone for coming, clients and partners for supporting us through the years, and the Kadence team for delivering insights worth sharing to our clients. After the event, $15 per guest who joined us at the event, was also donated to SPCA on their behalf.

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Looking forward to 2020, we are optimistic to establish closer relationships with our clients, and utilize more innovations, coupled with traditional research, to deliver insights addressing their needs.

Kadence Singapore Open House 2019 - office with people
Kadence Singapore Open House 2019 - 2 professionals sitting together
Kadence Singapore Open House 2019 - presenting to crowd

We are delighted to announce that Kadence has been Highly Commended for the Global Agency of the Year award at the 2019 Market Research Society Awards.

The Market Research Society Awards are the most prestigious awards within the UK research industry. They recognise the key achievements of individuals and organisations within the market research sector. Kadence was also a finalist in the Young Researcher of the Year category in recognition of the accomplishments of Kadence employee, Carolina Starkhammar.

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Kadence has been recognised by awarding bodies in all three regions that it operates in this year. In May, Kadence was named Market Research Agency of the Year at Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards in Singapore. In September, it was Highly Commended for the Best Training and Development award at the Market Research Society’s Operations Awards in London. Finally, in November, Kadence was named Market Research Supplier of the Year (revenue under $10 million) at the Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Awards in New York and Kadence employee Carolina Starkhammar was named Outstanding Young Researcher.

Commenting on the award successes, Miki Igarashi, Group CEO of Cross Marketing Group, Kadence International’s parent company said “We are delighted to see Kadence’s successes being recognised at a global level. It’s testament to our commitment to delivering work that raises the impact of research and empowers decision-making.”

Market Research Society Awards - holding award

We are thrilled to have been recognised as Market Research Supplier of the Year (<$10m) at the Quirk’s Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Awards in the US. Kadence was also awarded the Outstanding Young Researcher (supplier) trophy, in recognition of the achievements of our very own Carolina Starkhammar.

The Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Awards recognise the individuals and companies adding value and impact in the industry and are powered by Quirk’s, the leading market research publication in the US.

“We are thrilled to be named Market Research Supplier of the Year at the Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Awards in the US, one of the key markets for Kadence globally” said Miki Igarashi, Group CEO of Cross Marketing Group, Kadence International’s parent company. “It’s our mission to raise the impact of research – and this award is testament to the fact that this is being recognised within the industry.”

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The award win in the US means that Kadence has now been recognised as market research supplier of the year by awarding bodies in two of the three regions it operates in. In May, Kadence was named Market Research Agency of the Year at Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards in Singapore. We are also a finalist for Global Agency of the Year at the Market Research Society Awards, the leading industry awards in the UK. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on 2nd December so we’ll be keeping our fingers tightly crossed!

Market Research Supplier of the Year event - employees with drinks

We have all fallen into the trap at some point in our lives. It could be at an important client meeting, an internal discussion, or even a family gathering. We speak for a while, throwing in some fancy or elaborate words or dropping in some acronyms or jargon so that we can confirm to our audience that we are speaking with authority. Then, the dreaded question. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand, what does that mean?”

Within any professional service, there is a tendency to think that the ‘methods & language’ that we use, and our internal jargon is of vital importance. I fear that market researchers might be some of the worst culprits. In my years, I have seen so much emphasis put on the ‘look how smart we are’ that people lose sight of what we should be discussing (thankfully this is not the case at Kadence). 

As a father of a 2-year-old daughter, I have started to have to communicate in a completely different way, often in response to the phrase, “No, I don’t want to”. Slowly breaking down what I am saying and using simple language has become the norm. I have recently read a book that really brought this to life for me. Yanis Varoufakis, former finance minister of Greece and renowned Economist has written a book called ‘Talking to my daughter, a brief history of capitalism’ that takes this example further. In his book Varoufakis using simple language and analogies to explain to his teenage daughter the history (and implications) of the global economy. It is a very accessible, enjoyable read, and makes complex geopolitical arguments easily accessible. 

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What we come to recognize, is that it takes a greater confidence to be able to speak without the use of jargon. If you can get your point across in the most basic terms, in an engaging and clear way – your audience will recognize you for what you are. A storyteller. If you hide behind jargon, then you will quickly be found out as someone that cannot get their story across. 

At Kadence, we work with many nationalities. We are a multicultural office in Singapore, and we work on multi-market studies for many multi-national companies. As such, we have to recognize the best way to get our points across. Whenever I speak to an audience, I try to keep the following tips in mind.

4 top tips for communicating information clearly and simply

  • Understand your audience. Who are you speaking to? Are they researchers or are they clients with a limited understanding of research terms?
  • Relatable Examples. Perhaps the most powerful tip of all: equating a complicated situation to a more simple process or example (ideally one that is universal and not dependent on cultural nuance) 
  • Pay attention to how you are received. Are people nodding along, or staring blankly? Asking questions as you go is a great way to gain understanding about what is being taken in
  • Practice with people outside the industry. The fail-safe. Check with a friend or loved one to see whether they can understand what you are trying to say!