A couple of weeks ago, we wrote a point-of-view explaining the key principles of agility in today’s quickly reframing world. The intent of that article (link) was to help define an operating imperative that defines the concept of “innovation and agility” moving forward.
We have had a very positive response to that article. A number of readers asked if we could bring the four key principles to life. This note does that, as follows:
Be very specific about the business problem you need to solve:
The first step toward agility is to frame each problem with clarity and specificity. Without a clear end in mind, we see teams get seduced by a new tech solution or a shiny methodology, that might not deliver the insights needed for a successful business outcome.
This is a case from the pharma industry. A client’s R&D team was developing a new oral administration method to improve adherence. Their patients struggled with the size and number of the pills they had to take each day. As they considered different pill sizes and numbers (patient could take 6-almond size pills 4X per day or take “4-horse pills” 2X daily). They needed guidance, quickly, on the right size and appropriate dosing frequency to drive compliance and reduce the burden on their patients.
They contracted with InCrowd (a mobile-led technology app) as their potential research supplier for this project. They identified certain challenges early in their execution. InCrowd is a good product, but is primarily a qual-oriented platform, focused on Health Care Providers, with limited number of ready respondents, good for short and simple surveys. Not the right solution for this learning agenda.
To answer the questions on pill size and dosage, the right approach should be a quantitative study, with a larger sample, and clear data on the right combination of pill size and usage frequency. The Shapiro+Raj ExpressInsights team designed a learning agenda that used a sample of 6X more respondents than client planned. To ensure more realistic feedback, we sent respondents actual placebo pill samples in both sizes. Ran sophisticated analyses on the robust data and open-ends to identify very powerful yet provocative insights. And we were able to do this 30-days faster and $22,000 cheaper than their initial plan.
Squeeze the juice from your existing research:
Every company has data from research done for their brands over time. Unfortunately, this data is consigned to the past and very rarely used. As teams attempt to become agile, their biggest opportunity is to leverage their existing longitudinal data because the experience of the past has the power to inform the present and inspire the future.
One of our clients (in the retail space) was under pressure to change the fortunes of their underperforming business. Despite heavy MR investments over the past few years, and strong marketing support, they struggled to deliver the expected growth targets. They reached out to commission a market mapping and customer segmentation project to plot their new strategy. And they needed these results in 90-days. A tough ask. So, instead of proposing new research, we asked to see work they had done in the prior three years. Lo and behold, we found that they had done market map and segmentation work twice during that period.
The Shapiro+Raj team on this assignment decided to synthesize the learnings, and dig for insights, before scoping a new learning agenda. We leveraged our proprietary ML/AI qualitative analytics app, S+R AQuA™, to interrogate past research. We explored common threads, consistent hypotheses, and dug deeper into unexpected themes and connections that the AI engine identified.
This intense synthesis helped us identify the key consumer issue. The brand had stopped delivering on their core value proposition. To find new markets and customers, they ignored their core customers, who in turn returned the favor. The brand did not need a new white space or a new customer segment. It just needed to recommit to its core customers and begin to deliver on its brand promise.
We got this analysis done in less than 6-weeks. The client saved almost 80% of the budget they had established for this project and deployed it into working media dollars. The business responded with sales up over 20% and market valuation +45% within 6-months.
A key learning for them and us. Do not imprison your data. Set it free. It will make you rich.
Leverage the right technology stack:
We all know that technology is one of the biggest enablers of agility. However, with the plethora of apps and tools out there, it is very difficult to know which one is right for the job at hand, and which one will perform as billed.
This is why Shapiro+Raj has built a strong and robust tech stack with partnerships with the industry’s leading providers plus new and innovative entrants. One such example is how our partnership with a new digital app provided quick and powerful insights for a consumer-packaged goods brand.
Shapiro+Raj built the strategy to help launch a new CBD dog anxiety brand. With an aggressive timetable, we needed to get feedback on packaging designs for the brand and understand its distinction versus its competitors. We partnered with FastFocus, an online/mobile platform that uses virtual currency and the principles of scarcity to simulate real-world dynamics. The package designs were put into a bidding war in which respondents invested in the one they would prefer. They also provided text-based responses to explain their choice.
In less than 10-days, we had answers on actions needed to make our clients’ brands packaging more compelling and impactful. This has helped differentiate the brand in the marketplace, drive significant sales growth, and winning the coveted 2020 Editors' Choice Award from Pet Product News
Point insights toward actions and outcomes:
The biggest single point of failure we see is the inability of marketers to activate insights. This is mostly because of the way insights are currently framed and presented. Shapiro+Raj brand strategists work closely with researchers to clearly articulate the “now what’s” so that our clients get market-ready insights.
Especially as it relates to testing ideas. It is challenging due to the multiple iterative steps needed to get to an answer that delivers both breakthrough and persuasion. What we have discovered is by proactively prepping the ideas with deep insight into the human decision-making process, we can reduce the number of steps and boost impact. Here is an example of this in action for a new oncology asset.
A new drug had the ability to significantly improve outcomes for later-line patients. However, it faced two critical challenges. First, they had to convince community oncologists, their strategic value target (SVT) that the complex logistics and brand-new MOA were worth the time and resources they would need to commit. Second, they also wanted to persuade two other important HCP segments to consider a role for this drug in their practices.
Instead of using the typical approach - a phase or two of qualitative research - to get insights that would inform ideas, the client team at Shapiro+Raj decided to focus on identifying heuristics and applying these to help the marketing and agency teams persuasively frame messages and creative concepts. We took into consideration the disease/category, treatment landscape and target’s behavioral characteristics to identify the top heuristics, then testing, learning, and optimizing in real time.
The process uncovered three core heuristics. When applied to the original messages these new framings drove significantly higher persuasion levels. Plus, we discovered important ties and distinctions that helped the agency derive a common powerful positioning platform. One, we believe will disrupt the category.
Hope these examples help define how we, at Shapiro+Raj think about agility. It is about speed and efficiency. But it is also about scientific rigor and strategic acumen. The new normal requires this holistic approach.
We would be happy to talk through any of these examples, and others, if you need. Just let us know.
Shapiro+Raj
S+R is a research and strategy firm that uses social and behavioral sciences to solve the toughest business and marketing challenges. Our next-gen methods dig deep to unlock market-ready insights. Then our brand planners turn these into strategic marketplace actions that create brand evolution and innovation; customer experiences and loyalty; and new platforms for growth.
