Our qual team in Vietnam have won a best paper at the recent Esomar Asia Pacific conference (our 3rd successive win in 3 years across 3 different countries). This team in Vietnam does great work in a fascinating country, which at the moment is going through extraordinary change.
The abstract:
We must continue to adapt new models as market research plays a greater role across the production and marketing chain from innovation and new product development to packaging and point of sale. Like a great chef drawing on theory, practice, imagination and confidence, we must materialize a fine balance of art and skill to deliver an outcome akin to the perfect bowl of Vietnamese Pho, the culinary dish of broth, noodles and garnish. Come on a ‘pholicious’ journey as we showcase a methodology applicable across Asia Pacific and beyond.
From the Warc blog: Bricolage
“I enjoyed Alison Dexter’s and Bach Ngoc Hieu An’s (TNS Vietnam) Bricolage session describing a new way to conduct qualitative research for their clients. They looked at the growth of Pho (pronounced fur), a traditional Vietnamese beef noodle soup. I can report that the correct way to prepare the broth requires beef bones to be cooked over night on a coal fire and that the noodles should be a little dry and not stick to out fingers.
On a serious note - the authors used the complexity of preparing Pho as an interesting metaphor for the complexity experienced when researching the ever changing and geographically diverse Vietnamese population.
It may have been a little short on specific results (client confidentiality, apparently) but focused everyone’s attention on the importance of social and cultural context for MR. It also reminded everyone, especially those from outside of Asia, that the region is not one market but a much more complex mix and consumers are less direct in expressing opinions than in Western cultures. Caution is thus advised when using ‘western’ approaches to MR in Asia. ”
Currently the paper is available through Esomar.