Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in creative services. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping creative services
Design studios and creative agencies need evidence that their work performs, insight into their clients and research that helps them win pitches.
- Clients ask for proof that creative work performs
- Client relationships drive repeat business
- Talent is the main asset
Client background
A creative agency pitching for a snacks brand, working in India. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- A creative agency pitching for a snacks brand
- Sector
- Creative services
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Consumer panel, Online surveys, Reporting & insights
Client challenge
The agency had two weeks to pitch and wanted a fresh consumer insight that competitors would not have.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: category research to support a creative pitch.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of snack buyers.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 10 days.
Target audience
The work focused on 1,000 snack buyers.
- snack buyers1,000
Audiences we typically reach in creative services
Agency clientsTarget audiences for creative workCreative teamsProspectsFreelancers
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A structured quantitative design, so results could be compared across groups, locations and time.
- 1Brief
- 2Rapid online survey
- 3Insight
We ran a rapid online survey on snacking moments, emotions and brand perceptions, with clear charts the agency could use in its pitch deck.
Consumer panelOnline surveysReporting & insights
Sampling strategy
- snack buyers
- 1,000
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
Data collection
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
Key findings
- Fresh data makes a pitch stand out.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: fresh data makes a pitch stand out.
- Share the findings with the teams closest to customers so they can act quickly.
Business impact
- The research revealed an under-served late-evening snacking moment, which became the centre of the agency's creative idea.
Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what does creative talent want?