FUTURE TALENT MEETS THE INDUSTRY
Asia Pacific 2008
Name: Neil Lavalle
Year of birth: 1987
University: University of Asia and the Pacific “UA&P”
Title of course/programme: Master of Arts in Communication Majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications
1. How do you see the market research industry evolving and how can you contribute to it?
With the emergence of new media technologies, especially the internet, the market research industry will have to adapt their methods to suit the new and prevalent media that the consumers are currently engaging in. To assess impact of ads in the different media that consumers are exposed to nowadays, a 360 effectiveness or assessment campaign should be implemented as opposed to focusing only on the traditional forms of media such as TV, radio, and Print. Even here in the Philippines, internet penetration, even in the lower social bracket has increased dramatically due the proliferation of “Internet cafes” and the addiction of the youth towards online games and online social networking.
Personally, I think I can contribute to this evolution through the lessons I have learned in my Integrated Marketing Communications subjects, primarily on Consumer Insight and IMC Principles. My training in digging consumer insights and assessment of the consumer’s preferred media for the maximum impact should be sufficient in coping with this evolution. Consumers may be exposed to all media out there but there are specific media where the advertiser can engage the consumer best since the latter would be more attentive and receptive. With this determined, the consumers can be aggregated into similarly behaving groups and the impact of the marketing communications message will be thoroughly assessed.
2. What are in your opinion the necessary skills for market researchers in the present environment?
In this rapidly evolving market, the researchers should primarily have a superior skill in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting consumer insights so as to understand the market which is constantly changing due to environmental factors (politics, economy) as well as the rapid growth and evolution of technologies which serve as channels to reach the consumers. The researcher will have to know the consumer and their preferred media. In relation to the last statement and as a second requirement, the market researcher should have updated knowledge of new media technologies today that are exposed to consumers and should also keep himself up to date regarding these technologies since these are rapidly evolving.
3. How do you see your career unfolding and what are your aspirations?
As a recent assessment about myself, I have come to realize that I have a strong inclination towards a career in Market Research. From what was exposed from me in my classes in IMC, I find that I can find more fulfillment if I go for this field rather than advertising, marketing, sales, customer relationship management, Public relations or Media. Before I aspired to be an account executive in a well-known Advertising agency or even a Brand Manager for a big multi-national company. However, I realized that I might not find fulfillment or happiness in these initial career path considerations. In client’s side, I feel that I might get bored easily and in agency’s side, I realized that I am not that creative enough. I really don’t have much strength in executions.
Assessing my skills, I find that I have my core strength in identifying a market or business problem in every specific detail so as to give the client a clear outlook of where the product or brand is right now and giving him full confidence on where he goes from here. I am always fascinated by determining what goes inside a consumer’s mind and why a particular ad or marketing strategy works well or not. I guess I have a thing for identifying problems and help people make a confident decision on what to do next.
Actually, I had a big craving for research due to my High School background. I have spent 4 years in Special Science Class of INHS and I have been doing research projects since I was in First year High School. I have made 1 successful investigatory project (science related) and one descriptive research (my thesis). I am very much familiar with research jargon, data gather procedures, analysis, and interpretation. I have dealth with numbers on SPSS and Excel. I consider myself adept at this field already. Pursuing a career in market research actualizes what I have learned in high school to market research.
Market Research incorporates Research and Marketing Brands which I Have learned in IMC. It is definitely a perfect blend. The signs are clear for me in moving my career path towards market research. That’s why I aspire to be a highly- demanded Research Manager for a well-known Market Research Agency in 5 years time.
KEEP ME INFORMED |