Anna Banks’s main research objective was to determine how Vivio, the Italian sausage, could be positioned as a national product and assess the viability of Saxonville in penetrating the market. She was aiming to accomplish this objective by packaging the product in a manner consistent with the core values of the target consumers. Banks started by doing extensive research on the history of the organization’s products and market research that was already done. The key problem was identifying the perfect name for the Vivio brand and how it would link to the target customers’ core values. The next step that Banks utilized was developing a market research plan. She divided the research into two phases and utilized focus groups with a clear outline of the age of consumers, the brand of use, and other relevant characteristics.
With her team, she transitioned to the next step of collecting relevant data and information by engaging a mini-pilot group affiliated with a research facility. The major research indicators were; trigger to purchase, current behaviors, and unmet needs which were to feed into the product’s benefits, attributes, and ideals (Rahi, 2017). The data collected had a countrywide representation. The next step was analyzing data by tallying the voting and discussing key conclusions. These findings were then reported through the development of a synopsis. Lastly, the research done was translated into action through the development of multiple stories that could rhyme with the core values obtained. This was achieved by developing four positioning models, which were refined by additional research.
Anna used qualitative research, in which she focused on the primary target audience to understand their behaviors and needs. The findings obtained were used as cues in developing various positioning ideas. These ideas were developed into actual concepts and exposed to consumers to improve and score them based on the feedback obtained. The marketing research approach used was good since it allowed to focus critically on the major consumers to conduct an in-depth analysis that revealed the core values of the target consumers. The process was made easier due to the use of fewer variables, which made it viable for generalization to a larger consumer setting. Her approach was realistic since the models developed from the research were in line with the management’s guidelines, achievable by the slated date for the brand’s national launch.
The positioning concept of “Family Connection” would be most appropriate. To begin with, it had the highest first-place votes, and the concept assessment was favorable. “Clever cooking’ provided convenience and received the highest total votes. However, convenience conveys less uniqueness compared to the emotional satiety provided by clever cooking. The positioning was unique and provided the target consumer with gratitude for bringing the family together, enabling them to have the joy of sharing a meal and re-living tradition. Without regard to stereotypes, none of the other brands had attempted to link the Italian model with a family connection directly. By being the trendsetter, the positioning could help the brand set a distinctive mark and improve its visibility on a national scale.
Reference
Rahi, S. (2017). Research design and methods: A systematic review of research paradigms, sampling issues and instruments development. International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences, 6(2), 1-5. Web.