There has been a recent discussion about what do we refer MR agencies as? Are they research agencies or firms? Are they vendors or strategic partners? If you ask me, I would call them a conglomerate, in fact a horizontally integrated production line of diamond jewelery. We all know that "Diamonds are a girl's best friend". Here, the ever-demanding and pursued girl is none other than the brand manager - the client. The girl craves for a sparkling diamond ring that would fit her perfectly.
A market researcher is firstly a diamond miner. Or should I say "insight miner"? He digs into the coal mines, where coal represents the abundance of data all around the place. He mines for diamonds in the form of robust research insights from among the pile of useless data. But this diamond is not yet ready to be gifted to the girl. It needs to be further cut and refined to make it sparkle. Here is where the researcher uses his analytical skills to derive actionable recommendations that are crisp and to-the-point. Finally, these diamonds are fitted onto a ring that must fit the girl's finger perfectly. Hence, the researcher needs to customize and shape the ring exclusively for the girl.
The girl will accept the ring only if it is presented to her in a memorable and precious manner that she would cherish for the rest of her life. It should be given as a surprise to her and not just in a simple boring fashion. The researcher should present the insights and recommendations to the client in a memorable manner and not be boring!
Well-cut research insights can add a sparkle to everyone's life and deepen the relationship between the miner and his girl so that they can live happily ever after...
