Starcom unveils Intent, a new measure of market accountability

Most companies focus on selling the product, changing consumer behaviour or raising consumer awareness. Starcom intends to bridge the gap between the three variables with Intent, which is defined as a leap from awareness to purchase

The Starcom MediaVest Group has announced a new measure of marketing accountability called Intent. Intent aims to be the largest and first ever global study to understand consumer intent and how it influences consumer behaviour. The research product, IntenTrack, was launched in India on Monday.

Global Starcom delegates conceived the idea of the product around two years ago when they were reviewing the company’s future plans. They figured that the existing market was a battleground for marketers. They have consistently tried to revamp marketing mantras, be it a brand’s USP, its positioning, the consumer experience, or consumer attention. Most companies focus on selling the product, changing consumer behaviour or raising consumer awareness. Starcom intends to bridge the gap between the three variables with Intent, which is defined as a leap from awareness to purchase.

Starcom unveils Intent, a new measure of market accountability

On the sidelines of the press conference, Ravi Kiran, chief executive officer, Southeast and South Asia, Starcom MediaVest Group, said, “IntenTrack is a marketing concept, not a tool, and it influences an ongoing product buying process. IntenTrack will help us refocus and deliver exactly what the clients need.”

Ravi Kiran

IntenTrack has been operational since January 2007 in all the major markets of the world. The study is being conducted in 28 countries (including 11 markets in Asia) and 30 categories, on more than 200 brands and with more than a million consumers. The study identifies the different ways in which consumers interact with a brand, be it the traditional print and TV media or the more personal one-on-one conversation with a friend.

IntenTrack is consumer centric study based in actual consumer behaviour, and continues to provide data on a regular basis. It provides actual key performance indicators (KPIs) as benchmarks for predicting future communication strategies.

In an official communiqué, Sandeep Lakhina, managing director, India, West and South, Starcom Worldwide, said, “We believe that in the future, the scarcest resource in our world will be consumer attention. At Starcom MediaVest Group, our vision is to be the leaders of the consumer attention economy.”

Ranga Somanathan, vice-president, insights and analytics, Southeast and South Asia, said in the press release, “Intent moves us beyond engagement and gets us closer to predicting and assessing the measurable, behavioural reaction of the consumer.”

As per IntenTrack’s launch plan, India is the last stop in Asia.

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