NFO MBL launches IMPSYS research tool

"Icon brands are those that have transcended the product and have been invested with primary values that have succeeded in connecting with the innermost needs of the consumer," observes Paul Heylen. The renowned motivational research expert was speaking on the occasion of the India launch of IMPSYS (a research tool developed by him) on February 10, in Mumbai. The product is available to Indian marketers via NFO MBL, the exclusive licensee agency in the country.

Addressing a seminar following the launch of the tool, the Belgian clinical psychologist highlighted the attributes of the product, which attempts to go beyond traditional rational understanding, outlining deep-rooted consumer motives and gratifications, and how each brand has managed to tap into these needs. IMPSYS - or Implicit System - explores both the explicit (that is, the identity) and implicit (the personality) values of a brand by supplementing traditional interviewing techniques with a projective research methodology. In other words, explicit values are brought to the fore by asking questions whereas implicit values are validated by using photosets, a combination of eight photographs that represent the need vector or archetype.

The crux of IMPSYS revolves around the human evolutionary process, mapping eight areas: namely, life, fertility, birth, impotence, death, fragidity, procreation and potency. This space represents the universe of human needs, with eight traits forming the backbone, including expressive (life), regressive (death), assertive (procreation), affiliative (birth), energetic (potency), subdued (impotence), warm (fertility) and cool (fragidity), corresponding, in turn, to the pictures in the photoset.

A visibly delighted R Suresh, chief operating officer, NFO MBL India said, "It is a robust, actionable device that helps in the effective segmentation and targeting of consumers. We've been waiting for the product for a long time." In his introductory speech, BV Pradeep, head of CMI (Consumer & Market Insight) and regional leader, CMI HPC Asia, HLL, added that the product was a "good marketing framework, let alone a research tool. It makes qualitative research quantifiable."

Incidentally, although available to Indian marketers only now, FMCG giant HLL has been using IMPSYS for quite some time. Parent Unilever also avails of its services globally. The product, according to Suresh, will see an "aggressive rollout", with current as well as potential clients tapped in the process. "We have trained our people, and are optimistic that it will be lapped up by Indian clients," he adds. © 2003 agencyfaqs!