MRG Conference: Using Research as a Navigational Tool in the 21st Century

On the second day of the 2000 MRG Conference Marc Sands,marketing director of Guardian Newspapers, was first to take the floor, with a challenge to researchers to unravel the increasingly complex behaviour of consumers.

Using The Guardian as an example, Sands illustrated how the information revolution has altered the consumption of media, having moved from having a single platform to becoming a branded content provider. He stressed the necessity of keeping the brand intact by whichever medium content is received.

As media fragments, advertisers must chase more audiences and at present they do not have the ability to deal with it. Sands warned against losing sight of detail in the digital land map and told researchers they would need an in-depth understanding of individuals.

As consumers will increasingly move from one platform to another, Sands called for a more holistic approach to measuring media consumption which can compare the effectiveness of advertising across them. He called for researchers to understand consumers rather than look for a currency so advertisers can fly rather less blindly than at present.

Report by Lucy Condon in Munich