Creating your competitive edge with a feature-rich panel programme: How did FreemantleMedia do it? - Insights into FreemantleMedia use of a panel programme that has resulted in greater customer engagement - What influence do speed of response and research set-up have in building engagement? - Getting to grips through easy management and flexible platform use

1. CREATING YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE WITH A
FEATURE-RICH PANEL PROGRAMME:
HOW DID FREMANTLEMEDIA DO IT?
ROSS WILLIAMS, IPSOS CONNECT
ALEX OSBALDESTON, QUESTBACK

2. Fremantle were the perfect fit for a panel-based solution to their research needs when we first approached them in
2008 because…
FremantleMedia make shows that everyone watches
Very little research was being conducted at the time into what people thought of these shows
To conduct individual research programmes about each of their key shows of interest would have been a very expensive
proposition…
…as would obtaining fresh sample every time a new survey is required for their shows
The panel started out light – initially covering only the shows below in one market (UK)
Why did FremantleMedia need a panel?

3. Aside from it being the most suitable approach to fit their needs, the benefits of a panel go beyond the research scope:
Run correctly, a panel will last years and create a very strong working relationship with your client
This longevity spreads the message across your client’s organisation, increasing potential for spin off work
No two panels are alike; you will learn things that can be applied to other panels, and vice versa
NOT loss leaders, panels are a pathway to unorthodox methodologies, freeing both agency and client up to make it
whatever they want it to be, far beyond simple monthly online surveys
Panels are a fun challenge, with a discipline to running them seldom seen in other research methodologies
Panels are flexible and versatile – over time they can morph into something very different from the original approach…
Why did Ipsos Connect want a panel?

4. Humble Beginnings…
Detail
 Only 12 surveys a year
 Itemised costs for additional surveys
 Surveys written by Fremantle and critiqued by Ipsos
 Recruitment from Fremantle programme websites of
interest
 Forum facility in place, but very rarely used
First year hurdles
Very basic scripting tool, constantly
hindering progress
Support function based in North
America
Panel portal did not support a
recruitment survey
Recruitment script couldn’t handle
traffic generated by FM sites
We had to say “no we can’t” far too
often (eg. no weighting)
1
2
3

5. What were we doing wrong?

6. Fitting capabilities around need, not the other way round
Much greater flexibility in the number of surveys launched, the frequency and subject matter
After a somewhat fractious first year, the panel improved little and often over time, and with it so did the relationship between FremantleMedia
and Ipsos Connect
Better incentivisation, going far beyond giving out prizes
Device agnostic surveys
Incorporation of qual techniques into panel operations
Branching out into other programmes and subject matter
Adding other markets to the research programme
Slowly becoming a trusted partner rather than a transactional agency

7. As the remit grows…

8. …Fremantle’s use of the panel grows exponentially
Allowing Fremantle the means to answer the following questions in a matter of days:
Who are the stars
of tomorrow?
Can we transfer successful
formats from one market to
another?
Does my show
have the right host
/ look and feel?
Is the pacing of my programming
too frenetic or too slow?
How do long running
shows perform on
key metrics?
Why do people watch the shows that are
in their viewing repertoire every week?
What are the sponsorship
and merchandising
opportunities for a show?
What aspects of a
show are working or
not working?
Does my concept for a
show have the potential
to become a pilot?
Does my pilot have
the potential to
become a show?

9. Key learning – the right panel for the right client

10. Moving on to an external tool after six years…

11. If they can’t do it now, they will build it
Video rating exercises, allowing respondents to critique videos of any length, rather than relying on recall at the end

12. Resolving long standing issues…
No longer waiting for support from other time zones
…without compromising on the improvements we had made since launching the panel, our move to Questback strengthened our offer and in
turn, our relationship with Fremantle has gone from strength to strength
Seamless migration from one tool to another
Updates that do not cause temporary loss of service
Maintaining our super fast survey turnaround times
On-hand training for Ipsos and client staff
Back–end reporting that eradicates the need for data processing
Ease of adding additional markets
DIY scripting

13. A happy panel…
…15,000+ people
worldwide who
Fremantle contact
regularly for advice
on how to better
their output
Engaged
Respected
Interested
Invested
Influence
Conditioned
Rapport
Fair-minded
TV fans

14. Upcoming advancements
Socialising the panel
The Fremantle panel never rests; future considerations for the evolution of the panel include:
Making more of the portal website
Introduction of norms
Regular on-site involvement in both offices
Training Fremantle staff to take on qualitative studies internally

15. For more information
www.ipsos-mori.com/ipsosconnect
Ross Williams
Research Director, Ipsos Connect
020 8861 8041
07881 913 086
ross.williams@ipsos.com
Alex Osbaldeston
Solutions Director, Questback
020 3598 5702
07738 469104
alex.osbaldeston@questback.com
www.questback.com/uk

16. Any Questions?