Focus Latino - Qualitative Consumer Research

BACKGROUND

Established in 1996 specializing in Qualitative Consumer Research and Strategic Planning to service the needs of clients in the US Hispanic market and Latin America.

Expertise developed over 35+ years working with major corporations, advertising agencies and research companies in the USA, Mexico and Latin America.

Our goal is to uncover insights and provide direction to help assure that marketing programs and advertising developed are strategically correct.

While most work is conducted through Qualitative Research, we also do Quantitative projects.
- Conducted more than 6,000 qualitative sessions over the last 15 years.
- On Quantitative projects partner with specialized quantitative research firms.

We have performed work in many different product and service categories as well as among specialized audiences directly for companies and organizations or through their advertising agencies, public relations and consulting firms. We also work as a subcontractor to general market research firms requiring our Hispanic expertise.

Many clients have found our bilingual and bicultural capabilities to be most productive, time and cost efficient, when doing both Hispanic and General Market research.

We provide turn-key or a la carte research services. Our Fees are determined by the scope of the project assignments.

HUB certified in the state of Texas since 2004.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Co-Founder
Ethnographer, Bilingual Moderator,
Planner & Consultant

Born in USA, raised in South America & Mexico City - completely bilingual and bicultural.

Graduate of The Wharton Business School 1975, with majors in Marketing, Research & International Business.

Seasoned executive with 35+ years of marketing, advertising & research experience. Held research & marketing positions at Cyanamid and 3M Company thru 1980. Moved into international advertising, with D’Arcy in 1980 and then IPG’s Campbell-Ewald (1985) and McCann-Erickson (1988).

Co-founded Focus Latino (1996).

Has conducted over 3,000 research sessions - majority in the automotive, beer & spirits, financial, packaged goods and retail categories.

Co-Founder
Ethnographer, Bilingual
Moderator & Planner

Born and raised in Mexico City, with Degree in Industrial & Clinical Psychology from Universidad Iberoamericana in 1974.

Became interested in consumer research working in Human Resources at Warner Lambert Mexico in mid ‘70s, moderating focus groups for new product development. Her passion for consumer research led to freelancing while continuing HR career, responsible for executive recruiting and implementing employee satisfaction & development programs until 1982.

Between 1983 and 1993 moderated focus groups in the USA, Mexico, Central and South America as a freelancer.

Co-founded Focus Latino in 1996.

Has conducted over 3,500 research sessions - majority in the cosmetics & personal care, financial, healthcare, packaged goods, retail and restaurant categories. Background in psychology proven essential in project planning and most evident in her thorough & insightful analyses.

STAFF MEMBERS

Staff members provide support in all markets as needed

Gina Bertrand, Public Relations Manager & Recruiter
Angelina Flores, Manager Healthcare & Pharma
Michelle Noriega, Account Executive, Moderator & Analyst
Miguel Noriega, Recruiting Manager
Eunice Marcial, Facilitator / Coach
Elena Roper, Recruiter & Interviewer

OUR CHALLENGE

CHANGE is the only marketing constant, reflected in the consumers’ changing feelings, attitudes & habits, and affected by the market and economic situation, competitors’ efforts to attack your brand and attract your consumer; and this is much more complex in the Hispanic market segment with its ever changing consumer profiles:

- of new immigrants who continue to arrive
- those already here that acculturate to different degrees and
- those born in the US who are retro-acculturating

To maintain a competitive edge, HISPANIC MARKETING must always keep up with the market conditions, and this entails talking to the consumer to identify relevant INSIGHTS that can trigger a different positioning, communications strategy or even a new product idea.

An INSIGHT is not a fact - it is an attitude and/or feeling - and a meaningful INSIGHT is one that results in consumer behavior that culminates in product trial, repeat or increased purchase and brand loyalty.

But identifying Hispanic INSIGHTS is not easy - it is a CHALLENGE that requires time, patience, open-mindedness, creativity, knowledge of the culture and the experience and ability to dig these out of the consumers; and this is how Focus Latino expertise can make a difference!

We have the marketing, advertising, research and behavioral science expertise needed to assist our clients to develop their marketing & advertising strategies to keep current customers and win new customers.

SERVICES


Advertising Evaluations Communication Checks Copy Testing Positioning & Concept Development Testing Pre & Post Advertising Awareness		Attitude, Awareness & Usage Brand Equity & Image Studies Customer Segmentation Media Studies Tracking Studies		Name Generation & Testing New Products & Line Extensions Packaging Design & Graphics Evaluation Product Concepts Product Evaluation Taste Tests


Advertising Consultation Advertising Production Supervision Development of Marketing Communications Plans Market Research Planning & Design New Business Development		Brainstorming & Idea Generation Employee Satisfaction & Motivation Programs Facilitation of Business & Consumer Sessions

METHODOLOGIES

QUALITATIVE

QUANTITATIVE

PANELS

- Focus Groups & Mini Groups
- In-Depth Interviews (IDIs), Dyads & Triads
- Consumer & Trade On-the-Street Interviews
- Telephone IDIs
- Quanti-Quali Sessions with Key Pads
- Ethnography (In-Homes, Shop-Alongs & On-Premise)
- Automotive Clinics

- In-Home Interviews
- Mall & Retail Intercepts
- Online Surveys
- On Premise Exit Interviews
- Personal Interviews
- Telephone Surveys
- Fieldwork Coordination

- Business
- Consumer
- Trade

TECHNIQUES

- Behavioral Patterns
- Brand, User & Metaphor Imagery
- Emotional Product Attribute (fragrance, taste) Recall
- Homework Exercises
- Personifications of Brands
- Photo Sorts
- Product Sorts
- Role Playing
- Self Esteem Projections
- Thought & Sentence Completions
- Top of Mind Brand Associations
- Values Based Laddering (IDIs)
- …and whatever is considered appropriate when sessions are in progress.

USA MARKETS SERVICED

The USA markets we do most of our work in are the following Hispanic markets:

Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, McAllen, Brownsville, Laredo, Corpus Christi & El Paso
Atlanta
Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Fresno & San Jose
Chicago
Miami, Orlando & Tampa
Las Vegas
New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia
Phoenix, Tucson

When working in emerging markets that do not yet have a Hispanic research infrastructure (recruiting or local staff to conduct Intercepts), we go to the market with our part time team to execute the needed work.

INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES SERVICED

We also do work in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central & South America with a team of part time employees based in Mexico City.

OUR DIFFERENCE

Aside from having the behavioral science, research, marketing & advertising experience needed to assist our clients with their Hispanic marketing efforts, we offer:

Female & Male Moderators with the ability to moderate in Spanish or English
The ability to talk with consumers of different Latino national origins as well as have a deep understanding of both US born and foreign born Latinos
The ability to probe Latinos on topics and issues they may not often discuss; and to find out how to interest and communicate with them best.
Understand both Latino & General Market cultures
Combined backgrounds and areas of expertise enable us to better uncover consumer insights and provide enhanced actionable information, ideas and recommendations
International experience working in the USA, Caribbean, Mexico, Central & South America and Spain

We guarantee the quality of our work because we, the partners, are personally involved in each and every project from beginning to end.

Writing the Proposal
Developing & Coordinating the project (Screener, Guide, Recruiting & Facilities)
Conducting / Moderating the project
Analyzing
Writing the Report

CLIENTS

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