Active Research Offers First Service That Automates Market Research; Active Research Advisor Helps Companies Like Kodak Reduce Research Time From Months to Minutes

Business Wire, Feb 23, 1999

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 1999--Active Research today launched a new kind of market intelligence service that is an alternative to market research.

For the first time, managers throughout the enterprise will be able to access live market data to aid mission-critical decision-making, directly from their Web browser. The new service, Active Research Advisor(SM), shortens the research and testing process from months to minutes, enabling companies to get products to market faster.

Active Research Advisor is an online market information service for companies that need smart, timely answers to critical product questions. The service leverages the Web for real-time research into rapidly changing market conditions. Subscribers log on to the service to access sophisticated analyses with point and click ease.

Active Research Advisor enables manufacturers to test product concepts, spot trends, and run "what-if" scenarios. Unlike the traditional market research process, the service is continuously up-to-date because it gathers insight from actual buyers directly at the point of shopping.

Active Research First to Market with Web-enabled Service

"Active Research has pioneered Market Research Automation as a new class of market intelligence service," explains Tom DuBois, CEO of Active Research.

"Tomorrow's business leaders will use the Web channel as a window to their market for up-to-the-minute, instant analysis of consumer needs and preferences. With easy access directly from their desktops, they will make well-informed decisions countering competitive moves or anticipating major trends. Market Research Automation will become a powerful weapon in transforming the marketing process."

"Active Research's services are critical to the successful launch of new products in the Web-enabled marketplace," asserts Chris Shipley, executive producer of DEMO 99. "Marketing represents the final area of the enterprise to automate, and Research Automation is a critical component that Active Research is the first to address. The company's approach is unique and could become addictive to manufacturers."

Last September, Active Research (ARI) launched Active Buyer's Guide(SM), the most unbiased, comprehensive product recommendation engine on the Web. The service collects anonymous data from actual shoppers as it helps them figure out what product to buy, and then uses this live information to fuel Active Research Advisor. To date, more than a dozen consumer information and retail sites have licensed Active Buyer's Guide free of charge from ARI.

Advisor Service Counts Kodak as Early Customer

Companies in hyper-competitive industries such as computer products and consumer electronics need to respond to market changes with smart, quick decisions. Product cycles are shrinking, leaving product, sales or marketing managers unable to gather market information quickly enough to impact new product introductions. The traditional market research process administered by telephone or in-person can require up to four months to return results.

Active Research Advisor has already begun to help manufacturers such as Kodak address this problem. Russell Allen, senior market research analyst at Kodak, explains, "In fast moving markets like digital cameras, market research methods take too long to yield market intelligence. By the time the data is gathered and analyzed, the market has moved on and any insights are less relevant. We expect Active Research's service to provide instant and targeted market intelligence with higher relevance to current customer needs."

Active Research is currently targeting consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers with the Advisor service, beginning with digital cameras. In addition to Kodak, the Consumer Electronic Manufacturers Association and several other leading manufacturers are early Active Research Advisor customers. Active Research will target computer product manufacturers and other markets into 1999.

Active Research Advisor Features & Functions

Active Research Advisor subscribers can use the service to understand customer needs and uncover competitive threats. Manufacturers can track changes in their brand equity over time and determine which of their products will be in greatest demand. Subscribers can also determine which features to include in their next product and then forecast how that next product will perform in the marketplace. Advisor delivers interactive analyses and reports that answer most of the critical questions that a manager needs to know about his/her marketplace.

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     Active Research Advisor delivers the following features:

--   Point and Click Analyses -- Allows user to select from a broad
     range of pre-formatted analysis templates.
--   Segmentation -- Enables isolation of competitor and consumer
     sub-segments.
--   Filtering -- Examines specific groups by demographics, geography,
     and time.
--   Online "Wizards" -- Help user navigate every step in the analysis
     process.
--   Interactive Report Customization -- Supports user layout and
     formatting.
--   Flexible Drill Down Reports -- Enables user to click for more
     detail.
--   Excel Compatibility -- Exports results to Excel, retaining all
     formatting.