Megan McManaman

Recent Posts

Black Friday Is Dead…Long Live Black Friday

Posted by Megan McManaman

Tue, Dec 22, 2015

retail2.pngIf you noticed the annual coverage of Black Friday shoppers seemed somewhat muted this year, you weren’t imagining things. While Cyber Monday sales were the highest since its debut in 2005, Black Friday sales were at their lowest since 2011. We all know how many elves flew (or didn’t) off the shelves, but to learn more about consumer holiday shopping behaviors, we partnered with Research Now for a quick survey of smartphone owners, ages 18 and up. 

Does 2015 mark the end of Black Friday—retail’s highest and holiest holiday? One retailer, REI, even opted out of this year’s Black Friday altogether, though their website did allow shoppers to make purchases online. The 87% of respondents who reported shopping on Black Friday might suggest that its imminent death is exaggerated. But the 81% of those Black Friday shoppers who did at least some of their shopping online suggest the explosion of ecommerce may have circumscribed the usual Black Friday frenzy.   

And then we have mobile—2015 marked the introduction of app-only deals from retail giants Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Of respondents who did shop from their smartphone or tablet, on either Black Friday or Cyber Monday, a full 27% purchased through an app. Still, a Cyber Monday dominated by in-app sales may be a few years away—61% of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday online shoppers used a PC to make their purchases. 

Need further evidence that online shopping and mobile technology are disrupting the traditional holiday shopper customer journey? “Just” 67% of Black Friday deal-seekers said they actually braved a brick and mortar store—this on a day once defined by the in-store experience. Is nothing sacred? 

Megan is CMB’s Senior Product Marketing Manager. She can’t stand Christmas music and was once visited by 3 ghosts. 

Topics: Technology, Mobile, Retail, Customer Journey

Busting Millennial Money Myths at Money 20/20

Posted by Megan McManaman

Thu, Oct 22, 2015

money2020.pngEvery day there’s a new report about Millennials—they’re in debt/they’re saving for retirement, they’re mobile/they’re going off the grid, they’re hard workers/they’re too entitled to succeed—the list goes on. Brands are desperate to learn what makes this generation tick, but the current research lacks actionable insights for the marketers trying to serve them.

To dig deeper, we partnered with venture capital firm Foundation Capital to clear through the clutter and to learn what Millennials are doing and thinking about when it comes to their money. Through our Consumer Pulse research program, we surveyed 1,055 Millennials about their tech use and financial habits, and we included three “deep-dive” sections covering attitudes and preferences towards banking, investments, and insurance.

On October 26thCMB’s Lori Vellucci will join Foundation Capital’s Charles Moldow at the Money 20/20 conference in Las Vegas to unveil new insights into the needs, perceptions, attitudes, and actions of Millennials. They’ll take a look at the very different needs within this most talked about generation, the coming disruption, and the wave of innovation required to address their financial needs.

If you can’t make it to the conference, don’t worry! We’ll be sharing takeaways from our research in November.

For the latest Consumer Pulse reports, case studies, and conference news, subscribe to our monthly eZine.

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Topics: Financial Services Research, Consumer Pulse, Conference Insights, Generational Research

CMB Blog 2013: 5 of our Favorites

Posted by Megan McManaman

Mon, Dec 30, 2013

thoughtbubblesOne of the most enjoyable things about managing the Voices of CMB Blog is the wide range of perspectives on market research (and more), from the CMB team. Their expertise, insight, and creativity make editing this blog a real pleasure. But before we embark on 2014, here are a few of our favorites from the past year:

  • Nick Pangallo's good advice for whether you're tackling those New Year's resolutions or your next New Product Development engagement. Nick explains what diet techniques like Weight Watchers' PointsPlus® and research techniques like Maximum Difference Scaling have in common: Want to Lose Weight? Try a Tradeoff Exercise!

  • Companies are wasting a lot of time and money on Segmentation studies that aren't usable. CMB's Chief Methodologist, Richard Schreuer, explains why, and what to do about it:The Segmentation Research Crisis

  • Developing new and innovative products isn't easy (or cheap). Athena Rodriguez shares the 10 best practices in New Product Development research that help our clients make product development decisions with confidence: Taking Product Development to Infinity and Beyond


  • It was quite a year for loyalty, with several high-profile companies jettisoning their programs. VP of CMB's Travel and Hospitality practice, Judy Melanson, on why some brands are saying "good-bye": Do You Need a Loyalty Program to Drive Customer Loyalty?

What topics do you want us to cover in 2014? Tell us in the comments, and see you next year!

Megan is CMB's Senior Product Marketing Manager, her New Year's resolutions include banning the word "utilize" from the blog when "use" will do, and skiing more.

Topics: Chadwick Martin Bailey

Headed to TMRE? We're Excited to See You!

Posted by Megan McManaman

Wed, Oct 16, 2013

"My favorite place in the whole world is Nashville. Because it's my home, it's Music City. It's like, everybody there is so artistic and so creative, and nice! Everybody's really friendly." - Taylor Swift

TMRE 2013Far be it from us to argue with Taylor Swift! Next week we're packing up and headed to Nashville for TMRE to talk shop, share insights, get together with our terrific clients, hear from an exciting mix of speakers, and just maybe get to sample some Tennessee barbecue.Are you headed down (or up)? Stop by our booth to say hi and enter to win a New England Clam bake.

Spoiler alert! Don't miss our very own Chris Neal, on Monday at  11:15, as he joins Joanne Burns of the Council for Research Excellence (CRE) for their presentation TV Untethered: Quantifying Mobile TV Viewing and its Impact on Networks, Content Providers, Advertisers and Marketers. Chris and Joanne will share insights from their study aimed at helping audience measurement specialists, networks, advertisers, and others better understand how smartphones, tablets, and computers are changing TV programming.

NashvilleWe're also looking forward to hearing from Hilton's Christine Hight as she shares How “Franken-data” Conquers Hilton’s Big Data Challenges. Come join us on Wednesday at 1:45 to hear how Hilton Worldwide combines Big Data, consumer research, and creativity through an ad hoc, “Franken-data” approach to identifying consumer insights that have fueled innovation and adaptation across their global enterprise.  

If you're attending the conference we'll see you there, if you can't make it stay tuned for our TMRE recap in the coming weeks!

Going to CRC in Dallas tomorrow? We'll be there too! On Thursday the 17th, Amy Modini and UPMC's Jim Villella dig into the Challenges of Channel and Complex Pricing Scenarios. Stop by and learn how UPMC and CMB applied a discrete choice methodology to account for a number of challenges to estimate shifting consumer preferences, make key product development and marketing strategy decisions, and ultimately position UPMC for success.

 

Topics: Conference Insights

Adventures in the Front End of Innovation

Posted by Megan McManaman

Thu, May 02, 2013

Next week you'll find us at the Front End of Innovation 2013 sharing how we, along with our partners at South Street Strategy, took a practical, focused, and innovative approach to new product development for Tauck Worldwide. Read a little bit about what we did here:

The Challenge

Tauck Case StudyTauck Worldwide, an industry leader with over 85 years experience in premium guided tours, wanted to create a new travel concept to meet the needs of a population increasingly comfortable with researching, planning, and traveling on their own. Tauck needed innovative thinking to define and build a new type of tour product – one that appealed to next gen customers, conveyed a unique brand identity while standing out from competitors in the crowded travel market space. 

What We Did

CMB and principals from South Street Strategy Group used a multi-method, multi-source approach to:

  • Select top opportunities on which to focus

  • Ideate across functions with executives and senior managers, leveraging insight and experience in the market

  • Research and assess the competitive landscape and baby boomer’s core  travel goals and needs – particularly un-met needs

  • Test alternatives to guide product development, pricing and identify target guests who are most interested in the new product line

  • Identify acquisition targets in the travel industry, new business models, and new product offerings, by leveraging core competencies, that would create significant value for the company and address baby boomer needs

  • Work with the CEO, CFO, and COO and the New Ventures Group to ensure recommendations were aligned with business constraints, addressed operational challenges and met business goals

How It Was Used

Tauck launched the Culturious brand as a totally new product line on time and with unanimous board approval. The new brand, which currently consists of 8 packages and destinations, meets customer needs by offering small-group tours geared toward active baby boomers with an interest in active, culturally engaging travel. The brand has won awards, including the 2010 Innovation prize from the Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnerships (CQIA).

To learn more about our approach to New Product and Service Development click here.

For more of our case studies click here. 

Topics: South Street Strategy Group, Strategic Consulting, Product Development, Travel & Hospitality Research, Growth & Innovation