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Thought Leadership Research

Real-World Market Research and Client Success Stories

Helping organisations grow through insight, strategy and understanding.

BIC Segmentation Case Study Vision One

The Challenge With an 80 year heritage of creating simple, affordable products used daily by millions, BIC wanted to understand how the COVID 19 pandemic was reshaping behaviour, attitudes and psychological needs. As part of its corporate social responsibility programme, BIC sought to explore the emotional and psychosocial impact of the pandemic on creativity, education and workplace behaviours. The challenge was to uncover how these shifts were playing out across three culturally distinct markets Brazil, France and the United States and to translate this understanding into meaningful, customer-centred action. Research Objectives The primary objective was to understand how COVID-19 had influenced psychological states, behaviours and motivations related to creativity, learning and working environments. BIC wanted to identify how people across different cultures were adapting to new routines at home, in education and at work, and how these changes affected their relationship with stationery and creative tools. A further objective was to segment audiences based on psychological and behavioural differences, enabling BIC to better understand varied needs across markets and identify opportunities to provide relevant, supportive interventions during and beyond the pandemic. Research Approach Vision One designed a robust quantitative research programme using three bespoke online surveys, each focused on one…

BIC Segmentation Case Study

Allianz Travel Case Study Vision One

The Challenge Allianz, a German-based multinational financial services organisation with insurance and asset management at its core, wanted to refine its travel insurance product strategy and communications. Operating in a highly competitive and commoditised category, Allianz needed a clearer understanding of customer expectations, perceptions and decision drivers. The challenge was to uncover what customers believed was included in their policy, where they sought reassurance and information, and which messages and propositions would most effectively influence purchase in a low-loyalty market dominated by comparison behaviour. Research Objectives The research was designed to provide Allianz with clear, actionable understanding of customer decision making within the travel insurance category. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to inform clearer communication and stronger differentiation in a highly competitive, low-loyalty market. Research Approach Vision One implemented a mixed-method research programme, designed to balance exploratory insight with quantitative validation. The approach included: This phased methodology ensured strategic thinking was grounded in real customer insight, while providing confidence in the commercial relevance and scalability of recommendations. Findings The Allianz car warranty research revealed several critical insights shaping customer behaviour in the travel insurance category. Brand loyalty was low, with customers displaying little emotional attachment and…

Allianz Car Warranty Research

Notcutts Case Study Vision One Research

The Challenge Founded in 1867, Notcutts is a long-established, family-owned garden centre business operating across England. As part of a planned refresh of its branding and marketing, Notcutts trialled a new in-store experience within one location. Before rolling this out more widely, the business needed to understand how the new branding, signage and point-of-sale communications were performing in a real shopping environment. The challenge was to evaluate whether these changes improved visibility, engagement and clarity throughout the customer journey, and to identify where refinements were needed to maximise impact. Research Objectives The retail and shopper research was designed to assess the effectiveness of Notcutts’ new in-store branding and communications before wider rollout. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to ensure the refreshed in-store experience delivered clarity, impact and consistency across the customer journey. Research Approach Vision One implemented a mixed-method research programme combining behavioural and attitudinal techniques. The approach included: This approach allowed Vision One to observe real-world behaviour alongside reported attitudes. Findings The research revealed clear patterns in how customers visually engaged with the refreshed store environment. Key areas of fixation emerged along the customer journey, highlighting where branding and communications performed strongly and where they…

Notcutts Garden Centres Research Study

Coca Cola Research Case Study

The Challenge Coca-Cola wanted to understand how its products were presented and experienced on the Londis website, and how this digital environment influenced purchasing behaviour. With online grocery journeys becoming increasingly important, the challenge was to assess whether Coca-Cola’s presence supported easy discovery, confidence and conversion. The client needed a detailed, behaviour-led understanding of how shoppers navigated the site, searched for products and responded to imagery, pricing, promotions and descriptions, in order to identify improvements that would optimise the user journey and drive stronger purchase outcomes. Research Objectives The research aimed to build a clear understanding of how shoppers engaged with Coca-Cola products within an online retail environment. The key objectives were to: These objectives were designed to inform improvements to both brand presentation and user experience. Research Approach Vision One employed a mixed-method research approach, combining depth and behavioural observation. The approach included: This methodology provided rich insight into both conscious feedback and unconscious online behaviour. Findings The research revealed clear patterns in how customers searched for and evaluated Coca-Cola products online. Shoppers rarely used the product catalogue, instead favouring the search bar, particularly when supported by predictive text and images. High-quality, clear, three-dimensional imagery with visible pricing was…

Coca Cola B2B Retail Study

Chocolate Confectionery Case Study Vision One

The Challenge Many chocolate gift box brands have remained in the market for decades, such as Heroes and Quality Street, and continue to be purchased and given as gifts. What makes chocolate box Ads capture attention, driving awareness and sales? Specifically, the client wanted to uncover which creative elements were most effective at attracting attention quickly and sustaining engagement, helping brands optimise advertising performance in a crowded confectionery market. Research Objectives To answer this, we used AdProbe, our innovative ad testing tool, to examine implicit visual attention through online eye-tracking of chocolate box advertisements. We measured the time to first fixation and fixation duration for key areas of interest (AOIs) and explicit self-reported interest in the ad. These objectives were designed to uncover how advertising creative can be optimised to maximise impact, interest and effectiveness. Research Approach For both chocolate box Ads, the eye was always drawn to the slogan first, regardless of location, font size or length. The Heroes slogan was viewed quickly (1551 ms) but received the shortest fixation duration (N = 198). This indicates it is initially the most eye-catching but viewed fleetingly before moving on, confirmed by 43% finding the Ad interesting. The Quality Street slogan…

Confectionery Neuromarketing Study

Skippy Peanut Butter Vision One

The Challenge Despite being a major global brand, Skippy had a relatively limited presence and low marketing support in the UK market. Internally, there was a strong belief that Skippy was superior to its key competitors, particularly in terms of taste and texture. However, this belief needed robust, independent validation. The challenge was to understand how Skippy performed when tasted directly against leading competitors, and to identify which sensory attributes truly drove consumer preference, providing evidence to support future business, brand and marketing decisions in the UK. Research Objectives The research was designed to validate Skippy’s perceived product superiority and uncover the drivers of preference within the peanut butter category. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to separate assumption from reality and identify clear, defensible product strengths. Research Approach Vision One conducted a large-scale, quantitative product taste test across four UK locations. The approach included: This design ensured results reflected genuine sensory preference rather than brand familiarity or expectation. Findings The research clearly demonstrated that Skippy outperformed its primary competitors on both overall preference and individual product ratings. While Skippy showed demonstrable superiority on texture attributes, the analysis revealed that taste, rather than texture, was the principal…

Skippy Product Research

Heineken Vision One

The Challenge As the leading on-trade lager brand in Ireland, Heineken enjoys widespread presence across pubs and bars. However, in an increasingly crowded and competitive on-trade environment, visibility alone is not enough. Heineken needed to understand how point-of-sale material influenced real-world purchasing decisions, particularly the choice of first drink. The challenge was to determine how the volume, type and placement of POS affected behaviour across different bar environments, including single-branded, mixed and competitor-dominated venues, and to identify which executions genuinely delivered impact and return. Research Objectives The research was designed to understand the behavioural role of point-of-sale material in driving on-trade purchase decisions. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to inform more strategic, evidence-led on-trade support. Research Approach Vision One, working with its Advanced Research Unit, developed an innovative, behaviour-led methodology. The approach included: This approach enabled robust testing of POS impact in controlled yet realistic scenarios. Findings The analysis revealed a clear and measurable relationship between point-of-sale branding and the selection of the first drink. The research demonstrated that both the placement and type of POS materially influenced choice, with certain executions consistently outperforming others. Importantly, results varied by environment, with different POS formats performing strongest…

Heineken Eye-Tracking Study

Stagg Chilli Vision One

The Challenge Hormel was developing an innovative new range of microwaveable Ready To Eat (RTE) meals under the name Spiced for Life. The range was positioned using Ayurvedic philosophy, incorporating herbs and spices associated with health-giving properties and high antioxidant levels. Before progressing to launch, Hormel needed to evaluate the strength of the overall concept and assess consumer response to nine potential product variants. The challenge was to identify which elements of the proposition resonated most strongly, validate taste performance, and determine how the range should be refined to maximise relevance, appeal and commercial viability. Research Objectives The research was designed to evaluate both the Spiced for Life concept and individual product variants within a real-world ready-meal context. The key objectives were to: These objectives aimed to support confident decision-making ahead of range development and optimisation. Research Approach Vision One conducted a large-scale programme of Central Location Tests (CLTs) across multiple UK venues. The approach included: This methodology ensured robust, scalable insight grounded in real category users and realistic consumption contexts. Findings The research revealed that the most compelling aspect of the Spiced for Life proposition was its unique storage benefit. The ability to store the product without refrigeration, combined…

Stagg Chilli Product Research Case Study

GE Capital International Case Study Vision One

The Challenge GE Capital, the financial services division of General Electric, supports customers closely aligned with GE’s industrial businesses. To maintain service excellence across diverse European markets, GE Capital needed a clearer understanding of customer satisfaction within its Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF) division. The challenge was to assess satisfaction across products and services while capturing nuanced, market-specific feedback. Importantly, GE Capital required insight that went beyond headline metrics, enabling it to understand customer sentiment, identify improvement opportunities and prioritise actions across a complex, multi-country B2B customer base. Research Objectives The research was designed to provide a detailed view of customer satisfaction across GE Capital’s European CDF customers. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to deliver both diagnostic understanding and practical guidance for improvement. Research Approach Vision One implemented a qualitative-led, multi-market research programme across Europe. The approach included: This approach enabled GE Capital to gain rich, comparable insight while respecting linguistic and cultural differences. Findings The research delivered a clear view of customer satisfaction levels across GE Capital’s European CDF customer base. It highlighted how customers evaluated different aspects of GE Capital’s products and services, identifying both strengths and areas for improvement. The qualitative depth of the…

GE Capital Success Story

Dr Beckmann (Washing Machine Cleaner) NPD Case Study Vision One

The Challenge Dr. Beckmann is the leading brand in the UK washing machine cleaner market. However, competitive dynamics were shifting following the introduction of a fragranced Lemon Breeze product by Dettol, which appeared to be outperforming its original variant. In response, Dr. Beckmann considered launching a fragranced washing machine cleaner of its own and potentially replacing its existing Original product. The challenge was to understand whether there was genuine consumer demand for fragrance in this category, which fragrance options were most appealing, and whether introducing a fragranced variant should complement or replace the current core offering. Research Objectives The research was designed to evaluate consumer appetite for fragranced washing machine cleaners and inform product and portfolio decisions. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to balance innovation opportunity with brand and portfolio risk. Research Approach Vision One implemented a quantitative, online research programme focused on category users. The approach included: This approach enabled robust comparison and clear prioritisation within a competitive, function-led category. Findings The exploratory surveey research study revealed strong consumer interest in fragranced washing machine cleaners. Both candidate products, Citrus Burst and Ocean Fresh, outperformed the Original product in overall preference. Among the two, Citrus Burst…

Dr Beckmann Washing Machine Cleaner Research Study

Onward Living Housing Case Study by Vision One

The Challenge Onward Living specialises in the sale of new-build homes, primarily to first-time buyers through shared ownership. During the COVID-19 pandemic, significant uncertainty emerged around employment, income stability and the housing market. Onward Living needed to understand how these changes were affecting both short- and long-term home-buying intentions. The challenge was to assess how the pandemic was influencing buyer confidence, decision timelines and appetite for shared ownership, and to identify how housing providers could adapt their approach to reassure buyers and remain relevant during a period of economic instability. Research Objectives attitudes and intentions among prospective homebuyers. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to inform Onward Living’s strategy and communications during disruption. Research Approach Vision One conducted a quantitative online survey to capture shifts in buyer behaviour and sentiment. The approach included: This approach enabled robust comparison of attitudes across different stages of the pandemic and provided scalable insight. Findings The customer research showed that COVID-19 had a significant impact on the decisions of those planning to buy a home within the next 12 months. Concerns around household income, economic stability and future house prices were key drivers of hesitation. Shared ownership became more appealing under…

Onward Living Housing Research Study

The Perfume Shop Fashion Case Study Vision One

The Challenge The Perfume Shop is the third-largest fragrance retailer in the UK, with over 260 stores nationwide. In-store traffic counter data suggested that shopper conversion rates were not being maximised. The challenge was to move beyond footfall metrics to understand who was visiting stores, how they behaved once inside, and what differentiated high-conversion stores from low-conversion ones. The business needed clear, actionable insight into shopper behaviour and decision drivers to identify where operational changes could meaningfully improve conversion across the store portfolio. Research Objectives The research was designed to provide Allianz with The research was designed to diagnose the drivers of in-store conversion and identify opportunities for improvement. The key objectives were to: Together, these objectives aimed to translate shopper insight into operational action at the store level. Research Approach Vision One conducted a large-scale exit interview programme across the UK. The approach included: This approach enabled real-world insight into shopper behaviour at the point of decision. Findings The research revealed clear and consistent differences between high- and low-conversion stores. Certain customer types were significantly more likely to convert, and specific behaviours and in-store factors emerged as key drivers of purchase. These included how shoppers engaged with staff, navigated…

The Perfume Shop Shopper Study