Ipsos Update - April 2017

We start with International Women’s Day. Nine in ten people around the world say they “believe” in equal opportunities. But three in four women say inequality between men and women persist in their country - and there are some stark differences in perceptions by country.

Our team takes a look at the gaming market. The stereotype of the average gamer - young men playing games, accompanied by lots of noise and explosions - is wide of the mark. In Europe, for example one in two women are gaming regularly, and it is very popular among the 35-44s. There is a huge target market out there!

As technology develops, virtual reality has become, well, the reality. We look at how it’s being put to work in research, including some advice on what works in practice. One lesson: err on the side of caution. Less is more.

When developing new products, one of the big challenges is understanding which combination of features will have the greatest appeal. Our new White Paper on Concept Optimisation sets out our thoughts on the key building blocks we need to think about when testing out options.

In the wake of the Oscars, we take a look at branded entertainment. Red Bull is an example of a brand which - through its high profile events - has developed a heritage in this area. But others, such as Wal-Mart with their movie-inspired The Receipt concept, have been launching their own approaches. We look at the lessons learned so far.

Consumption of this type of content is increasingly happening via people’s smartphones. The MENA region, which now has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world, is one area where video content is proving really popular. Our new report provides a briefing on the latest trends.

Amidst all this technological change, our research for World Water Day is a reminder that there is still work to be done on the basics. Our new international poll finds people in Italy, Russia and Turkey particularly critical of the way waste water is dealt with in their country.

One country which is feeling optimistic, at least to a degree, is Peru. Our new Flair Report paints a picture of a country now looking to the future. Written by our local experts, it’s an essential guide to the country.