Consumer insights
How are Australian grocery buyers feeling about the current economic climate? What are the evolving influences in the lives of Australian women and how does this affect their purchase decision making? 
How can you best communicate to Australian men? What makes teens tick?
The focus of Bauer Media Group's Research Department is to "read Australia", providing us with a multi-dimensional understanding of our audiences and your consumers.
Bauer Media Group exclusive research tools give us, and our clients, the edge on consumer issues with the critical awareness of "what next".
We deliver the latest in consumer insights and identify emerging trends that impact on both our brands and those of our clients. We have access to a comprehensive bank of knowledge on magazines, advertising, and consumer behaviour across a wide range of industries and work to ensure that your campaign builds upon the already established connection between our brands and their readers.
Facilitating Insights
Bauer Media Group continually invests in new and exciting research initiatives.
Bauer’s Women’s Lifestyle publishing group has recently invested in Fusion, an ‘Australian first’ online research technology, which allows consumers to participate in highly engaged surveys through its panel, All Woman Talk (www.allwomantalk.com.au). As a result, Bauer can gather instant feedback on editorial content, lifestyle habits, shopping behaviours, products, and services from thousands of consumers.
Facilitating Trial and Word of Mouth
Unlike other research panels, All Woman Talk isn’t limited to quantitative studies. It also incorporates the latest tools for conducting qualitative research with its online community, All Woman Chat, and has recruited influential consumers for product sampling and word of mouth campaigns.
Knowledge Bank
In addition, Bauer Media Group has conducted literally hundreds of studies in recent years, ranging from in-depth reader surveys across its many titles, through to larger category focussed studies conducted with our research strategy and consultancy partners. Some of the more recent projects are listed below:
• Happiness
WHY - As a result of global changes in recent years, we have seen a
clear, and permanent, shift in the mindset of the consumer.
Accordingly, Happiness helps to decipher what is it that
matters most to Australian women today and how brands can
deliver on this in meaningful ways.
HOW - Combining learning’s from cultural change monitor- AustraliaScan, Bauer’s
own All Woman Talk online research panel and leading international trend forecasters.
DID YOU KNOW? - 8 in 10 have made changes to their spending habits as a result
of the economic environment. Whilst the majority believe the economy will improve, 66% say these changes in spending behaviour are permanent.
• Dolly Youth Monitor
WHY - The world really in a different place for teens in
2011with an ever-demanding social economy for today’s connected teens.
The Dolly Youth Monitor looks at the stresses and pressures that teens are currently experiencing, as well as their releases – what do they do for fun and
relaxation. We consider the idols and influencers that help shape them, and examine how different brands and media operate within their lives.
HOW - The research involved a comprehensive national online study of more than 1000 Australian teens, 12 in-depth focus groups with teen girls aged 14-17 years and an expert interview with Michael Grose, a well-renowned parenting educator.
DID YOU KNOW? – 31% of teen girls won’t leave the house without make-up on- even to go to school!
• How We Live 2
WHY - Much has changed in the world with a seemingly endless series
of natural disasters, the GFC, various elections, debates about
carbon tax and of course MasterChef…In light of these changes, How We Live provides a current and comprehensive insight into Australia’s relationship with homes
and food in 2011 and how it has changed over time.
HOW - Bauer Media Group and The Seed conducted research for How We Live 2 over a six-week period. The research involved a comprehensive national online study
of 1,207 Australians, 9 extended focus groups in Sydney and Melbourne and 16 in-depth interviews with industry experts and Bauer editors
DID YOU KNOW? - 53% turn to homemaker magazines for inspiration and ideas
for the home- in line with the internet and behind only the homemaker stores themselves!
• The Science of Love
WHY - It has long been accepted by many within the advertising industry that magazines deliver strong engagement with readers. Various research studies from around the world have also shown that reader involvement with the content increases readers’ receptiveness to the advertising – largely because magazine advertising generally does not fight against the medium; does not interrupt the continuity nor reduce their sense of control of the magazine experience.
The Science of Love delves deeper into this idea of ‘flow,’ helping marketers to understand the connection with advertising effectiveness and to develop a new approach to measuring the intensity and immersion of magazine engagement.
HOW - 200 women between the ages of 18 and 64 to read 11 of Bauer’s magazine titles between them, while their levels of neurological activity were measured. Simulating a natural reading environment, participants were given three magazines that were of relevance to them and asked them to read each between 10 and 20 minutes. Brand logos were shown before and after the reading activity to measure changes and lifts in brand salience pre- and post-exposure. With every millisecond throughout, we measured the activity of each part of the brain to see what was firing
All up, we assessed the neurological response to 40 ads. The neuro study was supplemented with an online study of 2,500 magazine readers.
DID YOU KNOW? - After reading, brand salience improved, increasing by an average of 7.3%. 95% of advertised brands tested saw their brand salience improve.
• A Healthy Outlook? The Future of the Health Industry
WHY - The health industry is booming and all things ‘health’ are finding their way into our daily lives. Good Health magazine examines five key health trends and seeks to understand the real drivers behind each of these trends. We seek to understand how each of these health related issues impacts on what we look for in the products and services and on who we trust when it comes to health and wellbeing information.
HOW - A combination of information taken from the ABS, Roy Morgan, Australiascan and our own All Woman Talk online panel builds a picture of the health and wellbeing of Australian women. This is complemented with a neurological assessment of our reaction to various health and wellbeing stimuli to understand the role of advertising and the media vehicle in establishing the health credentials of a brand.
DID YOU KNOW - 40% of women surveyed only manage to achieve a good work-life balance ‘some of the time’.
• National Parenting Survey 2012: Presented by Bauer Parenting Titles
WHY - Life as a new parent is full of challenges and it would seem that in today’s world these challenges are escalating as we endeavour to achieve balance between work and family commitments, while trying to do our best for baby. We look at some of the global parenting trends that are impacting on how mums are feeling and behaving today. We also examine the experiences of the pregnant woman compared to the experiences of the new mum – what are the challenges and expectations that we face in each of these phases?
HOW - The research involved a broader look at social trends impacting on motherhood today, supplemented with a national online survey of new and expecting mothers.
DID YOU KNOW - Just over half of pregnant women surveyed, planned on finding out the baby’s sex prior to birth.