Kid Market Survey

On April 12, 2001 a marketing and research consultant agency placed a big advertisement in Kompas (no doubt at a very high cost), claiming to be the first research agency in Indonesia to conduct a Kid Market Survey -- a claim that is questionable. The proposal that this agency sent to their clients mentioned that fieldwork would be conducted between May 1, 2001 and May 31, 2001, while the report would be available between July 2, 2001 and July 13, 2001.

The question is, has the research agency who made this claim conducted any prior research before making this claim (such as the huge research conducted by Oral B among dentists in several countries, to support their claim of being the toothbrush most used by dentists)? Just for the public's information, Marketing Research Indonesia (MRI) has just completed the qualitative stage of a similar study (or precisely the same study), but with a more extensive and comprehensive coverage. This study conducted by MRI is called Kids World -- The Future Market, and the quantitative stage is in progress. We have offered this study to hundreds of clients (since early March, 2001), and several clients have already signed up.

Although MRI feels that they had started the Kids' World study earlier than the agency who made the claim, they still would not make the claim of being the first research agency to conduct this survey in Indonesia. For a marketing research agency, in particular MRI, integrity on all levels -- from the field-workers to the top management -- is one of the most important values that we adhere to in all our activities, such as conducting the research itself, our marketing activities, connecting with clients, suppliers and also with the government.

HARRY PUSPITO

Marketing Research Indonesia

Jakarta