GfK Conference 2016

Focus on Markets – the GfK Conference 2016 took place on a Thursday this year, a first for the event, and was also presented under a new concept. Market experts from GfK SE together with experienced external speakers from the sector shed light on the fast moving consumer goods and do-it-yourself markets, delivering an insight into current developments and trends. In addition, one contributor from GfK SE addressed the challenges market research currently faces. The conference opened with a talk which reflected on the conditions for human communication today. The success and failure of technological innovation was the subject of the closing presentation of the event.

Media scholar and author Prof. Dr. Norbert Bolz kicked off the GfK conference with the following questions: What do mobility and networking of communication mean for modern society? What are the consequences for our working environment – and our leisure time? How might a successful work-life balance look today?

How has digitization changed the way in which consumers obtain information about brands and goods, and how they, i.e. consumers, ultimately go about making a purchase? Using this fascinating question as their starting point, Markus Wittmann, GfK SE, and Bernd Müller, Robert Bosch GmbH, presented the latest trends in DIY markets in combination with the findings of a current survey on the user journey related to power tools: How does demand arise, where does the search begin and what is its most common feature – and where do consumers then shop: locally in-store or online? And do they subsequently recommend the product they purchased?

Books, clothing, electrical appliances and furniture – it is no longer possible to imagine many markets without online shopping. Yet, what is the role of e-commerce in shopping for groceries, beverages and drugstore products? What growth opportunities and barriers exist for fast moving consumer goods in the e-commerce market? Thomas Bachl, GfK SE, and Dominique Locher, LeShop.ch, together answered these questions.

Norbert Wirth, GfK SE, then examined the question of who today has control of market and consumer data and its interpretation. What changes does that bring about in the market research sector? Mr Wirth explained his considerations on the basis of powerful quotes from recent interviews with market researchers on their practical experiences.   

Finally, Prof. Dr. Reinhold Bauer, Chair for the History of Technology at Stuttgart University, presented a typology of technological innovation. On the one hand, there is a cultural background to how technology is used and on the other, technological innovation permeates everyday life, our culture and thinking. Prof. Dr. Reinhold Bauer used examples of successful innovations to illustrate his statements as well as examples of innovations that failed or were launched too early in the market.

The slides of the speeches are available in German only - for downloading please go to the German page.