Fewer marketers to cut use of research in 2010, MENG survey finds

More than 20% of respondents last year said they would make less or much less use of MR, but for 2010 that figure is down to 10%. The percentage of those expecting no change in their use of research is up from 39% to 44%, while predictions for greater or much greater use of MR is up six points to 45%.

The findings chime with a recent survey by the Council of American Survey Research Organisations (Casro) which reported a 10-point rise in those predicting a recovery for 2010 – from 68% of members surveyed in the second quarter of 2009 to 78% surveyed in Q4.

One quarter of the 533 MENG members surveyed by Anderson Analytics expect overall marketing budgets to increase in 2010 while 27% expect further declines, though this is down considerably on the 51% expecting to make cutbacks in 2009. Nearly half of respondents envisage no change to their marketing budgets this year.

The MENG survey reports that since 2008, the term ‘marketing ROI’ has steadily risen to become top of mind for marketing executives when asked which buzzwords or trends they feel are most important to pay attention – symptomatic, no doubt, of the importance placed on getting value for money amid a recession.

Anderson Analytics boss Tom Anderson said: “While more marketers are optimistic about the future prospect of growth, marketers are still feeling the pressure of a tough economic cycle with the need to prove a return on their marketing investments.”

Similarly, research buyers have been demanding proof of the return on their research investments and will continue to do so, according to Forrester analyst Reinke Reitsma.