Helena Sundsten Market Research

Get to know the Swedes!

Join me on a tour beyond the obvious, behind the fancy facades and surfaces.

Join me on a tour into the homes and everyday life of the Swedish people.

What do you need to know about the Swedish Mind before launching a new product in Sweden?

Let us find out together! How about starting with a day of shopping in relevant stores, join a parent picking up the toddler at the daycare center and have dinner with the family -  and finally view a focus group with your future clients on the other side of the one-way-mirror. All accompagnied by a simultaneous translator (if you don’t know the Swedish language). Traditional focus groups, in-home or on-line. We’ll find the best way to find out.

Send me an RFQ for a real in depth qualitative market research! helena @ sundsten.se

What is Sweden all about? I mean, really? Is it about Snowy Streets, Blond Girls and Light Midsummer Nights? What is there to find beyond the fancy facades, behind the closed doors and curtains? Conducting Qualitative Market Research is probably the best way to find out! That is how you really get under the skin of the consumers.

I work with traditional Focus Groups and Individual Interviews – but also with contemporary methods such as Online Focus Groups or “Come Dine With Me”-sessions.  Always with a Cultural Context approach – so you won’t get lost in translation…

Once in a while the Calendar plays a trick, such as today: Combining the International Womens Day with The Day of the Fat Cream Bun – also called Fat Tuesday Bun. The Fat Bun day is always on a Tuesday during the Christian Calendar period of fasting before Easter. Since Sweden is a very secularized country rarely no one knows about the fasting. BUT we all know about the bun… It is made from a quite bread like bun (often with a hint of cardamom),, cut like a hamburger bred  filled with whipped cream and a filling of a rough kind of marzipan of almonds. The traditional way to eat it is to put it in a bowl of warm milk. I prefer it with a nice cup of coffe…

So – Happy Womens Day! Let’s all get fat today!

None will probably find the observation ”Global Climate Change cause extreme weather”, as a scoop. But have you noticed the change in behaviour? The incorrigible humans are accepting the changes and adjust their life to new circumstances. Two examples:

• In Sweden, jogging has been a summer activity – and sign of the arrival of springtime – for decades. The jogging shoes was put on when the ground was dry, free from ice and not slippery – for safe jogging. BUT suddenly, the market for shoes with spikes has reached top selling scores! The spike shoes are sold out!
• Another observation – closely linked to the above mentioned: Biking all year around! A new kind of tyres (also with spikes) are sold, and used. Nowadays it is not unusual to see someone riding his or her bike, in snow and ice, a sight impossible just a few years ago.

Is it perhaps easier to accept change and adjust behaviour to new circumstances, than to change behaviour with the intention to make a change (for climate)? If so, how does this change behaviour regarding to your brand?

Let’s find out together! Send me an RFQ to Helena (at) sundsten.se

The Swedish site Blocket is the Leading Brand in the Growing Second Hand Market.

Buying and selling almost EVERYTHING is ok. Instead of consider your old stuff as rubbish – you simply sell them and earn some money. As many as 70% of the adult persons in Sweden has sold or bough something on Blocket.

Among families with children, the figure is almost 90%! Last years turnover was equal to 6,4 % of the Swedish GNP or 22.000 SEK/citizen (= €2375 or USD 3170).

So what is the learning? Recycling is a huge and accepted environment friendly trend that cannot be neglected for marketers. Perhaps is there a market for Brand Owners to take charge over the second hand market as well? Perhaps it is time for Brand Owners to nurse their Brand thru out the entire life cycle of their brand? How is your brand valued on the second hand market?

Let’s find out together! Send me an RFQ to Helena(at)sundsten.se

By tradition, the Swedish Government has owned huge companies with Monopoly position within markets like: alcohol, drugs/medication, hospitals, gaming and electricity – all with the purpose to provide health and safety to the citizens.

But the Monopoles started to fall some years ago. Right now are the Pharmacies in focus. Going from ONE brand (Apoteket – owned by the government) to several small – but four main – actors. The four big ones are: Hjärtat, Apoteksgruppen, Kronans Droghandel and Medstop Apotek. The Medical/Pharma market is huge and important and several forecasts predict an upcoming war between these four big ones.

Two other Monopoly markets are the Alcoholic Systembolaget (only allowed provider of alcohol, wine and strong beer) and the Gaming Svenska Spel. However the Court of European Union means the Swedish Monopoles are not compatible with the European Union.

So, if you have clients/work within the Medical, Alcoholic or Gaming industry – keep updated about the Swedish market. Be prepared and do your homework. Why not conduct a Qualitative Market Research?! Send me an RFQ to helena(at)sundsten.se

The two first weeks of 2011 has passed and the exhausting Christmas is by now definitely over. The promises for the New Year has probably already shown if the idea was great or useless…

But the break gave, at least me, a new energy boost! I’ve been spending a lot of time glancing thru (I do not know how many) Top-lists like ”Best of 2010″ and ”What to expect from 2011″. This, HAVE TO, result in my very own list (obviously) with some trends that might be useful for us, interested in MR.

Watch out! The Categrory ”Forecast 2011″ starts on Monday, January 17th.

Have a look at this site - called ”Things Real People Don’t Say About Advertising”. It really makes you think about what Market Research is about.

What do we expect from our respondents? What is at all possible to ask them? To me this hits the bulls’ eye! Over the years working as a moderator within  Qualitative Market Research, I’ve met more than one client with unrealistic expectations of the consumer mind.

As a researcher, this inspires me in the Art of Constructing A Relevant Discussion Guide.

What are your dreams, hopes and fears about what your consumers, readers, users think about you brand? Let me take you by the hand and lead you thru the Minds of the Swedish Consumers.

Send me an RFQ today! helena (at) sundsten.se

So, why should you choose to work with an independent Freelance Moderator instead of one of the ”Big Giants”? To me, it’s obvious. Hopefully for you as well.

§1 – LOYALTY: the Freelancer is free from loyalty towards an employer and internal politics.
§2 – DEDICATION: The focus is on the client, the client and the client only (not ”What do I have to do to please my boss?”, ”What is best for my internal career?”)
§3 – FLEXIBILITY: Since everything is not available in-house, the possible choices regarding facility, recruiters and translators is far more flexible. Gives me the opportunity to find the perfect match for you.
§4 – SLIMMED ORGANIZATION CUT COSTS and raises the level of involvement. Combining the project co-ordination and moderation in one person guarantee high involvement thru out the entire process of the project.

The upcomming Sunday,  December the 28th is the official start-up for Christmas decoration. This is the day to put up your STAR OF ADVENT in your window. It is also the start of Christmas shopping.

The past week has  been the week when the snow arrived in most part of Sweden and we got to learn a new expression : Snow Cannon – describing a weather phenomenon caused by a strong cold wind sweaping over a slightly warmer sea, cooling down the ascendant fumes and ”voilá” there you have the Snow Cannon!