Reckitt’s digital transformation: Scaling at speed

The current state of the insights function headed into the new year

Key outcomes

Consistency drives economies of scale
Reckitt and Zappi have been working together to ensure consistency across studies in elements such as attribute lists, image statements and brand questions. This increases efficiency – no reinventing the wheel – and enables meta analysis across multiple projects so Reckitt can consistently add to a database of learnings.
Impactful insights to shape new products
On average, Reckitt’s concept scores have improved due to earlier and faster testing, consistency and iterative learning. Reckitt and Zappi have also been working together to gain a deep understanding of the drivers to purchase, which can then be built into ongoing studies.
Consultants, not project managers
In this agile, digital insights scenario, insights professionals have been elevated from purely managing multiple projects and suppliers, to being expert consultants who guide marketing teams on what has been learned and how to apply insights to improve results in the market.
A strong relationship
With collaboration and trust threaded through the partnership, Zappi and Reckitt can work together closely and transparently.

OPPORTUNITY

Transforming insights to create a streamlined center of excellence

As a global company with three business areas – Health, Hygiene and Nutrition — and many disparate insights teams, Reckitt saw an opportunity to: Streamline the insights function, increase agility and bring more research activities in house. All while upskilling and empowering insights and marketing professionals.

The transformation was overseen by Elaine Rodrigo, Chief Insights and Analytics Officer, who, when she joined Reckitt in 2019, quickly saw how the relationship with Zappi could be scaled to improve the quality of research and the impact on the business.

At that time, Reckitt was working with Zappi in the Hygiene group only, and missing out on the potential for consistency and meta analysis that using Zappi across business lines would bring.

CONSIDERATIONS

Managing change within the innovation process

Rodrigo set out to change the way insights is viewed by using digital tools to bring more consumer insights functions in house while becoming more data driven and upskilling marketing teams to run and interpret research.

Budgets had decreased but the need for research and speedy turnarounds hadn’t. Marketing and insights teams often view digital tools as giving them more work to do. They needed to be shown the benefits and business impact or there was a chance they wouldn’t buy in.

There are risks in giving marketers free rein with insights tools – research can be open to interpretation and marketers may interpret results incorrectly.