12 Feb CUBE wants to seize the momentum

Need for customer insights and consumer trend forecasting greater than ever

February 12th 2021. Market research agencies have held up relatively well in the turbulent year that was 2020. Trade association CUBE seizes the opportunity to hit the accelerator in 2021. Its range of services on offer will be extended with training programs, informal activities and a new ‘Mood Indicator’.

While 2020 was the most turbulent year in a century for most of the world, to CUBE it meant new beginnings. Last year, the market research agencies’ trade association engaged in structural cooperation with the Belgian Association of Marketing (BAM), where it found a new home.

This move will result in lots more activity at the CUBE headquarters. The association will launch a series of informal meetings (digital ones, in the first instance). “These will treat issues market researchers are confronted with on a day-to-day basis”, says Ludovic Depoortere (Haystack Consulting), president of CUBE. “Such as how to motivate your collaborators in times like these, but also: what will market research look like post-Covid-19? What market research practices will be workable? How should face-to-face interviews be conducted?”

The traditional ‘Deep Dives’ on the subject of specific market research topics will be continued this year. “We’ve had a first session about youngsters and in the coming months more sessions are to follow, on subjects such as the changing role of customer intelligence and the use of AI in market research”, Ludovic Depoortere explains.

Mood indicator

Besides events (digital ones when required, live ones as soon as possible), training is also high on the trade association’s agenda. Ludovic Depoortere: “We are working jointly with BAM to provide four training courses. Each of these will comprise 4 or 5 sessions, starting in the second semester. Measuring the effects of meaningful marketing will be the subject of the first course, the second course is about measuring CX and the third about innovation. The fourth training course regards the basics of consumer intelligence.”

Also, CUBE will be launching its new ‘Mood indicator’, to be launched at the end of the first quarter. it will not only measure prevailing ‘mood’, but also expenditure on market research. Ludovic Depoortere: “By gauging the market every quarter, we wish to inform both agencies and clients of the trends.”

Higher membership value

The trade association is offering lots of new products and activities that add to the value of membership. This higher value is also achieved by the implementation of a number of novelties, introduced thanks to the link-up with BAM.

“Don’t forget that CUBE members automatically also become members of BAM”, Ludovic Depoortere concludes. “This means they gain access to the nation’s largest marketing community. From now on our congress, for instance, will be integrated into the BAM congress – a logical move, considering the popularity of Tom De Ruyck’s presentation (InSites Consulting) at the previous congress. Also, our members now have access to legal support.”

This membership will henceforth also be open to tech players and end user customers as well as to academics and students.