kcw happenings

WELCOME to “kcw happenings”! here you will get an idea of what kcw is doing to expand our knowledge and how it is working to make a positive impact. if anything from “kcw happenings” piques your interest and you would like to learn more or hear more, please do not hesitate in contacting kate directly at kate@kcwglobalresearch.com or 773 868 1410.

4.12.11

on this day, kate was a spectator at the international cop donut eating championship.  yes, it is true, such an event does exist.  while it was difficult to watch at times, it serves as a reminder of the fun we can have with our brands and the creative ways that we can play with existing brand associations.  sometimes we take ourselves a little too seriously.  kate’s hat is off to the officer who ate 14, yes 14 glazed donuts with blue frosting in 3 minutes flat.

2.14.11

woo hooo!  happy valentine’s day!  this year’s valentine’s day surprise reinforced the magic that can come from some pretty smooth rhymes combined with a fantastic quality product!  kcw global research reached out to chicago’s local sage in the city to create homemade organic soap for her 400 plus valentine’s.  was this some sort of hint?  no.  but rather a signal to consider a new fresh perspective for ourselves and our brands.

12.31.10

holy moly!  2010 was officially the busiest and most exciting year to date.  it is possible that kate may have found a way to be in at least two places at one time.  if this is not the case, then it is unclear how everything was accomplished in 2010. the vast variety of brands and strategic questions being asked kept kate on her toes as well as her many consumers!

10.31.10

from a highly fruitful QRCA annual conference in philadelphia, pa, which somehow included one day of fishing the gunpowder for beautiful lil’ wild brown trout, to starting a fascinating global initiative that explored consumer perceptions in canada, the us, and mexico, kcw was covering oodles of territory!

9.2.10

minnesota state fair.  what an amazing place to experience amazing and, at times, bizarre culinary innovation.  although I showed no bias in my tasting, from camel on a stick to deep fried fruit on a stick, it was in the realm of bacon that I was most happily captivated.  from the chicken fried bacon with a maple and cinnamon dipping sauce to the pig lickers (bacon dipped in chocolate with coarse sea salt) to the big fat bacon (1/3 lb of bacon with a maple glaze prepared on a stick)...it was all magic!

you may ask how this links back to qualitative research.  this experience simply reinforces that while not all out of the box ideas are always a home run, like the hot dish on a stick, other items like the deep fried cheeseburger slider (on a stick of course) may leave you pleasantly surprised.

7.1.10

happy 4th anniversary kcw global research!!  what a wonderful road it has been and this year we are celebrating even more new client relationships.  kate loves being a part of your process and so enjoys watching “her” brands grow and evolve!

4.1.10

so it goes… seems kate was the only person interested in running a half marathon in uganda.  that’s right, it was cancelled. and even more than that she was the only person interested in going to uganda. while it was a bit tough to swallow at first, plenty of fun work projects filled the empty gap rather quickly so the mourning was short lived.

2.14.10

happy valentine’s day!  this year’s theme challenged us to think about things from a different perspective.  specifically, our perceptions of mistletoe.  over time mistletoe has become a winter holiday mainstay and serves as a cue for a spontaneous kiss.  with this strong link with affection, why doesn’t it also play a role in our valentine’s day traditions?  hmmm…

1.17.10

if you are going to do something, go big. that is a little something that kate lives by. for example, she just registered for her 1st (and probably last) half marathon happening this coming May. seems pretty normal right? not done. it's in Uganda. exactly. kate running a half marathon is pretty ridiculous for her so she figured she would have to match it with an equally ridiculous location. and yes, she is aware that they have half marathons in Chicago. now she just has to figure out the running part.

12.10.09

kcw is tying up that beautiful bow on yet another successful calendar year! 2009 was a fabulous year with new clients and a diverse range of project types – from tailgating to in-store interviews to playing with rubber steaks (tough life!). wishing everyone a safe and healthy holiday season!

11.28.09

November epitomized the old “work hard, play hard” adage. let’s start with play hard: kate had her first “grand slam” on the Davidson River, North Carolina (that is a rainbow, a brookie, and a brownie trout caught all in one day) and even has a lil’ video for reliving the magic of that day (not that kate is proud or anything... after the last momentous fishing expedition in August and no pictures to show for it, kate was not going to take any chances this time around…

now to the work hard: she also helped provide some guidance for clients working to create extra special innovation…they are almost there! it is going to be awesome! just saying.

all of this excitement ended with the first “kate prepared” turkey feast. proud to report it was a huge success (the bird was beautiful)! special thanks to the chopping block and their ohh so helpful thanksgiving boot camp class.

10.26.09

okay, so kate is lucky. she loves what she does which makes it very easy for her to enjoy her job. however, some projects come around where she feels over-the-top lucky. topic: tailgating. that’s right. picture it, Madison, Wisconsin – Badgers vs. Hawkeyes. in-home interviews and game day observation in order to absorb and learn all that there is to know about tailgating. awesome.

while kcw closed out the month with tailgating fun, October was also the month of the annual QRCA conference. chairing the conference last year gave her a new perspective on all of the work and made her experience this year all the richer. this year it was in Palm Springs, California and, as always, she learned a ton and enjoyed mingling with friends and colleagues who really understand the lifestyle of being a qualitative research consultant/moderator. our people are a good time.

9.14.09

confession: kate is a marketer's dream! she had a burst of studies that all dealt with how consumers shop. net: kate is a bad, bad shopper….but a little smarter now thanks to her focus group participants. but do not worry marketers, kate is so far gone that your bottom lines are safe…

8.28.09

another spectacular group of women at the Casting for Recovery August retreat in North Carolina – they never cease to amaze!

ohh and a 24 inch rainbow trout. and others of similar size from the “pool of frustration” in North Carolina. sadly, no pictures which stinks since many like to inform kate, “no picture, no fish.” figure those are people who are just jealous – the look of that fish will be burned in kate’s memory forever and ever…. she doesn’t need a picture to enjoy her moment….

7.30.09

July helped reinforce the “global” in kcw global research. 3 weeks of intense moderating, project coordination and management, travel, and synergizing, took kate from Chicago to Toronto to Guadalajara to Sao Paulo to Shanghai and finally to Manila. helping brands move towards a global vision through packaging offers a fun strategic challenge, especially when it encompasses three continents. the multi-planed balancing act makes the end results ohh so rewarding.

and kcw turned 3 as well!! quite a month, really!

4.30.09

kcw dove into a new volunteering opportunity at the lakeview pantry. so many great opportunities around to get involved in!

3.25.09

following such an eye-opening start to the year came a really fun mix of projects – new product usability testing, positioning work, new product tasting, and structural development – on top of the more usual packaging fun.

2.14.09

in lieu of this year’s Valentine’s Day card, kcw made donations to some pretty spectacular charities:

• local: the lakeview pantry… local food pantry
• national: feeding america… focus on national food distribution
• global: wells bring hope… raising money to drill water wells in the villages of Niger where clean water is sadly more of an exception than the rule

1.31.09

kcw global research started out the year with a flurry of international exploration! the 5 country tour started in Jordan and continued into Israel and Egypt. then changed gears and kate made her way to Niger and Mali. the latter portion of the trip was with an amazing, dynamic group of women in the name of giving back through Wells Bring Hope. in a nut shell: filmed footage of people in villages with and without water wells to illustrate their impact on the quality of life in order to raise money for the future drilling of wells in Niger.

10.15.08

Qualitative Research Consultants Association members and supporters gathered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to participate in the 23rd annual QRCA conference. kate was proud to chair the conference and with the help of her many volunteers enjoyed the informative and interactive nature of the conference. next year, it will be held in Palm Springs. looking forward to the new learnings!

8.22.08

kate made her annual trip to Asheville, North Carolina to serve as hospitality staff for another Casting for Recovery weekend retreat with a group of truly inspiring women. the awareness of Casting for Recovery is growing as representatives from NPR came to observe the experience. to learn more please visit their website: www.castingforrecovery.org

7.7.08

kcw global research turns two! kate would like to thank the many clients and suppliers that have made the last two years such a success. looking forward to what the future holds!

6.3.08

kcw global research makes a HUGE and exciting move from sunny Charleston, South Carolina to windy Chicago, Illinois. kate is looking forward to enjoying the direct flights, ability to DRIVE to work, less humidity, smaller bugs, and a white Christmas!

4.18.08

kate took a weekend trip to the Great Smoky Mountains for a weekend of fishing. if you have not yet experienced fly fishing, it is recommended that you give it a try. having no cell or Blackberry reception allows you to truly commune with nature and the beautiful fish in the rivers. kate is a catch and release fisherwoman and quite the novice so don't fret, the fish are very safe.

2.14.08

the celebrated launch of www.kcwglobalresearch.com! this event is coupled with the delivery of the kcw global research’s famed Valentine’s! every year kate works hard to create something new and different to help add a little special something to your February 14th! and boy was it tasty this year! if you did not receive one and would like to be placed on the mailing list for next year please be sure to email your information.

1.31.08

kcw global research introduces a unique opportunity for clients to spend a “day in the life” of their target. this product was created with kaleidoscope youth marketing and leverages kcw’s qualitative expertise and kaleidoscope’s extensive youth network and experience.

12.25.07

happy holidays! kate was proud to celebrate the holidays in Cleveland with her family including gorgeous niece Gretchen. and further enjoyed watching her brother put together Gretchen’s new toys…ethnography at its finest!

11.9.07

again, kate made her way into the grand fishing area around Ashville, North Carolina to spend time with the ladies of Casting For Recovery at their 2007 Reunion. spending a weekend being inspired by these women helped refresh and rejuvenate her spirit.

10.23.07

kcw joined many other qualitative research consultants in Vancouver, BC for the 2007 QRCA conference. ideas were shared to help sharpen skills, discuss trends, and grow.

9.21.07

sometimes it is important to shift your perspective. try wearing a gorilla costume and running (or walking) a 7K through the City of London. it worked for kate!

8.24.07

kate traveled to rural North Carolina to join 14 women who are in remission or currently fighting Breast Cancer for a Casting for Recovery retreat. she served as a hospitality volunteer which meant that she catered to every whim while they all learned, many for the first time, how to fly fish.

7.07.07

1 year anniversary for kcw global research! kcw celebrates a most successful first year with countless focus groups conducted for fantastic clients. looking forward to what year two will hold!

7.2.07

World Vision Update! As we creep ever close to our 1 year anniversary, kcw is proud to report the donation of 25 animals. kcw prides itself on being involved in the world, national, and local community – and appreciates the clients and relationships that help make it a reality! thank you!

6.12.07

kcw starts it World Vision animal donation program. for every study conducted an animal is donated on the client’s behalf that will help sustain a family and positively impact their economic future. it took some time to get this started but now the system is up and running!

5.22.07

this year’s big trip took kate to Switzerland (Geneva) and Italy (all over!). while the history, culture, and culinary delights were overwhelming, what was most fun seeing were the examples of packaging innovation (mainly structural, but also graphic) and the prevalence of global brands.

5.10.07

kate, a member of Rotary International, helped co-chair the silent/live auction committee for her local club’s yearly giant fundraiser. in her typical style she jumped in whole hog and with the help of fellow Rotarians and members of the Charleston community helped raise $66,000 for a variety of local, national, and global charities!

4.17.07

kate takes her qualitative skills into the classroom at Morehouse College! these 31 students had an opportunity to see how both a focus group is run and how the output is put into action. starting with an unaided drawing exercise, to category segmentation, ending with concept testing and optimization. kate thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the students and helping them get a better sense of the real world applications of market research.

9.9.06

kate takes a 3 week trip to China and Mongolia! beyond experiencing the trip of a lifetime, in Mongolia she also had an opportunity to understand the needs of consumers whose culture and priorities varied greatly from what we are most familiar, especially deep in the Gobi.

7.7.06

kcw opens its doors and starts with a bang! earning its international stripes with its first project in London and China!