by Qualitative Research: Driving Consumer Stories and Brand Innovation with Universal Robina
QUAL360 APAC Speaker Interview with Jan Bacani, Group Manager, Universal Robina
In the lead-up to Qual360 Asia, we spoke with Jan Bacani about his upcoming presentation and what motivated him to participate in the conference.
Prior to working on the client side, Jan enjoyed 16 years doing qualitative research for Kantar Philippines. He built his foundation in Qual by working closely with clients from tech, food & beverage, and personal care sectors. Deep engagement with key clients allowed him to explore and use qualitative research to inform brand strategy, inspire product innovation, and guide brand communications. For almost 4 years now at URC, Jan has collaborated with the Snackfoods tribes by leading its Consumer Insights Chapter. He particularly enjoys partnering with stakeholders and agencies to address business issues through research, conducting consumer connects and facilitating workshops.
QUAL360 APAC: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?
Jan: The essence of qualitative research, which is its ability to draw consumer stories, can be harnessed further by utilizing a number of methods. Coupled with good interpretation and analysis, qual remains to be an important arm to inform brand positioning and communication.
QUAL360 APAC: What motivates you to join the Qual360 APAC conference and what are your expectations?
Jan: I am excited to participate in a conference that puts Qual at the forefront. I look forward to listening to interesting work, chatting with practitioners and clients, and hearing cool stories about business challenges and how great (and innovative) qualitative research helped find solutions.
QUAL360 APAC: Where do you see qualitative research today and where do you see the industry overall heading?
Jan: I am a firm believer of qual’s role in generating insights that inspire action. Even in today’s demand for agility, the interpretative power of qual is relevant and important. I feel there’s a lot of experimenting around new tools and technologies to deliver fast(er) results which is great for the industry as this signals innovation and continuous growth. Personally, this should not distract us from getting closer to consumers and enable us to elicit stories better and get candid reactions to stimuli.
QUAL360 APAC: What do you consider to be the 3 essential elements of the qualitative research toolkit today?
- Enable closeness to the current generation of consumers
- Design with a balance of creativity and efficiency in mind
- Interpret and deliver with impact and inspiration
QUAL360 APAC: Apart from work, what should delegates talk to you about at Qual360 APAC? Do you have any particular personal interests, hobbies or extracurricular activities and engagements?
Jan: I am interested to hear about “new” applications and challenges in qualitative research. I am also keen to hear thoughts about training and talent recruitment. Are there initiatives to attract and retain qual talents? In an industry where the researcher is key, how do we refresh and develop the talent pool today?
Lastly, in my free time, I enjoy playing badminton and just started to discover the joys and pains of running.
QUAL360: Thank you so much Jan! We look forward to seeing you at QUAL360 APAC!
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