How to Beat Nielsen BASES Concept Tests

Nielsen BASES is the market leader in new consumer product concept testing (50%+ market share)

S I M U L AT E D T E S T M A R K E T I N G

So innovation teams need to understand how to beat BASES concept tests to get their innovations to market

Concept test for quantifying new product potential and optimizing a consumer proposition

Concept + Prototype test for quantifying new product potential and optimizing a consumer proposition

Concept test for assessing new product potential and optimizing a consumer proposition (Concept Potential Score)

Beating BASES concept tests improves the chances of innovation success because test results are linked to future sales

BASES tests can rank different product concepts based on market potential and predict 1st year sales (+/-20%)

In essence BASES tests are simple: show concepts to an online panel of consumers and ask ‘would you buy this?’

BASES is based on the insight that ‘intent to purchase’ is the best predictor of future buying behaviour (vs. attitudes, values or needs)

This insight is a useful starting point for concept ideation. Build new concepts around top category purchase drivers!

This means doing three things; first ideate around what makes people trial new products in your target category

Then to identify new opportunities, generate ideas around what prompts brand switching and lapsing in your target category

Finally focus ideation on what prompts people to buy in greater volume or more often (purchase volume and frequency)

To understand and ideate around these purchase drivers, you can research and co-create with category experts and consumers

Since intention to purchase is an imperfect predictor, BASES calibrates test scores based on normative (SAMI-Burke) data

In calibrating scores, BASES also uses perceptions about fair price (value rating), believability, distinctiveness and likeability

So after a first round of ideation, develop concepts to ensure believability, likeability, distinctiveness and value

Then, when you have candidate concepts, run a concept optimisation workshop with experts and consumers

This concept optimisation workshop should focus on the above questions, drawn from the BASES test itself

How could we improve this concept so it appears more new, distinctive or different from other products?

How could we modify this concept so people will want to buy it more frequently?

How could we tweak this concept so people would want to buy multiple units?

How could we help this concept appear more believable?

How could we update this concept so it appears better value for money?

Overall, is there anything we could change to make the concept more appealing and likeable?

How could we present this concept so it matches closer to top category purchase drivers?

That’s it! Follow this simple plan and you’ll be creating BASES-beating new product concepts!

To find out more about developing BASES-beating innovation concepts, talk to us at Brand Genetics. It’s what we do.

Brand Genetics Ltd31 Windmill Street • London • W1T 2JN

http://brandgenetics.com @brand_genetics

andrew.christopers@brandgenetics.comtom.ellis@brandgenetics.com+44 (0)20 7700 2700

References:

Clancy, K, Krieg, P Mcgarry Wolf, M (2006) Market New Products Successfully: Using Simulated Test Market Technology (Lexington)

Korotkov, N. and Occhiocupo, N. (2011) Simulated Test Marketing in FMCG

Nielsen (2009) Winning with innovation: An introduction to BASES http://faculty.msb.edu/homak/homahelpsite/webhelp/Nielsen_-__BASES_Overview.pdf

Nielsen (2011) How Companies can Select Winning Ideas and Forecast Sales Before Launching New Products www.case-club.ru/files/presentations/Nielsen_BASES_presentation.ppt

Nielsen (2012) The Breakthrough Innovation Report http://nielsen.com/content/dam/corporate/campaigns/select-summit/BreakthroughInnovationReport_2012.pdf

Nielsen (2007) BASES SnapShot http://nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsen/en_ca/documents/pdf/fact_sheets/SnapShot.pdf

Nielsen (2009) BASES I http://nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsen/en_us/documents/pdf/Fact%20Sheets/Nielsen%20BASES%20I.pdf

Nielsen (2009) BASES II http://nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsen/en_us/documents/pdf/Fact%20Sheets/Nielsen%20BASES%20II.pdf

Neilsen (2009) BASES E-Panel http://nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsen/en_us/documents/pdf/Fact%20Sheets/Nielsen%20BASES%20ePanel.pdf

Neilsen (2004) BASES See Tomorrow Today http://indiana.edu/~jobtalk/ppt/SCOOPs/2004.../ACNielsenBASES.ppt

Wherry, J.S. (2006) Simulated Test Marketing: It’s Evolution and Current State in the Industry MIT MBA Thesis

Willke, J. (2002) The Future of Simulated Test Marketing ESOMAR