Business Categories

Financial Services Research 

The financial sector has long been a specialty of Hay Research and over the years we have acquired a significant body of knowledge about Canadians’ financial habits, attitudes and preferences. We have conducted well over 500 studies for banks, life insurance companies, investment firms and mutual fund companies, ranging from large tracking systems and brand equity work, to smaller tactical studies.

We offer a number of syndicated products in financial services including our signature product – The Canadian Financial Services Switching Study. Over the years, this study has emerged as the go-to authority for switching financial services in Canada.  (See Signature Product).

Our interviewing capabilities in the financial sector encompass in-person, telephone and online interviews with consumers, executives, brokers, the investing public and institutional investors. We are also well-versed in contemporary issues confronting financial institutions in a rapidly evolving financial services world. We also believe that this world is likely to change in a major way over the next 5 to 10 years. We are well-positioned to conduct branding work, customer satisfaction studies and studies of switching and defection in the context of these highly important changes. 

Some of our financial services clients:

Retail Research

Because retail is a fast-moving business, retailers need researchers who can hit the ground running. Hay Research has worked with some of Canada’s largest retailers. 

Though the specifics may vary from retail category to category, the research and marketing challenges are often similar. How do you build a brand that consumers will trust and love? Our considerable experience in customer satisfaction, segmentation, brand positioning, and loyalty work can help you address the challenges posed by a retail world being fundamentally transformed by shifts to online.  

Not-for-Profit Research

Fundraisers today are faced with many challenges -- tighter budgets and an aging donor base, to name two.  The Elder and Boomer demographic groups have always supported the NFP sector. But, younger donors are different and tend to be more involved in their individual spaces. New and innovative approaches are required to stimulate and awaken their natural interest in the communities around them and in the needs of the wider world.  

One answer is to ensure that one’s appeals are precisely and effectively targeted. Another is to tailor the type of appeal to particular segments of donors with different needs and interests. 

If, as a not-for-profit, you are concerned about renewal rates, securing new donors, or developing a truly distinctive and memorable fundraising campaign, Hay Research would be happy to help. 

Some of the charities and NFPs we’ve assisted over the years include: 

Other Business Categories

Here is a sampling of some of the other categories we have been involved in.

A Multinational Liquor Company. We helped a major Australian wine company segment their market in advance of implementing their new branding architecture in Canada.

A Popular Vodka Cooler. When an America, vodka cooler brand wanted to promote their product in Canada, we helped them choose an ad approach that would truly resonate with Canadians.

A Leading Canadian News Provider. When a major Canadian news provider needed to unify its brand messaging across multiple media (television, newspaper, online), we helped them understand how their various brands could be made to work together and how best to operationalize this new approach in communications.

A Canadian Pizza Chain. A leading Canadian pizza company had recently expanded into Eastern Canada. However, its sales were falling far short of expectations.  We found a way to help them identify their strengths and weakness in the context of this new, highly competitive climate and to adjust their pricing, product and communication strategies accordingly.

A Major U.S. Fast Food Chain. This major sandwich chain wanted to know whether their existing U.S. advertising would work in Canada. Results showed that their existing U.S. approach clearly missed the mark. The result was research that formed the basis of a new strategic approach to communications in Canada which lasted for years.   

A Major National Newspaper.  This paper was concerned about the rising number of ‘stops’ to its home subscription base. Hay Research used its experience in defection research to precisely identify and quantify the different reasons for subscribers’ waning interest so these could be separately addressed.