Latticework “Research Desk” Launches to Replace Expensive Agency Research Stacks
We’ve made quite a bit of noise the past few years about how marketing data has sprawled across thousands of platforms. In 2020, answers to really basic questions are littered across platforms like Facebook & Google, Salesforce & Shopify, Simmons & Nielsen. It’s caused a huge backlash against the original promise of Big Data, and a huge headache for marketers just looking for simple answers.
The “New Normal” of COVID has added substantial pressure to the already crippling margin pressures faced by agencies over the past few years. And now in the wake of COVID, agencies are…
1) Pitching constantly
2) Aggressively slashing costs
So it’s hard to fathom why agencies are still relying on SUPER expensive and SUPER clunky research tools like Simmons, Mintel, Nielsen, eMarketer, Global Web Index (and on and on) to try and make decisions and win new business…
Not-So-Premium Platforms
At their root, the problem with existing research platforms is that they are:
Super Expensive: By some estimates, the average mid-sized agency spends 100’s of thousands of dollars a year on licenses to research platforms.
Super Difficult to Use: Since platforms don’t come up with “Big Ideas” themselves, super smart humans still to run them. And those skills do NOT come cheap.
Only Incrementally Valuable: When asked what they do in a pinch, most strategists will tell you they “Just Google the Answer”. They fill in the blanks left by the platforms. And then they work on weaving together the actual “Big Idea”.
So why are agencies spending a quarter- to a half-a-million-dollars a year on premium research stacks, when free data & insights are just a couple google searches away?
The Promise of Free Data (**Some Assembly Required)
As it turns out, the tsunami of free white-papers, long-form articles, PDF’s, industry indexes, downloadable cross tabs, and raw unstructured data-dumps are incredibly unwieldy to work with. They require a certain fearlessness to wrangle data in Excel, SQL, Python, or Tableau. Plus a they require specific domain expertise to tease out human behavior stories and weave them into nuanced 50-page marketing briefs.
(And don’t forget, that pitch deck you’re working on is due in 48 hours…)
Enter The Latticework “Research Desk”
This is the exact reason we’ve created the Latticework Research Desk. It’s not just a strategy offering. Nor is it simply a platform. It’s a HYBRID solution of smart humans and proprietary data & tech. And it addresses the vast complexity of taking pitches from Brief->Research->Insight->Presentation.
Under the hood, the Latticework Research Desk is 3 pieces of proprietary technology:
The actual Next Generation of Research
1) A lightening fast Search Engine that scans…
2) A research database of 2,500+ curated, vetted, and categorized white papers from the smartest voices across the marketing spectrum…
3) A demographic database covering every zip code, city, and household in the US, built to be extensible by any behavioral, economic, industry-specific, or 1st-Party data set imaginable.
It’s the convergence of our Open Data Pitch Platform, wrapped in the simplicity of Ask Latticework. We do the heavy lifting, we drive the technology, and we deliver you the Qualitative & Quantitative insights to support your pitches. Our team of agency veterans have battle-tested the platform with world class brands like PUMA, LEGO, and Converse and we’ve been in your shoes many times.
How The Process Works...
The way the Latticework Research Desk works is simple:
Your team briefs Latticework’s team.
Latticework leverages our technology to produce research, insights, personas, audience sizing, demographic breakdowns, index scores, and strategic recommendations.
Our teams iterate through the deliverables until it meets your needs.
Your team saves save time & money, and gets to focus on winning new business.
And the best part is, your team doesn’t need to get locked into lengthy annual contracts and complicated SaaS pricing. You simply pay for what you need, and get fast, polished deliverables for your pitches.
It’s an amazing alternative to wresting with lumbering, outdated software and investing tens or even hundreds of thousands on recurring research fees.
If you’re interested in seeing the service in action please reach out to us at info@latticeworkinsights.com. We’d love to do some great work together!