MEDIA-I: Bates launches Consumer Link for net research

<p>SINGAPORE: Bates Worldwide has launched a new online research tool </p><p>in Asia - Consumer Link - allowing it to quickly generate consumer </p><p>research from across the region. The online surveys will be used to </p><p>gauge consumer attitudes to brands and to test designs, creative </p><p>concepts and strategies, helping Bates develop better work for clients </p><p>such as Audi and HSBC. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"This gives us the ability to do cross country research at the same </p><p>time," said Rachel Tse, Bates research manager. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Before it used to take months but now we can get research results </p><p>within a week and see the data instantly as it comes from the net." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The tool will be rolled out in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, </p><p>Taiwan, Malaysia and Thailand. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The online surveys will be conducted in local languages. To ensure the </p><p>consumer sample is representative of the web user population, Bates is </p><p>using ACNielsen's web user panels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>She added that the results would accurately reflect views in the general </p><p>community even though the demographic breakdown for web users was </p><p>slightly different to the general population. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>