In the UK market research agency, Starfish Research & Strategy has announced the launch of Red Mantis, an innovation panel for early concept development.
"The first phase of concept development is the most critical and the most dangerous to truly original, potentially successful ideas. Many innovative ideas and concepts, fail to reach the market simply because they are evaluated inappropriately", according to Nicholas Cameron, Managing Director of Starfish.He added "Too often we see sole use of focus groups drawn from early or late majority consumers who normally wait and see on innovators and early adopters to evaluate new ideas. Not surprisingly, we see a bias towards conservative, safe-option concepts lacking vision to survive in the longer-term other than as a 'me-too' brand".
RedMantis is a concept testing ground using an independent panel of creatives for on-line focus groups. Drawn from Australia and globally the panelists are graphic designers and industrial designers, fashion designers and interior designers, artists and architects, as well as other experts from the creative industries.
The launch of RedMantis follows the opening of Starfish's European office in London last month.
More information can be found at www.starfishresearch.co.uk
