Paul Carney

Paul joined Bonamy Finch in 2007 as Deputy Managing Director, after spending three years in FMCG research and eight years developing the consumer understanding and brand strategy offers in a large agency Marketing Science department. Studying economics at university introduced Paul to choice theory – understanding why consumers choose certain products in different situations underpins a lot of his work.

Paul runs Bonamy Finch’s Analytics team, and specialises in global segmentation studies, linking these to brand & portfolio strategy. He also has lots of experience in helping brands identify relevant and differentiating positioning, using mapping & key driver analysis. He likes coming up with creative solutions to tricky data puzzles, and explaining complicated stats in layman’s terms. Probably because he is a layman.

What have you learned recently?

Clients who “don’t like segmentations” just haven’t seen a good one. It’s like saying you “don’t like squid” – it’s often not the squid itself, but how it’s been cooked...

What would make a great advert?

Take a Twix, and a Snickers. Merge them together, sponsor the Rugby World Cup. Twickers!

What do you think about behavioural economics in market research?

It’s what good researchers have been doing all along; but there’s nothing wrong with formalising the ways in which it can help us interpret decisions.

What’s your research bugbear?

People who say that qual is better than quant, or quant is better than qual, or MROCs are better than panels, etc. Why can’t we all just get along?

What would you be doing if you hadn’t been an analyst?

I’d be a gadget-obsessed chef. I’m currently experimenting with hot ice cream & fruit juice caviar – as well as sous-vide techniques.