Merrylands RSL Club Multicultural Research Project Wins Customer Insight Award

Merrylands RSL Club Chinese and Vietnamese Consumer Research was honoured to win the “Customer Insight” award for NSW from the Australian Marketing Institute in September 2008. 

The category requires a winning entry to have a “unique, new or very thorough understanding of customer behaviour” at the core of a marketing program. The winning program must demonstrate excellent customer insight and use these insights for business advantage, brand enhancement or market development.

The project was conducted by Multicultural Marketing and Management (MMM) end of 2007. With competition increasing and more Chinese and Vietnamese consumers in its market, Merrylands Club owners wanted to increase their understanding of these potential customers to compete more effectively by serving their customers’ needs better.

MMM’s trained bilingual researchers and field workers conducted three focus groups and two street polls in three languages in Parramatta, Merrylands and Cabramatta. By identifying the different entertainment needs of the two groups, we helped the Club increase its 2008 Chinese New Year attendance 44% over its 2007 attendance.

“We’re thrilled by the award,” said Jessie Wong, MMM’s Director. “But we were even more thrilled to be able to help Merrylands RSL Club meet the needs of the customers in its community. The award is just a great bonus.”

In the project, MMM uncovered fascinating insights into differences in Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese customers in terms of what they want for their entertainment dollar, their price points, where they were most likely to see an advertisement, and even who in the family made decisions about where to go for entertainment so ads could target that person specifically. Our research led to changes not only in advertising but also in the club’s décor, promotional events, and food offerings.

“It was a win-win-win all around,” Wong said. “The club increased its competitiveness, the customers got a club that served their needs better, and we got to do what we do best—help businesses meet the needs of diverse communities of customers and employees to improve their bottom line.”

MMM is pleased to add this award to others it has won, including Advertising Award in the 2007 National Multicultural Marketing Award and Gold medal at the 2004 NSW Sports Safety Awards.

Top right photo: Gerry Tacovsky, Marketing Manager of Merrylands RSL Club with MMM's Melbourne Consultant Olivia Ying receiving the award at the AMI national presentation in Melbourne.

Photo at the bottom: Second from the right in the front MMM's Piyanuch T Metcalf with other AMI award winners at the NSW presentation in Sydney.