Calpol - The Changing Face of Parenting
Aims
Munro and Forster commissioned the Future Foundation on behalf of their client Calpol to carry out original research and complete a study to provide an authoritative vehicle for stakeholder engagement and media activity. The study, built from previous work and new original research was to give voice to modern parents’ concerns as well as emphasising the positive and rewarding nature of parenting.
Techniques
Workshops were held to review the existing Future Foundation studies on family life and healthcare. Brainstorming exercises were then used to develop the main themes and potential angles for the new research.
We interrogated resources including our proprietary research programme Changing Lives, the British Household Panel study, government-funded sources (including detailed time-use studies) and pan-European attitudinal studies. This analysis was completed specifically for this project. These sources gave us access to sample sizes of 15 – 20,000 respondents, pan-European comparisons, and trend data stretching back to the 1960’s.
The new qualitative research addressed issues pertinent to Calpol’s brand via an online survey of parents and parents-to-be. This allowed Calpol to tap into contemporary concerns and previously unexplored issues in an engaging way.
Results
A 40 page document complete with charts, graphics and extended commentary was produced following a final presentation and discussion of the new survey data. We then presented at a launch event at Great Ormond Street Hospital which kick-started stakeholder engagement. Calpol were subsequently invited to discuss healthcare strategy with the Department of Health. The research got huge attention in national press, radio and television, and subsequently good pick-up in specialist parenting publications.
Calpol got extremely good quality coverage, which, while engaging serious social affairs commentators, adopted a positive tone throughout, and frequently touched upon parent’s ideas about improving children’s healthcare provision.
