The Knowledge to Decide

The tongue is capable of discerning the taste of carbohydrates. Diet foods – containing artificial sweeteners but few carbs – are thus unsatisfying to many consumers. How can food manufacturers cash in on the ‘carbohydrate taste’? Tasting carbs Simple and complex carbohydrates, including sugars, are the body’s main source of energy. People tend to treat carbs as more of a necessity and “filler food” than a tasty treat. But a study conducted in 2014 suggests that the tongue senses the taste of carbohydrates in addition to the five conventional tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury). According to the study, when an individual consumes carbohydrates directly, there is a 30% increase in activity in the brain areas controlling movement and vision. Carbohydrates influence areas of the brain which are not affected by artificial sweeteners. The brain’s pleasure centers only light up when the tongue senses real carbohydrates instead of artificial sweeteners. Good news

What do you do if you are an Indian who fancies a Gucci bag or eyes those red Jimmy Choo shoes? A trip abroad is not necessary when all these luxury brands are now accessible in India. Now that luxury spending in China and Japan is slowing down, big brands are eyeing the Indian luxury market, which continued to grow at 30 per cent in 2013 to reach USD8.5 billion. It is expected to hit USD14 billion by 2016. Is this just a fad or will India’s luxury sector continue to power ahead? India – The next hub for luxury? India accounts for close to one per cent of the global luxury market. India’s luxury market is far from insignificant. According to one report, it was worth USD7.6 billion in 2012 . This contrasts with a figure of USD 18.7 billion for China (from a different source), and a global market of USD 1.1 trillion for luxury goods and services. India accounts for close to one per cent of the global luxury market. Luxury sales are currently seeing a slow-down in China

Successful rebranding involves restoring a brand’s overall goal, message and culture – not just a logo or name change. It means connecting with consumers. But do all rebranding exercises bring the desired results? Or can they go horribly wrong? Branding and rebranding can be a very tricky business. Brands distinguish a company for who they are and convey value to customers. But when a brand’s value proposition, personality and values no longer align with their vision, function and purpose; it prompts a marketing message realignment or rebranding. A successful rebranding can refresh, renew and improve customer’s sentiments towards the company. But rebranding can also become a costly affair if it fails to re-build that all-important emotional connection with customers. Some implications of unsuccessful rebranding include: High level of expenditure Rebranding burns up a great deal of money and energy. And reversing an unsuccessful rebranding cost even more. In 2010, Gap att

As wearable technology grows, attention is shifting to internables. These are internal sensors in our bodies used to measure wellbeing. Internables may well become the new wearables. We are naturally looking for better ways of living, trying to minimize our time spent on mundane chores but maximizing productivity. The ability to augment our sensory abilities with advanced technology might herald a new beginning. For instance, the Sgnl smart strap – developed by Innomdle Lab – enables a user to make phone calls with their fingertips, via a mobile device. Will the ability to augment sensory abilities with technological advances become a reality? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/internables-next-big-thing-in-wearable-technology/

Chinese researchers from Jiangnan University (in November 2016) made a recent break through by adding melanin in small quantities to polyurethane (a polymer), making the material sturdier. Melanin is the natural protein found in the skin, hair and the iris of animals that gives color as well as protects them from ultraviolet rays. On the other hand, Polyurethane is a polymer used in materials to manufacture products such as tires, wheels and foam seating to name a few. Will skin pigments in polyurethane revolutionize materials used in manufacturing? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/skin-pigments-to-strengthen-sofas/

Despite the trend towards digitalized healthcare, there are many healthcare systems dependent upon paper records. This often results in issues with record retrieval and security. This is where DeepMind, Google’s artificial intelligence subsidiary, is stepping in for a pilot project with a hospital under the British National Health Service (NHS). This platform aims to simplify the process of sharing patient data by sharing accurate information about the patient’s medical condition. Moreover, alerts will be provided to staff when patient’s results suggest a high risk, along with data and recommendations on the next course of action. The platform aims to reduce staff response time to deliver timely treatment, which could in turn, save lives. Will real-time alerts from digitalized healthcare save lives? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/google-pushes-paperless-healthcare/

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently moved ahead to demonetize high-value currencies in November 2016 in a calculated approach to eradicate black money from the country. INR500 and INR1,000 notes became invalid – these account for 86% of currency in circulation. Amidst the immediate effect on consumption, sectors incurring major setbacks include real estate, construction, jewelry, high-end retail, travel and tourism. However, the long-term economic benefits include higher tax revenues that will create a better business environment with higher transparency and minimized corruption. Banks will see large inflows. Inflation may trend lower leading to drop in interest rates. Are there unforeseen ramifications of demonetization in India? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/demonetization-in-india/

Spire Research and Consulting was honored to be appointed as the Official Research Partner for the Challenge Iskandar Puteri triathlon – a Challenge family sports event that covers 44 full and half triathlons in 26 countries. The event was held on 23 September 2017 at Puteri Harbour Marina, Malaysia. Spire Malaysia conducted online and face-to-face surveys with 222 participants of the triathlon. 245 spectators from the fun and fit zone, Kids race as well as the popular 5km run were approached. The surveys collected information about their demographic profile, interest in sports brands, travel choices, socio-economic status and degree of awareness about the event. The event combined fitness with fun-packed activities such as Muay Thai, Floor Ball, Zumba, Street Soccer, Titan Games and a 90km Bike Course taking riders around the green city. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/events/spire-chosen-as-official-research-partner-to-the-challenge-iskandar-puteri-tria

Spire Research and Consulting was honored to participate in the GATES India ICT Reseller Channel Summit 2017 as the official research partner. The event was held in Gurgaon from 12-14 September, 2017. The Summit is a business platform for consumer electronics, and mid-market segment vendors to understand market trends. Saurabh Sharma, Country Director for Spire Research and Consulting India, was honored to be a guest speaker at GATES India ICT Reseller Channel Summit 2017 on opportunities facing Value-added resellers (VARs) and System Integrators (SIs) in India’s mid-market segment. In his presentation, Saurabh shared his insights on Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector growth for VARs and SIs in India. His data was drawn from in-depth interviews with VARs and SIs in India. With SIs and VARs seeing consistent growth in India, total market revenue is expected to reach USD350 billion by 2025. On the other hand, India’s e-commerce and m-commerce sectors continue to e