Fusion Hill

Dining, Travel, & Life

fheditor — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:15:09 +0000

Our research team just completed a large project that involved flying around the U.S. to create a profile of how avid travelers and restaurant-goers view their relationship with dining out, vacation, and food. We dined with participants at their favorite restaurants and toured their neighborhoods to better understand the food and places they love. In the process, we learned about their appreciation for ‘authentic’ foods, the value they place on spending quality time with friends and family, and their excitement for trying anything new. For them, it’s all about the experience—and they would love to have more tools to help them find, organize, and enjoy their time dining and traveling. What sources or tools do you seek to maximize your time and experience with the things you love?

Strong Brand. Stronger Families.

fheditor — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:54:03 +0000

In 2011 we met the wonderful staff and and board of directors of Genesis II for Families. They were in the process of refining their vision and values and were seeking a partner to help them evolve and strengthen their brand.

Since 1976, this visionary group has given Twin Cities families a path for a “second genesis”, or new beginning. A comprehensive array of strengthening programs helps their clients overcome the many challenges faced in being a whole, healthy family.

We viewed this pro bono partnership as an opportunity to give Genesis II their own fresh start. A new name, tagline, identity and branded touchpoints was just what they needed to grow. Vibrant colors, uplifting imagery and engaging headlines capture the essence of the organization. And growing and blossoming they are.

We’re honored to be receiving the “Community Partner of the Year” award at the FamilyWise Spring Benefit on May 2, 2013. For us, the donation of our team’s time and talent was a chance to give back and make a positive impact on the community we live in and benefit from. We hope you will check out our case study section to view the work, and then visit FamilyWiseServices.org to learn more about this award-winning non-profit.

Happy Hour!

fheditor — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:15:55 +0000

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Happy Hour at The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis. It was a great crowd on a beautiful night. Now, save the date for our big summer event: July 25th for beer and tacos!

Scent of a Man.

fheditor — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:22:41 +0000

Our research team was lucky enough to return to sunny Brazil for a week of research on men’s fragrance products. We spoke with men in both the North and South about how and why they use fragrance, where they prefer to purchase products, and the way their fragrance makes them feel. All men expressed that these products hold a key position in their daily routine and are a vital part of their identity. These findings pair well with our global research on women’s fragrance in 2010, and allow us to gain further insight into the emotional power of fragrance and the category. Exploring different fragrances is an important part of growing up in Brazil, and finding one’s signature scent is part of discovering oneself. What does your fragrance say about you?

What’s for Dinner?

fheditor — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:36:41 +0000

You might have seen our recent tweets that we’ve been co-creating with consumers and concepting around weeknight dinner meals. For the past few months we have been researching what consumers like to make for dinner, what kind of issues they have, and most importantly, how these issues can be solved. While dinner is the most important meal of the day because it is shared with others in a sacred dinnertime check-in ritual, it has its fair share of preparation problems. That’s where we come in – here we come to save dinner! What are your dinnertime woes?

We’re Bonified.

fheditor — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:45:18 +0000

Happily, we were just re-certified as a Small Business Enterprise and a Women Business Enterprise. Isn’t it great to great credit for something you were born as? We think so!

Taking Research to Heart.

fheditor — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:05:58 +0000

It’s National “Wear Red Day” today, and with that in mind, we’d like to share some important research we recently conducted with women across the country on the topic of heart disease. Even though heart disease is the leading cause of death of American women – and more women than men die of cardiovascular disease each year – there is a huge discrepancy between the number of men and women that participate in clinical trials related to heart disease. Our research focused on clinical trials and finding out what motivates or discourages women from participating in medical studies. Through our conversations, we learned about women’s attitudes toward clinical trials, the hopes and fears that come with participating, and the factors that play into their choice to enroll. We found that many women want to enroll in trials to help improve the futures of other women who have been diagnosed with heart disease. What do you think about clinical trials? Would you ever participate in one? And … are you wearing red today?

Funding Life.

fheditor — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 08:00:54 +0000

Starting out the New Year, we have been focusing on financial products here at Fusion Hill. Through one-on-one interviews in the Windy City and phone conversations across the country, we are learning about consumers’ experience with home equity loans and lines of credit. By using these products, our participants are getting the help they need to fund life expenses: everything from kitchen remodels, to consolidating debt, to family vacations. We are finding out more about the often confusing and frustrating process these consumers go through, from choosing a lender and a product to gaining approval. What can a banking institution do to better help its customers feel financially secure but also give them the cash flow they want and need?

The Daily Ritual.

fheditor — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:14:25 +0000

We enjoyed a break from the cold winter with a week-long trip to Brazil to research body care products, usage and thoughts. As the country with the largest body care product use, we explored how women both in the south (Sao Paulo) and north (Recife) use body lotions and creams to moisturize dry skin, what kind do they prefer, and why. We spoke to consumers about their daily body care habits and behaviors, exploring the rich Brazilian body care market and doing a deep dive into what “moisturized skin” means versus “dry skin” and what it feels like to have both. Whether participants use one product or five products we discovered the ritual to remedy dry skin means and how often it is repeated on a daily basis and more importantly, what this means for her life and self. What is your daily body care ritual?

A Future of Unknowns.

fheditor — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:20:24 +0000

We’ve recently been in Seattle, Tampa and Minneapolis researching retirement planning and finances with people who are just about to retire and those who already have. We spoke to consumers about their life-long financial journeys, what kind of income streams they have or plan on having in retirement, and more importantly, how the financial products they use or may want to use can be enhanced so that they can continue to benefit from and enjoy the money they have worked hard to earn their entire lives. Whether they have dreams of cruises or road trips in a camper, consumers have told us that retirement finances and planning is important, especially in a future of unknowns. How do you think about your money and spending habits in retirement? What do you want your retirement savings to do for you?