CASE STUDY
Testing Customer Response to a CSR Initiative at a Fast Food Chain
A leading fast-food chain was planning to launch a new CSR initiative and had developed a nationwide communications campaign across 450+ UK outlets, including menus, banners, and table cards. The board was fully supportive, the initiative seemed like a natural fit for the brand.
But before committing to such a high-profile rollout, the client needed to understand how customers would actually respond to CSR messaging in the context of a casual dining experience. Would in-outlet promotion enhance the brand, or create an unexpected friction with the customer mindset in that moment? With a campaign of this scale, getting the research right was critical.
Working with a partner agency, Split Second Research applied implicit research techniques to measure customers’ subconscious reactions to the initiative.
The findings were surprising. Customers were broadly positive about the initiative itself, but their reactions shifted depending on where and how they encountered the messaging. Some touchpoints reinforced warmth toward the brand without disrupting the experience. Others created a tension that customers wouldn’t necessarily articulate, but that showed up in the implicit data.
With these insights, the client recognised the potential risks and adjusted their approach. The initiative would still go ahead, but through the right channels.
It’s something we see fairly often with CSR work: the initiative itself isn’t the issue, it’s the context. A message that resonates on one touchpoint can feel out of place on another, and customers rarely tell you that directly. Implicit research picks up on those reactions early, so brands can make smarter decisions before anything goes live.
If you’d like to understand how this approach can be applied to your own challenge, get in touch with one of our market research experts, here.
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