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MARKET RESEARCH

Ad-industry legend Mike Abel adds market research to his focus

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Abel becomes Non-Executive Chair of ‘innovative and disruptive’ Dublin-based research agency, while continuing in existing role.

South African advertising industry legend, Mike Abel, has taken up a role as Non-Executive Chair of an Irish-based market research company. He will, however, continue to be Executive Chair of the M&C Saatchi Group in his home country. 

 

The ad industry veteran says his interest has been piqued by Sens, which provides market research insights through a technology lens. The agency combines research with behavioural science and artificial intelligence (AI). 

Mike Abel. Photo via LinkedIn

In an article published in South Africa’s Business Day newspaper, Abel says that after 35 years in the marketing and communications industry, he found the Sens approach to be “something distinctly fresh and profoundly interesting”. 

 

“The great disrupter in this industry is blending AI with the latest technology in data, behavioural science and behavioural economics, and then adding facial recognition and psychological assessment tools,” he is quoted as saying in the Business Day article.  

 

“Seamlessly blend these together, and back them with an extraordinary human team of proven researchers, engineers and business advisers, and you end up with something that can add exponential value to decision-makers when it comes to clients, customers and employees.” 

 

Abel believes the Sens tech-based approach enables critical interviewee non-verbal cues to be assessed – and researcher, human or avatar, can dig a little deeper to get to the nub of the real sentiment or emotion. 

 

Critical interviewee non-verbal cues 

 

In a statement published on its website, Sens emphasises that the appointment of Abel does not affect his role as Executive Chairman of M&C Saatchi Group South Africa, the business he founded 14 years ago. 

 

“Abel, whose non-executive chairmanship is siloed from the day-to-day operations of Sens, will bring vision, a global network and experience, clarity, and innovation to the business, which is already producing outstanding results for blue chip clients and is ready for the next phase of its growth,” the statement reads. 

 

Abel is the regional head and founder of the M&C Saatchi Group on the African continent. The group comprises M&C Saatchi Abel (Cape Town and Johannesburg), Razor PR, Levergy, Connect media and Dalmatian advertising. 

 

He also serves on the M&C Saatchi Plc global Executive Leadership Team. He is also Patron of The Street Store, which claims to be “the world’s first rent-free, premises-free, free pop-up clothing store for those in need”. 

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    Dr Kin Kariisa

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