Does the Splinternet create a golden age for Market Research?

Since reading Josh Bernhoff’s provocative post  “The Splinternet means the end of the Web’s golden age” I’ve been unable to shake the belief that the Splinternet era represents an opportunity for the market research industry.

Mobile phones, iPads, iPhones, Kindles…sure…but also Fitbits… Playstation 3 and xBox 360 being Twitter-enabled…Microsoft’s Courier…Smartphones with the ability to scan or display a barcode …Amazon’s mobile payments service…each represent connected touchpoints where we can get  closer to the consumer,  closer to that moment of truth when (and where) a consumer interacts with with a product or service, closer to actual behavior as opposed to pr0fessed behavior.

I presented on ideas such as these 10 years ago when I worked for SPSS and the first visions for smart homes came into focus with internet-enabled refrigerators, etc. but the reality of tapping into “connected touchpoints” now exists.

Challenges abound with regard to privacy, data integration and analysis but intelligent devices that are driving the Splinternet nonetheless act as rich conduits to  data from which to derive new insights.  So, internet, splinter away and pave the path to MR’s next golden age.

EDIT: more on The Splinternet.

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