Bryles collects consumer views for corporate America

Scott Tennison, director of Bryles Research’s Missouri facilities, underscores Springfield’s value in nationwide market research.

“Southwest Missouri is a perfect pool,” he said. “The people in this area are very open. They can talk intelligently about whatever subject – a product on the market, a product coming out, or the way the product is advertised or packaged. Here we can put together a pool of people that are a wide demographic base, from education to income level to marital status, and get a good representation of people nationwide.”

Tennison rates Battlefield Mall “one of the top malls in the nation,” for his purposes.

“We’re looking for people who make under $20,000 to $80,000-plus, and the mall provides us that,” he said. “The average mall customer would be a woman with two children and a combined household income of $50,000 to $60,000 a year. That’s a core shopper that has a tremendous amount of buying power nationwide.”

Bryles Research keeps its revenues and clients confidential, but Tennison does note its work for Bass Pro and Wal-Mart. “Probably 98 percent of our business is with national companies and 2 percent with Springfield companies,” he said. “Just about everything you see at Wal-Mart we’ve tested, including Wal-Mart.”

The company also tests movie trailers and ads, fast food, restaurant dishes and frozen foods. “The largest sandwich shop in the world is one of our clients,” Tennison said, “and we’ve done every frozen food product you can imagine.”

Fragrances are another key product.

“Who would think that one of the largest upscale manufacturers of perfumes in Paris would want their product tested in Springfield, Missouri, but they do,” Tennison said. “Sometimes it’s an at-home test, and that product may be $100 or $150 an ounce.”

In child testing, “Toys are the main thing,” Tennison said. “They start at age 4. We let them play with toys or show them a set of commercials and ask, ‘Which of these toys would you like to have?’ It’s amazing, the buying power of a 4- or 5-year-old.”

Bryles also tests concepts, ideas, and values, some of which are political. “Right now, the midyear election is a big topic,” Tennison said. “We were testing that months ago.”

Finding focus

In Springfield, after 24 years at Battlefield Mall, Bryles Research recently opened a second facility on East Republic Road.

The new facility has three interviewing rooms. One seats up to 60 focus group subjects and 20 clients. A two-way mirror allows clients to watch a group’s reactions, and they can buzz the group moderator to relay questions and information. Also provided is a client lounge with Italian leather sofas, chairs, minibars and closed-circuit TV for monitoring the groups.

The firm’s focus groups aren’t limited to the Midwest. “If we want to do a focus group in Kansas or California, I can get on the phone and get a network facility and do the group myself,” Tennison said.

Bryles also does research at its headquarters in Mokena, Ill.; in Bourbonnais, Ill.; and in Duluth, Minn.

Asked about the company’s future, Tennison said, “We’re expanding. We’re looking at Phoenix, the Houston, Texas, area, California, and also St. Louis and Kansas City. Our phone surveys have been on the upswing. We’re considering putting in a new phone center in Springfield that would employ 200 to 300 people.

“It’s a very competitive business world right now,” he added. “Companies can’t leave anything to chance. They have to know everything about how consumers will view a product before they spend hundreds of millions of dollars making, packaging and advertising that product.”

Bryles Research

Founded: 1960

Owners: Robert and Nancy Bryles, of Chicago

Address: Battlefield Mall, 2825 S. Glenstone, No. 227, Springfield, MO 65804; 1525 E. Republic Road, Ste. A-130, Springfield, MO 65804

Phone: (417) 887-1035 or (417) 447-5002

Fax: (417) 887-0209 or (417) 447-4655

Web site: www.brylesresearch.com

Services: Market research

Employees: 47 locally; 110 companywide

Bryles Research’s

Scott Tennison on …

Battlefield Mall surveys:

“It’s nothing for us to get up to 800 interviews per week. Last year alone at the mall we gave away about $300,000 in cash.”

Child surveys:

“It’s amazing, the intelligence of children compared to even three years ago. They’re very computer literate. It’s interesting when you have a group of young kids and you’re getting their opinions on cell phones.”