Merko Gusdo – U&A Research for Canned Diced Tomatoes
The Client
With over 40 years of experience, Merko exports its products to 13 countries. Recently, the company expanded into the B2C market with its sub-brand Merko Gusdo, introducing canned diced tomatoes directly to retailers and end-consumers.
The Challenge
Before launching a full-scale marketing communication strategy, Merko wanted to ensure its efforts would resonate with the right audience. To do so, they needed to understand consumer behavior, preferences, and attitudes toward canned diced tomatoes.
Three target segments were identified as crucial for this research:
- White-collar professionals
- Students
- Single-person households
The Approach
Syno International designed and conducted an online Usage & Attitude (U&A) study among the three key target groups. The results were consolidated into a detailed, actionable report.
The research explored three main areas:
- Brand Performance
Brand awareness, affinity, and openness to a new brand.
Conversion from awareness to loyalty.
Trial intent for Merko Gusdo. - Concept Testing
Four product positioning concepts were tested to assess consumer appeal:
– Practicality & Taste
– Price & Taste
– Reliability & Quality Standards Compliance
– Packaging & Portion Size in Meals - Category Purchase & Usage
Purchase frequency and channels.
Key purchase decision drivers.
Marketing communication channels with the highest impact.
General usage frequency and types of meals where canned diced tomatoes are preferred.
How Did the Research Happen
To explore these questions, Syno International conducted a quota-sampling online survey among adults in Istanbul. The study focused on men and women aged 18+ from ABC1 socio-economic groups (with at least 70% representing the AB segment).
In total, 750 respondents participated, evenly divided among three key consumer profiles:
- 250 white-collar professionals
- 250 students
- 250 single-person households
The research aimed to uncover:
- Attitudes and behaviors toward canned diced tomatoes
- Awareness, consumption levels, and brand perception of Merko Gusdo
- How well Merko Gusdo’s offering meets the specific needs of each target profile
Fieldwork took place between February 22 and March 15, 2025.
The Results
The research provided Merko with a comprehensive overview of consumer expectations and behaviors within each target segment. With these insights, Merko was able to:
- Build tailored content strategies for white-collars, students, and single-person households
- Prioritize communication channels proven to influence purchase decisions
- Identify the product attributes most valued by different consumer groups
The Impact
The insights from this U&A study gave Merko a strong foundation to launch its marketing communication strategy with confidence. Based on the success of this initial wave, Merko is planning to repeat the research on the first anniversary of Merko Gusdo to measure progress and identify areas for further improvement.
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Alistair Baran Blake, Chairman of the Board at Merko Gida & Frigo Pak Gida:
We always aim to make data-driven decisions, and Syno was a perfect match for us with their focus on details when designing the research and sharing the findings in multiple perspectives. With a few months over the research phase, I am very pleased to say that our sales performance has been doing so well following the actions taken based on research results. We aim to repeat the research on the first anniversary.