COVID-19 Impacts: Supporting the arts sector’s recovery from COVID 19

29th December 2020: Results from the second wave of a survey of the Scottish population we conducted for Creative Scotland were published on Friday. The research provides an up to date picture on how the population has been engaging with arts and cultural activities during the COVID 19 crisis and how they are feeling about returning to arts events and venues as the sector reopens. 

Engaging with culture while at home has been vital for the population’s wellbeing with increasing numbers of us spending time listening to music, enjoying films and drama series and spending time reading, playing video games or listening to podcasts. We also found that while most of the population miss being able to attend live events, and venues like museums and galleries, many are nervous about returning to venues unless they are confident about the measures in place to keep audiences safe and/or the vaccination rollout has significantly reduced risks of infection. Click on the button below to download the summary and the full report from Creative Scotland’s website

The Tourism Society, December Issue

Tuesday 22nd December 2020: The 56 Degree Insight team were delighted to contribute a short article about our Scottish Tourism Index for the final Tourism Society newsletter of the year. Hopefully it helps illustrate the value of research in times of uncertainty - we know that the findings from our survey provided many in the Scottish tourism industry with much needed insight around how the Scottish consumer was thinking during the Spring and Summer period of lockdown. The summary article can be accessed by clicking on the button below

Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards: SPAR Scotland announced as key sponsor

Wednesday 25th November 2020: 56 Degree Insight are Research and Insights Partners for the inaugural Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards which will be taking place in March 2021. We were delighted to receive confirmation yesterday that SPAR Scotland have been confirmed as key sponsors - reflecting its long and admirable commitment to supporting smaller local producers and suppliers across Scotland. Read more by clicking below.

COVID-19 Impacts - How time in nature and outdoor exercise is continuing to help Scots cope with the Coronavirus crisis

Tuesday 20th October 2020: NatureScot have just released the results from the second wave of a study we are conducting for them to understand how our relationship with the outdoors and nature is changing during the Covid-10 pandemic.Click on the link below to discover how, six months after the initial lockdown came into force, spending time in nature continues to provide many of us with both physical and mental health benefits and the potential for some longer term changes in behaviours and attitudes.

COVID-19 Impacts: Supporting the arts sector’s recovery from COVID 19

15th September 2020: Last month we undertook a survey of the Scottish population on behalf of Creative Scotland to find out how the population has engaged with arts and cultural activities during the COVID 19 crisis and how they are feeling about returning to arts events and venues as the sector reopens. We found that while most of the population miss being able to attend live events, and venues like museums and galleries, many are nervous about returning to venues unless they are confident about the measures in place to keep audiences safe. Click on the button below to download the summary and the full report from Creative Scotland’s website

Scots retain a nervousness about travel – though the domestic tourism industry could welcome up to 2.4 million staycationers in 2020 with positive prospects looking forward to 2021

9th September 2020:  Six weeks after the Scottish tourism industry began to re-open post-lockdown, in this fourth wave of the Scottish Tourism Index we take a retrospective at the trips taken over the last couple of months - and levels of satisfaction among Scots staycationers. We also look forward to the rest of this year and into 2021 - how are Scots feeling right now about holidays in the near future? Click below to find out more!

COVID-19 Impacts - Caledonian MacBrayne - monitoring satisfaction during COVID

Wednesday 26th August - 56 Degree Insight worked with Caledonian MacBrayne to develop their customer satisfaction modelling across all key channels during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown - over 7,000 customer interviews were undertaken. Surveys were undertaken on board ferries as well as with customers contacting the ferry company by phone, email, text and web users. The results have helped CalMac fine tune key operational areas but also illustrated high levels of satisfaction during an incredibly challenging time. Headline results have been shared in the Stornoway Gazette and the Ross-shire Journal amongst others - click on the links to read more.

COVID-19 Impacts - Transport Choices During Lockdown - a Video Blog

Thursday 6th August - Over the course of the last few months, through a number of studies, we have been finding out a lot about how Scots see their future transport choices - both for everyday journeys but also for longer trips for holidays and leisure. Click on the link below to watch and listen to our first Video Blog - where we look at the emerging trends in transport choice amongst the Scottish population.

COVID-19 Impacts - How have Scots been spending their recreation time outdoors during the Coronavirus lockdown?

Thursday 30th July - Scottish Natural Heritage have just released the results from a survey we undertook for them earlier in the summer - to support their Make Space for Nature campaign. Click on the link below to discover the extent to which Scots used the additional time they had available to spend more time outdoors, exploring their local area as part of their daily exercise routine or to enjoy increased time in their garden

Scottish Tourism Index, July 2020
VIDEO WEEK - 5 - Seasons Greetings! When might we expect Scots to take their staycations during 2020?

Friday 24th July - when do Scots say they will take their planned holidays and breaks in Scotland this year? Click on the video for a short summary from the July wave of the Scottish Tourism Index. And you can download and read the full report from our dedicated webpage - just click on the button below

Scottish Tourism Index, July 2020
VIDEO WEEK - 4 - Not in my backyard! How ready are we to welcome back tourists?

Thursday 23rd July - how do Scottish communities feel about the potential influx of tourists this summer? Click on the video for a short summary from the July wave of the Scottish Tourism Index. And you can download and read the full report from our dedicated webpage - just click on the button below

Scottish Tourism Index, July 2020
VIDEO WEEK - 3 - How close is too close? Physical distancing on holiday

Wednesday 22nd July - what are the preferences of prospective Scots holidaymakers when it comes to physical distancing on a Scottish holiday? Click on the video for a short summary from the July wave of the Scottish Tourism Index. And you can download and read the full report from our dedicated webpage - just click on the button below

Scottish Tourism Index, July 2020
VIDEO WEEK - 2 - Reduced Horizons

Tuesday 21st July - what concerns do Scots have about travelling outside our borders for a holiday this year? Click on the video for a short summary from the July wave of the Scottish Tourism Index. And you can download and read the full report from our dedicated webpage - just click on the button below

Scottish Tourism Index, July 2020
VIDEO WEEK - 1 - Staycations

Monday 20th July - how big could the Staycation Market be this year? Click on the video for a short summary from the July wave of the Scottish Tourism Index. And you can download and read the full report from our dedicated webpage - just click on the button below

Over half of Scots are planning a home holiday in 2020 - though there are concerns in rural communities about visitor arrivals

15th July 2020:  As the Scottish tourism industry re-opens for business on 15th July, we are releasing the latest results from the July wave of the Scottish Tourism Index. Find out how Scots are feeling about air bridges, crowded English beaches, physical distancing in tourism facilities and visitors arriving in their communities. And we share the potential scale of the home holiday market this year - where Scots will visit and when and where they will stay. Click below to find out more!

COVID-19 Impacts - The desire for home holidays amongst Scots strengthens as difficulties of overseas travel increase

10th June 2020:  Click below to access the results from the second wave of our Scottish Tourism Index - monitoring the views of the Scots population on holidays and tourism during the COVID-19 lockdown. Four weeks after our initial survey, we see interest in home holidays strengthening as trips elsewhere in the UK or further afield diminish in popularity. We also look at how Scots feel about the 14-day quarantine rules and how this may help domestic tourism as well as focusing on transport considerations. And there is evidence to suggest a need for tourism businesses to demonstrate clear adherence to health and hygiene standards when the industry opens up.

COVID-19 Impacts - Engaging with the outdoors during and beyond lockdown

4th June 2020: We recently partnered with Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland on a survey of the NI population. The survey found that during lockdown many people increased the amount of time they spent outdoors with health and wellbeing benefits. To find out more, click on the link below.

How do Scots families feel about holidays during COVID-19 compared to Empty Nesters?

27th May 2020: We have completed some additional analysis of the early May Scottish Tourism Index to better understand how feelings vary across the population.  To find out more, click below to download this ‘add-on report’.

Scots desire holidays when lockdown restrictions are relaxed – but these breaks will look very different to before

15th May 2020: Today, the 56 Degree Insight team are excited to release the first results from our new monthly monitor of Scottish opinion about holidays and leisure as we enter the eighth week of COVID-19 induced lockdown in Scotland. Between the 4th and 6th May, we asked Scots how they felt about holidays and travel, where they would want to go, what they would want to do and what would drive their decisions when lockdown restrictions are eased sufficiently to allow such trips to happen. The findings and full report can be accessed by clicking on the button below. The survey will be repeated monthly over the summer to track how views and opinions evolve as the nature of the lockdown changes.

COVID-19 Impacts - Navigating the Lockdown Labyrinth

12th May 2020: There’s going to be a lot of ink spilled this week as Boris Johnson unveils more details of his plan for how we exit lockdown, there’s still a lot of unanswered questions and unknown implications.  When is the safest time to unlock? How much can be changed without risking a second peak? Are we easing restrictions too fast? Or are we going too slow? 

In this guest article, experienced Data Analyst and Statistician, Russell Bradshaw leads us through the complexities of the statistical analysis being played out each day on our televisions as decisions are made on when it might be safe to ease certain elements of COVID-19 lockdown

COVID-19 Impacts - Opportunities for a Green Recovery?

8th May 2020: During lockdown the reduction in traffic on our roads and fewer planes overhead mean that the air seems cleaner and the sounds of nature are more noticeable. Social distancing has made some of us feel more connected to our local communities as neighbours make an effort to check in on each other and we do what we can to support local businesses.  Yet whilst these changes feel like ‘silver linings’, to what extent are they just a blip or is there potential to tackle the climate crisis as we take steps to recover from COVID?

Understanding the Venison Market

24th April 2020: Results from research we undertook for SAOS, the Scottish Venison Association and the Scottish Government regarding the venison market were published yesterday. The research, which involved over 4,200 interviews with consumers across the UK earlier this year, showed that many consumers would like to eat venison because they enjoy the taste, see it as a healthier option and are clear on it’s provenance. However a lack of availability in shops and restaurants, price concerns and low knowledge on how to cook it were identified as barriers to purchase.   Nicely designed infographic from our friend Tanja at https://identity-matters.co.uk/
downloadable by clicking the button below:

The future of outdoor recreation in the UK

14th April 2020: Last week, the Outdoor Recreation Journal was published and it includes our thoughts on future trends in outdoor recreation. While it was written before the COVID outbreak, some of findings re. the importance of outdoor exercise remain very relevant.

Download your copy by clicking on the button below.

COVID-19 impacts: Accessing greenspace - not equal for all

6th April 2020: The message remains clear - to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we must minimise social contact on our limited excursions outdoors. But this is challenging for those without ready access to gardens and private outdoor space. Click below to read our analysis which shows that 12% of the English population do not have such access.

COVID-19 impacts: visualising changes in UK travel behaviour

2nd April 2020: An illustration of how the anonymous data generated by mobile phone movements can be used to provide new insights on how people travel - here we focus on the days just prior to COVID-19 lockdown in the UK. Click below to see this analysis.

COVID-19 impacts: It’s a Pandemic, not a bank Holiday!

23rd March 2020: As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, authorities are taking steps to reduce the speed of infection including strong recommendations on social distancing. This of course means that we all must make significant changes in how we work and live, but how do we balance this against the known mental and physical health benefits of spending time outdoors? Click below to read our thoughts.

COVID-19 impacts: Where next for Scottish football?

14th March 2020: On Friday 13th March, the Scottish football authorities took the inevitable decision to suspend the 2019-20 football season until further notice as a result of the horrific spread of COVI-19 across the globe. Longer term, what might this mean for Scottish football? Click on the link below to read our initial thoughts.

Coronavirus: The Canary in the Coal Mine of the World Economy?

9th March 2020: This is a ‘must read’. Not our point of view this time - but that of an esteemed former colleague, and one of the foremost experts in global tourism marketing, Tom Buncle. He has provided his perspective on the potential impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on global travel and tourism. It’s extremely thought provoking and well worth a read. Click on the button below to visit the blog on Tom’s Yellow Railroad website.

56 Degree Insight - research partner for new Food Awards

21st January 2020: We are delighted to announce that 56 Degree Insight will be research partners for the newly launched Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards. Find out more by visiting the dedicated page on our website to read about the awards, watch the launch through the lens of Twitter and view the food and drink trends presentation we delivered on 20 January either as a slideshow or ‘as live’ via YouTube.

Making your results shine with infographics

15th January 2020: Undertaking a great piece of survey work about an important topic is all well and good. But unless you make the results accessible and engaging for your target audience, there is a danger they will miss their mark. Click on the link below to see how our survey of walking in Scotland for Paths for All was ‘brought to life’ using attractive infographics

How can we make St Andrew’s Day more ‘special’?

27th December 2019: Scotland’s Patron Saint is recognised with a holiday on November 30th - not long after Halloween and just before Advent and the start of the Festive Season. Does it ‘get lost’ as a result? Click below to read the latest research findings from 56 Degree Insight and our partners, AudienceNet which suggests there could be a big opportunity to develop St Andrew’s Day in the years ahead…..

What’s in store for Scottish food and drink in 2020?

2oth December 2019: It’s an interesting time for the Scottish food and drinks industry - with all sorts of trends and movements in customer behaviours. Read on for our take on what the coming 12 months have in store…

56 Degree Insight ‘point of view’ on 2020 trends in Scottish convenience store sector

10th December 2019:
Click on the image opposite to read Jim Eccleston’s views on key trends likely to impact the Scottish c-store sector in 2020 - in December’s ‘Scottish Local Retailer’ magazine - or read the full magazine by clicking below:

Political micro-targeting, fake news and boomer memes ……..anything to worry about?

26th November 2019: With just under 3 weeks until the UK general election, today’s blog looks at the potential issues arising from the increasing use of micro-targeting in political online advertising and some of the changes being made in the face of rising concerns.

Challenges and uncertainty, but also cause for optimism in the Scottish convenience store sector

29th October: Last week, the 56 Degree Insight team attended the Annual Conference of the Scottish Grocers Federation. The convenience store sector faces many challenges over the next few years - click below to find out more about these challenges and the steps being taken to ensure the Scottish c-store sector stays ahead of the curve.

Can 10 years of outdoor recreation trends help us to predict the future?

22nd October: Today Duncan is speaking at the Outdoor Recreation Network’s conference – Outdoor Recreation 2030: Future Trends and Insights. Discover the key trends he is sharing which emerge from our analysis of over 10 years of data from the UK’s outdoor recreation and tourism surveys Click below to find out more!

Let’s Get Walking!

15th October: Yesterday, Paths for All published the results of the survey which we undertook for the organisation earlier in the summer. What are the trends in walking versus other forms of transport? How does it vary by purpose and demographics? Click below to find out more!

Which brand is the inaugural 56DI Scottish Brand of the Year, 2019?

23rd September: The analysis has been completed and the results are in! Which of our 16 Scottish brands comes top across measures from Trust to Performance, Innovation to Future Prospects and Advocacy to Scottishness? Find out by following the link below.

The role of national identity in enhancing a brand

16th September: In the latest analysis of the Scottish Brands Index results, this week we look at the element which distinguishes our approach from other brand evaluation measures – the contribution of each brand to the image of Scotland. More details by clicking on the link below

‘The Ultimate Question’ - what role should NPS play in brand evaluation?

9th September: In the latest analysis of the Scottish Brands Index results, this week we consider advocacy and loyalty with a focus on the Net Promoter Score (NPS) approach. We take a slightly different tack from usual, considering some of the criticism levelled at this well-known metric and reflecting on its appropriateness for measuring Scottish brands. More details by clicking below.

In uncertain times, what does the future have in store for our Scottish brands?

4th September: In these uncertain times, levels of economic confidence amongst both consumers and businesses are at levels not seen since the 2007 to 2009 recession. In the latest in the series of our Scottish Brands Index reports, we sought to find out whether these economic concerns were reflected in Scottish consumer views on the prospects for Scottish brands. More details by clicking below.

Scots much more likely to buy products branded ’Scottish’ rather than ‘British’

2nd September: Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight 2019 is taking place right now showcasing and supporting the companies, brands and people who are championing Scotland’s larder. But how important is it that Scottish food and drinks are branded as ‘Scottish’? We’ve just spoken to a representative sample of Scots - and the results make interesting reading……

It’s not just about talking the talk…..

26th August: Brand owners may feel they have carefully crafted what their brand represents. However, this image may be more reflective of their aspirations for the brand, rather than the reality of public opinion. Brand perception is owned by consumers, not brands. This week we look at awareness, perceived performance and the extent to which our Scottish brands connect with consumers. More details by clicking below

Can innovation make the difference between surviving and thriving?

19th August: It can be a struggle for businesses to survive in the current challenging economic environment. However, those brands who are able to respond to their changing circumstances and remain relevant and valuable by innovating their offer are the most likely to thrive. How do Scots feel our own brands are performing? More details by clicking below

Monitoring Trust in our Scottish brands

12th August 2019: Steve Jobs once famously declared that ‘A brand is simply trust’. Trust is one of the measures in the Scottish Brands Index, and we begin our analysis of Scotland’s brands by looking at how each performs in terms of consumer trust. More details by clicking below

56 Degree Insight Scottish Brands Index

6th August 2019: We have been interviewing 2,000 Scots adults to get their views and opinions on 16 iconic Scottish consumer facing brands. We’ll be releasing the results over the next few weeks - find out more here:

Overtourism - killing the Goose that Laid the Golden Egg

29th July 2019: with the main summer holidays over for each of the 56 Degree Insight team, Jim Eccleston reflects on the increasing problems of over tourism in the Greek Islands - what lessons can be learned from elsewhere?

Extending the 56 Degree Insight Offer:
Data Science: going beyond the traditional

1st July 2019: 56DI associate, Preriit Souda is one of the UK’s foremost exponents of bringing ‘big data’ and other non-survey data into the world of research and insights, adding considerable value to research beyond the traditional survey approaches. Just click below…

56 Degree Insight:
Launch Week - 17-21 June 2019

17-21 June 2019: To celebrate our first week in full operation, we released a series of short points of view each day on the things that matter to us in each of our key sectors. All are recorded for posterity on a specially created page on our website. Just click below…..

Extending the 56 Degree Insight Offer:
Making the most of Mystery Shopping

11th June 2019: We have close links with a number of associates across the UK - methodological experts in key areas. Clive Nicolaou (and his company Service Science) has built his career on world class Mystery Shopping. Find out more about this scientific art here…..

Getting Behind Scotland’s Culture Club

3rd June 2019: With the development of a Culture Strategy for Scotland, never has it been more important for everyone working in the creative sector to know their audiences. Read more below….

Brand & Comms - Making Sense of the Complexity

16th May 2019: Never have the opportunities to reach customers been greater - but equally, never have they been so complex. Here we explore the issues marketeers have to address to make their comms as effective as possible…

Tourism - Where next for the UK tourism industry? 

7th May 2019: Here we look at the latest annual statistics on UK tourism and pose the question regarding what 2019 and beyond holds. Rarely has there been so much uncertainty around the immediate future of UK tourism….

Nature - Time to put words into action 

23rd April 2019: How can insights support the changes needed to tackle the climate emergency? We provide our views - how much do we all really care? Read on about the value-action gap

Customer Experience Measurement - going beyond the basics

15th April 2019: We provide our views on an area which crosses all industries and one where we have a lot of past experience - Customer Experience Research. What makes a good CEX programme - we believe there are three fundamentals that separate the wheat from the chaff.....

Food & Drink - Consumer Insights that hit the Sweet Spot

8th April 2019: Remember all of the noise last year as the recipe for IRN-BRU was changed to meet the new Sugar Tax regulations? Here we bring some research findings into the discussion......

Tourism - How do we manage the increasing complexity of consumer behaviour in the travel & tourism industries?

31st March 2019: An area very close to our hearts. How is the increasing complexity of the tourism landscape making the prediction of consumer behaviour ever more challenging?

Sport - A ‘good news’ story - the Scottish Women’s game

24th March 2019: There's a lot of doom and gloom around Scottish football just now, but where we have many reasons to be optimistic is the Women's game. Here we talk about the growing interest in women's football.

1st June 2019: 50 years ago today, the 1969 Development of Tourism Act led to the creation of the National Tourist Boards - including the Scottish Tourist Board. 56DI partner, Jim Eccleston describes his time there as the 8 best years of his work life - and 56DI co-partner Duncan Stewart also worked there as a student placement. They have both worked together under different guises ever since - but their time at STB set the bar high!

Today, it was their absolute pleasure to meet up with 150 other ex Tourist Board and ATB network employees at Herriot Watt University Campus. Some wonderful colleagues and friends - and so many happy memories of times before the Internet and email turned everything so manic. 

25 years ago, the STB research team posed for a picture in the Research Library. 25 years on - and they all claim they haven’t changed one bit (Jim Eccleston, Duncan Stewart, Libby Buet and Brian Hay)

What a great afternoon #STB #ScotlandsForMe #WildMountainThyme