Robert Hutton Profile

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Robert is a Senior Associate at Onyschuk Strategic Advisors, where he contributes communications and public opinion strategies, stakeholder engagement and public consultation consulting and consumer & market research.

He is one of Canada’s leading experts in managing public opinion, communications strategy and public affairs. His main practice areas are in community consultation and engagement, public opinion polling, and online & traditional communications. His clients have included major developers, municipalities, NGO’s and NFP’s and major corporations. His techniques and depth of expertise make him a valuable addition to our Strategic Advisors team. He is a trusted advisor across platforms, a strong business developer, with a history of success stories for clients.

Robert is the President and CEO of his own firm, AHA! 360 Marketing Insights, and a former Executive Vice President of Pollara Strategic Insights (2007 – 2014) in Toronto.

AHA! 360 Marketing Insights is a boutique consultancy focused on generating marketing insights, primarily through qualitative and quantitative research, focus groups, stakeholder IDI’s, ethnography and online and social listening studies. Areas include branding, repositioning, communications and advertising strategies, digital strategy, ideation and concept strategy.

Recent projects include:

  • Brand positioning, sustainability strategy, ad testing for a major national industry collective
  • Brand health for a major tech provider
  • Market evaluation for a software provider
  • Regional Research Associates – stakeholder evaluation of GTA transit options (Smart Track)
  • Communications and messaging strategy for a cultural sector client
  • Ontario Ministry of Energy – policy evaluations and rate application support
  • A major repositioning of a crisis management/cross functional consulting firm
  • Electrical Safety Authority – product development, advertising strategy

In every case, his mission and passion is to uncover the insights that uncover the attributes, attitudes and cultural context to create powerful meanings on which brands can be built in the modern environment.

In his years at Pollara Strategic Insights, Robert was responsible for leading major client projects, business development and practice management projects. and acting as lead qualitative researcher.

Key recent projects included:

  • Launch of Visa Debit – communications
  • Wal-Mart – MasterCard design, launch
  • The Beer Store – consumer insights to redefine retail concept, ad testing
  • Corus Entertainment – audience Measurement, License Application support
  • CTV – anchor evaluation
  • Peru Tourism – consumer insights and ad testing
  • Mercedes West Coast – dealership repositioning
  • Stewardship Ontario – branding, consumer insights, ad testing
  • Smart Centers – branding
  • CGA Ontario – positioning, communications, ad testing
  • Food & Consumer Products Association – nutrition labeling
  • Hagen Pet Foods – branding, package design, ad testing
  • TD Bank – ad testing (in branch), concept development
  • Fieldgate Developments - Marketing strategy

He has frequently been called on to provide expert witness testimony on major legal cases, such as:

  • CTRC Testimony ( public opinion on cable deregulation and Canadian content regulation)
  • Corus Entertainment – license applications
  • A major litigation on tobacco liability
  • A class action on beverage labelling and marketing misrepresentation
  • A litigation against a major retailer alleging sales projection misrepresentation

A pioneer in understanding social media, created one of the first comprehensive studies into social media usages and attitudes, presented at the Advertising Research Foundation annual conference in New York in 2008.

One of the few RIVA "Master Moderators" in Canada, completing the highly regarded designation in facilitation and consultation at the RIVA Institute in Maryland.

On the political and government side, Robert has been at the senior leadership level on numerous political campaigns – national, provincial, municipal and party leadership – including the winning 2014 Ontario Liberal campaign and the winning 2014 Toronto mayoralty campaign. Respected on both sides of the room, bring deep knowledge of the voter together with strong communications strategy to develop a winning strategy. Pioneer in applying consumer research techniques to the public affairs arena. Recently worked on issues around transit, casinos and outsourcing.

Robert also served as Executive Vice President of IFOP NORTH AMERICA from January 1996 to December 2006, managing major consumer client relationships and qualitative research operations, reporting directly to Paris. Major clients included Danone, L’oréal, RBC, the Liberal Party of Canada, Hyundai, Esso, and many others.


PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS

RIVA Master Moderator designation (2008 – 2010)

Professional Researcher Certification, Market Research Association (U.S.A.) (1997)


MEMBERSHIPS

Market Research & Intelligence Association

Market Research Association (U.S.A)

Public Affairs Association of Canada (Board Member 2012-2014)


AWARDS

CASSIES, 2011 – part of the team that won an award for developing an advertising campaign for Algoma University.


MEDIA