Vox Media

BACKGROUND

Vox Media, Inc. is a leading modern media company that reaches audiences everywhere through its editorial properties across the biggest consumer categories, including: Vox, New York Magazine, The Verge, The Cut, Eater, Vulture, The Strategist, Polygon, SB Nation, Intelligencer, Curbed, Grub Street, Thrillist, Popsugar, The Dodo, NowThis, and Seeker. The company is also home to award-winning storytelling businesses such as Vox Media Studios and the Vox Media Podcast Network, as well as innovative technologies that support the entire media industry, including the Concert advertising marketplace.

Research is a big part of the company’s ethos, often conducted in conjunction with data storytelling agency, The Circus. Projects delve into consumer attitudes and behaviors across multiple categories and each of Vox Media’s properties. Topics vary widely, from understanding viewers of anime for Polygon and other recent research pinpointed key trends (hello, AI) that will drive the world around us in the coming years.

CHALLENGE

Vox Media’s research is publicly published on its various editorial properties, and widely cited across the media landscape, making quality, reliable data critical. The company's stories reach 150 million people across all its digital avenues, so its research and editorial teams need confidence that the data can be trusted and is accurate, every time. After all, its reputation is on the line, along with the editorial outlet publishing the data. As a result, there is a hyperfocus on quality throughout every project - from questionnaire design to filling quotas and from fieldwork to the delivery of final data. The Vox Media team needed a data collection partner who could deliver not only the high level of quality and service they needed, but also could find the wide variety of respondents needed for studies across its properties.

For example, the study titled “Anime is huge - and here are the numbers to prove it” was front page news on Polygon reaching millions of people. One of the first studies of its kind covering anime, the data illustrated just how powerful this medium is among audiences and its potential to reach and engage with populations, especially the elusive Gen Z. It was picked up across other media outlets, such as industry specific IMDb, CrunchyRoll, Anime Corner and cited extensively. Soon after the study was released, brand giants such as McDonald’s and Toyota released multi-episode anime marketing initiatives. This high level of visibility requires a high level of trust in the data.

SOLUTION

Vox Media had worked with members of the Rep Data team in the past, so it was natural to turn to them for help with its research studies. The Vox Media team knew they could count on Rep Data’s high level of service and attention to detail to deliver the data they needed. Acting as an extension of the research team, Rep Data’s experts help with everything from honing questionnaires for better results to seamlessly filling difficult quotas so that Vox Media’s team doesn’t have to worry about a thing. They have confidence that their studies will be filled, and the ensuing data will be accurate.

RESULTS

For the anime study, Rep Data delivered more than 4,000 nationally representative respondents who watch anime at least monthly to help understand generational differences in viewership. Other Vox Media studies have ranged from a politics study among registered voters to luxury shopping buyers and everything in between. Rep Data’s stringent fraud detection and quality control techniques ensure good outcomes, and the ability to deliver even hard-to-fill audiences puts the Vox team at ease on every project. Vox Media knows it can trust the data collected with Rep Data and that its editorial properties can publish studies with confidence.

"Rep Data looks after our work like it's their own. In an age where everyone is looking for efficiency above all, it is important to have that balance between efficient delivery and an emphasis on true ownership and partnership. I get that working with Rep Data. We look forward to many more in the future. It's been a great journey."

Edwin Wong, SVP Insights, Research & Innovation, Vox Media