Ever wonder about the background of people who operate and manage research companies? Are they individuals who have experienced the same problems you face, trying to allocate finite amounts of time and money while developing information to further your organization's marketing and sales objectives? Or are they more likely to be individuals who have never faced the predicament of getting advertising, marketing, sales and production to agree on strategies and tactics necessary for a successful product introduction?

My perception is that most of the people who operate research organizations have had experience at the corporate level. But perception does always equal reality. I decided to test my theory when we were contacted recently by a newly formed organization, Brand Institute, Inc.

Fortunately, the two principals, James Dettore and Robin Niecko, were most cooperative. At my request they sent copies of their biographies, credentials, and references and agreed to a follow-up interview. I found the process very enlightening.

Dettore, Brand Institute's president and C.E.O., was executive vice president at Interbrand Corp. (1985-1992), acquiring brand identity experience as a strategist on approximately 400 branding assignments of products, services and corporations. Prior to this, Dettore held brand management positions at PepsiCo., Inc. and J. Walter Thompson Company.

His branding experience has included a wide variety of industries such as tele-communications, pharmaceuticals, automotive, beverages, high-tech, financial services, industrial and packaged goods. His work has involved branding strategy, brand name development, trademark screening, linguistic screening, market research, and graphic/packaging design for these and other firms.

Niecko, Brand Institute's vice president and general manager, brings more than seven years of brand management and marketing research work to the firm. Her experience includes industrial and pharmaceutical marketing. She worked in the truck component industry at Eaton Corporation's North American headquarters and at Upjohn and Glaxo. At Glaxo she was the first individual appointed to a product management position who did not have previous sales experience.

Niecko and Dettore worked together at Glaxo on the naming of Zantac, the world's largest-selling prescription pharmaceutical. Niecko was responsible for strategic development of product line extensions, new technology, and drug delivery systems for both ethical and over-the-counter formulations of Zantac.

While at Glaxo, Niecko hired Dettore to work with her on a number of naming assignments. They soon realized that the methods they developed would work effectively with most other brands. Using qualitative and quantitative marketing research techniques, they believed they could assist managers in building brand equity by using processes that had worked for them. They knew that a product or brand doesn't exist in a vacuum - and brand building must take this into consideration.

Brand Institute was formed in 1993 and appears to have hit the ground running. The experience of its two principals at the corporate and research company levels is comforting to managers who are given the responsibility for introducing new products or extending brand lines.

I have always been impressed with the quality of those who provide research services. They work underenormous pressures to meet the needs of their clients. Product quality and service are of great concern to them. Most research firms have taken the spirit of the Malcolm Baldrige award to heart, using it as a model for a successful research organization. Early indications are that Brand Institute is one of those firms.