Horacio Segal is a qualitative research consultant and the president of Planet Latino Market Intelligence, Inc. He has worked as a bilingual moderator of focus groups in the General Market, US Hispanic and Latin American markets for over 16 years. 

Mr. Segal has acquired extensive qualitative research experience working for leading companies in the field as well as many advertising agencies.  Through his work for many Fortune 500 companies in the US and Latin America he has gained expertise in multiple categories.    

Mr. Segal has conducted qualitative research for a variety of products and services.  His recent work has concentrated on high technology, media, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), financial products and services, food products, packaged goods, transportation, packaging design,  automotive, pharmaceutical and home cleaning products.

He has also specialized in new product development, product innovation, concept development testing, product optimization, taste tests, consumer services, advertising research (TV, print and radio), household product and services, personal care items, retailing, Yellow pages, healthcare and life and health insurance.  

Mr. Segal conducts research with consumers from all ages and backgrounds. It is important to note that his work in the last 7 years in the automotive and Internet categories as well as alcoholic beverages and cellular phone services has made him become specialized in working with young adults ages 21 to 34.

Food products and beverages experience: Mr. Segal has conducted qualitative research for a wide range of food products including: coffee, breakfast cereals, snacks, yogurt, soups, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, canned vegetables, ice-cream and confectionary products. In the beverages category, he has conducted research including, malt alternatives, beer, scotch whiskey, vodka and carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks (US and International), ice tea, orange juice, milk, bottled water and fruit drinks. 

In the confectionery category, he conducted the first exploratory project in the US Hispanic market for a leading confectionery company and has worked with their New Products department on new product lines that are currently been developed.  

Packaging: in all the above mentioned categories, especially beverages (and confectionery), as well as other categories such as cellular phones, Mr. Segal has conducted extensive research in packaging design, focusing on brand equity, product/ingredient/nutritional information, and culturally relevant language. Recent qualitative research projects have looked at the appeal of the design, effectiveness at communicating product benefits, and the ability to attract consumers to make the actual purchase.  

Automotive experience: Mr. Segal conducted qualitative research with Hispanic Teens in three countries, including 4 markets in the US, for one of the leading Detroit car makers, and a Truck project in 6 markets. He has conducted research for a leading Japanese car maker developing a positioning for their full-size pick-up truck, and advertising testing for many other automobile brands. He has also conducted research for another Japanese car maker and its dealers, focusing on consumers’ vehicle purchase and financing experiences.  

Financial experience: Mr. Segal has conducted research for many financial institutions, and tested advertising for a credit card targeted to US Hispanic consumers for a leader in the credit card category. Mr. Segal has also conducted research in the mortgage loan category for several banks and mortgage companies. He has also conducted research on vehicle financing for several automotive brands. Mr. Segal has conducted research on ATM usage, loans, checking and savings accounts, money remittance and check cards.
 
Hi-tech experience: Mr. Segal conducted the first ever exploratory qualitative research for one of the leaders on the Internet field, presented the results and recommended a change in the brand’s positioning. Mr. Segal has conducted qualitative research internationally for a leading computer manufacturer, testing print and television ads, as well as usability tests with heads of IT departments of major companies in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil. Mr. Segal also conducted qualitative research for another hi-tech company in the same 3 Latin American countries, covering usability, brand perceptions and copy testing with regular consumers as well as high level IT officers from major Latin American companies.  

Media experience: Mr. Segal has conducted research for national newspapers, radio networks and cable television companies.  

Mr. Segal is an expert in a diverse array of research methodologies, including: one-on-one interviews, focus groups, projective techniques such as brand personification and brand parties, brand and product positioning, exploratory research, copy testing: including print, TV and radio advertising; market immersions, laddering, video ethnographies and design and execution of video reports.  

Because he grew up in Miami, Mr. Segal has specialized in all Latin American cultures, working with Mexican consumers in California, Chicago and Texas, and in Mexico, as well as with South and Central Americans and consumers from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Cuba.    

He has presented the result of his research to the leading companies in most categories, working as a strategic consultant with clients to help them optimize their products or services performance in Latin America and the US Hispanic market.   Mr. Segal is active in professional organizations, including the Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA) and the Marketing Research Association (MRA), where he has spoken on multicultural research. 

He was also a featured presenter at the ‘97 Global Forum I - Focus: South America, organized by Management Ventures in Miami, with the participation of over 200 executives from the top 100 product companies in the world.  

In September 2000, he was a speaker at the Kid Power Latin America conference in Miami Beach, where he made a presentation about Latin American Teens.   He has been interviewed and featured in journalistic articles about research in the Hispanic market in the L.A. Times, the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and on the April 2001 Ethnic issue of Quirk’s Marketing Research Review.  

He has lived and worked in Argentina, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Spain, El Salvador, Canada and currently in the United States.   Planet Latino Market Intelligence Inc has developed a network of qualitative research suppliers over the years, including facilities and recruiters the entire US Hispanic market, as well as Puerto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, El Salvador, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.  

Professional Membership: QRCA: Qualitative Research Consultants Associations ESOMAR: The World Association of Research Professionals AHAA: Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies.    

Listed: Quirk´s magazine moderator marketplace; Markets Directory; online QRCA directory of researchers and online Greenbook and online