Insight & strategy We Are Family was the focus of its TV campaign Chipping in Insight has inspired McCains advertising campaigns focused on diversity and differences in families, and is guiding the brands approach to NPD in a competitive market. By Rob Gray 48 F rozen spuds are big business, particularly in a country renowned for its love of chips. In the UK, the frozen-potato category is worth more than 700m a year and continues to grow. As Guinness is with stout and Heinz with ketchup, one brand stands out as synonymous with frozen potato in a wide variety of forms. That brand is, of course, McCain, still family-owned in an era of stock market-listed behemoths, and very much alive to new product development and marketing opportunities as it strives to stay ahead of supermarket own brands and other challengers. Insight plays a central role in helping McCain keep its competitive edge. Laura Sutcliffe, marketing manager, insight and propositions, has been at the company for six years, and heads a four-strong team dedicated to understanding what makes our customers and consumers tick. While the team sits within marketing, it supports the whole commercial function of the business and is the champion of insight, making sure that it is part of everybodys job.