ACG offers competitor and consumer insight that strengthens clients' ability to make important business decisions. Our expertise and deep industry resource base can deliver dynamic, relevant market overviews.

Our data gathering approach and extensive network enable ACG to uncover information that others cannot. We can deliver the macro view or inform a client's interest in a particular product category, target market, geographical region, competitive environment or customer segment.

Examples of ACG Knowledge Management projects include the following:

• A major US bank wished to investigate the implications of venturing deeper into the risk pool to generate new accounts. ACG conducted a study of strategy and tactics employed by mainstream banks for the nonprime market. We were able to provide valuable information about the near-prime and subprime markets, including operational requirements, growth rates, P&L models, channel efficiency and long-term potential.
  
  
• A multinational entertainment company engaged ACG to conduct a strategic review of select European and Asian markets as to their potential for a co-branded credit card. For each market, ACG examined credit card profitability and drivers, analyzed the competitive landscape, assessed consumer payment and borrowing patterns, developed profiles of potential partners, and provided recommendations that guided market investment decisions.
  
  
• A major issuer in co-branding was considering the affinity market. In support, ACG conducted an extensive market-entry study that delineated the differences and similarities between co-branded and affinity card targets, and segmented the affinity market into meaningful verticals. ACG defined the characteristics of desirable prospective organization partners, interviewed affinities that had switched issuers, outlined organizational needs and provided pro forma financial models that the issuer used to guide its planning process.
  
  
• A large retail bank engaged ACG to provide guidance as to whether a business case could be developed to support entry into the prepaid sponsorship space. ACG provided an overview of the market landscape and existing prospective competitors. Our output identified market opportunities and outlined operational requirements.
  
  
• A leading private-label card issuer commissioned a custom survey of the cardholders of one of its portfolios. Research goals included measuring and validating portfolio performance, determining customer preferences for a forthcoming rewards program, and identifying areas of opportunity for the card portfolio and store environment. The results were so compelling, the client commissioned ACG for three additional market research studies of its card portfolios and customer segments.