In New York, former Golf Digest Publications VP Jon Last has launched his own marketing research and strategy consultancy, Sports and Leisure Research Group. Last is the current President of the Marketing Research Association (MRA), and will be joined in the new venture by two former holders of the office.
At Conde Nast’s Golf Digest Publications, Last worked as VP of Corporate Marketing, Research and Brand Development. During his seven years with the organization, he built a revenue generating full service marketing research firm, The Research Resource Center, that serviced brands in the golf, travel, and sports marketing arenas.
As well as offering a market research service for the golf industry, the department also ran an online reader panel, with panelists giving feedback on a variety of subjects such as magazine content, new product concepts, and golf vacations. Under Last’s leadership, the team also conducted advertising research, product development testing, target market analysis and sales support research.
His new company will service clients in similar categories and expand upon his previous work.
‘It has always been my vision to evolve our approach into a stand-alone agency that can focus on the integration of insights and strategy within these categories,’ said Last. ‘In addition, we will transport the model that I developed at Conde Nast to help media companies layer the capabilities of a full service marketing research consultancy onto their added value tool kit, without the overhead.’
Joining Last in the new agency will be former national MRA Presidents, Peter Van Brunt and Michael Mermelstein. Additional staff will join the firm in January. Both Van Brunt and Mermelstein will continue to operate their current businesses while also working with Sports and Leisure Research Group.