‘Face’vertising
Posted by Kenna in Marketing Chatter on November 4th, 2010
I am a facebook user. I have a ‘profile’. I have 300-something ‘friends’. Many of whom I have lost contact with in recent years so it’s especially nice to catch up. I enjoy looking at the status updates of my friends to see what’s going on in their lives…
I would not describe myself as someone who regularly watches television ads. As a researcher, I sometimes find myself noticing when a client’s ad comes on but overall I find that I’m much more of a channel surfer when the program I’m watching goes to commercial. In fact, I tend to have a ‘backup’ show running simultaneously so I have a channel to switch to when ads come on. I’ll even go as far as waiting 20 minutes into a program to being watching it, so I can be sure to avoid all the commercials.
t’s amazing how many more products and concepts I’m receptive to when I’m ‘facebooking’. Whenever a ‘friend’ posts that they ‘like’ such and such store or product, I without a doubt will click on said store or product to see what it’s all about. Sometimes it leads to further investigation and sometimes it doesn’t, but it is definitely a much stronger method of getting me to care about or be interested in something…First, it’s an online word-of-mouth from someone I know and therefore have a certain trust in or background on. Second, I’m already on the computer so the motivation to go and investigate a product or idea is much higher than when I’m sitting in front of the TV or if I’m somewhere reading a magazine.
Not only that, for every product I click on, there’s a chance I will decide to ‘like’ it myself, thereby exposing all 300-something of my friends to the idea.
I’d bet it’s not long before advertisers forgo TV and move entirely online.
Renovating Tradition
Posted by Leigh in Case Studies, Marketing Chatter on October 14th, 2010
During consumer interviews last week it occurred to me that consumer researchers are have become pigeon-holed by traditional methodologies and techniques. So many times we rely on and default to what has always worked before. But is it really ‘working’ anymore? Are we thrusting forward or are we simply going through the motions?
Maybe part of the problem is that a path of predictability has been over the years in research: Take, for example, online surveys. Consumers have become so familiar with this classic method, that they know what to expect and how to answer. I realized this when I was using VS Research creative questioning techniques to get one consumer to think outside the box on how the package was ‘speaking’ to her and she replies: “Are you just trying to ask me if this appeals to me or if I would buy this?” – as if it would be simpler to just cut to the chase and ask the question flat out. I was amazed. Immediately it was clear to me how more there is to consider when asking questions, especially when asking them online. The consumer has become ‘trained’ by old-school methods and they are falling back on those experiences. Even the context of a simply ‘taking an online survey’ can shift how consumers might go about answering those questions.
So what does this mean? It means it’s time to break the mold, to create new ideas and come up with new methods through renovating techniques , and crafting new VS Research methodologies that add a twist to classic methods.
“The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get old ones out. Every mind is a building filled with archaic furniture. Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” (Dee Hock, founder, president, CEO, VISA International)
Beware of the Appeal
Posted by VS in Marketing Chatter on March 8th, 2010
‘Appeal’ is a very controversial measure.
A consumer today reminded me to BEWARE OF THE APPEAL QUESTION. Consumer asked whether she should base her choice on the option that appealed to her most or the one that would make her purchase the product. Honestly, this is something that I always consider when phrasing an appeal-type question. Appeal is so broad a ‘concept’ that it can be confusing and it is difficult to define how exactly the consumer is interpreting the question. Think of all the times when something appeals but might not necessarily be the choice behavior.
This chocolate cake appeals to me (but I dare not eat it).
This man really appeals to me (but I wouldn’t want to marry him).
Better to ask whether the stimuli (package, advertising, logo, image etc) makes you interested in the product – because interest is closer to purchase intent, while still including the notion of appeal. But apparently I dropped the appeal word in there some place. Good thing is I was reminded to beware.
Talk Life
Posted by VS in Marketing Chatter on February 8th, 2010
Reflecting on how work affects who I am.
I have a great job. Traveling the world talking to people and hearing what they have to say. My job is to ask the questions and then to make meaning out of all the answers. I believe in what each person tells me and respect their point of view because it is their point of view.
But what I don’t ever have to do in my job is give my opinion. I deflect all personal involvement and that ‘outsider’ perspective has impacted the way I live life outside of work.
Now I have difficultly assessing things from a personal perspective. I’m more likely to want to hear all opinions – everyone has their perspective and everyone is right in their own mind – so how can I be more right than someone else; what makes my perspective more important than someone else.
But when I take a good look at myself, asking all the right questions has not helped me in anyway prepare for answering questions.
Talk Research
Posted by VS in Marketing Chatter on January 8th, 2010
Love your consumer – so let them talk.
I really love every consumer that I speak to (whether directly in qualitative or in listening to them through our Qquant quantitative process). Every consumer is giving their time and their opinion and the more we respect the consumer, the more they will open up and help us understand who they are, what makes them tick, why they do the things they do and why they buy the things they buy.
When a consumer enters the research experience, they want to talk – but really what they want to do is tell us about themselves. They want to inform you about how they think and feel.
Even when focusing on the task at hand (the brand’s objective), engaging the consumer is still all about understanding them and how they respond to a product, brand, concept, packaging. It’s all about what it means to them – so the more we understand them, the more we can understand why they respond the way they do.
It is not enough to include the word ‘you’ in a question and think that represents inclusion. ‘What do you think about this’ is simply a question of fact. It does not deliver a perspective on the consumer; it has not necessarily engaged them.
The consumer may tell you what they think, but at this point they may have already stepped outside of themselves – they could be in the zone where they are answering the question as ‘general public’ and not themselves. I find that many times an initial response is often a rote response either based on what is expected or what is presumed to be a right answer but is not always true to what the consumer really thinks
I know this because when I follow-up with questions that are relevant to them, an initial response can change. Simple follow-up questions help clarify commitment and can be highly revealing.
Does this work for you?
Do you care?
What does it offer you?
Try it and let me know what you find.
Talk Marketing
Posted by VS in Marketing Chatter on December 8th, 2009
Trend happening now.
I’m noticing a shift in attitude toward environmental communications and wondering whether we have hit the plateau on ‘going green’. Even the meekest of consumers are getting a little angry. No matter what category, I am hearing rebellion against ‘everyone going green’. I don’t think it will stop the cause and most consumers are trying to find ways to do good by the environment, but I think it reminds us that the more everyone says the same thing the more consumers are not hearing the messages and not responding to them.
What they say is not always what they mean…
Posted by VS in Case Studies, Research Techniques on November 2nd, 2009
Ask one more question and it can go a long way to clarify issues.
How many times have you found that an add-on question helps clear up uncertainties? And this is certainly true when it comes to research.
I have found that an important ‘add-on’ question relates to assessing relevancy – understanding how important an issue is to a consumer. This is even worth asking even when there is nothing to clear up
1. Don’t just assume
Even if the consumer is talking positively about something – you need to confirm the importance of an issue to them.
For example:
Someone is talking about the healthy benefits of a product concept
Assume that healthy is good and presume that they are referencing their own positive response
2. Check out with an extra question
“Do you care about this?” “Is this important to you?” Try it – You might be surprised to discover the difference
The rational evaluation of the concept validates the intention (you told me or inferred that it is healthy and I am telling you what you wanted me to understand)
The internal reaction (this is what it does for me).
These two are distinct and should not be viewed as similar responses.
Be careful what you ask?
Posted by VS in Case Studies on October 15th, 2009
This notion is so critical in terms of developing research questions since the word chosen can make such a difference in terms of how the consumer answers your question.
Sometimes the intent of the word is not necessarily how the consumer understands the word and this can truly impact research results.
In qualitative we have the chance to rephrase a question right there and then. In fact, it works really well to ask the same question a number of different ways in order to open up the possibility for consumer interpretation.
But in quantitative the question asked will determine the answer.
Take the typical question for predicting purchasing behavior (concept test/product test), the one used as the main measuring tool for deciding whether a product will succeed or not?
- How likely are you to buy this product?
- Definitely would, probably would, probably would not, definitely would not?
While the question may ask ‘buying’ behavior the consumers is often answering the question as ‘trying’ behavior’?
I know this because when I ask that question in qualitative research, consumers will answer the question as ‘try rather than ‘buy’.
- Question: Will you buy?
- Answer? I will try?
Freudian slip – not sure – a simple distinction – but beware of the consequences…
Measure of ‘try’ is much less of a predictor of success for brand than ‘buy’.
Consumer is much less committed when they responding to what they consider a ‘try’ question.
Do you want to buy this infers that you are committed to something and willing to make the deal.
‘Try’ is nonchalant – a measure of possibility: ‘I might try’ is really like saying I’m not opposed to considering
What are the implications for a concept test that asks the question ‘buy’ when the consumer is answering the question as ‘try’?
The answer is 90% product failure.
Come back again – next article will look at truer ways to predict patterns of behavior.