SlideShare uma empresa Scribd logo
1 de 22
Baixar para ler offline
:
written by
           Manila Austin, Ph.D., Director of Research
Julie Wittes Schlack, Senior Vice President, Innovation & Design
executive
summary
Advances in social media, the empowerment of everyday consumers,        The choice facing the industry need not be to invest blind faith in
and the need for more actionable insights fuel a mandate for market     old, authoritarian research techniques or in uppity, untested new
research to do more, faster. These developments create great            ones. This paper sets out to collaboratively build a foundation
opportunity for researchers to exercise strategic leadership, to        for a 21st Century understanding of market research—what it can
inspire and innovate by bringing the voice of the customer to life,     accomplish and how. We seek to pose some provocative questions,
to apply new insights to complex business problems, and to              offer some initial thinking, and engage the industry as a whole
produce creative, timely and actionable recommendations to              in an ongoing conversation about how to embrace the blurred
drive business results.                                                 boundaries between marketing and market research, and activate
But the use of social media-driven research also fuels the quality      the ability to quickly garner and act on customer insight.
debate that’s been raging for years, creating worries about declining
                                                                        A New Model for A New Age
response rates, questionable respondents, sample size, and
projectability. Market researchers need to consider and address         The emergence of social media challenges us to recognize and
these legitimate concerns, while also recognizing the ways in which     figure out how to intelligently embrace a new way of doing research—
online, social, community-based research can actually strengthen        one that is sure to generate insight, to both inspire and inform,
validity and enhance quality.                                           and to provide strategic value. We see an integrative paradigm
                                                                        emerging—a 21st Century model—in which research is:
To take that leap, it’s helpful to think in terms of tradeoffs, to
understand what researchers are risking—and gaining—by                  • Conducted in real time, so that it’s relevant and actionable
shifting their focus and methods.                                       • Participatory and engaging, which means adopting
                                                                          humanistic and consumer-centric methods
TrAde                              BeCAUSe                              • Textured and nuanced, with the potential of getting
  Purity for Pragmatism              Pragmatic = Actionable               rich detail on a really large scale
                                                                        • Continually evolving to meet new marketplace
  General for Specific               Specific = Relevant                  demands from consumers, clients, and competition
                                                                        • More dynamic, where we will rethink and re-invent to
  Artificial for Natural             Natural = Authentic
                                                                          drive innovation on an ongoing basis
  Anonymity for Transparency         Transparency = Engagement          Taken together, these criteria feel pretty different from the
                                                                        somewhat dry language many of us grew up with. The online era
  Distance for Relationship          Relationship = Candor              challenges many of our assumptions about data quality—validity,
                                                                        projectability, bias—and it represents a significant change in how
  Randomness for Purpose             Purpose = Productivity             we think and go about our work. As an industry—and to varying
                                                                        degrees as individuals—we are being nudged, or shoved, out of
  Control for Collaboration          Collaboration = Creativity         our comfort zone.

  Looking Backward
                                     Looking Forward = The Future
  for Looking Forward




                                                                                       Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 3
the New roads to
Quality reQuire
challeNgiNg old
assumptioNs aNd
makiNg iNformed
trade-offs.
       QuAlIty IS An uRgent ISSue but theRe’S A MoRe IMPoRtAnt
       ISSue to Do WIth WhAt neeDS to be Done goIng foRWARD,
       becAuSe the InDuStRy ISn’t keePIng PAce WIth the chAnge
       goIng on ARounD uS. PeoPle ARe too focuSeD on
       QuAlIty, PeoPle ARe too focuSeD on PRobAbIlIty AnD
       non-PRobAbIlIty SAMPleS, PeoPle ARe too focuSeD
       on ReSPonDent engAgeMent—thIS IS All About MAkIng
       MInoR chAngeS to WhAt We ARe DoIng RIght noW.
       thoSe ARe All neceSSARy, but they’Re not SuffIcIent
       conDItIonS foR the SucceSS of the functIon.
       “(COCA-COLA’S) STAN STHANUNATHAN ON WHY QUALITY DOESN’T MATTER,”
       RESEARCH., 22 OCTOBER 2009




                           Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 4
21centurymarketresearch
pragmatic =
actioNable
It is time to decouple the notion of “quality” from purity. Today, it is   Top-down, researcher-centric approaches are best for generating
more important for research to be actionable than irrefutable. This        feedback, for confirming what is already known or suspected. By
means shifting our focus—aiming not for the perfect, bias-free study,      design, they do not expand a problem space nor do they generate
but for an approach that pragmatically applies a range of methods to       knowledge outside of the researcher’s frame of reference. They also
generate and test hypotheses. Integrating elements of both humanistic      run the risk of alienating the very people—everyday consumers—to
and experimental approaches allows us to produce timely, “good             whom companies desperately need to listen. Are there circumstances
enough” research targeted to specific business needs. Rather than          under which you want and need to hear from the population of
itemizing the statistical significance of individual data points, we       less-engaged, more neutral customers? Of course, but they are
need to focus on synthesizing findings that are relevant, insightful,      not and should not be the only game in town.
and actionable.                                                            We believe that there clearly is a place for both kinds of knowledge—
                                                                           exploratory and confirmatory. But while researcher-centric
                                                                           approaches are necessary for some purposes, numbers don’t tell
 INTEGRATING CoNSumER- & RESEARChER-CENTRIC APPRoAChES                     the whole story, or even close to it. By grounding knowledge
                                                                           generation in the humanistic tradition, we ensure that we are
                                                                           focusing on the consumers’ world view and framework, not just
            CoNSumER-                         RESEARChER-
                                                                           the brands’. And combining elements of both traditions in an
          CENTRIC DESIGN                     CENTRIC DESIGN                iterative, agile, and pragmatic way allows researchers to move
              Discovery                          feedback                  between exploring and testing, generating and confirming
              exploring                           focusing
         hypothesis generation                hypothesis testing
                                                                           to produce the most actionable information in support of
                                                                           specific business needs.

 Delivers:                                                   Delivers:
 Insight and Meaning                        confirmation and numbers



We have learned that a longitudinal, iterative approach—one that
combines humanistic, person-centered approaches with more
traditional, experimentally derived ones—is most effective.
Humanistic methods (such as ethnographic-type activities that treat
participants as active co-investigators, as opposed to simply passive
survey respondents) are consumer-centric, reflecting how real people
want to engage with researchers. They are discovery-oriented and
exploratory, most suitable for uncovering connections, insights, and
nuances that lead to innovation and competitive advantage. And
iterative, as opposed to episodic research, supports researchers and
participants in an ongoing discovery process that allows everyone to
ask new questions as they uncover and reflect upon what they learn.


                                                                           My cAll to ActIon IS thAt We WoulD fIguRe out the
                                                                           WAy to RetuRn to the conSuMeR’S bAckyARD…We
                                                                           hAVe to RebuIlD thAt tRuSt AnD We hAVe to gAIn
                                                                           Much betteR InSIghtS thAn We ARe toDAy…We neeD to
                                                                           lISten to theM on theIR tIMe, theIR tuRf, AnD In the
                                                                           WAyS they WAnt to coMMunIcAte to uS, not In WAyS
                                                                           thAt We chooSe to coMMunIcAte WIth theM. AnD We
                                                                           neeD to Re-eStAblISh the tRuSt AnD the confIDence
                                                                           thAt they DeSeRVe to hAVe In uS…
                                                                           KIM DEDEKER, ARF LEADERSHIp FORUM 2008




                                                                                             Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 6
21centurymarketresearch
specific =
relevaNt                                                        Market researchers have been concerned with the quality of online
                                                                data collection since the dawn of the Internet, largely due to fears
                                                                that online consumers fail to accurately represent the general
                                                                population. These concerns, however, are becoming increasingly
                                                                irrelevant for two main reasons. First, more people are accessing the
                                                                Internet, making distinctions between online and offline groups less
                                                                meaningful. Second, if relevancy of insight is an important quality
                                                                factor (which we believe it is), then researchers have more to gain
                                                                by listening to the “right” group of people than they do by trying to
                                                                generalize findings to a generic population.
                                                                There is plenty of evidence showing that, except for a few discrete
                                                                segments, the Internet population in the U.S. is quickly becoming the
                                                                general population. Many European countries’ Internet penetration is
                                                                higher than what we have in the U.S., and projections for developing
                                                                markets (with the advent of smartphones) indicate that soon,
                                                                two billion people will be online.1 Online versus offline is quickly
                                                                becoming a non-issue.
                                                                More importantly, quality research must produce relevant findings;
                                                                and we have learned that listening to targeted, specific groups of
                                                                customers is the surest road to relevancy.
                                                                If you want to deepen customer loyalty, who better to engage than
                                                                members of your brand’s loyalty program? If your goal is to broaden
                                                                your brand’s appeal, then hearing from fans of your competitors’
                                                                brands may be the most useful approach.
                                                                Researchers can be more confident in taking action when they
                                                                trust they have the right people assembled to address their specific
                                                                objectives. We advise our clients that whether or not they generalize
                                                                from communities depends on the community composition and on
                                                                the particular question they’re trying to answer. Many questions—like
                                                                the ones featured in the United Airlines example shown here—can be
                                                                explored and findings effectively generalized when the community is
                                                                specific and the target market is defined enough.
oN REPRESENTATIVE SAmPLES
We RecRuIteD A coMMunIty of ouR MoSt VAluAble
cuStoMeRS—A RelAtIVely SMAll PoPulAtIon—
fRoM ouR cuStoMeR lISt. becAuSe the coMMunIty
AccuRAtely ReflectS My PoPulAtIon of InteReSt,
AnD becAuSe the PuRPoSe of the coMMunIty IS to
unDeRStAnD ouR MoSt loyAl cuStoMeRS, I belIeVe
the ReSultS of My coMMunIty’S ReSeARch ARe
ReflectIVe of the lARgeR tARget PoPulAtIon. So eVen
though It’S not A tRADItIonAl PAnel, I’M coMfoRtAble
uSIng the coMMunIty MoRe QuAntItAtIVely.
DAN COMENDULEY, pROjECT MANAgER, CUSTOMER METRICS & INSIgHTS,
UNITED AIRLINES
                                                                1. www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm


                                                                                Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 8
21centurymarketresearch
Natural =
autheNtic
Perhaps one of the most overlooked ways to enhance quality is      Trading artificial approaches for more naturalistic (private, online,
leveraging the power of a naturalistic research setting. Natural   at-home) research settings can strengthen validity and data quality,
settings promote authentic participation because the researcher    especially when researchers are asking people to reveal intimate
engages people on their own terms, refraining from barging into    aspects of their lives.
people’s lives or extracting them from their homes to answer       We have found that the freedom and relative safety of private
questions they had no say in generating. One benefit of online     online communities allow for the iterative exploration of the
research—and private communities in particular—is that it allows   most intimate content. We have seen that in naturalistic settings,
people to participate on their own time, on their own terms, and   regular people openly share detailed information about their
from their own homes or smartphones. They are able to use social   financial situations, experiences with serious illnesses, stresses
technologies to bring their own lives to the researcher.           and hopes, relationship worries, and even embarrassing quirks
                                                                   and habits.
                                                                   Another benefit of naturalistic settings is that they not only provide
                                                                   more authentic contexts for engagement and discovery, but they
                                                                   strengthen researchers’ ability to generalize findings. Participating
                                                                   in focus groups and anonymous surveys requires people to step out
                                                                   of their daily lives; thus findings generated from these approaches
                                                                   do not always translate to real-life situations. And with so much
                                                                   public distrust in how companies use electronic information (e.g.,
                                                                   identity theft, subversive marketing, etc.), people are less likely
                                                                   to be truly open and forthcoming if they don’t know or cannot
                                                                   trust the researcher. But a willingness on the part of researchers
                                                                   to model the kind of self-disclosure that we hope to elicit from our
                                                                   participants, coupled with the kind of ongoing connection enabled
                                                                   by social media, make it possible to build a trusting relationship
                                                                   between researcher and “subjects” over time.




oN INTImACy
We foRMeD A coMMunIty of neWly DIAgnoSeD cAnceR
PAtIentS AnD PRIMARy cARegIVeRS Who PARtIcIPAteD
no MAtteR WheRe they lIVeD, WhAteVeR houR of the
DAy AnD RegARDleSS of theIR conDItIon. In contRASt
to tyPIcAl MARket ReSeARch, the RIcheSt ‘AhA’S’ cAMe
When the PAtIentS AnD cARegIVeRS InItIAteD theIR
oWn DIScuSSIonS, AnD We hAD the oPPoRtunIty to
ReAlly JuSt lISten—obSeRVIng hoW the MeMbeRS
SuPPoRteD eAch otheR AnD leARnIng fRoM the
StoRIeS they ShAReD. We WeRe A fly on the WAll
In the tReAtMent RooM, WhIch foR heAlthcARe
MARketeRS IS VeRy unuSuAl.
ALANA BRODY, FORMER SVp STRATEgIC DEVELOpMENT,
NATIONAL COMpREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK (NCCN)




                                                                                 Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 10
21centurymarketresearch
traNspareNcy =
eNgagemeNt
                                                    One way to get quality information is to trade anonymity for a
                                                    transparent, open approach. Researchers are often concerned
                                                    that findings will not be valid if participants speak freely with one
                                                    another, know who the sponsoring company is, or are active
                                                    co-participants in the research process. Our experience and our
                                                    five-year program of research-on-research suggest this is actually
                                                    not true. We have found that when companies trade in anonymity,
                                                    they gain better engagement, more textured insights, and increased
                                                    value overall.
                                                    First, transparency in research is just simply more engaging for
                                                    people. When companies are upfront in disclosing their identity,
                                                    when they invite people into the fold, and when they demonstrate
                                                    that they are truly listening, people respond in kind. The research
                                                    we have done on community member participation clearly shows
                                                    that branded communities outperform unbranded ones.2 And our
                                                    research on corporate listening shows that community members
                                                    value feeling that their voice is heard and that their contributions
                                                    are making a difference.3 Engagement is critical for quality; when
                                                    people are engaged they try harder, they do and share more, and
                                                    go to great lengths for companies when they know who they are
                                                    talking to.
                                                    Second, companies undermine the ROI of research when they fail
                                                    to be transparent. Participation is lower, researchers must concoct
                                                    and field “dummy” research to disguise their identity (which
                                                    waters down the learning agenda and wastes time), and members’
                                                    energy is often diverted into guessing games that are not valuable
                                                    for the client.
                                                    And last, many of our clients have conducted parallel studies
                                                    comparing results from communities with those generated from
                                                    blinded approaches (e.g., panel surveys, focus groups, etc.) We
                                                    have collected over 25 examples across a range of clients, and the
                                                    comparison results are consistent: findings from data collected
                                                    through a transparent, community approach are directionally
                                                    similar to those obtained by other methods.

oN ANoNymITy
We founD thAt In An unbRAnDeD coMMunIty We WeRe
contInuAlly chAllengeD WIth tAlkIng DIRectly to
ouR MeMbeRS WIthout ReVeAlIng ouR IDentIty, AnD
thuS beIng foRceD to fInD ‘cReAtIVe’ WAyS to ASk
QueStIonS AnD conDuct ‘Decoy’ ReSeARch. ouR
ReAl obJectIVe WAS to hAVe A DIRect DIAlogue
WIth ouR conSuMeRS AnD gAIn VAluAble InSIghtS
Into theIR neeDS AS ShoPPeRS. When We DID MoVe
foRWARD AnD unVeIl ouR IDentIty, becoMIng A
bRAnDeD coMMunIty, We founD MeMbeR engAgeMent
IncReASeD AnD conVeRSAtIonS becoMe Much MoRe       2. Katrina Lerman and Manila Austin, The Fifth ‘P’ of Marketing:
ReleVAnt AnD VAluAble to both PARtIeS.                Participation (Communispace whitepaper, 2007)
MICHELLE LASLO, SENIOR MANAgER,
CUSTOMER STRATEgY AND INSIgHTS, pEpSICO            3. Katrina Lerman and Manila Austin, What Companies Gain
                                                      from Listening (Communispace whitepaper, 2006)


                                                                  Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 12
21centurymarketresearch
relatioNship =
caNdor
It may seem counter-intuitive, but quality can be heightened
when researchers trade distance and objectivity for closeness and
relationship. A common fear market researchers share is the
possibility that the feedback from people participating in branded
research communities will be tainted, inflated or somehow not
trustworthy as a result of their ongoing involvement.
Our research shows that, if anything, members become more honest
and forthright as their tenure increases. Over time, members do come
to view company sponsors more positively, but this does not affect their
ability to provide valuable—and critical—feedback.
For example, we have developed a method for coding open-ended
responses for both “candor” and “richness” and have found that
members continue to provide critiques and textured detail in
their contributions, regardless of tenure.
We have also found that the relationship that develops between
company sponsors and community members can actually increase
clients’ confidence and trust in what they hear. Because communities are
transparent, composed of the “right people” for the business objective,
and because companies really know who they are hearing from, clients
feel more comfortable acting on the advice of the research community.




                                                                           oN CANDoR
                                                                           In A PASt Job At A MAJoR fooD coMPAny, We hAD
                                                                           MeMbeRS ReAct to A neW PRoDuct concePt eARly
                                                                           In DeVeloPMent. InteRnAlly, We ReAlly loVeD the
                                                                           concePt We WeRe fIelDIng, AnD hAD hIgh hoPeS
                                                                           foR It. MeMbeRS ReSPonDeD QuIckly to the concePt
                                                                           teSt—WIthIn 72 houRS—AnD they hAteD It, totAlly
                                                                           ReJectIng the IDeA. but It WASn’t JuSt A gut
                                                                           ReSPonSe. becAuSe they felt they kneW uS, WeRe
                                                                           InVeSteD In uS, AnD DIDn’t WAnt to See uS ScReW
                                                                           uP, they AlSo PRoVIDeD uS WIth AMPle, VeRy cleAR
                                                                           feeDbAck on Why. ouR loyAl uSeRS SAW A fAtAl flAW
                                                                           In the PRoDuct thAt We hAD MISSeD In ouR oWn
                                                                           excIteMent. bASeD on theIR ReSPonSeS, We PulleD
                                                                           the PRoDuct IDeA WIthIn thRee WeekS, SAVIng the
                                                                           coMPAny coStS on fuRtheR DeVeloPMent. In thIS
                                                                           cASe ouR coMMunIty helPeD uS fAIl fASteR, AnD
                                                                           AlloWeD uS to feel gooD About the DecISIon
                                                                           becAuSe We kneW We coulD tRuSt thAt
                                                                           cRItIcAl feeDbAck.
                                                                           ADRIAN C. BINg-ZAREMBA, CONSUMER INSIgHTS AND MARKET INTELLIgENCE,
                                                                           BOEHRINgER INgELHEIM CONSUMER HEALTH CARE pRODUCTS




                                                                                        Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 14
21centurymarketresearch
purpose =
productivity
Concern about professional respondents has been acute in recent                We also need to re-evaluate our fear of the dreaded practice
years, but it is time to realize that quality requires trading in the          effect—the idea that repeated participation in research necessarily
myth of the “fresh,” unpracticed consumer, and focus instead on creating       erodes quality. Recent research and our experience suggest just
purposeful relationships with people to help them do a better job of what      the opposite.
they are already doing anyway. The notion that there is a “random”             There is mounting evidence that practiced research participants—
population of people in the world that do not take surveys, answer             people who are motivated and engaged, and well-versed in how to
marketers’ questions, post and read reviews, or engage with brands on          best contribute—actually produce better results. A study released
a regular basis is wishful thinking in the 21st Century. Consumers today       by the ARF’s Online Research Quality Council actually found
are extremely marketing savvy; and if there are untapped consumers out         that increasing panel membership lowered “bad” survey taking
there, then they certainly aren’t representative of the general population.    behavior (such as straight-lining or speeding).4 “Professional”
                                                                               respondents, then, do not necessarily threaten—and may actually
                                                                               improve—quality.
                                                                               This sounds counter-intuitive, but we have also found that
                                                                               experience participating in research—especially when the purpose
                                                                               is transparent—produces better results. Members are motivated,
                                                                               proficient, and simply more productive.
                                                                               This is certainly the case with new product development
                                                                               communities, but it is also true for insight communities.
                                                                               Our participation research also shows no relationship between
                                                                               greater monetary incentives and increased participation.5
                                                                               Intrinsic motivation drives engagement. There is something
                                                                               inherently energizing about a shared purpose and goal-directed
                                                                               activity; when research participants know why they are being
                                                                               asked to make electronic collages, take videos of a family dinner,
                                                                               or brainstorm ideas, they are motivated to do a better job.




oN PRACTICE
I lIke PRobleM SolVIng, AnD thIS coMMunIty IS About
PRobleM SolVIng, In teRMS of IDentIfyIng WhAt PeoPle
neeD, WhAt they WAnt to See Done DIffeRently, AnD
hoW you cAn Meet theIR exPectAtIonS.

AfteR A feW MonthS, I gueSS the [IncentIVe] becAMe
tIReSoMe AnD the conVeRSAtIon kInD of ADDIctIVe.                              4. Robert Walker, Raymond Pettit and Joel Rubinson, Foundations
I lIke MAny of the toPIcS AnD heARIng guyS’ thoughtS                             of Quality Knowledge Brief (The Advertising Research
on theM, AS Well AS hAVIng the oPPoRtunIty to gIVe                               Foundation, 2009)
My oWn PeRSPectIVe.
MEMBERS OF TWO COMMUNISpACE COMMUNITIES
                                                                              5. Katrina Lerman and Manila Austin, The Fifth ‘P’ of Marketing:
                                                                                 Participation (Communispace whitepaper, 2007)


                                                                                             Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 16
21centurymarketresearch
collaboratioN =
creativity
Marketers must also consider trading sterility and one-to-one tactics for
dynamic collaboration based on many-to-many interactions. To reap
the benefits of collaborative creation, however, researchers need to get
comfortable with—and figure out how to leverage—the group dynamics
that naturally arise when people get together for any purpose. The
likelihood that research participants will influence one another
throughout the research process is an understandable concern;
because interaction is encouraged and happens transparently in online
communities, we worry that members are subject to “group think.”
But the days of isolated, pristine research are over. In this era of tweeting
and lifestreaming and rating and review sites and human billboards,
everyone is subject to influence from their peers. Rather than attempting
to isolate people or control their interaction (or worse, constraining the
naturalistic community setting by virtually hiding responses or forcing
anonymity), we need to ask ourselves how to observe influence behavior
and learn from it.
The alli® example demonstrates the creative potential in building on
group processes for breakthrough solutions.




                                                                                oN INFLuENCE
                                                                                When gSk conSuMeR heAlthcARe IntRoDuceD AllI, We
                                                                                DID So knoWIng thAt thIS WAS A PRoDuct thAt coulD
                                                                                elIcIt SoMe IntenSe eMotIonAl ReSPonSeS. ouR PRIVAte
                                                                                coMMunItIeS gAVe uS A chAnce to PoSe QueStIonS of
                                                                                uSeRS AnD non-uSeRS AlIke, but MoRe IMPoRtAntly, to
                                                                                See WhAt QueStIonS AllI non-uSeRS PoSeD of uSeRS,
                                                                                AnD of hoW PASSIonAte AllI conSuMeRS AnSWeReD
                                                                                theM, DeScRIbeD theIR oWn exPeRIenceS, AnD MADe
                                                                                theIR oWn RecoMMenDAtIonS. I’D lIke to thInk thAt We
                                                                                WeRe VISIonARy MARket ReSeARcheRS DoIng cuttIng-
                                                                                eDge WoRk, but honeStly, I thInk We WeRe JuSt beIng
                                                                                ReAlIStIc About the fAct thAt conSuMeRS hAVe
                                                                                unPReceDenteD oPPoRtunIty to Influence one
                                                                                AnotheR onlIne. So ouR goAl WASn’t to PRe-eMPt
                                                                                ‘gRouP thInk’ So Much AS to unDeRStAnD It, to See
                                                                                the PeeR-to-PeeR Influence PRoceSS In ActIon AnD
                                                                                leARn fRoM It.
                                                                                ANDREA HARKINS, MANAgER, INTEgRATED INSIgHTS,
                                                                                gLAxOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER HEALTHCARE




                                                                                              Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 18
21centurymarketresearch
lookiNg forward =
the future                                              The industry’s historical focus on producing irrefutable, nationally
                                                        representative data points is meaningful only if we limit the role of
                                                        market research to testing and confirmation. But if market research
                                                        is to win a permanent seat at the executive table, if it is to be integral
                                                        to brand strategy, then it has got to be about creation, not just
                                                        prediction. It is time to trade a backward-looking and confirmatory
                                                        stance for a forward-looking and generative approach.
                                                        It is no longer clear in today’s long-tailed, filtered, personalized
                                                        world that it is actually, scientifically possible to accurately predict
                                                        behavior. But what we can do is co-create with our consumers,
                                                        rapidly, ideally one step ahead of them, but at least with them.
                                                        Markets are becoming more diverse and will continue to change
                                                        rapidly. So generating insights and engaging in co-creation
                                                        upstream in the development process and doing it in an agile
                                                        way (with short time frames and a focus on niche markets as
                                                        they emerge)—these are the ways market researchers will keep
                                                        pace with customers and “go where they go.” And those market
                                                        researchers who can “do” upstream creation as well as prediction
                                                        will play strategic roles in driving business.




oN Co-CREATIoN
ScholAStIc book clubS Recently Won A foRReSteR
ReSeARch gRounDSWell AWARD foR ouR WoRk WIth
A cuStoMeR coMMunIty coMPRISeD of PARentS AnD
teAcheRS. ouR goAl WAS to ReDeSIgn the book club
flyeR In An effoRt to IMPRoVe the WAy PARentS, kIDS,
AnD teAcheRS fInD AnD buy the RIght book foR the
RIght chIlD. by zooMIng out AnD exPloRIng not JuSt
hoW teAcheRS eVAluAte bookS, but hoW PARentS
eVAluAte theIR kIDS’ ReADIneSS AnD InteReSt In
ReADIng, thIS gRouP helPeD uS effectIVely ReDeSIgn
ouR IconIc flyeR. thIS fRuItful co-cReAtIon coulDn’t
hAVe hAPPeneD If We hAD SIMPly SolIcIteD feeDbAck
on flyeR DeSIgnS fRoM one gRouP oR the otheR In
ISolAtIon. the tRAnSPARency AnD oPPoRtunIty
foR MutuAl Influence, Along WIth ActIVe, VISIble
fAcIlItAtIon IS WhAt MADe thIS PRoceSS So PRoDuctIVe.
jUDY NEWMAN, pRESIDENT OF SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUBS




                                                                       Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 20
tradiNg off
caN meaN
tradiNg up.
                                                                   the InDuStRy hAS MoVeD AWAy fRoM JuSt beIng
                                                                   Seen AS A QuASI-ScIentIfIc ActIVIty, PRoVIDIng
                                                                   hARD QuAntItAtIVe MeASuReMent thAt IS DetAcheD
                                                                   fRoM the cReAtIVe PRoceSS AnD the coMPlexItIeS
                                                                   of IntuItIVe DecISIon-MAkIng. toDAy, It IS Seen AS
                                                                   AlSo eMbRAcIng A Much MoRe PRAgMAtIc APPRoAch
                                                                   thAt ReQuIReS hIgh leVelS of cReAtIVIty AnD
                                                                   IMAgInAtIon In oRDeR to teASe out key InSIghtS.
                                                                   DVL SMITH, UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE, U.K.




It’S About unDeRStAnDIng the huMAn conDItIon. We’Re
too focuSeD on unDeRStAnDIng conSuMPtIon behAVIoR
AnD ShoPPIng behAVIoR. We neeD to unDeRStAnD the
huMAn conDItIon, WhIch you’ll only knoW by obSeRVIng,
lIStenIng, SyntheSIzIng AnD DeDucIng.
“(COCA-COLA’S) STAN STHANUNATHAN ON WHY QUALITY DOESN’T MATTER,”
RESEARCH., 22 OCTOBER 2009




                                                                                 Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 21
summary
  The kinds of results we have observed over the years are specific to communities as we do them
  at Communispace, where insights are generated in the context of continuous, longitudinal,
  intimate, purpose-driven groups, and where community members forge real relationships
  with one another and with our clients over time.
  But beyond our own experience, we generally believe that an online, iterative, consumer-centric
  approach mitigates some of the risks and challenges of conventional market research, can actually
  enhance quality, and uncovers relevant insights quickly in a way that is fun and authentic for real
  people. By leveraging emerging technologies that foster connection, researchers can avoid
  the pitfalls of barging into peoples’ lives and instead meet them where they are. As a result,
  research efforts are likely to yield more spontaneous and revealing insights. And as an added
  advantage, there are also efficiencies and cost-savings researchers can achieve by capturing a
  high volume of rich, open-ended data at a relatively low cost.

  21ST CeNTUry MeThod                               PoTeNTiAl gAiN
                                                      Engaged, motivated participants who
   human, transparent approaches
                                                      generate higher quality data

   Consumer-centric settings (leveraging online,      “Naturalistic” settings that feel safe, maximize
   mobile, and other technologies)                    comfort, and encourage intimacy

                                                      Collecting an unprecedentedly large number
   Large scale “qualitative”
                                                      of open-ended data at a relatively low cost

                                                      Research findings that are relevant, timely,
   Fast, targeted inquiries
                                                      and actionable

                                                      Deep knowledge of participants as real people,
   Building relationships that                        leading to greater insight and increased
   endure over time                                   confidence (you can trust that you really
                                                      know the people participating)



  By using humanistic, transparent approaches—in essence, by encouraging consumers to become
  engaged in the form as well as the substance of the research—we get really engaged, motivated
  participants. By involving customers as actors, not just as subjects; by bringing their voices into
  every organizational function, market researchers will enable consumer-led growth. They’ll
  ensure that their companies generate solutions that are relevant to customers—in design,
  function, packaging, and messaging—and in so doing, drive growth and innovation.




                                               Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 22

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Destaque

Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03Marcela Niels
 
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02Marcela Niels
 
Laptops in the Classroom
Laptops in the ClassroomLaptops in the Classroom
Laptops in the Classroomjnbalduc
 
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01Marcela Niels
 
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04Marcela Niels
 
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07Marcela Niels
 
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06Marcela Niels
 
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05Marcela Niels
 

Destaque (8)

Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 03
 
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 02
 
Laptops in the Classroom
Laptops in the ClassroomLaptops in the Classroom
Laptops in the Classroom
 
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 01
 
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 04
 
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07
Fittato Inverno - PARTE 07
 
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 06
 
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05
Fittato Inverno 2012 - PARTE 05
 

Semelhante a 21centurymarketresearch

21st century market research.pdf
21st century market research.pdf21st century market research.pdf
21st century market research.pdfAnjanette Delgado
 
A manifesto for qualitative research
A manifesto for qualitative researchA manifesto for qualitative research
A manifesto for qualitative researchTNS
 
21st century market research
21st century market research21st century market research
21st century market researchWael Zekri
 
AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014
AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014
AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014Adam Malofsky, PhD
 
Bringing ideas to life
Bringing ideas to lifeBringing ideas to life
Bringing ideas to lifeSeymourpowell
 
Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109
Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109
Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109WOMMA UK
 
User Centered Design
User Centered DesignUser Centered Design
User Centered DesignPaolo Tonon
 
blueocean market intelligence corporate brochure
blueocean market intelligence corporate brochureblueocean market intelligence corporate brochure
blueocean market intelligence corporate brochureCourse5i
 
Embracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boom
Embracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boomEmbracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boom
Embracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boomJason Dunstone
 
Democratizing the future (Philips Design)
Democratizing the future (Philips Design)Democratizing the future (Philips Design)
Democratizing the future (Philips Design)Luann Liu
 
Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...
Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...
Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...John Griffiths
 
Come Dine With Me, Australia
Come Dine With Me, AustraliaCome Dine With Me, Australia
Come Dine With Me, AustraliaTom De Ruyck
 
Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...
Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...
Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...Courtney Huntzinger
 
The design of business roger martin
The design of business roger martinThe design of business roger martin
The design of business roger martinEdorta Agirre
 
Focus Beyond The Lab
Focus Beyond The LabFocus Beyond The Lab
Focus Beyond The LabHayGroupSpain
 
Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28
Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28
Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28Innovation Excellence
 
ILO - Learning Link 2013 - Turin
ILO - Learning Link 2013  - Turin ILO - Learning Link 2013  - Turin
ILO - Learning Link 2013 - Turin Flavio Fabiani
 
Crowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und Übersicht
Crowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und ÜbersichtCrowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und Übersicht
Crowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und ÜbersichtYannig Roth
 

Semelhante a 21centurymarketresearch (20)

21st century market research.pdf
21st century market research.pdf21st century market research.pdf
21st century market research.pdf
 
A manifesto for qualitative research
A manifesto for qualitative researchA manifesto for qualitative research
A manifesto for qualitative research
 
21st century market research
21st century market research21st century market research
21st century market research
 
AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014
AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014
AdaptiveInnovationMalofskyLevinV3WP2014
 
Bringing ideas to life
Bringing ideas to lifeBringing ideas to life
Bringing ideas to life
 
Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109
Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109
Face Research 3.0 WOMUK 251109
 
User Centered Design
User Centered DesignUser Centered Design
User Centered Design
 
blueocean market intelligence corporate brochure
blueocean market intelligence corporate brochureblueocean market intelligence corporate brochure
blueocean market intelligence corporate brochure
 
Embracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boom
Embracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boomEmbracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boom
Embracing design thinking to unlock the ideas boom
 
Democratizing the future (Philips Design)
Democratizing the future (Philips Design)Democratizing the future (Philips Design)
Democratizing the future (Philips Design)
 
Research 3.0
Research 3.0Research 3.0
Research 3.0
 
Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...
Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...
Through the looking glass - using client organisations to amplify research le...
 
Come dine with me, Australia
Come dine with me, AustraliaCome dine with me, Australia
Come dine with me, Australia
 
Come Dine With Me, Australia
Come Dine With Me, AustraliaCome Dine With Me, Australia
Come Dine With Me, Australia
 
Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...
Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...
Expanding Education to Catapult the Successful Application of Creativity in E...
 
The design of business roger martin
The design of business roger martinThe design of business roger martin
The design of business roger martin
 
Focus Beyond The Lab
Focus Beyond The LabFocus Beyond The Lab
Focus Beyond The Lab
 
Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28
Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28
Innovation Excellence Weekly - Issue 28
 
ILO - Learning Link 2013 - Turin
ILO - Learning Link 2013  - Turin ILO - Learning Link 2013  - Turin
ILO - Learning Link 2013 - Turin
 
Crowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und Übersicht
Crowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und ÜbersichtCrowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und Übersicht
Crowdsourcing In Der Konsumgüterbranche - Entwicklung Und Übersicht
 

Último

Fabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and Festivals
Fabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and FestivalsFabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and Festivals
Fabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and FestivalsWristbands Ireland
 
Introduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptx
Introduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptxIntroduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptx
Introduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptxJemalSeid25
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access
 
Intellectual Property Licensing Examples
Intellectual Property Licensing ExamplesIntellectual Property Licensing Examples
Intellectual Property Licensing Examplesamberjiles31
 
Plano de marketing- inglês em formato ppt
Plano de marketing- inglês  em formato pptPlano de marketing- inglês  em formato ppt
Plano de marketing- inglês em formato pptElizangelaSoaresdaCo
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access
 
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISINGUNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISINGlokeshwarmaha
 
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...TalentView
 
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John MeulemansBCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John MeulemansBBPMedia1
 
PDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdf
PDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdfPDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdf
PDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdfHajeJanKamps
 
Cracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptx
Cracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptxCracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptx
Cracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptxWorkforce Group
 
Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)
Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)
Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)Lviv Startup Club
 
PDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdf
PDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdfPDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdf
PDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdfHajeJanKamps
 
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..dlewis191
 
Live-Streaming in the Music Industry Webinar
Live-Streaming in the Music Industry WebinarLive-Streaming in the Music Industry Webinar
Live-Streaming in the Music Industry WebinarNathanielSchmuck
 
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZMihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZKanakChauhan5
 
Anyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agency
Anyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agencyAnyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agency
Anyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agencyHanna Klim
 
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story pointsData skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story pointsyasinnathani
 
Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...
Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...
Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...IMARC Group
 

Último (20)

Fabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and Festivals
Fabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and FestivalsFabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and Festivals
Fabric RFID Wristbands in Ireland for Events and Festivals
 
Introduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptx
Introduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptxIntroduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptx
Introduction to The overview of GAAP LO 1-5.pptx
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
 
Intellectual Property Licensing Examples
Intellectual Property Licensing ExamplesIntellectual Property Licensing Examples
Intellectual Property Licensing Examples
 
Plano de marketing- inglês em formato ppt
Plano de marketing- inglês  em formato pptPlano de marketing- inglês  em formato ppt
Plano de marketing- inglês em formato ppt
 
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
Borderless Access - Global B2B Panel book-unlock 2024
 
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISINGUNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING
 
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
TalentView Webinar: Empowering the Modern Workforce_ Redefininig Success from...
 
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John MeulemansBCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
BCE24 | Virtual Brand Ambassadors: Making Brands Personal - John Meulemans
 
PDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdf
PDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdfPDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdf
PDT 88 - 4 million seed - Seed - Protecto.pdf
 
Cracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptx
Cracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptxCracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptx
Cracking the ‘Business Process Outsourcing’ Code Main.pptx
 
Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)
Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)
Michael Vidyakin: Introduction to PMO (UA)
 
PDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdf
PDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdfPDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdf
PDT 89 - $1.4M - Seed - Plantee Innovations.pdf
 
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
Team B Mind Map for Organizational Chg..
 
Live-Streaming in the Music Industry Webinar
Live-Streaming in the Music Industry WebinarLive-Streaming in the Music Industry Webinar
Live-Streaming in the Music Industry Webinar
 
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZMihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
Mihir Menda - Member of Supervisory Board at RMZ
 
Anyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agency
Anyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agencyAnyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agency
Anyhr.io | Presentation HR&Recruiting agency
 
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story pointsData skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
Data skills for Agile Teams- Killing story points
 
WAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdf
WAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdfWAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdf
WAM Corporate Presentation Mar 25 2024.pdf
 
Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...
Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...
Boat Trailers Market PPT: Growth, Outlook, Demand, Keyplayer Analysis and Opp...
 

21centurymarketresearch

  • 1. :
  • 2. written by Manila Austin, Ph.D., Director of Research Julie Wittes Schlack, Senior Vice President, Innovation & Design
  • 3. executive summary Advances in social media, the empowerment of everyday consumers, The choice facing the industry need not be to invest blind faith in and the need for more actionable insights fuel a mandate for market old, authoritarian research techniques or in uppity, untested new research to do more, faster. These developments create great ones. This paper sets out to collaboratively build a foundation opportunity for researchers to exercise strategic leadership, to for a 21st Century understanding of market research—what it can inspire and innovate by bringing the voice of the customer to life, accomplish and how. We seek to pose some provocative questions, to apply new insights to complex business problems, and to offer some initial thinking, and engage the industry as a whole produce creative, timely and actionable recommendations to in an ongoing conversation about how to embrace the blurred drive business results. boundaries between marketing and market research, and activate But the use of social media-driven research also fuels the quality the ability to quickly garner and act on customer insight. debate that’s been raging for years, creating worries about declining A New Model for A New Age response rates, questionable respondents, sample size, and projectability. Market researchers need to consider and address The emergence of social media challenges us to recognize and these legitimate concerns, while also recognizing the ways in which figure out how to intelligently embrace a new way of doing research— online, social, community-based research can actually strengthen one that is sure to generate insight, to both inspire and inform, validity and enhance quality. and to provide strategic value. We see an integrative paradigm emerging—a 21st Century model—in which research is: To take that leap, it’s helpful to think in terms of tradeoffs, to understand what researchers are risking—and gaining—by • Conducted in real time, so that it’s relevant and actionable shifting their focus and methods. • Participatory and engaging, which means adopting humanistic and consumer-centric methods TrAde BeCAUSe • Textured and nuanced, with the potential of getting Purity for Pragmatism Pragmatic = Actionable rich detail on a really large scale • Continually evolving to meet new marketplace General for Specific Specific = Relevant demands from consumers, clients, and competition • More dynamic, where we will rethink and re-invent to Artificial for Natural Natural = Authentic drive innovation on an ongoing basis Anonymity for Transparency Transparency = Engagement Taken together, these criteria feel pretty different from the somewhat dry language many of us grew up with. The online era Distance for Relationship Relationship = Candor challenges many of our assumptions about data quality—validity, projectability, bias—and it represents a significant change in how Randomness for Purpose Purpose = Productivity we think and go about our work. As an industry—and to varying degrees as individuals—we are being nudged, or shoved, out of Control for Collaboration Collaboration = Creativity our comfort zone. Looking Backward Looking Forward = The Future for Looking Forward Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 3
  • 4. the New roads to Quality reQuire challeNgiNg old assumptioNs aNd makiNg iNformed trade-offs. QuAlIty IS An uRgent ISSue but theRe’S A MoRe IMPoRtAnt ISSue to Do WIth WhAt neeDS to be Done goIng foRWARD, becAuSe the InDuStRy ISn’t keePIng PAce WIth the chAnge goIng on ARounD uS. PeoPle ARe too focuSeD on QuAlIty, PeoPle ARe too focuSeD on PRobAbIlIty AnD non-PRobAbIlIty SAMPleS, PeoPle ARe too focuSeD on ReSPonDent engAgeMent—thIS IS All About MAkIng MInoR chAngeS to WhAt We ARe DoIng RIght noW. thoSe ARe All neceSSARy, but they’Re not SuffIcIent conDItIonS foR the SucceSS of the functIon. “(COCA-COLA’S) STAN STHANUNATHAN ON WHY QUALITY DOESN’T MATTER,” RESEARCH., 22 OCTOBER 2009 Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 4
  • 6. pragmatic = actioNable It is time to decouple the notion of “quality” from purity. Today, it is Top-down, researcher-centric approaches are best for generating more important for research to be actionable than irrefutable. This feedback, for confirming what is already known or suspected. By means shifting our focus—aiming not for the perfect, bias-free study, design, they do not expand a problem space nor do they generate but for an approach that pragmatically applies a range of methods to knowledge outside of the researcher’s frame of reference. They also generate and test hypotheses. Integrating elements of both humanistic run the risk of alienating the very people—everyday consumers—to and experimental approaches allows us to produce timely, “good whom companies desperately need to listen. Are there circumstances enough” research targeted to specific business needs. Rather than under which you want and need to hear from the population of itemizing the statistical significance of individual data points, we less-engaged, more neutral customers? Of course, but they are need to focus on synthesizing findings that are relevant, insightful, not and should not be the only game in town. and actionable. We believe that there clearly is a place for both kinds of knowledge— exploratory and confirmatory. But while researcher-centric approaches are necessary for some purposes, numbers don’t tell INTEGRATING CoNSumER- & RESEARChER-CENTRIC APPRoAChES the whole story, or even close to it. By grounding knowledge generation in the humanistic tradition, we ensure that we are focusing on the consumers’ world view and framework, not just CoNSumER- RESEARChER- the brands’. And combining elements of both traditions in an CENTRIC DESIGN CENTRIC DESIGN iterative, agile, and pragmatic way allows researchers to move Discovery feedback between exploring and testing, generating and confirming exploring focusing hypothesis generation hypothesis testing to produce the most actionable information in support of specific business needs. Delivers: Delivers: Insight and Meaning confirmation and numbers We have learned that a longitudinal, iterative approach—one that combines humanistic, person-centered approaches with more traditional, experimentally derived ones—is most effective. Humanistic methods (such as ethnographic-type activities that treat participants as active co-investigators, as opposed to simply passive survey respondents) are consumer-centric, reflecting how real people want to engage with researchers. They are discovery-oriented and exploratory, most suitable for uncovering connections, insights, and nuances that lead to innovation and competitive advantage. And iterative, as opposed to episodic research, supports researchers and participants in an ongoing discovery process that allows everyone to ask new questions as they uncover and reflect upon what they learn. My cAll to ActIon IS thAt We WoulD fIguRe out the WAy to RetuRn to the conSuMeR’S bAckyARD…We hAVe to RebuIlD thAt tRuSt AnD We hAVe to gAIn Much betteR InSIghtS thAn We ARe toDAy…We neeD to lISten to theM on theIR tIMe, theIR tuRf, AnD In the WAyS they WAnt to coMMunIcAte to uS, not In WAyS thAt We chooSe to coMMunIcAte WIth theM. AnD We neeD to Re-eStAblISh the tRuSt AnD the confIDence thAt they DeSeRVe to hAVe In uS… KIM DEDEKER, ARF LEADERSHIp FORUM 2008 Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 6
  • 8. specific = relevaNt Market researchers have been concerned with the quality of online data collection since the dawn of the Internet, largely due to fears that online consumers fail to accurately represent the general population. These concerns, however, are becoming increasingly irrelevant for two main reasons. First, more people are accessing the Internet, making distinctions between online and offline groups less meaningful. Second, if relevancy of insight is an important quality factor (which we believe it is), then researchers have more to gain by listening to the “right” group of people than they do by trying to generalize findings to a generic population. There is plenty of evidence showing that, except for a few discrete segments, the Internet population in the U.S. is quickly becoming the general population. Many European countries’ Internet penetration is higher than what we have in the U.S., and projections for developing markets (with the advent of smartphones) indicate that soon, two billion people will be online.1 Online versus offline is quickly becoming a non-issue. More importantly, quality research must produce relevant findings; and we have learned that listening to targeted, specific groups of customers is the surest road to relevancy. If you want to deepen customer loyalty, who better to engage than members of your brand’s loyalty program? If your goal is to broaden your brand’s appeal, then hearing from fans of your competitors’ brands may be the most useful approach. Researchers can be more confident in taking action when they trust they have the right people assembled to address their specific objectives. We advise our clients that whether or not they generalize from communities depends on the community composition and on the particular question they’re trying to answer. Many questions—like the ones featured in the United Airlines example shown here—can be explored and findings effectively generalized when the community is specific and the target market is defined enough. oN REPRESENTATIVE SAmPLES We RecRuIteD A coMMunIty of ouR MoSt VAluAble cuStoMeRS—A RelAtIVely SMAll PoPulAtIon— fRoM ouR cuStoMeR lISt. becAuSe the coMMunIty AccuRAtely ReflectS My PoPulAtIon of InteReSt, AnD becAuSe the PuRPoSe of the coMMunIty IS to unDeRStAnD ouR MoSt loyAl cuStoMeRS, I belIeVe the ReSultS of My coMMunIty’S ReSeARch ARe ReflectIVe of the lARgeR tARget PoPulAtIon. So eVen though It’S not A tRADItIonAl PAnel, I’M coMfoRtAble uSIng the coMMunIty MoRe QuAntItAtIVely. DAN COMENDULEY, pROjECT MANAgER, CUSTOMER METRICS & INSIgHTS, UNITED AIRLINES 1. www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 8
  • 10. Natural = autheNtic Perhaps one of the most overlooked ways to enhance quality is Trading artificial approaches for more naturalistic (private, online, leveraging the power of a naturalistic research setting. Natural at-home) research settings can strengthen validity and data quality, settings promote authentic participation because the researcher especially when researchers are asking people to reveal intimate engages people on their own terms, refraining from barging into aspects of their lives. people’s lives or extracting them from their homes to answer We have found that the freedom and relative safety of private questions they had no say in generating. One benefit of online online communities allow for the iterative exploration of the research—and private communities in particular—is that it allows most intimate content. We have seen that in naturalistic settings, people to participate on their own time, on their own terms, and regular people openly share detailed information about their from their own homes or smartphones. They are able to use social financial situations, experiences with serious illnesses, stresses technologies to bring their own lives to the researcher. and hopes, relationship worries, and even embarrassing quirks and habits. Another benefit of naturalistic settings is that they not only provide more authentic contexts for engagement and discovery, but they strengthen researchers’ ability to generalize findings. Participating in focus groups and anonymous surveys requires people to step out of their daily lives; thus findings generated from these approaches do not always translate to real-life situations. And with so much public distrust in how companies use electronic information (e.g., identity theft, subversive marketing, etc.), people are less likely to be truly open and forthcoming if they don’t know or cannot trust the researcher. But a willingness on the part of researchers to model the kind of self-disclosure that we hope to elicit from our participants, coupled with the kind of ongoing connection enabled by social media, make it possible to build a trusting relationship between researcher and “subjects” over time. oN INTImACy We foRMeD A coMMunIty of neWly DIAgnoSeD cAnceR PAtIentS AnD PRIMARy cARegIVeRS Who PARtIcIPAteD no MAtteR WheRe they lIVeD, WhAteVeR houR of the DAy AnD RegARDleSS of theIR conDItIon. In contRASt to tyPIcAl MARket ReSeARch, the RIcheSt ‘AhA’S’ cAMe When the PAtIentS AnD cARegIVeRS InItIAteD theIR oWn DIScuSSIonS, AnD We hAD the oPPoRtunIty to ReAlly JuSt lISten—obSeRVIng hoW the MeMbeRS SuPPoRteD eAch otheR AnD leARnIng fRoM the StoRIeS they ShAReD. We WeRe A fly on the WAll In the tReAtMent RooM, WhIch foR heAlthcARe MARketeRS IS VeRy unuSuAl. ALANA BRODY, FORMER SVp STRATEgIC DEVELOpMENT, NATIONAL COMpREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK (NCCN) Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 10
  • 12. traNspareNcy = eNgagemeNt One way to get quality information is to trade anonymity for a transparent, open approach. Researchers are often concerned that findings will not be valid if participants speak freely with one another, know who the sponsoring company is, or are active co-participants in the research process. Our experience and our five-year program of research-on-research suggest this is actually not true. We have found that when companies trade in anonymity, they gain better engagement, more textured insights, and increased value overall. First, transparency in research is just simply more engaging for people. When companies are upfront in disclosing their identity, when they invite people into the fold, and when they demonstrate that they are truly listening, people respond in kind. The research we have done on community member participation clearly shows that branded communities outperform unbranded ones.2 And our research on corporate listening shows that community members value feeling that their voice is heard and that their contributions are making a difference.3 Engagement is critical for quality; when people are engaged they try harder, they do and share more, and go to great lengths for companies when they know who they are talking to. Second, companies undermine the ROI of research when they fail to be transparent. Participation is lower, researchers must concoct and field “dummy” research to disguise their identity (which waters down the learning agenda and wastes time), and members’ energy is often diverted into guessing games that are not valuable for the client. And last, many of our clients have conducted parallel studies comparing results from communities with those generated from blinded approaches (e.g., panel surveys, focus groups, etc.) We have collected over 25 examples across a range of clients, and the comparison results are consistent: findings from data collected through a transparent, community approach are directionally similar to those obtained by other methods. oN ANoNymITy We founD thAt In An unbRAnDeD coMMunIty We WeRe contInuAlly chAllengeD WIth tAlkIng DIRectly to ouR MeMbeRS WIthout ReVeAlIng ouR IDentIty, AnD thuS beIng foRceD to fInD ‘cReAtIVe’ WAyS to ASk QueStIonS AnD conDuct ‘Decoy’ ReSeARch. ouR ReAl obJectIVe WAS to hAVe A DIRect DIAlogue WIth ouR conSuMeRS AnD gAIn VAluAble InSIghtS Into theIR neeDS AS ShoPPeRS. When We DID MoVe foRWARD AnD unVeIl ouR IDentIty, becoMIng A bRAnDeD coMMunIty, We founD MeMbeR engAgeMent IncReASeD AnD conVeRSAtIonS becoMe Much MoRe 2. Katrina Lerman and Manila Austin, The Fifth ‘P’ of Marketing: ReleVAnt AnD VAluAble to both PARtIeS. Participation (Communispace whitepaper, 2007) MICHELLE LASLO, SENIOR MANAgER, CUSTOMER STRATEgY AND INSIgHTS, pEpSICO 3. Katrina Lerman and Manila Austin, What Companies Gain from Listening (Communispace whitepaper, 2006) Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 12
  • 14. relatioNship = caNdor It may seem counter-intuitive, but quality can be heightened when researchers trade distance and objectivity for closeness and relationship. A common fear market researchers share is the possibility that the feedback from people participating in branded research communities will be tainted, inflated or somehow not trustworthy as a result of their ongoing involvement. Our research shows that, if anything, members become more honest and forthright as their tenure increases. Over time, members do come to view company sponsors more positively, but this does not affect their ability to provide valuable—and critical—feedback. For example, we have developed a method for coding open-ended responses for both “candor” and “richness” and have found that members continue to provide critiques and textured detail in their contributions, regardless of tenure. We have also found that the relationship that develops between company sponsors and community members can actually increase clients’ confidence and trust in what they hear. Because communities are transparent, composed of the “right people” for the business objective, and because companies really know who they are hearing from, clients feel more comfortable acting on the advice of the research community. oN CANDoR In A PASt Job At A MAJoR fooD coMPAny, We hAD MeMbeRS ReAct to A neW PRoDuct concePt eARly In DeVeloPMent. InteRnAlly, We ReAlly loVeD the concePt We WeRe fIelDIng, AnD hAD hIgh hoPeS foR It. MeMbeRS ReSPonDeD QuIckly to the concePt teSt—WIthIn 72 houRS—AnD they hAteD It, totAlly ReJectIng the IDeA. but It WASn’t JuSt A gut ReSPonSe. becAuSe they felt they kneW uS, WeRe InVeSteD In uS, AnD DIDn’t WAnt to See uS ScReW uP, they AlSo PRoVIDeD uS WIth AMPle, VeRy cleAR feeDbAck on Why. ouR loyAl uSeRS SAW A fAtAl flAW In the PRoDuct thAt We hAD MISSeD In ouR oWn excIteMent. bASeD on theIR ReSPonSeS, We PulleD the PRoDuct IDeA WIthIn thRee WeekS, SAVIng the coMPAny coStS on fuRtheR DeVeloPMent. In thIS cASe ouR coMMunIty helPeD uS fAIl fASteR, AnD AlloWeD uS to feel gooD About the DecISIon becAuSe We kneW We coulD tRuSt thAt cRItIcAl feeDbAck. ADRIAN C. BINg-ZAREMBA, CONSUMER INSIgHTS AND MARKET INTELLIgENCE, BOEHRINgER INgELHEIM CONSUMER HEALTH CARE pRODUCTS Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 14
  • 16. purpose = productivity Concern about professional respondents has been acute in recent We also need to re-evaluate our fear of the dreaded practice years, but it is time to realize that quality requires trading in the effect—the idea that repeated participation in research necessarily myth of the “fresh,” unpracticed consumer, and focus instead on creating erodes quality. Recent research and our experience suggest just purposeful relationships with people to help them do a better job of what the opposite. they are already doing anyway. The notion that there is a “random” There is mounting evidence that practiced research participants— population of people in the world that do not take surveys, answer people who are motivated and engaged, and well-versed in how to marketers’ questions, post and read reviews, or engage with brands on best contribute—actually produce better results. A study released a regular basis is wishful thinking in the 21st Century. Consumers today by the ARF’s Online Research Quality Council actually found are extremely marketing savvy; and if there are untapped consumers out that increasing panel membership lowered “bad” survey taking there, then they certainly aren’t representative of the general population. behavior (such as straight-lining or speeding).4 “Professional” respondents, then, do not necessarily threaten—and may actually improve—quality. This sounds counter-intuitive, but we have also found that experience participating in research—especially when the purpose is transparent—produces better results. Members are motivated, proficient, and simply more productive. This is certainly the case with new product development communities, but it is also true for insight communities. Our participation research also shows no relationship between greater monetary incentives and increased participation.5 Intrinsic motivation drives engagement. There is something inherently energizing about a shared purpose and goal-directed activity; when research participants know why they are being asked to make electronic collages, take videos of a family dinner, or brainstorm ideas, they are motivated to do a better job. oN PRACTICE I lIke PRobleM SolVIng, AnD thIS coMMunIty IS About PRobleM SolVIng, In teRMS of IDentIfyIng WhAt PeoPle neeD, WhAt they WAnt to See Done DIffeRently, AnD hoW you cAn Meet theIR exPectAtIonS. AfteR A feW MonthS, I gueSS the [IncentIVe] becAMe tIReSoMe AnD the conVeRSAtIon kInD of ADDIctIVe. 4. Robert Walker, Raymond Pettit and Joel Rubinson, Foundations I lIke MAny of the toPIcS AnD heARIng guyS’ thoughtS of Quality Knowledge Brief (The Advertising Research on theM, AS Well AS hAVIng the oPPoRtunIty to gIVe Foundation, 2009) My oWn PeRSPectIVe. MEMBERS OF TWO COMMUNISpACE COMMUNITIES 5. Katrina Lerman and Manila Austin, The Fifth ‘P’ of Marketing: Participation (Communispace whitepaper, 2007) Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 16
  • 18. collaboratioN = creativity Marketers must also consider trading sterility and one-to-one tactics for dynamic collaboration based on many-to-many interactions. To reap the benefits of collaborative creation, however, researchers need to get comfortable with—and figure out how to leverage—the group dynamics that naturally arise when people get together for any purpose. The likelihood that research participants will influence one another throughout the research process is an understandable concern; because interaction is encouraged and happens transparently in online communities, we worry that members are subject to “group think.” But the days of isolated, pristine research are over. In this era of tweeting and lifestreaming and rating and review sites and human billboards, everyone is subject to influence from their peers. Rather than attempting to isolate people or control their interaction (or worse, constraining the naturalistic community setting by virtually hiding responses or forcing anonymity), we need to ask ourselves how to observe influence behavior and learn from it. The alli® example demonstrates the creative potential in building on group processes for breakthrough solutions. oN INFLuENCE When gSk conSuMeR heAlthcARe IntRoDuceD AllI, We DID So knoWIng thAt thIS WAS A PRoDuct thAt coulD elIcIt SoMe IntenSe eMotIonAl ReSPonSeS. ouR PRIVAte coMMunItIeS gAVe uS A chAnce to PoSe QueStIonS of uSeRS AnD non-uSeRS AlIke, but MoRe IMPoRtAntly, to See WhAt QueStIonS AllI non-uSeRS PoSeD of uSeRS, AnD of hoW PASSIonAte AllI conSuMeRS AnSWeReD theM, DeScRIbeD theIR oWn exPeRIenceS, AnD MADe theIR oWn RecoMMenDAtIonS. I’D lIke to thInk thAt We WeRe VISIonARy MARket ReSeARcheRS DoIng cuttIng- eDge WoRk, but honeStly, I thInk We WeRe JuSt beIng ReAlIStIc About the fAct thAt conSuMeRS hAVe unPReceDenteD oPPoRtunIty to Influence one AnotheR onlIne. So ouR goAl WASn’t to PRe-eMPt ‘gRouP thInk’ So Much AS to unDeRStAnD It, to See the PeeR-to-PeeR Influence PRoceSS In ActIon AnD leARn fRoM It. ANDREA HARKINS, MANAgER, INTEgRATED INSIgHTS, gLAxOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER HEALTHCARE Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 18
  • 20. lookiNg forward = the future The industry’s historical focus on producing irrefutable, nationally representative data points is meaningful only if we limit the role of market research to testing and confirmation. But if market research is to win a permanent seat at the executive table, if it is to be integral to brand strategy, then it has got to be about creation, not just prediction. It is time to trade a backward-looking and confirmatory stance for a forward-looking and generative approach. It is no longer clear in today’s long-tailed, filtered, personalized world that it is actually, scientifically possible to accurately predict behavior. But what we can do is co-create with our consumers, rapidly, ideally one step ahead of them, but at least with them. Markets are becoming more diverse and will continue to change rapidly. So generating insights and engaging in co-creation upstream in the development process and doing it in an agile way (with short time frames and a focus on niche markets as they emerge)—these are the ways market researchers will keep pace with customers and “go where they go.” And those market researchers who can “do” upstream creation as well as prediction will play strategic roles in driving business. oN Co-CREATIoN ScholAStIc book clubS Recently Won A foRReSteR ReSeARch gRounDSWell AWARD foR ouR WoRk WIth A cuStoMeR coMMunIty coMPRISeD of PARentS AnD teAcheRS. ouR goAl WAS to ReDeSIgn the book club flyeR In An effoRt to IMPRoVe the WAy PARentS, kIDS, AnD teAcheRS fInD AnD buy the RIght book foR the RIght chIlD. by zooMIng out AnD exPloRIng not JuSt hoW teAcheRS eVAluAte bookS, but hoW PARentS eVAluAte theIR kIDS’ ReADIneSS AnD InteReSt In ReADIng, thIS gRouP helPeD uS effectIVely ReDeSIgn ouR IconIc flyeR. thIS fRuItful co-cReAtIon coulDn’t hAVe hAPPeneD If We hAD SIMPly SolIcIteD feeDbAck on flyeR DeSIgnS fRoM one gRouP oR the otheR In ISolAtIon. the tRAnSPARency AnD oPPoRtunIty foR MutuAl Influence, Along WIth ActIVe, VISIble fAcIlItAtIon IS WhAt MADe thIS PRoceSS So PRoDuctIVe. jUDY NEWMAN, pRESIDENT OF SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUBS Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 20
  • 21. tradiNg off caN meaN tradiNg up. the InDuStRy hAS MoVeD AWAy fRoM JuSt beIng Seen AS A QuASI-ScIentIfIc ActIVIty, PRoVIDIng hARD QuAntItAtIVe MeASuReMent thAt IS DetAcheD fRoM the cReAtIVe PRoceSS AnD the coMPlexItIeS of IntuItIVe DecISIon-MAkIng. toDAy, It IS Seen AS AlSo eMbRAcIng A Much MoRe PRAgMAtIc APPRoAch thAt ReQuIReS hIgh leVelS of cReAtIVIty AnD IMAgInAtIon In oRDeR to teASe out key InSIghtS. DVL SMITH, UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE, U.K. It’S About unDeRStAnDIng the huMAn conDItIon. We’Re too focuSeD on unDeRStAnDIng conSuMPtIon behAVIoR AnD ShoPPIng behAVIoR. We neeD to unDeRStAnD the huMAn conDItIon, WhIch you’ll only knoW by obSeRVIng, lIStenIng, SyntheSIzIng AnD DeDucIng. “(COCA-COLA’S) STAN STHANUNATHAN ON WHY QUALITY DOESN’T MATTER,” RESEARCH., 22 OCTOBER 2009 Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 21
  • 22. summary The kinds of results we have observed over the years are specific to communities as we do them at Communispace, where insights are generated in the context of continuous, longitudinal, intimate, purpose-driven groups, and where community members forge real relationships with one another and with our clients over time. But beyond our own experience, we generally believe that an online, iterative, consumer-centric approach mitigates some of the risks and challenges of conventional market research, can actually enhance quality, and uncovers relevant insights quickly in a way that is fun and authentic for real people. By leveraging emerging technologies that foster connection, researchers can avoid the pitfalls of barging into peoples’ lives and instead meet them where they are. As a result, research efforts are likely to yield more spontaneous and revealing insights. And as an added advantage, there are also efficiencies and cost-savings researchers can achieve by capturing a high volume of rich, open-ended data at a relatively low cost. 21ST CeNTUry MeThod PoTeNTiAl gAiN Engaged, motivated participants who human, transparent approaches generate higher quality data Consumer-centric settings (leveraging online, “Naturalistic” settings that feel safe, maximize mobile, and other technologies) comfort, and encourage intimacy Collecting an unprecedentedly large number Large scale “qualitative” of open-ended data at a relatively low cost Research findings that are relevant, timely, Fast, targeted inquiries and actionable Deep knowledge of participants as real people, Building relationships that leading to greater insight and increased endure over time confidence (you can trust that you really know the people participating) By using humanistic, transparent approaches—in essence, by encouraging consumers to become engaged in the form as well as the substance of the research—we get really engaged, motivated participants. By involving customers as actors, not just as subjects; by bringing their voices into every organizational function, market researchers will enable consumer-led growth. They’ll ensure that their companies generate solutions that are relevant to customers—in design, function, packaging, and messaging—and in so doing, drive growth and innovation. Leaving Our Comfort Zone: 21st Century Market Research | 22