Consumer research (CR) is a premium product offering which often represents an unaffordable luxury for small companies. At first glance, the notion that CR is expensive may sound ridiculous; but taking into account that by far the greatest consumers of CR are large companies, it is perhaps unsurprising then that CR focuses largely on the needs, interests, and intentions of large companies. Small businesses, entrepreneurs, and start-ups are generally not able to afford CR agencies. This is unfortunate, given that the process of understanding consumer behaviour in relation to a given product or service is fundamental to the success of small companies which in turn are vital for reducing inequality and strengthening economic prosperity, innovation, and competitiveness. We identify three key issues that need to be addressed in order to be able to offer a mass-consumer online research service.
The problem: Is there a fast and easy way to segment consumers in most contexts and across categories? Solution: Develop a new market segmentation model that helps predict personality dimensions, decision patterns, emotions, and attitudes towards brands and products based on what consumers wear. We developed the Dress Map Model that categorise consumers in terms of five profiles: Pristine, safe, trendy, belligerent, and relaxed. The Dress Map Model is a good complement to existing segmentation methodologies and can be implemented in interviews, observations, questionnaires, and self-reports. We discuss the potential of the model for both industry and government.
Consumer research (CR) is a premium product offering which often represents an unaffordable luxury for small companies. At first glance, the notion that CR is expensive may sound ridiculous; but taking into account that by far the greatest consumers of CR are large companies, it is perhaps unsurprising then that CR focuses largely on the needs, interests, and intentions of large companies. Small businesses, entrepreneurs, and start-ups are generally not able to afford CR agencies. This is unfortunate, given that the process of understanding consumer behaviour in relation to a given product or service is fundamental to the success of small companies which in turn are vital for reducing inequality and strengthening economic prosperity, innovation, and competitiveness. We identify three key issues that need to be addressed in order to be able to offer a mass-consumer online research service.
Markets are becoming global and there is a need to develop products that easily convey information across cultures. By combining techniques from different fields (psychology, marketing, neuroscience and behaviour science) it is possible to develop a protocol to assess how consumers process packaging and product information. Participants from different regions will be compared. Word association tests, sound symbolism scales, facial expression and emotion questionnaires, as well as eye tracking will be used to test different products and packaging and evaluate the sensory correspondences, spontaneous concepts, visual processing and emotional experience generated by each of the stimuli. The implications of employing these methodologies for exporting products and entering new markets will also be discussed.
Markets are becoming global and there is a need to develop products that easily convey information across cultures. By combining techniques from different fields (psychology, marketing, neuroscience and behaviour science) it is possible to develop a protocol to assess how consumers process packaging and product information. Participants from different regions will be compared. Word association tests, sound symbolism scales, facial expression and emotion questionnaires, as well as eye tracking will be used to test different products and packaging and evaluate the sensory correspondences, spontaneous concepts, visual processing and emotional experience generated by each of the stimuli. The implications of employing these methodologies for exporting products and entering new markets will also be discussed.
Traditionally product assessment -before and after its launch- has relied primarily on verbalizations and surveys. These methods offer great insight regarding consumer's opinion and cultural perception. Recent research in neuroscience contributes to this perspective adding new tools to analyse how pleasure mechanisms predict and generate expectations. It also facilitates the understanding of how reward is involved in purchase behaviour and brand loyalty. We present a novel methodology to evaluate product competitiveness even before its launch; implications for ROI, brand positioning and product development are discussed.
This paper sheds light on how emotion, anxiety, reward, and hedonic forecast are involved in consumer behavior. The presenters seek to relate how changes in reward and hedonic forecast mechanisms in chronic tobacco use can help understand the way emotion and anxiety intervene in the decision making process. Physiological and behavioral measures were used to evaluate responses to anti-tobacco advertising. A model relating sensory processing, uncertainty, reward systems and anxiety with decision making is presented.