The first part of this paper discusses the perspectives and problems of multimedia market, focusing the difficulty in defining the dimension, the characteristics and trends of this market. The second part describes the difficulty of the market researchers in answering these questions because both supply and demand are missing, not yet identifiable. Researchers are thus deprived of the traditional reference points any market research study is based upon. The paper analyses these issues, suggesting some considerations on the change in the role of the market research in studying the multimedia market and on the adoption of new approaches to our traditional methodologies.
We live in a context made of a hundred parallel societies and we see a variety of behaviour and consumption patterns. Above all, we know they are rooted in a complex process that involves not only the emotional level, but also the rational, cultural and relational. In light of this, our traditional viewpoint, focused as it is on the individual, seems to be somewhat limited, especially because it does not assure stability and extensibility of results. A multidisciplinary approach could be a useful way to overcome these limits and improve our results, giving them more value and predictive value. To see how different approaches work, and find where they can be applied, R.Q. carried out an experimental project on mobile phones. Four discussion groups were carried out and data were analysed independently by two market researchers and a group of experts - an anthropologist, a Semiotician, a communications sociologist and a psychoanalyst.