When conducting pen portrait studies, it is always a challenge to uncover the deep truth around our respondent's personality. In the spirit of getting rich and raw insights, we suggest to get to know the respondent through their peer group system - a group of people who are connected with a common human story.This projective technique will help open up to a totally new horizon of our respondent.
The quality of answers we get are proportional not only to the quality of questions we ask, but how we ask them. Clients are facing unprecedented clutter, competition, complexity and consumer sophistication. Increasingly, qualitative research is being sought to strip the consumer bare - to reveal the deepest, most human truths, to unleash creativity in unprecedented ways, to facilitate stories and unearth insights that inspire 'future-proof' brands. As clients recognize that mass marketing is old and ailing, as psychographic and segmented approaches are being more widely adopted, as creating experiences that stretch brands without breaking them become all too important, as the world becomes a lot more nuanced, it has never been a more appropriate time to approach the consumer differently.
This paper discusses the importance of a comprehensive brand understanding and thus the essential need for qualitative market research for Zalando as a mainly data-driven company. To illustrate and support empirically, we have documented a case study conducted for Zalando in four Nordic countries and focus on two major hypotheses.
Can an ancient method be as powerful as the most advanced ones? Our answer is yes, at least about exploring customer experiences. The method we chose is oral storytelling. Our approach, "Recollection, Repetition, and Reflection," employing modified cognitive interview and projective technique using Tarot cards, allows us to collect the most exciting and inspiring stories from customers. Bonding keys through which emotional attachment towards a brand were discovered, and a scenario of a customer-brand interaction throughout the customer's life was developed. And nothing can be more powerful and compelling than raw emotions released from great storytellers - so inspiring that the client came up with a dozen of ideas for their next campaign in the viewing room!
Can an ancient method be as powerful as the most advanced ones? Our answer is yes, at least about exploring customer experiences. The method we chose is oral storytelling. Our approach, "Recollection, Repetition, and Reflection," employing modified cognitive interview and projective technique using Tarot cards, allows us to collect the most exciting and inspiring stories from customers. Bonding keys through which emotional attachment towards a brand were discovered, and a scenario of a customer-brand interaction throughout the customer's life was developed. And nothing can be more powerful and compelling than raw emotions released from great storytellers - so inspiring that the client came up with a dozen of ideas for their next campaign in the viewing room!
We can learn from peoples search (engine) behavior patterns. Indeed, by analyzing what Internet users look for in search engines, it is possible to understand the way they verbalize their needs, fears or emotions towards specific products or brands. By manipulating very large databases of search queries, it is possible to discover major trends but also weak signals (projective aspect). This approach can be conducted internationally in a very short timeframe and with few material constraints. One key advantage to this methodology is that it brings objective, scientific, data-based answers to a very large spectrum of market research questions that classical methodologies fail to cover. It will make it possible to identify and predict consumer trends.
We can learn from people's search (engine) behavior patterns. Indeed, by analyzing what Internet users look for in search engines, it is possible to understand the way they verbalize their needs, fears or emotions towards specific products or brands. By manipulating very large databases of search queries, it is possible to discover major trends but also weak signals (projective aspect). This approach can be conducted internationally in a very short timeframe and with few material constraints. One key advantage to this methodology is that it brings objective, scientific, data-based answers to a very large spectrum of market research questions that classical methodologies fail to cover. It will make it possible to identify and predict consumer trends.
Today, with global markets developing, the major challenge for consumer research is to find innovative models to turn data into fundamental insight in buying motives. This presentation introduces evolutionary theory as the foundation of a new, global motivational research approach, focusing on the ultimate why of consumer behaviour. To create actionable insight, a new measuring method and marketing model based on the evolutionary costly signalling theory will be presented along with results of the scientific and commercial validation of the model and online visual projective test.
Synaesthesia may be applied to both Alzheimer's and Qualitative Research as an effective support technique, in order to trigger a spontaneous consumer language made of sensorial metaphor, based on a direct emotional experience. In order to enhance the use of fragrances on dementia but in market research as well! it is a series of essences could be developed to be used therapeutically, both in Aromatherapy and for synaesthetic application. Fragrances help as much in reconstructing emotionally important memories as in establishing connections with other sensorial modalities contributing to and processing a structured language, not delirious and relaxing the tone of the mood by soothing anxiety.
This paper will show how qualitative creative development expertise can be cross bred with online research to create a powerful new hybrid technique. Broadband means we can now do many of the classic qualitative ranking and projective techniques online. Whereas most online surveys are so boring that over half the participants abandon before the end, ours has lots of lovely visual drag and drop elements and is so sweet that, like a good focus group, when it finishes people are sad it's over.