Markets are constantly in a
state of flux. All around us we see changes driven by powerful market trends — digitization
and personal empowerment through computing and internet, emergence of the net
generation and their social media, growth of glamour queens, metrosexuals and
ubersexuals, health consciousness, trade modernization, fragmentation of media
and so on. The need to immerse in the world of consumers is as acute as ever.
Consumer immersion is getting close to
consumers to see their brands and their markets
through their eyes. To connect with real consumers and
learn about their issues.
The main techniques used for immersion into the consumers’ world
include:
- Day-to-day personal experiences.
- Observing qualitative research sessions such as focus groups or
interviews.
- Interviews/probing sessions with consumer.
- Accompanying consumers on their shopping trips.
- Observing consumers in their homes or some other natural setting.
- Participant’s video diary: The proliferation of mobile video
recording devices makes it feasible for participants to record their activities.
Participants doing so are encouraged to relate any thoughts and emotions that arose
during the activities.
- Ethnographic research: involves living in the community being
studied, typically for a period of time ranging from a week to a few months. This method
differs from other research techniques, such as observation and surveys, as it requires
active participation in the daily lives of the people being studied.
To effectively immerse, associates need to learn to listen emphatically,
with the intent to understand. Additionally, they must be aware of their own impact on the
behaviour of others. It is important to observe discreetly as observation can often change
behaviour, as described by the Hawthorne Effect.
In addition to active immersion, marketers rely also
on research fields that supplement consumer and knowledge immersion and feed directly
into the insight generation and strategy development process. Some of these
research fields are listed below:
- Usage and Attitude studies
provide information about consumer attitudes and usage behaviours for the
category and brands. The considerable amount of information that is contained
in these studies can be used to segment consumers based on of their usage
as well as their opinions and identify growth opportunities for brands within
the various segments.
- Semiotics is
the study of signs and symbols, and how they are used in different cultures. It
allows us to understand the implicit meaning these codes communicate in the
culture and context within which they are used. For example, the colour red
signifies luck and prosperity in the Chinese culture, love or anger in the
West, losses in a financial statement, and danger or caution on the roads.
- Motivational research explains
the underlying needs that drive behaviour. It focusses on identifying the
emotional needs that are central to the relationships between the brand and its
consumers.
