Most consumers consider themselves pretty rational. It follows they also feel that they make their product and service choices accordingly. Ask them why they chose Product A over Product B, and most will offer a fairly rational answer. But these tangible reasons are only part of the story; underlying preferences, personal values, and emotive factors often contribute to consumer decisions as well.
While the goal of qualitative research is always to understand the customer better, what happens when a consumer doesn’t have a full grasp of their below surface motivators or, is aware but has difficulty articulating them? In cases like these, it’s worth taking a page from the playbooks of clinical psychologists and psychoanalysts everywhere. Projective techniques, paired with traditional discussion, can be an invaluable tool for peeling back layers and getting at deeper, and sometimes seemingly less rational, motivators for behavior. Accelerant Research has a full-time staff of moderators with extensive experience in moderating and analyzing qualitative data across a wide range of topics, audiences, and qualitative research methodologies. This series will introduce some of our moderator team’s favorite projective exercises, along with situations in which we’ve used them successfully. So, read on for some ideas that might add a couple of fresh techniques into your qualitative toolboxes. (We promise, no inkblots). Dear John: It’s Not Me, It’s You Lost customers are a frequent recruit target for high impact insights, including former customers who have gone on to do business with another brand or prospects who decided to go with a competitive product. When asked directly about their reasons, initial responses tend to be fairly high level: Better service, better price, I just like Product Z better. Any skilled moderator will dig into these responses for deeper context, but a projective exercise adds some real value and helps make the terrain here a little easier on the shovel. For lost consumers in particular, asking the participant to write a one-page “Dear John” break-up letter addressed to “Brand Y,” as if the brand were a person, outlining reasons things didn’t work out, can add real value. The task is fun and therefore easy to pay attention to; role-playing can loosen up respondents and get their creative juices flowing. Who among us hasn’t fantasized about writing such a letter when a company fails us, let alone ensuring that someone is actually going to read it? Not getting asked why you’re going somewhere else makes it feel like you’re undervalued. The “Dear John” assignment itself is specifically designed to help consumers tap into their emotive sides as they frame their letters. No one wants to admit they broke up with someone simply because the price was off, even if that someone is a fictional personification. When participants imagine the brand as a person, they are encouraged to explore underlying personal motivations, beliefs, values, and attitudes toward that person; things that they may not be consciously aware of until they try to articulate them on the page. Having an outline on paper not only creates an excellent exhibit for later analysis and a rich source of verbatims, but also serves as a spring-board stimulus during active discussions. Once the group’s collective big takeaways are shared, moderators can pose the question “What else is in your letter?” It’s a great way to get quieter participants to open up to the group; they don’t need to think of something new on the fly, it's all right there on the page for their reference. If the exercise is assigned as pre-session homework, there’s upfront value as well. Reading through these responses prior to a focus group will give you a sense of topics any given participant will bring up, how strongly they feel, and how much they have to say. It can aid in the final decision when choosing which of your over-recruits in the waiting room you should pay and send and which you should invite in front of the mirror for the richest, most productive discussion. We invite you to reach out to us for more information about conducting qualitative research. Simply give us a call (704-206-8500) or send us an email (info@accelerantresearch.com). With our support and guidance in participant recruiting, technology/logistics management, and even moderating/full-service support, Accelerant Research can provide you with successful and impactful insights. When an agency is hired to develop an ad campaign, the first objective they must achieve is to develop a creative brief that will serve as the foundation for the entire campaign, whether specific ads are executed in video, TV, radio, print, or other. But the question is “on what basis is the creative brief designed?” Just like many large organizations do before leadership decides to allocate large amounts of budget to, say, designing new products and services, market research is conducted among members of a target population to guide and inform decisions about whether new products are ready for market rollout, or need to be revised, or need to be scrapped. This way, research is used as an insurance policy against large budget expenditures that will not pan out in driving revenue for the organization. Ad campaigns also are large expenditures. As such, they should be market tested before their communications are made public. Surely, research studies like storyboard copy testing are carried out, but these “test stimuli” are already based on what the ad agency has delivered as a creative brief. Unless the brief is also market tested, the agency, and its client will begin to develop and monitor executions that may well be based on incorrect messaging strategies, thus rendering any executions sub-optimal. Accelerant Research has designed a quantitative study that directly informs the development of a creative brief by integrating “tried and true” survey construction and multivariate analytic techniques as follows: Informed Ballot and Multiple Regression This technique is borrowed from political opinion polling surveys where the first question is “if the elections were held today, for whom would you vote?” Following this question is a set of intervening questions based on key political issues about which the candidate may be pro or con, e.g., “If you knew that Candidate X was tough on crime, would that make you more or less likely to vote for him/her?” Finally, the first question about for whom the respondent would vote is asked again. With these data in hand, important measurements may be performed. First, a pre-post assessment may be made on comparing the % likelihood of voting for Candidate X. This analysis will show whether the array of intervening survey questions can effectively create more positive consideration toward the candidate, overall. Second, the intervening questions can be used as independent variables in a multiple regression analysis, with pre-post change in consideration as the dependent variable. By examining the relative beta weights of each intervening question, those with the strongest association with positive change in candidate consideration may be identified and cherry-picked to serve as the foundation for the candidates’ foundational political campaign. Adapting Consideration Driver Research to a Creative Brief for Advertising Applying the above outlined techniques to inform advertising campaigns is relatively simple and straightforward. Taking the “who will you vote for” question, it is modified to be something like “how likely are you to consider Brand X when you want to purchase Product/Service Y?” This single question, in this form, will serve as the pre- and post- measures of the amount of change in positive consideration. Regarding the intervening survey items, these are made up of a set of functional and emotional attributes about the brand and its products or services under study. Again, multiple regression analysis can be performed to isolate which functional and which emotional attributes drive the most positive change in consideration. Additionally, regression can also reveal the optimal mix of specific emotional and functional attributes that should be used to inform the foundational creative brief and associated ad campaign, i.e., what to say in an ad. The figure below shows a standard visualization of a Consideration Driver study, based on mock data: Consideration Driver research is uniquely designed to inform creative briefs. Organizations and advertising agencies both can embrace this methodology to ensure that brand messaging will have the benefit of being tested to inform the overarching strategies that become the foundation of subsequent ad executions. Feel free to contact Accelerant Research (info@accelerantresearch.com) for a more in-depth discussion of the ins and outs of this sort of work.
With the economic downturn since COVID-19, private brands have experienced a remarkable surge in popularity within the US marketplace. Once seen as generic alternatives, private brands have transformed into trusted and desirable options for consumers seeking quality, value, and innovation. Let’s explore the impressive growth of private brands over the past year, delve into consumer shopping preferences, identify the most popular private brand product categories, and highlight the pivotal role market research plays in empowering private brands to thrive.
The Growth of Private Brands The growth of private brands in the US market has been nothing short of extraordinary. Over the past year, private brands have witnessed significant expansion, capturing a larger market share and earning a loyal customer base. According to recent industry reports, private brand sales have grown by 11% in the last year alone, outpacing the growth of national brands. This surge reflects a shift in consumer perception, as private brands are no longer viewed as inferior alternatives but rather as competitive, high-quality options. Consumer Shopping Preferences for Private Brands One of the driving forces behind the rise of private brands is the evolving shopping preferences of consumers. Today's consumers are more value-conscious, seeking affordable yet high-quality products. Private brands excel in meeting these demands by offering competitive pricing without compromising on quality. A growing number of consumers perceive private brands as trustworthy and reliable alternatives to national brands, often choosing them for everyday essentials and even premium products. Consumers appreciate the innovation and uniqueness that private brands bring to the table. They are drawn to private brands for their ability to introduce new and trendy products that cater to specific consumer needs and preferences. This adaptability and agility in product development and differentiation contribute to the growing appeal of private brands. Generational and Demographic Preferences Understanding consumer behavior across different generations is crucial for private brands to tailor their strategies effectively. Millennials appreciate the affordability, quality and innovation of private brands while Gen Z is attracted to the value proposition, authenticity, and customization possibilities they offer. Baby Boomers like the cost savings, familiarity and quality assurance. Alongside generational trends, demographic factors such as income levels, household size, and education also influence private brand purchases. Studies have shown that consumers with lower incomes are more likely to buy private brands due to their cost-effectiveness. Larger households with children tend to have higher private brand adoption rates, as these brands offer value and cost savings when buying in bulk. Educational attainment can also play a role, as more educated consumers may be inclined to compare options and make informed decisions, leading to a higher likelihood of purchasing private brands. Popular Private Brand Product Growth Categories Several product categories have experienced notable growth in private brand offerings such as:
Market Research Empowers Private Brands Market research plays a vital role in the success of private brands. By employing robust research methodologies, private brand companies gain invaluable insights into consumer preferences, market trends, and competitive landscapes. Here are a few ways research can help private brands:
The rise of private brands in the US marketplace is a testament to their increasing popularity and consumer trust. By understanding consumer shopping preferences, focusing on growth categories, and leveraging market research insights, private brands can continue to thrive and capture a larger share of the market. Research serves as a powerful tool, providing the necessary intelligence to develop targeted strategies, innovate product offerings, and build enduring relationships with consumers. |
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