Consumer Connection Training

8 April 2003

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Our Objectives

An introduction to relevant Consumer Connect tools to

generate strong consumer insights

Training in some of the techniques of Consumer Connect -

required to make effective “consumer immersions”

To provide experience of some Consumer Connect tools

An induction in developing the output - that is turning

observations into distinctive consumer insights

The opportunity to generate actionable insights relevant to

current brand strategy – and actively to ideate against these to

develop new product concepts, marketing initiatives, etc..

To provide some of the training skills and resources so that

participants can go back and disseminate this training

Connecting with Consumers

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Immersion Helps Discover Multi-Faceted and

Complex Nature of Consumer

Rational

Level

Behavioural

level

Emotional

Level

Intuitive

Level

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Two-Way Road

Connecting with your consumer requires a two-way

experience/ process influenced by a number of factors

Location of contact

Age, gender, ethnicity, social class and life experiences of both of

you

But you can use skills and tactics to help consumers elicit,

describe and communicate their views of the world

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Setting the Scene

This will not be a normal conversation

You will ask consumers to talk about things they take for granted

You will ask consumers to look at things differently

You may ask consumers to question their values, feelings and

decisions

In order to have the most effective connection, the consumer

needs to understand the process clearly and be “enrolled”

Call first, introduce yourself, make them comfortable

Let them know about how long the session will last

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Setting the Scene (Continued)

Tell them a bit about why you want to talk to them -

In-home: “I’m doing research on new cleaning materials for the

home…”

Don’t disclose who you work for until the end of the Consumer

Connection, if at all.

Emphasise that you are interested in how they typically act, think

and feel (even the things they don’t normally express)

Remind them that everything they tell or show you is important --

don’t worry if it seems insignificant

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Setting the Scene (Continued)

When you go to meet your consumer…

We have provided you with a journal containing questions to ask,

hints on what to observe, and pages to record your field notes &

observations

Use this journal to capture observations, ideas and quotes at the

time because it could be hard to remember later

We recommend division of labour between partners - where

applicable

Take pictures of anything interesting you see

Buy/ take artefacts…if possible!

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Effective Participatory Observation

Active processes

Don’t focus on what you expect to see or hear

Let them give you stream of consciousness; no need to justify

themselves

Co-discovery: ask later what they were doing/thinking so you don’t

interrupt the normal action

If you don’t understand, just ask your consumer to explain

Don’t be afraid to check that you are on the same track

Avoid some pitfalls when listening and observing

Don’t try to interpret what consumers are “really” saying or doing

Don’t rehearse what you are going to say next

Keep an open mind -- don’t filter out what doesn’t fit with your

hypotheses

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Effective Participatory Observation (Continued)

Listening is more than what we hear consumers say

Body language can be metaphor for what is really going on, e.g.:

Arms folded can mean a barrier

Leaning towards you tends to mean interest

Can be incongruent with verbal communication

If so, don’t be afraid to question further

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Increasing Rapport

Body language isn’t just about reading the consumer, it’s

about maximising your contact

Sitting at an angle from your consumer is less confrontational

than directly opposite

Starting lower than your consumer is less intimidating

Re-adjusting your position will help regain control and create

more energy

Mirroring helps with rapport

Eye contact shows that you are interested and focused

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Asking Questions

Verbal questioning can be the most powerful tool for

interaction

Keep your questions open-ended (an invitation to start talking)

Who? What? Why? When? Where? How?

Seek clarification

Encourage exploration

Seek indication of feeling as well as thought

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Asking Questions

Questions answered with yes or no stop conversations from

flowing -- instead try…

“Tell me more about…?”

“Can you elaborate on that…?”

“I’m wondering what you meant by…?”

“Because…?”

Don’t be afraid of silences… give your consumer time to think

about their answers -- plus, you’re just observing a good part of

the time!

Paraphrasing and summarising facilitates clarity

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Other Techniques

Projective techniques can provide insight which direct

questioning cannot

e.g., Choice of fragrance is not based on smell alone but

respondents will often try to tell us that it is!

Helps to bring needs alive and taps into emotional relationships --

neither of which are always articulated

Examples that you might try include:

Metaphors: My household is is like ______________

Personification: If various types of cleaner were people, what

would they be like?

Using the Consumer Connection

Guide

Turning Observations into

Insights

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Turning Observations into Insights

Insights matter because they provide . . .

An elucidating perspective on the consumer’s behaviour or belief that can be leveraged through marketing, advertising, positioning, packaging or product development - to convince him that the brand is meeting his or her needs - rational and emotional

The means to create a bond - the point where a truth of the consumer’s life meets a truth of the brand

This can be applied to products and categories as well as to brands

‘The real voyage of discovery consists not

in seeking new landscapes… but in having

new eyes’

Marcel Proust

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Turning Observations into Insights

What is an Insight?

“The capacity to discern underlying truth”

“The power of seeing into and understanding things…”

“...Awareness, often of one’s own mental condition…”

“...An imaginative view into any condition or experience”

Obvious, intuitive when brought to life

Statement that gets to heart of why people do what they do and provides knowledge to help us grow business

Describes essential reason(s) underlying series of related observations

Shows deep understanding of needs & motivations, but in simple way – just brings people to life

Drives innovation, is actionable, & on strategy

Requires behaviour that’s open, aware, playful

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Turning Observations into Insights

Observation versus Insight

Observation -- fact about reality

Insight -- a penetrating understanding of fundamental human need underlying/ explaining the observation

Later in concept development, the brand/ product benefit will link directly to the insight in order to respond to the consumer need it represents

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Turning Observations into Insights

Example 1: Starbucks

Observation: I saw people drinking coffee at all different times of the day, not just in

the morning

Insight: In a world that is hectic and stressful, people need an opportunity to

relax and have a break

Example 2: Volvo

Observation: I experienced people driving dangerously fast with their children in the

car

Insight: People want the pleasure and power of driving fast and still feel they are

being responsible by protecting their family

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Turning Observations into Insights

Focus Primarily on HUMAN insights -- try to be more

psychologist than marketer

To get at human insights, think about:

What drives people’s behaviour in cleaning -- or what could be?

(e.g., motivation)

Are there any apparent rituals happening -- or could there be?

(e.g., experience)

What’s the attitude of consumers while cleaning -- or what could it

be? (e.g., feelings)

What emotional fulfillment seems to derive from cleaning -- or

what could? (e.g., benefit)

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Turning Observations into Insights

On Wednesday, you’ll bring this journal and your top 4

observations on A4 paper

In your pairs you’ll cluster your observations into themes on the

wall

As a group we’ll provide explanations for the various themes

At the end of the first session, we’ll review all the insight platforms

we’ve generated and converge down to those that are most

interesting

We’ll then work in teams on framing the detail of these insights

and think through the marketing/product implications

Finally we will work to produce fully worded new product

concepts for a small selection, based directly on the top insights

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