ZMETDiscovering whatyou don’t know

you know.

By Lisa Byers

Let Me Paint a Picture

“A lot goes on in our minds that we’re not awareof. Most of what influences what we say occursbelow the level of awareness. That’s why we neednew techniques to get at hidden knowledge – toget at what people don’t know they know” –Zaltman

Who the hell is Zaltman anyhow?

• Founded ZMET in 1990 in Nepal• The “why” behind the “what”• Author of “Marketing Metaphoria”• And, oh yeah . . .

A Professor at Harvard Business School

Origins

• Nepal, 1990• Pictures taken by residents in village• Feet were left out of photos• Images can express what words cannot

"A word or an image is symbolic when it impliessomething more than its obvious and immediatemeaning. It has a wider 'unconscious' aspect thatis never precisely defined or fully explained. Norcan one hope to define or explain it. As the mindexplores the symbol, it is led to ideas that liebeyond the grasp of reason.” - Carl Jung

Therapeutic Metaphor

• Coined by David Esparza• Story-telling• Symbolism• Isomorphism

What’s the Purpose?

• Understand the cognitive process• Draw connections between concepts• 95% of thoughts and feelings are unconscious• “Co-creation”

The Zaltman Process

• One-on-one interview• Storytelling• Missed Images• Triad ask• Probing/laddering• Sensory metaphor• Digital collage

Other ZMET Techniques

• Ethnographic interview• Mystery shopping• Response Latency Test• Memory Integration

The Good…

• No lengthy survey questions• Intimate, one-on-one interviews• No pressure to social conformity• Visual communication

The Bad and the Ugly

• Lengthy interviews• Expensive• Perspectives are limited• No product comparison

Deep Metaphors

• Occur in the unconscious• We use 5-6 metaphors per minute• Frame of reference• We orient ourselves through metaphors

His Clients Give ZaltmanHigh Marks!

• Coca Cola, Reebok, AT&T, GM, Downy, Nestle• Procter & Gamble: Fabreez: “…ZMET enabled us to

double our sales volume” - Drake Stimson• Hallmark: "It's not that consumers won't tell you

what's on their minds. It's that they can't” - TomBrailsford

Coca Cola: A Case Study

• Buddhist monk on a soccer field…?• Failure of focus groups: 60% - 80% of new products

do not succeed• Coke: sociability, invigoration, calmness, relaxation

and solitude

My Point of View . . .

• We need to address the “depth deficit”• The consumer is in control• Uncovers numerous and profound insights• Emotions• Stimulates creativity• “Bypasses conscious resistances”• I will use it – or some variant of it

Sources

• The ZMET Interview from people.hbs.edu• The Subconscious Mind of the Consumer (And How to

Reach it) Q&A with Gerald Zaltman by Mandy Mahoney• The Hidden Language of the Market by Newton Holt• Why I Underwent Psychoanalysis in the Name of Coca Cola

by Paul Michelin• Gerald Zaltman Biography from drfd.hbs.edu• Olson Zaltman Associates from olsonzaltman.com• Therapeutic Metaphors and Clinical Hypnosis by David

Esparza