Tools We Use
Qualitative Insights
Qualitative tools explore your customers' habits, mind sets and lifestyles in relation to your brand.
Analogies
Value: The Analogies method is used to explore the brand persona and provide clear imagery that can be associated with the brand and its competitors.
Example: Participants are presented an array of pictures (e.g. sports, street signs or cars) and are asked to identify what picture they associate with the brand and why.
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Apportionment
Value: This method directs a participant to choose the distribution of a fixed resource (time, money, etc.). In addition to apportioning the resource, the participant is asked to explain the choices made. This tool shows a hierarchical value of items within a category by forcing the participant to weigh each item against the others and then explain why.
Example: "Out of one hour in the department store, I'd spend forty-five minutes in the designer clothing area and fifteen minutes in the electronics department because..."
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Competitor Comparison
Value: Allows participants to describe the similarities and differences between brands, which helps to define areas of differentiation.
Example: "Brand X is just as effective as Brand Y, but the company that makes Brand X is friendlier."
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Decision Mapping
Value: Decision Mapping is used to sort and evaluate the reasons participants give for making a decision. Each factor is labeled as either a "hard" (rational) reason or a "soft" (emotional) reason. This analysis enables a marketer to position a brand in a way that takes advantage of key decision-making factors and introduces emotional triggers into marketing communications and sales.
Example: Brand X is used because it can easily be tailored to a person's current operation and it is easy to use. Brand Y is used because it makes the person feel as though he or she is using the best brand; he or she is proud to use the brand.
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Ethnography
Value: By observing people within their own environment, ethnography uncovers levels of brand involvement, loyalty and reveals people's hidden beliefs. This understanding provides new opportunities for product and service development.
Example: A person gives us a tour of their yard, tool shed and other areas where equipment and products are stored. We may also accompany them on a shopping trip where equipment and products are purchased.
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Laddering
Value: This method of probing is designed to uncover the underlying emotional root cause associated with the benefits of a brand. It helps to build a psychological profile, which allows us to develop the psychographic segmentation measures that provide great insights for brand positioning.
Example: The participant identifies a key benefit associated with a brand, and is asked to explain what is important about it and why that benefit is more important to them than to someone else.
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Obituary
Value: In this activity, participants are asked to write a short obituary for a brand. The obituary helps show the image of the brand, what is most valued and what competitors are likely to be taking brand share.
Example: The obituary for Brand X would read: "It was only with us for a short time, but it enjoyed that short life to the fullest." (Explanation: Brand X doesn't seem to be very durable, but it has all of the "bells and whistles.")
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Projective Comparisons
Value: A Projective Comparison asks participants to describe the brand as a person (neighborhood, type of house, family composition, community orientation) and helps establish the image of a brand.
Example: "Brand X is outspoken and is a friendly and helpful neighbor. Brand X lives in an affluent neighborhood, and drives a sports car - Brand X is high-end but also helpful and easy to do business with."
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