Engaging with Consumers via Ethnography

Posted by on February 15th, 2010 at 1:44pm

In the most basic sense, ethnography in market research involves watching what people do, rather than asking people what they do.

From this, researchers can make inferences from the observed behaviour.

Three popular forms of ethnography adopted by market researchers include…

  1. Conducting participant observation in stores, workplaces, and homes to observe real behaviour;
  2. Giving participants a video/digital camera to record their interactions with the target product [photo-ethnography]; and
  3. Having participants record their behaviour in a video diary.

Agency, Everyday Lives, adopted another interesting approach which involved filming consumer shopping in supermarket and then listening to the consumer and consumer’s family narrate the film [i.e. explaining what was going on, what they were thinking, etc].

Posted in Research

Intel Rock Star

Posted by on October 2nd, 2009 at 12:30pm

Not sure when it started airing in Oz, but I came across this TVC from Intel over the weekend which I absolutely love! Instead of the product, the focus is on the culture and the personalities at the organisation. Well worth the 30 seconds…

Originally posted here

Posted in Advertising

The Generation Gap/Myth

Posted by on at 12:01pm

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In the second half of 2007, Square Holes worked with AIM SA and  SA Great to conduct research into the attitudes and needs of younger workers [aged under 40].  Building on the success of the 2007 study, AIM SA and Square Holes explored broader issues in relation to the needs of differing groups of workers.

Interestingly, the study discovered workplace relations are founded on psychographics rather than demographics. Four different segments were identified in the workplace.

Which one do you think you are?

-       The Dynamo

-       The Gimme

-       The Made it

-       The Plodder

Get the executive summary and the full report.

Posted in Research

Ditch the pitch, start the conversation

Posted by on September 25th, 2009 at 10:26am

Digital Media published an article recently written by B&T writers based on a study by Light Speed Research that said Australians and Japanese were more resistant to overtures from brands on social networks.

This was in contrast to their peers in India and China who were more likely to have their opinions of a brand improved if they were engaged via social media channels.

Continue reading…

Posted in Digital

Think! Digital Session Wrap-Up and Slides

Posted by on September 17th, 2009 at 3:51pm

Last week, Jason and I presented to a room full of clients and agencies about the challenges traditional marketers face integrating digital into their strategy. Taking different yet convergent points of view, we discussed emerging trends in digital marketing through our own observations and experiences across multiple industries.

Integration was the common thread, especially in relation to marketing departments,  campaigns and creative ideas. Unsurprisingly, there was a strong interest in social media with many organisations struggling with what tools to use and how best to apply it. We rounded off the session with an ‘interactive’ discussion with Via Media boss, Jason Neave, and AdelaideNow’s David Kuchel getting in on the action with a few interesting questions raised about PURL’s and the need to maintain strategic focus with digital executions (instead of digital for digital’s sake).

You can view and download the slides below…

Jason’s Slides

Mal’s Slides

Posted in Digital, Insight, Research