“The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”- Michelangelo, on sculpting ‘The David’.
This is the keystone of good market research. Michaelangelo was pointing to the fact the breathtaking sculpture was not created from nothing. Instead, it was the partnership of his mind with the chisel that uncovered what already existed in the marble block. Finding the right tools, and knowing how to use them with artful intention is the way to uncover the insights that are already there, just waiting to be found.
The Artist’s Tools
Ethnographies
So much of our identity is wrapped up in the space we call home. We are mindful of the paint colors we choose, we are inclined to tidy up before we share it with visitors. There are spaces that carry shame and spaces that represent our achievement. It is with that understanding that I bring a tremendous sense of humility to being welcomed into the home of a consumer, and a sense of responsibility to be present with objectivity. Whether it is going into someone’s home to understand how the rituals and space in which they drink their first cup of coffee impacts their day, or doing a walkthrough of their children’s medicine cabinet to better understand how they think about caring for their kids when they are sick, being in the home of your consumer offers an invaluable peek into their lives and what really matters to them.
Virtual Connection
Finding new and interesting ways to conduct web-based research has been part of my practice, long before the pandemic made it commonplace. Maybe your project would benefit from having consumers ideate with tech tools like collaging and mapping. Other times, analyzing content from consumer directed video diaries is the way to glean insights. Sometimes it's a simple solution to needing a widespread geographic sample in a short period of time. The bottom line is that virtual research can be powerful and emotional when done right.
Friendship Pairs
When a relaxed air of comfort and familiarity are crucial to the objectives of the research, friendship pairs can unlock insights that would otherwise remain hidden. It is human nature to fall into the trap of communicating ‘who we would like to be’ as opposed to ‘who we actually are.’ Friendship-pair research is an excellent tool that can break through this barrier by holding people accountable to someone who knows them and has a history of shared life experiences that create a context for conversation. Getting respondents to feel comfortable enough to be transparent can be tricky, but with the right approach, it can offer the deeper truths that matter.
In-depth Interviews
One on one conversations have the capability to unearth insights that can shift a campaign strategy. Bringing intention and mindful listening to a one-on-one conversation creates a space for sharing focused thoughts and feelings which are untouched by group influence. Knowing when it is right to have immersive communication with your consumer can mean accessing pivotal information they might not have shared in a group setting. Whether you are looking to mine insights in sensitive subject areas, or you are looking to ‘go deeper’, the art of interviewing one-on-one can often be the light that shines on the path forward.
Focus Groups
Focus groups have always been the backbone of market research. I have learned that being with a group of strangers who hold a specific commonality, and listening to conversation develop puts something magic in the air. Artfully done, a space can be created for thoughts and feelings to be shared openly. It is in the discussions of agreement where concepts are built upon, and then deconstructed where there is no resonance. Adding to the value, an increased sample size in a shorter time frame, there is a reason Focus Groups have remained a go-to tool for qualitative research.
Shop-A-Longs
“Why do you by Brand X and not Brand Y?” is a question I have taken on many years in my work. What I have come to understand is the multitude of factors that play into the purchase decision, most of which are unconscious and hard to articulate outside of the setting where purchases are made.I have gone grocery shopping with moms and their toddlers to unearth the hierarchy of decision making when it comes to yogurt. I have gone with pregnant women to create a registry for their first baby to understand more about why items make the list and why some don’t. This methodology consistently rewards clients with feedback that is both novel and actionable.
Art-therapy Investigation
The idea to incorporate art into my consumer insight practice came initially from personal experience. Allowing my mind to play in a safe space without judgement or expectation created a pathway for me to quiet the cerebral and intellectual tendencies I rely on to solve problems. A friend, who is an art therapist, was listening to me ‘think through’ a problem I was trying to solve at work. She suggested I stop trying to ‘think through’ it, and instead find a coloring page and just let my brain center on the mindless task of staying in the lines. Being open, I tried it. And what I found was exactly what the research has shown; my brain relaxed, my cortisol levels lowered, and solutions to my problem became clearer and easier to see.
Margaret Naumberg, an educator and therapist was the first to define Art Therapy in the 1940’s. She viewed art expression as a way to manifest unconscious imagery. Being a skilled artist is not a requirement for creating art. Instead, the focus is on encouraging conversation around the images, shapes,colors and or words that are used in a peice.
This perked my interest as it pertained to research. How many times had I interviewed someone and their responses were cerebral and simple, when I knew there was more insight to be found on a deeper layer? How could I squeeze more from someone who had been conditioned to respond in specific ways based on a lifetime as part of a society that floods us with ideas on how to think and feel? I began to read up on how art therapy works, and found that some of the most famous thinkers in human psychology leveraged this method to go deeper into the unconscious mind.
Having completed a certification in art therapy methods and practice, I began designing a new way of gleaning consumer insight through art. I collaborated with experts who not only helped build the methods, but who remain as a Board of Directors for this pocket of my consultancy. I rely on their expert analysis and feedback on projects that have objectives which are a good fit for this method of discovery.