01
Jun

W5 is Now Legal

Posted by: Tom Daly in: branding , culture , knowledge , market research No Comments on W5 is Now Legal

Reaching one’s eighteenth birthday is a milestone―the threshold of adulthood. At eighteen one is autonomous; your vote counts.

Eighteen years ago, I was sitting in my spare bedroom, or office at the time, in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. I had made the leap from senior executive for a Honomichl 50 market research firm to unemployed―I knew a business model focusing on ‘high touch’ bespoke research that took the time to transform complex and often abstract client objectives into actionable research studies had a place in the business world. Up until then everyone I encountered on the supplier side was too focused on “business” aspects, and not the research itself. I was disillusioned; I had to find my own way. W5 was born.

I still get the question: “What does W5 stand for?” So once again: who, what, when, where, and why. Journalism 101―make sure you include all five elements in your story and the reader will understand what’s going on. Though I’ve never taken a journalism course, it made sense to me. Besides, it was easy to write and tough to mispronounce. Right away I began traveling the globe for a Fortune 50 technology company and parsing insights for a hot emerging advertising agency. It just kind of ‘happened.’

Shortly thereafter I moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to take advantage of a larger airport and a bevy of sharp college grads from UNC, Duke, and NC State avidly seeking careers in consumer behavior, which was coming into vogue. Who knew? From there I quickly became “we” and W5 flourished. Marty Molloy, Andy Willard, and Tristan Shook joined in succession. A few years later, Amy Castelda née Mock, came on board―over 75 years of experience among partners. They joined in their 20s and never left.

In market research, like most professional services firms, it’s the people who make a great company, not a hot product or newfangled technology. As my former boss Rich would say, “who’s going to write the report?” Besides, if you have a preferred approach, you’re no longer open to a range of methodologies to meet clients’ varied needs, i.e., “if all you have is a hammer, all the world is but nails.”

Over the years I think the reason W5 has been a trusted research partner to many companies and their advertising agencies is that as primary market researchers we’re “approach agnostic.” There is no “W5 way.” No secret approaches or proprietary hidden algorithms. Instead there are a series of probable approaches to achieve a set of desired outcomes. Such is the world of custom primary market research―to utilize a series of tried and trusted tools and techniques, yet acknowledging those tools are secondary to the expertise of the market researcher utilizing them.

The trick is choosing the simplest, and therefore elegant, approach to capture the greatest amount of insight within the parameters of a study’s design. Market research is the reporting on human consumer habits, practices, and thought. People, while complex, remain fairly reasonable creatures. Overly complex research, or research with a prescribed design, I find, is often more of a vanity project and rarely serves the purpose it set out to achieve.

In closing, I’ll mention the best thing about being a custom primary market researcher at W5 is we’re jacks of all trades, but an ace of none. We revel in novelty; we learn from one category and apply those insights to another. Our specialization is our plurality; we remain true polyglots. One year, healthcare research will be disrupted and suddenly in vogue, omnichannel strategies the next, etc. I can only imagine the effect COVID-19 will have on market research, perhaps rewriting all the rules and making past research initiatives out of date.

For nearly two decades, W5 has been in the middle of many new discoveries, often with a seat at the head of the table, moderating focus groups or leading research implementation workshops for clients, as well as speaking at global research and advertising conferences.  We’re already laying the groundwork for new paths to guide clients and their audiences. As we enter a new epoch, leaving our homes and moving forward, W5 endures.

22
May

20 Common Cognitive Biases

Posted by: Amy Castelda in: culture , Data Visualization , infographics , knowledge , market research No Comments on 20 Common Cognitive Biases

Cognitive bias in marketing research is not new. However, the study of how cognitive bias impacts decision making has gained popularity in recent years thanks to publications including Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Khneman and Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. At W5, we have to how consider cognitive bias can affect how we design, understand, and analyze data.

What Is Cognitive Bias?
A cognitive bias is a mistake in reasoning, evaluating, remembering, or other cognitive process, often occurring as a result of holding onto one’s preferences and beliefs regardless of contrary information. Psychologists study cognitive biases as they relate to memory, reasoning, and decision-making.

Business Insider rounded up the most common biases that mess up our decision making to remind us that we make thousands of rational decisions every day—or so we think. Which cognitive bias are you guilty of?

Samantha Lee/Business Insider
23
Apr

Only Human After All

Posted by: Megan Giedraitis in: culture , emerging technology , knowledge , market research No Comments on Only Human After All

With AI’s ability to simulate a human’s proficiency to learn, reason, and create, it has brought us incredible advancements across the healthcare, banking, and transportation space. In spite of its own rapid evolution, AI still requires human involvement (or errors). An investigation into London’s Metropolitan Police implementation of live facial recognition found that the algorithm was successful in distinguishing white males, but ineffective at identifying female or BAME subjects. Limited data available to train these machines means limited results and ultimately unfair analysis.

While participation in the digital era is imperative, companies need to be aware of the trust and money they put into this data. Utilizing metrics that uncover the most popular puzzle on your website is important for understanding what designs customers like and dislike but does not tell us why they prefer the scene of Paris in the rain over the miniature Yorkie in a teacup. To shed light on customer behavior, the research needs to dive deeper. Businesses need to tap into the heart and gut triggers that drive consumer behavior and swing the pendulum back towards the human experience in the age of connected devices.

To better understand the consumer narrative, Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe, urges strategists to “find balance between the story and the spreadsheet.” In his essential how-to book for business leaders, Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data, Tobaccowala highlights that data is not bad, but the tilt towards it is. In a data-centric era, companies need to acknowledge that “people are responsible for success, not machines.” Throughout his book, Tobaccowala puts the spotlight on tech superpower, Netflix, emphasizing the company’s transparent approach to employee feedback to maintain a culture that focuses on outcomes. Through trust in employee creativity and entrepreneurship, Netflix trashed its DVD delivery service and transformed into a pioneer of the video streaming industry to ensure long-term sustainability in the digital world.

Zappos, an online shoe retailer that has been innovating for over 20 years, finds balance between human and machine by facilitating data-sharing across a variety of departments. This cross-collaboration encourages dialogue among all groups to paint a more holistic picture of their consumers. To discover the context in which costumers make decisions, Zappos augments their research with home visits, self-report surveys, usability testing, and in-depth customer reviews. By evaluating patterns across datasets and in-person interactions, the company can better understand the factors that lead people to experience the brand in ways that may contradict the numbers on the screen.

When we embrace consumer stories, businesses can broaden their customer scope, create more effective campaigns, and drive innovation. With COVID-19 creating uncertainty about the future for millions, now more than ever it is crucial that companies increase empathy for the consumer’s current condition. It is our job as researchers to bring the story to life and help businesses connect on a human level.

Learn how W5 harnesses the power of quantitative data, qualitative discovery, and informed strategy to create actionable insights here.

14
Apr

Inside the Offices of W5 *Home Edition*

Posted by: Kana Feng in: culture , market research No Comments on Inside the Offices of W5 *Home Edition*

W5, like many other companies during this time, has made the switch to working from home (WFH). Besides the few who go into the office to hold down the fort, the rest of us are working from a set up at home.

Here’s a glimpse into how our team is doing and some tips/ideas we have for working from home:

WFH Workspaces:

W5’ers are spread out inside our homes – from spare rooms with doors to common areas such as the living room. Here are a few of our workspaces! Does your set up look anything like ours?

WFH Benefits:

W5’ers mentioned a few different benefits of WFH:

Increased Productivity

“Less of the typical office distractions, like phones ringing, spontaneous meetings, etc. I can really dig into writing and thinking with minimal interruptions (for the most part).”

More Time for Family

“More time with family; unity with family in challenging times.”

More Personal Time

“I am able to chip away at household tasks early in the day and just after completing my work for the day. These are times when I would normally be commuting.”

“I get to take walks at lunch!”

Although these benefits are enhancing our lives in different ways, we all agree that we miss seeing and talking to each other at the office.

WFH Tips & Ideas:

Lastly, here are a few tips and ideas that we have personally implemented to help us navigate this new situation:

“I can close two doors between myself and my kids’ home schooling. Managing parts of the day differently than usual with open mind.”

“Relax and find a schedule that works best for you.  As long as the work gets done and we are available for our clients and each other, everything will be okay.”

“Flexibility. It is the key to psychological happiness.”

“Avoid a news binge and limit the amount of COVID-19 related news you get in one day.” – Take a listen to NPR’s podcast recommended by a W5’er.

What does your WFH setup look like? Please share some of your best tips and tricks with us!

08
Apr

Waste Not, Want Not: Make Online Surveys Work Hard

Posted by: John Capps in: knowledge , market research , study No Comments on Waste Not, Want Not: Make Online Surveys Work Hard

A lot of folks are aware of online surveys but not everyone utilizes an online survey’s full potential. At W5, we like to ensure our surveys work hard for our clients, capturing data that will address multiple research objectives while maintaining an efficient, engaging, respondent-friendly experience.

W5 understands our clients are often juggling multiple projects for several internal stakeholders with varying needs. With limited time and budget, tradeoffs are made, prioritizing which research studies kick off first, placing other important studies on hold. Oftentimes when brainstorming with our clients, we see opportunities to address multiple research objectives with a single survey. Our thought is, while we already have respondents engaged, when appropriate, ensure the survey covers as much ground as possible, always keeping the respondent experience in mind.

Online surveys are dynamic. They allow us to reach a global audience and apply screening criteria to ensure we are engaging the appropriate target audience(s) for a given study. Online surveys can be customized to not only ask standard best practices questions/metrics, but also direct custom questions to address specific needs. For example, a single survey can capture:

  • a snapshot of a brand’s health
  • reactions to stimulus (video, visuals of different arrangements, copy, etc.)
  • target audience profiling (attitudes and behaviors)
  • and much more

An online survey does not have to be pigeonholed into focusing solely on a single research objective or a very narrow set of research objectives―a survey can cover a lot of ground.

There are a variety of questions and exercises that can be included in an online survey to address research objectives. In addition to traditional closed-ended questions (lists and scales/grids), W5 frequently utilizes the following:

  • open-ended verbatim responses (uncover the “whys”)
  • highlighting and hot spotting of text (determine words and sentences that are appealing/less appealing and stand out)
  • drag-and-drop card sorts (understand how respondents prioritize or break down concepts)

There are times when it is appropriate to address a narrower set of research objectives with an online survey. However, when appropriate, we want to squeeze as much juice as possible out of a survey, ensuring we do not waste an opportunity to collect valuable data.

03
Apr

Inbox Love in the Time of Corona

Posted by: Kathy Justice in: Uncategorized No Comments on Inbox Love in the Time of Corona

I am diligent about keeping my inbox at zero. It’s a personal accomplishment of mine, one that brings me a sense of joy. I love looking at the blank screen with all my email folders lined up nicely on the side, quietly awaiting the next incoming blitz of messages. If I were to describe the feeling of Zen it brings in mere words, it would go something like this: The noise has ceased, I have accomplished all my tasks, I am up to date.

Imagine my surprise when the world recently upended itself over COVID-19 and my email inbox was flooded with emails from all the food, clothing, furniture, bedding, makeup, pet supply, carpet cleaner, technology, and home appliance brand from which I’ve ever purchased a product (and this list I’ve shared is by far incomplete, it stretches on and on and on).

Brand emails run the gamut from reactionary to informational to comforting during the Corona virus outbreak.

Did it feel comforting to have my favorite bedding company check in on me to let me know they’ll be there for me over these long weeks of social distancing? Hmm, maybe, a nap did sound good as stress over the state of the world mounted. What about that Australian-based company I purchased pool floaties from a few years ago? Did I care that they cared? I must admit, it felt good to know my health and wellbeing was on top of their radar too, even from half a world away. Did seeing all these emails increase my anxiety? Not at all, my anxiety was already through the roof. Was I annoyed at the deluge of messages? Since I regularly “Marie Kondo” my inbox, then honestly, yes. But that’s when I decided to look deeper and ask: What exactly were the ultimate intentions of these emails? What did they hope to accomplish?

Luckily I was not the only one mesmerized by the litany of “we care” communications and curious to dig into their language, message, and meaning. A “Moneybox” article over at Slate tackled the issue with a funny round up of relevant tweets about the email blitz. Adweek also got into the game by analyzing the language used in these emails. They even delivered a delightful word cloud demonstrating the most frequently used terms.

Overall, industry experts felt it important to look at the timeline of these emails to understand their full intent. Initial rounds were from a reactionary place, addressing the sense of financial disruption everyone feared and wanted to prevent. Next up was a vital informational angle: Here is what we are doing to make sure you are safe. These emails were perhaps most important, especially for small businesses who hope to keep their customer base around with curbside pickup and extra careful sanitation of their retail space.

Most recently, emails and advertising have shifted to a more heartfelt “we care” tone that feels like a warm cup of coffee on a cold day or a hug from a friend. As the impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve, brand communications will have to shift and alter in many ways. It’s important to remember that no matter what the circumstances, we exist in an age where consumers are demanding more from brands—especially as we have ample time to sit and think about what the company represents, what they offer, and their role in our lives. A noted trend among Gen-Z (who now make up 40% of consumers) is a desire to see real people with real problems. In other words, now more than ever transparency and authenticity are key for brands seeking to maintain a relationship with consumers and even go the extra mile to offer support.

What do you think about the deluge of COVID-19 communications from brands? Share your reaction with W5 in the comments below.

31
Mar

Qualitative Research in the Current Crisis

Posted by: Tristan Shook in: culture , market research No Comments on Qualitative Research in the Current Crisis

We’re in the midst of an unprecedented economic and social disruption that has left many in the industry grappling with understanding what research looks like in this environment. Qualitative research is particularly in limbo as approaches have to adjust to the current era of social distancing.

But research and the need for consumer understanding has not halted and in fact many clients are finding it more urgent than ever. There are still opportunities for insight and learning provided you do it right. Respondents too are still engaged. People are eager for ways to connect and be heard. Research provides an outlet for otherwise cloistered lives.

For now, in-person research is out of the question. Never mind the widespread stay-at-home orders, there is a communal and ethical imperative that we do not endanger the health of respondents, their families, or their communities.

But this isn’t to say in-person research is going away. There will be a return to normalcy and a demand for qualitative, in-person research that digs deep into how consumer sentiment has evolved over this period.

In the meantime, online methodologies are your friend. There are a host of technologies that can capture direct consumer response from online discussion techniques, virtual focus groups and interviews, and innovative chat platforms. While it’s changed how we observe behavior, moving research online does not remove the ability to observe individuals as they conduct routine activities and shopping. W5 is able to leverage tech to observe people shopping online, capture video and photographic response, and talk to people in their homes. All of this will allow brands to observe current and changing attitudes and behaviors as consumers navigate through new paradigms and ways of doing things.

Despite the convenience and flexibility of online tools, it can still be a challenge understanding consumer sentiment, but here are some tips and tricks that can help you do it right:

  • Groups vs. Individuals: In highly uncertain times, conversations can be emotional and some topics can be potentially challenging to discuss in a group. Consider whether the answers you’re seeking might be better discussed individually or in groups.
  • Past, present, and future: How questions are framed is important. When seeking to understand consumer behavior, it’s important to capture not only their behaviors now, but how this differs from how they did things in the past and anticipate doing them in the future.
  • Respondent connectivity: Ensure that built into the screening process is a check for reliable internet connections, device compatibility, and the tech savvy to use various online platforms.
  • Engage respondents’ creativity: Respondents can be understandably pre-occupied with the daily news. Leveraging creative activities and exercises can be a useful technique for tapping deeply held opinions and avoiding conversations that redound to current events.
  • Recruiting time: Allow more time for recruiting online methodologies. The massive shift to online research has limited recruiting resources and consumers themselves are still adjusting to new routines.

Keeping these tips in mind can make qualitative research successful and insightful both now and once the cloud of the current crisis has lifted. Be well everyone.

24
Mar

DISSECTING THE ART OF NOTE TAKING

Posted by: Andrew Willard in: knowledge , market research No Comments on DISSECTING THE ART OF NOTE TAKING

“Writing and learning and thinking are the same process.” – William Zinsser

Boiled down to its essence, I view my primary goal as a marketing research professional as helping others understand something I have learned.

I try to ask thoughtful questions, listen attentively, and then effectively translate ideas for the benefit of others. This is a capital-P Process for learning and communications. However, it is not always linear, and my methods for asking, listening, learning, and communicating are varied.

Over the past 15+ years of working professionally with data and language, I have learned (the hard way – through mistakes; and over and over again) that I personally learn best through writing by hand. I use my PC, laptop, and phone for many things, but despite the ease and convenience of these technologies, when I want to absorb information, retain it, refer to it later, and ultimately translate it for others, I grab a pen and notebook. I like to physically spell it all out and scrawl across the page, leaving a record I can refer back to (and re-interpret) later.

It’s not really pretty, but it works for me…
I realize that I am just one information worker among many, however, and others have very different habits, practices, and preferences.

We recently conducted a brief, statistically reliable (N=1000) nationwide survey via Piplsay, powered by Market Cube to gain insight into how people take notes at work and the benefits they seek in making related decisions. Here is some information we gained on the subject:



Data Source for W5 Poll: Piplsay, Powered by Market Cube, September 2019

These are all valid techniques for taking notes and sharing ideas at work, of course. The prevalence of different habits and preferences is interesting. It is clear people learn and communicate differently and a combination of methods can be effective (and is most typical).

I was a little surprised at how many people take notes by typing, and that only 57% do so by writing. Personal preference and bias aside, in light of psychological science reflecting the value of handwritten notation for comprehension, I thought this percentage may have been even higher. It does, however, seem to make sense that typing is a preferred method for sharing information later – which for many people, may be a reason to take notes in the first place.

I was amused at some respondents’ confidence in relying on memory (though they, somewhat humorously, seem to admit it’s not the best way to record information to tell someone later).

Ultimately, it’s not about the tools or techniques. The key is to maintain focus on sharp questioning, open-minded listening, and efficient communication, using whatever methods aid you through the learning (capital-P) Process.


10
Mar

Vend It To Me!

Posted by: Tom Daly in: branding , packaging No Comments on Vend It To Me!

While you can still get a sugary soda, bag of processed salty stuff, or a congealed glazed doughnut in the vending machine downstairs in the W5 building, the future of vending is changing―finally.

Like other forms of convenient food delivery, vending is shaking up its offerings. Sure, availability at arm’s length is appealing, but the impulse of a vending purchase increasingly must offer intrinsic value beyond ease. Trading quality for accessibility will soon be disappearing from the category―food inherently good for you will also be readily available, whenever.

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal noted a few emerging companies that are successfully dispensing fresh, healthy food. It’s true, vending machines being fresh and healthy are no longer an oxymoron!

Not since the long-gone golden age of Horn & Hardart has fresh, good tasting food been readily available in this way. Chicago-based Farmer’s Fridge, now also available in a half-dozen other states, and growing, has a temping menu for those on the go: breakfast items, salads, bowls, sandwiches, snacks, and even drinks―many vegetarian or vegan. Fresh Bowl, a more recent entry to the category from New York City, offers busy Manhattanites just what its name says: healthy bowls of greens, grains, and protein combos in resealable (and reusable) glass jars.

The key to success today is the ability of these nascent vending companies to harness technology to deliver compelling offerings to consumers. Up-to-the-minute sales data is supplied to headquarters, so just-in-time items that need to be replenished, or removed, can be done so on a daily basis―no day-old turkey salad sitting in the machine or on the shelf of the delivery van. Technology also allows for temperature control, so food offerings are continuously stored at optimum levels. They can even alert you, via an app, when a seasonal item is stocked, and its nearest location.

The food industry has also become adept at cooking food at centralized “ghost kitchens,” where it is prepared daily by food staffs whose sole function is delivery to secondary locations, i.e., this isn’t a take-out business or part-time vending route, it is their sole core business function.

Obviously, the industry is evolving and snafus can be expected along the way, but consumer expectations regarding convenience and food consumption have quickly changed over the past few years. There are many models that will serve people’s needs and stationary interactive machines are most definitely part of that equation―there’s a lot less “moving parts” than restaurants or dubious delivery drivers (one recent study states 28% of food is ‘tasted’ by delivery drivers). Soon, these machines will likely be in your office so you can grab something on the way home, in your apartment building so you can run down while watching your favorite show, and on the street corner when you’ve decided last minute you’re not up for cooking, or going out―just walk up, choose, click, and eat!

24
Feb

MEASURING AND TRACKING BRAND HUMANIZATION

Posted by: Andrew Willard in: advertising , branding , culture , knowledge , market research , study No Comments on MEASURING AND TRACKING BRAND HUMANIZATION

Businesses are run by people and it is important for consumers to know they engage with real people when they purchase products or services from a chosen brand.

Brand Humanization focuses on the relationship between brands and consumers, comprised of various aspects of Brand Trust and Brand Empathy.

W5 recently conducted a custom, strategically-focused quantitative market research survey to establish benchmarks for consumers’ perceptions of a client’s brand on aspects of Brand Humanization. For this particular client, and category, we focused on the following aspects of Brand Humanization:

The below case study highlights application of W5’s Brand Humanization research for a Fortune 500 brand.

CLIENT ASK
A long-established American agribusiness and food company sought to reposition its brand to align with values that matter to modern consumers, including, but not limited to, Millennials. Understanding the relevance of Brand Humanization (i.e., comprised of Brand Trust and Brand Empathy values and perceptions) informed strategic market positioning, tactics, and communications focus.

APPROACH
W5 developed a custom survey to understand if Brand Humanization matters to target consumers regarding their category purchase decisions. In addition to standard survey questions, client logos, category and product imagery, and emoticons were incorporated to stylize and gamify survey design to elicit engaged, humanistic response. W5 quantified how well consumers felt the company delivered on attributes including brand purpose, business conduct, social responsibility, customer value, and employee appeal, mapped to a Brand Humanization framework. Future tracking research will assess the extent of the company’s success in positioning and marketing to consumers over time.

RESULTS
W5 confirmed Brand Humanization is valued, especially among Millennials, and informs purchase decisions in the client’s category creating opportunities for immediate positioning and marketing. Specifically, the client gained actionable direction for messaging and imagery to feature on its website, in advertising, and other marketing communications, ensuring resonance with current and future audiences.

To learn more about W5’s Strategic Tracking Services, download our company white paper.

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