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30
Jul

Jobs-to-be-Done 101 [:60 Video]

Posted by: Amy Castelda in: knowledge , market research , marketing , technology No Comments on Jobs-to-be-Done 101 [:60 Video]

JTDB framework is applicable across almost any product or services category. From cereal, as featured in our video, to UX, to app design. It provides marketers and innovators a framework of understanding consumers’ purchase motivation—they do not buy products and services, instead they hire solutions throughout their day to get jobs done.

Check out our video, What is JTBD?, and download this helpful one-pager to understand how a JTBD framework can spark innovation at your organization.

“Jobs-to-be-Done” is a strategic framework for understanding how consumers use products and can be a powerful starting point for identifying opportunities for innovation.

Interested in learning more about JTBD? Check out these links:

8 Things to Use in “Jobs-To-Be-Done” Framework for Product Development

Finding Jobs Your Product is Used For [Video]

A Script to Kickstart Interviews About Someone’s Jobs to be Done

Top 8 Tips for JTBD Interviews

16
Jul

Considering Gen Z: Best Practices to Research a Younger Generation (Part 1)

Posted by: Kathy Justice in: culture , Gen Z , knowledge , market research , marketing No Comments on Considering Gen Z: Best Practices to Research a Younger Generation (Part 1)

W5 takes special interest in crafting research approaches that meet the needs of specific consumer groups of interest. In this three-part blog series we will examine how best target and understand Gen Z in research studies, a consumer group considered the future of the global economy. In today’s post we will look at why Gen Z is of interest to the market research community and why it is important to consider how they engage with the world when designing research studies.

What's next for Gen Z

In the market research industry, we are always balancing between “now” and “next,” carefully considering how to communicate with consumers, engage their minds, and capture their feedback with effective methodologies and approaches. For many years we have focused on understanding and communicating with Millennials, not exclusively of course, but admittedly this generation has occupied a large portion of our mental landscape.  Millennials possessed a great deal of buying power and represented a huge share of wallet for many brands and products.  But now it is time to consider the next generation, those next in line—Generation Z.

As researchers we are curious about this generation for multiple reasons. First, much current research about Gen Z cites them as a “disruptive” generation—consumers who will think, communicate, and interact with the world around them somewhat differently than those before them. This is largely accredited to their role as digital natives and constant connection to a “supercomputer” of information. Second, we still do not know where Gen Z will ultimately land in money management, big life decisions such as buying a home, or the trajectory of their careers. They are a generation still forming…a mystery of sorts. While we know they have experienced economic crisis and war (like Millennials), their course is not set in stone and has been complicated further by recent world events such as COVID-19 and social upheavals. Lastly, Gen Z makes up about 26% of the global economy and by sheer numbers alone, should not be ignored.

While “Zoomers” represent a span of ages, from five to twenty-five years old, as a group they represent immense purchase power with different levels of influence and ultimately, are projected to eclipse Millennials in size leading to an inevitable “changing of the guards.” While we cannot make any definitive claims about Gen Z and who they will be as consumers (remember, they are still developing), we can seek to understand ways in which they have experienced the world and explore what that means in the context of research design. Stepping into the shoes of the consumer and seeing the world through their eyes is a solid approach to crafting research studies in general, as it aligns the researcher with consumers’ mindsets.

Stay tuned for our next entry in this three (3) part series. On Tuesday, August 4th we will explore the influence of technology on Gen Z and how “hyperconnectivity” shapes their world view.

This thought-piece was developed from conversations with key vendors and web and book-based research from the following resources:

  • “The Generation Z Guide” by Ryan Jenkins
  • https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-shopping-habits-kill-brands-2019-7
  • https://blog.ryan-jenkins.com/generation-z-vs-millennials-the-8-differences-you-need-to-know
  • https://www.kasasa.com/articles/generations/gen-x-gen-y-gen-z
  • https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/22/gen-z-hate-millennials-handy-guide-generation-wars
  • https://www.greenbook.org/marketing-research/How-Market-Research-Helps-Understand-Generation-Z-1022244
  • https://fuelcycle.com/blog/reach-millennial-gen-z-customers-conducting-research-unengaged-generations/

09
Jul

Brands Supporting a Summer of Connection

Posted by: Megan Giedraitis in: advertising , branding , marketing No Comments on Brands Supporting a Summer of Connection

When we think of summer, it is hard not to imagine grilling outside with family and friends, crowding around a music festival stage, or watching a beach sunset. While warmer weather signals moving the party outside, go-to summer experiences look different this year, and many must shift to smaller, safer activities. For consumers, maintaining traditions contributes to a sense of comfort and connection. To support these traditions, businesses need to re-prioritize their marketing strategies and create simplicity for their target audiences. From purpose-driven marketing to product portfolio transformations, these brands are finding innovative ways to create interest and engagement around summer plans:

High Impact Messaging

Budweiser, known for its inspirational ads, has launched a new campaign to honor those who have fought for our freedom as well as essential workers in the fight against COVID-19. The American-style lager brand released a short film, “Take Two Minutes,” to highlight the parallels between soldiers and healthcare workers preparing for the front lines. They also revealed patriotic-centric cans to integrate their products into the cause. For every case purchased, $1 will be donated to Folds of Honor, a military nonprofit providing educational scholarships to families of fallen and disabled service members.

Fellow Anheuser-Busch brand, Busch Light, is offering a limited-edition puzzle aimed at supporting a favorite at-home pastime as well as encouraging spending time outside with a chance to win a $5,000 outdoor adventure. To be entered into the sweepstakes, consumers who receive a puzzle with the “Busch Guy” holding the coveted golden beer must share a photo to social media and use the relevant contest hashtags. Busch Light will also donate $5 from each puzzle purchase to National Forest Foundation tour guides affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. By providing consumers with an engaging indoor activity with a cause, Anheuser-Busch is leveraging user-generated content to connect and extend social reach. 

Earth-Friendly Ingredients

Few things get a group of people together like cooking over an open flame, and with an increase in food category experimentation, more people are embracing meat alternatives. Beyond Meat, a massive disruptor to the meat industry, tapped into consumers’ desire for healthier options this summer with its “Cookout Classic” value pack campaign of ten burgers for $15.99. To keep the focus on sustainability its packaging is fully recyclable. By offering eco-friendly bulk at the lowest price to date, the brand aims to create accessibility and inspire plant-based menus this summer.

In addition to their delicious, cranberry beverages, Ocean Spray also cares about the environment. The brand recently announced it is the first major farmer-owned cooperative to achieve 100% sustainably grown verification for its cranberries by the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform. With a focus on making a positive impact, Ocean Spray has teamed up with Nature to showcase their commitment to sustainability practices. The creative includes vibrant visuals of Ocean Spray farmers working closely with different elements of nature to underline their eco-collaboration.

Backyard BBQ Refresh

From ketchup to baked beans, Kraft Heinz Company is a must-have at summer barbeques. Offering a modern twist to its iconic features the global food producer has paired with creative agency, Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR), in its first-ever master brand identity. The limited-edition packaging—released earlier this year to celebrate its 150th anniversary—has driven an 11% increase in year-on-year sales volume. The visual identity, logo, brand strategy, and packaging across 20 product categories were all redesigned to create a unified consumer experience and ensure sustainable growth for the company.

Whether contributing to a cause or embracing the great outdoors, people are looking for unique ways to stay connected. Although the guest list may be tight this summer, brands need to find creative ways to be involved in consumers’ summer activities. By inspiring unique at-home experiences, highlighting ways consumers can enjoy a product on their own rather than in a large group, or providing an enhanced digital presence, businesses can safely guide consumers through the summer season.

Discover how W5 leverages consumer voices to guide brands to develop resonant campaign strategies.

02
Jul

Independence Day 2020

Posted by: John Capps in: culture , Data Visualization , Data Visualization Infographics , infographics , study No Comments on Independence Day 2020

Across America this week folks will be celebrating Independence Day. Though many are hunkered down at home, avoiding larger crowds, they will still find ways to celebrate.

Three W5ers-in-training set out to understand how families (N=1 family) will be celebrating this year and what July 4th activities they are most excited about.

The polling of one (N=1) family revealed that activities garnering the greatest excitement are:

  1. Fireworks
  2. Eating all the great food (particularly hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream)
  3. Wearing festive attire
  4. Spending time with family
  5. Staying up late

Source: W5 Trainees – Alina Capps (age 9); Audriana Capps (age 8); Alexandra Capps (age 2)

11
Jun

Quarantine Hobbies and Global Trends

Posted by: Jonathan Morris in: branding , technology No Comments on Quarantine Hobbies and Global Trends

Quarantine has been a crazy time for just about everyone, and being confined to my apartment every day has left me feeling a little like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. But the monotony has driven a lot of people to try new hobbies and find creative ways to stay busy. Here’s a few ways W5’ers and the rest of America have been passing their time.

Video Games

One W5’er has been spending some time playing her favorite online games her friends. She suggested one to me called Bonk.io which is equal parts fun and confusing. Video games have seen a huge surge in demand as quarantine has many people finding themselves stuck inside more than usual. Consoles, especially the Nintendo Switch, have been sold out for months, and many production facilities in China have experienced shutdowns as a result of the virus, further exacerbating the production shortage. The Switch is selling anywhere from $400-$600 on Amazon and eBay, about 33-100% above retail. It’s a great time to play video games, but only if you can get your hands on them.

Home Improvement

One thing that it seems like everyone is doing is working on projects around the house and yard, and in the case of one W5’er a treehouse! It seems this is a theme isn’t limited to W5 as every time I pass a Lowe’s or Home Depot the parking lot is always full. Both companies were quick to roll out curbside pickup options and have experienced growth while other companies are feeling the squeeze. Both Lowe’s and Home Depot saw strong revenue growth this past quarter as people took their time at home to spruce things up.

Video Streaming

It can be hard to find something to do at night when you can’t go out – and many are turning to their TVs. Nearly everyone at W5 has been streaming a show during the lockdown. I have personally been enjoying Community on Netflix. Netflix saw over 15.8 million new subscribers join last quarter, nearly double the number expected. If you have any good recommendations for series or movies that are streaming online please let me know!

Biking

With many gyms closed and the constant feeling of being cooped up bike sales have surged. Many of us at W5 have been in on the craze and are spending lots of time outdoors riding. A fellow market research group, The NDP Group, reported that bike sales have shot up 121% a compared to a year ago. In my hometown it was reported that the local bike shop owner had to close for a day just to assemble new bikes for the sales floor and manufacturers can’t keep up with demand.

Exercise

While America, and W5’ers, try to find ways to avoid the Quarantine 15, sales of home fitness equipment have skyrocketed. Reuters reports a 130% increase in home fitness equipment. In the article, a fitness equipment supplier was quoted saying demand was, “exceeding Black Friday levels, every day since March 13..” Additionally, many gyms are now offering “virtual memberships” that offer access to classes and training online. Getting outside for a run is one of the only things keeping me sane and it’s nice to see I’m not the only one feeling a bit cagey.

A few messages on Slack and email caught me up to date on what everyone at W5 is up to, and it turns out we have been spending our time in similar ways as everyone else. If you’ve been passing the time in quarantine in any unique or interesting ways, or you just have a good book or movie recommendation please let us know!

08
Jun

Integrating Agile Innovation

Posted by: Tristan Shook in: emerging technology , knowledge , market research No Comments on Integrating Agile Innovation

For many organizations, the current crisis has illuminated the need to understand their customers and act quickly to deliver products that meet their needs. Pursuing new ideas can be a long, arduous process unless a process is in place for nimble, quick-turn innovation.

W5 recently supported a F500 CPG company in implementing a quick-turn, agile process for brainstorming innovative new product concepts, prototyping product language and visuals, and testing the initial concepts with consumers.

Approach

W5 facilitated a three-step innovation process over just three days. On day one, W5 strategy consultants led an innovation workshop (more on W5’s strategic services) that empowered internal stakeholders to empathize with the consumer, identify unmet needs, and outline a number of product concepts. W5 incorporated knowledge sharing and creative ideation exercises to engage a large, cross-functional internal audience.

On day two, a smaller team refined the concepts and worked with a designer to visualize and bring the products to life. On the final day, W5 moderated focus group discussions with loyal and aspirational audiences to capture consumer feedback and gauge the viability of each potential product (check out W5’s wide range of qualitative services).

Results

After the three-day process, W5 identified a new product concept that appealed to the client’s core audience, another that effectively targeted an aspirational audience to draw them into the category, and a third that held universal appeal. The client was able to turn what is typically an extended product development cycle into a three-day agile process that encompassed everything from initial ideation to consumer testing.

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!

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WHITESPACE INNOVATION

W5 can support your team to identify market opportunities and leverage strengths to create meaningful differentiation. Whitespace Innovation initiatives combine primary research to understand current consumer perceptions as well as strategic initiatives to brainstorm future opportunity.  

W5 will often leverage unconventional research approaches to elicit compelling ideas for how your brand can innovate within the category. 

W5’s Whitespace Innovation projects can help you: 

  • Identify your brand’s current position and opportunities in the category 
  • Create meaningful product and brand differentiation 
  • Promote a culture of innovation and creative thinking
RESEARCH PLAYBOOKS

Playbooks tell a visually compelling story, distilling research findings for the highest possible impact across your organization. W5 develops Playbooks to simplify and communicate research learnings into an action plan that is entertaining, easily digestible, and understood by all.

These deliverables distill traditional detailed research reports into engaging narratives, stirring conversation and hypotheses. 

Research Playbooks can help you: 

  • Consolidate findings from across research initiatives 
  • Make research pleasing and appealing for internal stakeholder audiences 
  • Visualize findings in compelling ways
RESEARCH ACTIVATION WORKSHOPS

Research Activation Workshops are interactive sessions that encourage your team to understand and then apply research findings to strategic initiatives. These sessions use research engagements as the springboard for internal collaboration and engagement. 

W5’s ideation facilitators start with a presentation of findings and then use creative exercises to elicit new ideas from participants. Each engagement ends with a prioritized list of action items to explore in the short and long term. 

Research Activation Workshops can help you: 

  • Get more from your research 
  • Familiarize internal audiences with the research results 
  • Encourage creative thinking and life beyond the final report
PERSONAS ARCHETYPE CREATION

Personas are tools for understanding and empathizing with consumers, clients, or end-users. They present a complex marketplace as a series of archetypes with names, faces, and perceptions, offering a shared foundation for teams in all parts of your organization to understand what your customer wants and needs.

Personas allow designers, marketers, product developers, and other internal teams to empathize with consumers and understand their needs in an easy-to-understand manner leading to smarter products and services. 

Personas can help your organization: 

  • Align on strategic goals based on consumer needs 
  • Visualize, understand, and empathize with the consumer 

Read our White Paper on Personas

META-ANALYSIS OF EXISTING RESEARCH

W5 can review existing primary and secondary research to develop a custom report centralizing understanding of your brand to springboard further strategic thinking. This provides your team with a cohesive understanding of the market and brand performance, adding richness and important context to research results.  

Often organizations have a repository of research reports that are not acted upon. W5 uses these data points to summarize and tell an otherwise buried story. Resulting reports are eminently more readable and actionable. 

Meta-Analysis approaches can help you: 

  • Find value in existing research 
  • Consolidate research findings in an easy-to-understand narrative
  • Uncover buried insights and inspire internal stakeholders 

Read our Thought Piece on Meta-Analysis 

Read our Case Study on Meta-Analysis

JOURNEY MAPPING

W5’s strategy practice works closely with qualitative and quantitative researchers and client teams to transform Consumer Journey research into engaging and lively visuals.

This collaboration combines research analysis with the design and visualization process. W5 produces detailed Journey Maps that clearly plot major touchpoints, key moments of truth, journey barriers, and the emotional steps of purchasing a product or service. 

W5 can help your team: 

  • Identify key moments in the Consumer Journey with your product, service, and brand 
  • Visualize the journey to promote stronger internal awareness and understanding 
  • Share and socialize the consumer journey with internal audiences 

Read our White Paper on Consumer Journeys 

Read our Case Study on Consumer Journeys

INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS

W5 works with you to create Interactive Presentations for sharing research across your diverse internal audiences. These presentations distill reports into key themes and ideas presented alongside charts, video, images, and quotes.

These deliverables are more dynamic versions of traditional research reporting by leveraging illustrative tools to tell a more compelling story. 

W5 can develop Interactive Presentations that help you: 

  • Make research findings easier to socialize throughout your organization 
  • Generate internal interest in research results 
  • Enable internal teams to engage directly with the data and embrace its implications
IDEATION AND CO-CREATION SESSIONS

In creative problem solving, the quality of a solution depends on the ability to generate creative and strategically sound ideas. W5’s Ideation Workshops use creative activities, lateral thinking, and brainstorming to inspire new ideas and solutions.

Our facilitators cater discussions to your organizational goals ensuring tangible strategic actions that can be applied immediately following the session. 

Ideation and Co-Creation Sessions can help you: 

  • Structure and formalize consumer insights 
  • Make research insights actionable 
  • Engage stakeholders in research and ensure the results are applied
DOCUMENTARY VIDEOS AND HIGHLIGHT REELS

W5 produces and edits research videos that illuminate consumers’ lives through stories and scenes, with a goal of encouraging consumer empathy and understanding translating into better products, communication, and stronger brand equity. 

W5 also produces short films that summarize findings in the voice of the consumer. These 3-5minute stories encapsulate research findings and provide an easy way to understand your consumers’ mindset.

W5’s video deliverables can help you: 

  • Share and socialize insights with a broad internal audience
  • Bring the consumer to life and inspire internal teams to put the consumer at the center of your design, product, or messaging strategy 
  • Generate interest and entice internal stakeholders to take greater interest in research results

Read our Thought Piece on Video Ethnography

CATEGORY LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT

W5 can create a complete picture of the competitive landscape, highlighting current category trends and alerting you to future developments. W5 leverages multiple methodologies to assess the Category Landscape, including social media synthesis, online trend analysis, expert interviews, and primary marketing research. 

W5 can help you: 

  • Understand where your brand fits within the current market 
  • Identify potential challenges and threats 
  • Pinpoint trends likely to influence your industry
  • Establish a baseline category understanding before more in-depth research
ARTIFACTS AND INSTALLATIONS

Artifacts and Installations include any method of communicating research findings that goes beyond the standard research report. These elements challenge expectations through novel presentations and unexpected media. 

W5 creates deliverables that can take many forms, custom designed to integrate into internal spaces and attract stakeholder attention. 

Incorporating these deliverables can help you: 

  • Share and socialize research insights throughout your organization 
  • Generate interest in research and promote a culture of customer-centric thinking 
  • Promote long-term engagement with research insights

Read our White Paper on Design Driven Deliverables 

PRICE SENSITIVITY RESEARCH

The marketplace is constantly evolving and there are times in every industry when it is necessary to assess your pricing strategy. Price Sensitivity research is valuable in gaining perspective into the optimal price-value balance. W5 typically uses the Van Westendorp pricing model to efficiently evaluate client pricing. 

The Van Westendorp technique applies four simple questions regarding a product or service, requiring survey respondents to rate each price in context with product/service offerings and perceived benefits. This method yields clear and intuitive data that identifies the range of acceptable price points, providing a solid basis to assess pricing strategy. 

Understanding consumers’ price sensitivity can help you:

  • Identify the optimal price point for a product or service
  • Model the range of acceptable prices driven by consumer purchase intent and in the context of brand equity, offerings, and benefits
  • Assess consumer demand above and below the pricing range to understand market implications

For more in-depth information on pricing analyses, W5 recommends Conjoint Analysis.

BRAND HEALTH ASSESSMENT

A Brand Health Assessment includes evaluation of consumer awareness, consideration, and engagement with a brand to generate insights on market positioning. Through a quantitative survey featuring validated brand metrics plus custom questioning, the “health” of the brand is measured and compared to key competitors. 

Through a W5 Brand Health Assessment you gain perspective into your consumers’ relationships with the brand beyond awareness, to explore their past, present, and future experiences with the brand.

Brand Health Assessment can help you:

  • Measure your brand health (awareness, consideration, usage, recommendation)
  • Understand your brand positioning and opportunities relative to competitors
  • Profile different audiences’ relationship with your brand
BRAND EQUITY EXPLORATIONS

Brand Equity is focused on consumers’ perceived value of a brand, beyond just their opinions of products or services. To understand brand value, an exploration of brand equity includes more than an assessment of current brand health and image. A forward-looking perspective is necessary to guide business strategy. 

W5 Brand Equity Explorations include brand health (i.e., awareness, consideration, engagement) and brand perceptions (i.e., overall image, brand performance on valued attributes, etc.) but also the call-to-action of the brand. The call-to-action assessment often includes personal (i.e., consumer research, purchasing) and social (i.e., recommendation, social media advocacy) aspects.

Brand Equity research can help you:

  • Assess brand health in terms of awareness and engagement
  • Understand how the brand is perceived by consumers, particularly on qualities that drive their brand selection
  • Identify ways in which the brand inspires future engagement, including sales
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Product Development is rarely a straight line and can present stops and starts throughout the process. Product Development research can be leveraged to evaluate initial renderings or ideas, test prototypes, optimize features and benefits, test products in natural contexts, and gauge related communications. 

W5 works with clients to employ both online and in-person approaches. In-person approaches are appropriate for hands-on elements or testing functionality and form factor, while online approaches can help narrow options and gauge overall reactions to attributes, design, and messaging. 

Product Development research can help you:

  • Narrow options around product features and design
  • Identify potential usages or pain points early in the process
  • Clarify areas of confusion or uncertainty 
  • Create a differentiated product that stands out from competitors
  • Eliminate false starts or development mistakes
AUDIENCE PROFILING

Audience Identification and Profiling research paints a detailed picture of a core market―their demographics, basic category behaviors and attitudes, psychographics underlying those behaviors and attitudes, and opinions of the marketplace. This method is a critical step when introducing a new brand or product and can be a cost-efficient alternative to a segmentation.

Beyond basic statistical profiling, W5 explores the relationship of consumer lifestyles, life stages, beliefs, and habits to define their potential engagement with the brand and/or product.  Audience Identification and Profiling is best used to identify a target audience for a product, service, or message. This strategic market insight will help you:

  • Identify a core market within a broader target
  • Estimate the scope of opportunity for a brand or product with that target market
  • Inform strategic brand or product positioning
  • Develop meaningful and resonant messaging
ATTITUDE AND USAGE RESEARCH

Attitudes and Usage (A&U or AAU) research answers essential questions of “what?,” “where?,” “why?,” and “how?” around consumers’ decision making within and across market categories. W5 A&U studies provide a robust and reliable snapshot of consumer sentiment and behaviors at a moment in time but can also be conducted to inform future strategy. They are a valuable tool for market hypotheses, exploring brand and product appeal and opportunity, and identifying the impact of recent or forthcoming marketplace changes.

Attitudes and Usage research can help you:

  • Identify nuances of consumer behaviors in the category
  • Understand consumer rationale for category perceptions and decisions
  • Gauge your competitive positioning
  • Resolve hypotheses and assumptions of consumer behaviors and mindsets
CONCEPT TESTING

Product and Positioning Concept Testing provides insight on how a product, service, or branding can cut through competitor offerings to fit consumers’ needs and desires. Thorough and strategic testing of proposed concepts will ensure success by identifying consumers’ rationale for specific likes and dislikes.

There are many ways to accomplish a concept test―monadic testing, paired comparison, proto-monadic evaluation, concept screening, etc.―however, not all techniques are applicable in every situation. W5 builds a custom approach based on the number of concepts, depth of presentation, selected audiences, and needs for comparative insight. A strategically designed research study will reveal resonant winners and relative losers and can help you:

  • Understand perceived benefits and shortcomings of each concept
  • Determine which concepts should be developed and refined and those to leave behind
  • Identify areas of improvement to integrate into an optimized offering
MESSAGE TESTING

The Message Testing process begins with creative stimuli and copy and ends with a refined message. Quantitative research plays an important role to ensure message effectiveness by eliciting consumer feedback on appeal, relevance, and call-to-action. 

W5’s approach to Message Testing provides multiple viewpoints on stimuli through a proto-monadic survey design where copy variations are assessed independently and randomly before comparative questions are asked. The result is dual perspectives on clarity, appeal, relevance, and call-to-action of each stimulus providing context and support for winning concepts.

The goal of Message and Copy Testing is to illuminate the best path forward for marketing and advertising. Armed with this insight, you are better positioned to:

  • Select a message or set of messages that will resonate based on a reliable, robust analysis of a large set of target consumers
  • Inform nuanced creative decisions around specific copy, imagery, media channels, etc.
  • Address hypotheses and outstanding questions about how best to communicate brand strengths, differentiation, and relevance
SEGMENTATION

The identification of different consumer groups in the market is a powerful tool for identifying target audience characteristics beyond basic demographics and category behaviors. W5 views Segmentation as the study of consumers’ responses to specific attitudinal, behavioral, psychographic, and category- and brand-related questions. During analysis, consumers with similar attitudes and thought processes are bundled together to create an audience ‘segment.’ 

Segmentation is beneficial for those seeking a reliable understanding of consumers based on stable, real-world criteria. W5 leverages a mix of applied approaches to ensure resulting segments are actionable and capable of informing product/service refinement, brand positioning, and communications strategies.

W5’s approach to custom, strategic segmentation research will:

  • Determine which consumer segments exist and reveal the relative size of each 
  • Evaluate the potential economic value of each segment
  • Identify the behaviors, attitudes, needs, and underlying psychographics of each segment and how these differ from one another 

Read our White Paper on Segmentation 

Read our Case Study on Segmentation

 

CONJOINT/TRADE-OFF ANALYSIS

Conjoint Analysis explores the value consumers place on your products or services and their features. Through a series of conjoint (two or more parallel) questions in an online survey, consumers evaluate different sets of attributes (and the various attribute options, or levels) and make “trade-offs” between services or features. Response across scenarios generates a robust data set processed using sophisticated modeling techniques. W5 can then gauge your consumers’ priorities, identify optimal bundles with market relevance, and explore demand and price sensitivity related to variations in marketplace offerings.

Conjoint Analysis can help you:

  • Understand the unique contribution each attribute and level of that attribute brings to a product or service 
  • Determine minute differences between a series of nuanced product offerings
  • Inform development of customized product offerings to specific target audiences
  • Model and explore consumer demand and price sensitivity based on a robust and reliable primary research data set
STRATEGIC TRACKING

Strategic Tracking research monitors a brand’s perception and strength over time through industry-specific metrics. Through a periodic or continuously-fielded quantitative survey, consumer insights are measured and compared to track changes and guide decisions based on past activity and predictions for future activity. Strategic Tracking supports decision making by examining market changes from one measured period to another.

W5’s approach to Strategic Tracking goes beyond measuring brand and advertising awareness to explore an evolving marketplace, bringing depth and context to consumer behavior and attitudes. Strategic Tracking research reveals understanding of the relative health of your brand and scratches below the surface to determine its fit in the marketplace.

This in-depth ‘state-of-the-brand’ understanding can help you:

  • Measure and monitor brand health (awareness, consideration, usage, advocacy, etc.)
  • Understand which brand strengths contribute to overall performance
  • Understand brand positioning and opportunities relative to competitors
  • Assess the impact of branding initiatives, advertising campaigns, and other marketing communications
  • Profile different audiences’ relationship with your brand and advertising 

Read our White Paper on Strategic Tracking 

Read our Case Study on Strategic Tracking

 

SHOPPER INSIGHTS

Shopper Insights reveal how consumers interact with products and brands within retail environments, both online and in-store. It focuses on every aspect of the shopping experience, from store selection to purchase decision. W5 views shopper insights as a nuanced and complex study of the retail environment, in-store behaviors, in-aisle decisions, and messaging.

Understanding shopper needs and motivations can transform your approach to products, packaging, displays, promotions, experiences, and interpersonal interactions for both brick-and-mortar and online/mobile shopping. W5 leverages a mix of ethnographic techniques to capture insights throughout the consumer journey.

Exploring Shopper Insights can help you:

  • Better position your products within the retail environment
  • Create new value propositions for your brand(s) 
  • Overcome barriers to product adoption and consideration
  • Build loyalty post-purchase

Read our Case Study on Shopper Insights

ONLINE DISCUSSIONS

Online Discussions are comprised of relatively new qualitative research tools that can provide broader access to participants (over both time and geographic areas) without limiting the quality or type of feedback.

These conversations can take place as Bulletin Boards, Online Journals/Diaries, or webcam-enabled IDIs or Focus Groups. The online platform incorporates rich response and reaction tools that allow participants to communicate via text, simple surveys, images, or video. This enables W5 to employ an activity-based approach to asking research questions where participants not only tell you, but show you how they behave and think.

Clients can also be more involved by observing responses in real-time, suggesting follow-up questions as they happen, contributing to an ongoing discussion among observers, and tagging responses to highlight in reporting.

Online discussions can help you:

  • Leverage longitudinal responses to better understand behavior and attitude in the context of real life
  • Gather frank and honest responses in a largely anonymous forum
  • Collect layered, highly personal responses from consumers in the context of their own environments and day-to-day lives
MOBILE ETHNOGRAPHY

Mobile Ethnography is one of the most flexible research tools available, allowing W5 to connect with a wide array of participants spread across time zones and geography via a smartphone app or mobile platform.

Mobile Ethnography allows researchers to virtually accompany consumers in their natural environment. Throughout the process, W5 integrates mobile-enabled activities to increase consumer engagement and generate insight. This may include exploring product usage, daily rituals, shopping experiences, etc. by capturing media and providing feedback in real-time.

Mobile Ethnography is an efficient and minimally invasive way for consumers to share their thoughts and experiences―a multi-sensory landscape of a consumer’s world that can help you:

  • Identify fallacies in reported versus observed behaviors
  • Capture first impressions of new products or services
  • Facilitate understanding of how, when, and why a product or service is used in its natural environment
  • Chart the moments a consumer engages with a product or brand on a daily basis
  • Identify pain points and moments of delight in the in-store or online environment

Read our White Paper on Ethnography

MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT

Before your brand messaging meets the market, qualitative research can provide valuable feedback to ensure relevance. Message Development research can be conducted throughout the process to develop initial ideas, test individual ideas/campaign concepts, or evaluate campaign material or concepts for consistency.

W5 uses both online and in-person approaches to evaluate messaging. In-person approaches benefit from a flexible forum for developing ideas or exploring initial reactions, while online approaches can incorporate evaluation tools such as heat mapping that identify positive and negative associations with specific elements.

Message Development research can help you:

  • Ensure a message or campaign remains consistent in various media (i.e., web banner, print ad, television spot, etc.)
  • Identify essential, need-to-know information for communication about a product, brand, or service
  • Create a unique and memorable voice that rises above digital and visual clutter
  • Assess the clarity and resonance of specific messaging elements
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWING

In-Depth Interviewing (IDI) is an intimate conversation between a moderator and an individual or small group of participants. It is a preferred approach when research topics are sensitive or more detailed feedback is needed.

Semi-structured, the approach allows conversations to flow naturally, with the spirit of the conversation guiding the questioning and its order. W5 views IDIs as offering several methodological advantages including building a strong rapport and leading to more detailed and evocative feedback. The approach is often direct and focused, with minimal distractions, allowing for more genuine, thoughtful responses.

In-Depth Interviews can help you:

  • Explore individual concerns for a product, concept, or idea
  • Assess independent decision making and behavior among a specific consumer audience
  • Connect with unique, specialized populations to discuss a specific subject in-depth
  • Explore sensitive or emotional topics inappropriate for community discussion
  • Understand complex elements of a client product or service from the experience of a sophisticated end user
FOCUS GROUPS

Focus Groups, a moderated discussion held with pre-recruited participants, are the most widely used and familiar qualitative research tool. They are especially powerful for conducting exploratory research, messaging evaluations, product development, or brand positioning and strategy research.

Their familiarity does not mean they are a tired approach. W5 incorporates creative exercises and activities to challenge participants to think critically and creatively about research questions. New technologies feature a host of multimedia tools that further creative thinking.

Focus Groups can help you:

  • Conduct a broad exploration of consumer opinions
  • Inspire initial ideas to develop into more cohesive concepts
  • Test products, concepts, or campaigns to receive nuanced feedback
EXECUTIVE INTERVIEWING

Executive Interviews are in-depth, one-on-one discussions with professionals, often in specialized industries or roles. Unlike consumer interviews, they require qualitative researchers attuned to industry language and practices who can approach the conversation with an understanding of their specialization and tie their perspectives back to the research goals.

W5 approaches executive or professional interviews by staying flexible in both timing and means of communication, conducted via telephone, webcam, or in-person to accommodate participants’ schedules.

Executive interviewing can help you:

  • Develop branded marketing and communications that resonate with targeted professional audiences 
  • Adapt products and services to address pain points and meet market needs
  • Design new retention strategies to support long-term customer engagement
  • Outline the position of a product or service within the competitive landscape

Read our Case Study on Executive Interviewing

CONSUMER JOURNEY

Consumer Journey maps are tools for visualizing how people interact with your brand, most often in the realm of retail and/or online shopping experiences. These maps diagram each interaction with key behaviors, considerations, and potential barriers that lie between an initial trigger to consider and final purchase.

Qualitative research is instrumental in capturing the defining moments of the process. W5 designs Consumer Journey research to be immersive, incorporating in-person or mobile ethnographic approaches to shadow the consumer during each step in the process. The learning that comes from better understanding the experience as a whole can help you identify specific pain points and barriers and create a strategy to connect with consumers at the most opportunistic touchpoints.

Consumer Journey maps can help you:

  • Understand the myriad of touchpoints consumers encounter in an often complicated journey to purchase
  • Highlight opportunities to increase consumer satisfaction and drive future consideration

Read our White Paper on Consumer Journeys 

Read our Case Study on Consumer Journeys

 

ETHNOGRAPHY

Ethnography is a qualitative research approach that produces a real-world understanding of how lifestyle, culture, behavior, subconscious motivations, and social context influence product selection and brand interaction.

Ethnography is immersive, putting researchers in the consumers’ world to observe how they behave and interact with their environment and how they feel about the experience. W5 ethnographers can expertly evaluate consumer behavior in detail, identifying meaningful patterns and themes that emerge from their explicit and implicit attitudes and needs. Ethnographic research can take place anywhere (home, store, restaurant, etc.) and employs a mix of virtual and in-person approaches.

Ethnography can help you:

  • Understand a specific culture or subgroup of consumers in great detail
  • Observe and identify new contexts for product use, branding, or communication
  • Identify uncommon consumer insights that are simply inaccessible without closer access and engagement with your audience

Read our White Paper on Ethnography 

Read our Thought Piece on Video Ethnography 

 

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Concept Development begins with an idea and ends in your consumers’ hands as a product or service. Concept Development research ensures the final result meets their expectations and needs. 

Initial exploratory research helps create empathy and understanding of consumers’ specific needs. From there, the customer can become part of your development team, providing qualitative feedback with each iteration. By embracing Concept Development qualitative research, you are embracing a customer-centric design process that will make for more successful product launches.

W5’s Concept Development and evaluation research can help you:

  • Develop new ideas or technologies
  • Better understand why specific products struggle
  • Refresh existing products to better meet customer needs
BRAND POSITIONING

Brand Positioning is a strategy to identify competitive advantages and help your brand connect with the right people, in the right way, at the right time. It assumes your brand and competitors occupy the same “space” based on subtle differences in audiences’ rational and emotional preferences. Exploratory, iterative, and interpretive, qualitative Brand Positioning research is ideally suited for understanding these nuances. W5 can help you uncover both rational reasons for brand preferences as well as hard-to-define emotional factors.

With knowledge of your current position and what’s important to your audience, you can clarify your brand’s meaning and adopt positioning strategies that offer long-term strategic value.

W5 can help your brand:

  • Identify its position in the marketplace
  • Define and clarify attributes that matter most to your audience
  • Create meaningful differentiation from competitors or within a brand portfolio
  • Revitalize its presence within the market