The Days of Integrated People-Centric Insights Are Here: Seeing Is Believing

[ Summer 2009 ]

By Patricia Graham, CMO

It is not overstated to say that the vast majority of complex marketing decisions are preceded by some form of qualitative research; yet, according to the February 2009 Inside Research, only 2% of online research spend is for qualitative research. This says something about how we unnaturally divide research efforts to understand people and their relationships with established brands, services and new product ideas.

In today's world, should this division of qualitative vs. quantitative always exist, when we can deploy technology to integrate qual and quant research for the purposes of greater insight for a marketer?

In our online survey research deployment and deliverables, Knowledge Networks is erasing this division, when it makes sense to execute. We are doing so because something is missing...

True voices in quant data
Unstructured reactions behind the attribute ratings
Human impressions of the person being quantified
People-centric candor for "why" – not just "what" – at the same time in the same survey across geographies

ear Our understanding of people requires not just quantifying them but also simultaneously listening to their voices and seeing their emotion when they talk about brands, companies, and their life interests – because they are filled with insights that can transform the research function and ensure its relevance in our marketing future. We can bring that person we all refer to as a "respondent" to life within a quantitative deliverable, hearing and seeing them as an integrated part of a survey result for a richer understanding of the action in the results.

As an example we can bring consumer segments to life not just through describing them, but also through showing the brand manager the iconic person representing a certain segment that is captured from candid, high-quality video answers from KnowledgePanel® members. The panelists are webcam enabled, and we are using a VideoSurvey™ plug-in through our alliance with QualVu to collect that video answer from panelists who are asked a video question in a "quant survey." This intelligent software can detect which KnowledgePanel® members have suitable webcams, and with a simple mouse click they are on-camera providing in-depth feedback. As a result, the days of lifeless reports are gone, and instead an integrated quant/qual analysis is delivered to our clients.

For example, a segmentation analysis can now look like this (Streaming Windows Media):

Let's examine how one of our clients utilized the KnowledgePanel Video Q&A capability to build their questionnaire as well as better understand their segments.

The Anthos Case Study: Quant/Qual Value

The members of Anthos, the Holland-based Royal Trade Association for Nurserystock and Flowerbulbs, observed deterioration in the North American market, the largest in the world for dry bulbs. With Anthos' members having the dominant competitive position in this key market, reversing the trend toward deteriorating sales and profitability was paramount. In order to best address the market, Anthos turned to Knowledge Networks to develop a segmentation of garden owners that illuminated consumer needs and attitudes with regard to flower bulbs in a way the association could act on to attain growth.

Sounds simple enough as a research problem. Or is it? There were many possibilities for lines of inquiry that had to be narrowed down. Video-based questioning prior to survey development enabled the researchers to focus on the hypotheses to be tested and informed the questionnaire. Valuable detail was gained about what to ask and what not to pursue by simply "introducing" the gardeners to Zoe and letting her ask the open-ended question about experience, what they did and why, and levels of satisfaction. You can see the question by clicking here (Streaming Windows Media).

From this one video question, Anthos and KN obtained video-based unstructured responses about motivators and barriers, along with the differences between those who were emotionally charged gardeners versus those who were softer in their gardening engagement. "As a result," said Jeff Banks, Vice President, KN Client Service, "we were able to see the emotive power of the avid gardener, and we developed streamlined separate lines of survey questioning in rapid time that were not limited to a few geographies. The video also helped us to hear the language of the various gardeners and develop powerful integrated probes in the ultimate survey to deliver the most actionable segmentation results."

As a result of the integrated quant/qual, Anthos gained:

Insightful optimization – Video responses and real-time probing within the survey to capture needed improvements in a depth that closed-end ratings cannot provide
The "why’s" with the "whats" – Real- time probing in the survey helps consumers go beyond open-ended likes and dislikes to explain in detail why something is preferred or liked – or not
Tell and Show – consumers show you what they are talking about – what they buy, what they like, what is missing
The emotive power of their key segments – Consumers can be visually shown as inspiration throughout the workshopping / planning process with brand and marketing

Meeting your Integrated Quant /Qual Needs

To best deliver powerful and innovative ways to listen to and learn from people, KN employs a variety of techniques:

Integrated online qual within online quant surveys

Video based Q&A
Real-time moderated probes and interaction

Standalone service, Integrated process

Water cooler/ town hall online qual

Incorporate interaction, multimedia stimulus and moderation when needed – all online

We welcome the opportunity to work with you, as we did with Anthos, and provide a summary of quant/qual capabilities below.

	KN Option Based On
Capability / Activity	Video Q&A	Moderator Probe	Large group events
Any Geography	X	X	X
Moderator		X	X
Text answers to Questions	X	X	X
Online chat		X	X
Video Question	X
Video Answer	X
Client can observe		X	X
Clients can suggest Q's to moderator in real time		X	X
Within quant survey	X	X
Video reel	X		X recording of event
Probe triggered from Q / A		X	X
Audio	X
Unstructured responses	X	X	X
Polling participants in real time			X
Show media or other stimulus	X	X	X
Collaboration of participants			X

Patricia Graham is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Knowledge Networks. Over the past 32 years she has evaluated the marketing plan performance, advertising and communication plan effectiveness of hundreds of new and established brands.