In The One Centre's research team our business is insight exploration.
Much of this comes from conventional, tried and tested qualitative and quantitative methodologies. But uncovering business changing, value creating, creatively inspiring human insights isn't simple – they don't always appear in exchange for $50 and a curly cheese sandwich. Or jump out of the middle of a Likert scale. People often aren't able to articulate their problems. Their behavior is frequently habitual, sub-conscious or forgotten. And often consumers have a limited scope of reference: they simply don't know what is possible.
To go beyond the obvious or trite we make sure we don't just scratch the surface. To tap into the latent and often most potent opportunities we don't just rely on tell, sometimes we need more show: and that's when we call up the Culture Commandos.
It's a new, more flexible way of finding fresh insights about customers.
It's about hanging out with consumers: watching, waiting, asking and recording to give context, understanding and valuable insight.
Crossing the line: going into their environment to find out what they really think.
When a major electronics manufacturer were developing a global ad campaign for leading edge style leaders they asked the Culture Commandos to take it out into their comfort zone: the streets. Armed only with digital video cameras, stimulus and a list of key questions, the Culture Commandos squad hit the bitumen to track down young opinion formers in the hot hangouts of San Francisco, Miami, Singapore, Tokyo, London and Sydney. Seven days later we delivered a stylish, fully edited, insightful documentary on what the world's youth thought of the campaign idea and why.
Show not tell: observing and acting upon real behaviour
When a leading optical retailer needed insights into how and why people shopped their category they called in the Commandos. We inflitrated their stores, merged into the background, watched and waited. Once we saw some clear behavioural patterns emerging, we intercepted, accompanied and interogated. By the end of the project we had uncovered three distinct and sequential shopping modes, isolated the key needs and developed brand ideas to capitalise on each.
Breaking down barriers: going to the point of decision making.
When a major worldwide alcoholic drink faced the task of revolutionising its brand identity across its four biggest markets, naturally they called in special forces; the Culture Commandos. We stormed straight to the heart of their business, the bar, to work out the key rules of engagement. And in the context of the dimmed lighting, bar room bravado and sexual innuendo it became clear there's far more to drinks choice than meets the eye (or the ear of a moderator in a conventional group room).
Giving people time: really interacting with new ideas.
When a top international travel brand wanted to launch a breakthough new bag for bikers, they called in the Commandos. Our task was to bring the bag to life: real biker life. So we took to the streets with the main product designer and facilitated a three-way discussion with a group of bikers and their bikes. And using the product prototypes we encouraged them to do their worst: to prod, poke, fix on, pull off, quiz and question the designer, filming all the while. With the wind in our hair and the smell of petrol in our clothes we were able to quickly reach a level of understanding that wouldn't have been possible within the four walls of a group room - an insight into how the new idea measured up against the elusive ‘human factor' and the springboard for an effective marketing campaign.
|