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Unit 2: Consumer Research

The sessions are usually held in specially designed conference rooms with one-way mirrors Notes
permitting the marketers and ad agencies staff to observe the session without inhibiting the
responses.
Collage focus research is a variation of the focus group. The respondents are provided with
scissors, paper, paste and magazines and are asked to make a collage representing themselves
and their relationship with the product or service under study.
It is believed that focus groups can be helpful in:
1. Generating hypotheses about consumers and market conditions.

2. Suggesting refreshing new ideas.
3. Checking an advertisement, product package, or product concept to determine any flaws.
4. Understanding consumers' motivations, lifestyles and personalities.

5. Doing a post-mortem on failed products.
Projective Techniques: Projective tests require the respondent to decide what the other person
would do in a certain situation. These techniques explore the underlying motives of individuals
who consciously or unconsciously get involved in rationalisations and concealment because
they may be reluctant to admit certain weaknesses or desires. Projective techniques involve a
variety of disguised tests containing ambiguous stimuli such as untitled pictures (Figure 2.1),
inkblots, incomplete sentences, word-associations and other-person characterisations. The
respondent taking the test, is required to describe, complete or explain the meaning of different
ambiguous stimuli. It is believed that respondents' inner feelings influence their perceptions of
ambiguous stimuli. By taking the tests, they project their inner thoughts revealing their
underlying needs, wants, aspirations, fears and motives, whether or not the respondents are
fully aware of them. Some examples of projective techniques are:
1. Thematic Apperception Techniques (TAT): Respondents are shown pictures or cartoons
concerning the product or the topic under study and asked to describe what is happening
in the picture. It is believed that respondents will actually reveal their own motivations,
attitudes, personalities and feelings about the situation.
2. Word Association Test: This is a relatively old and simple technique. Respondents are
asked to read a series of words or phrases, one at a time and asked to answer quickly with
the first word that comes into mind after hearing each one. By responding in rapid
succession, it is assumed that they indicate what they associate most closely with the word
or phrase spoken and reveal their true feelings.
3. Sentence Completion Test: The interviewer reads the beginning of a sentence and the
respondent is required to finish it. This technique is believed to be useful in uncovering
the images consumers have about products and stores. The information collected can be
used to develop promotional campaigns.
4. The Third-Person Technique: The interviewer asks the respondent to describe a third person.
For this, respondents are presented with some information about the person. It is believed
that when they describe a neighbour or a third person, they usually respond without
hesitation and in doing so, they express their own attitudes or motives as they infer the
attitudes or motives of someone else.

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