Professional Documents
Culture Documents
How Consumers Think
How Consumers Think
2 A
Most marketers believe mere Thinking inside the box limits mediates the connection.
ly knowing that consumers the ability to tap into con
prefer a container with a sumers' minds. To find out The body senses information
round shape rather than a what they're really thinking about the world. It then
square one is enough. But - consciously and uncon generates chemical and
digging more deeply into why sciously - we need to use physical responses that create
consumers lean toward one better research methods. emotions and thoughts. The
shape can produce sorne real Then, we need to make better body then moves in response
insights. It may even suggest use of our imaginations. to the cerebral activity.
that another shape, such as
rectangular or oblong, would Obviously, such high-quality Traditional market research
spark better sales. thinking can pay dividends over-relies on consciousness
for marketers. But several - in other words, on rational
Managers can't achieve truly factors limit its presence in ity, economic logic, and
insightful consumer analysis business. verbalization. However, in
by scratching the surfaces of consumers' purchasing
thought and behavior. To One reason is that it takes choices, 95 percent of the
understand consumers, it's time, energy, and unusual decision-making process takes
biological factors that under openness to new possibilities. place below the conscious
lie mental activity. It is also Also, imaginative thinking level.
essential to grasp the social and bold actions require
and psychological processes people with the rare courage This means that the complex
that affect consumers' to accept occasional failures. reasons why people huy one
experiences. product and reject another
But an open, active mind can operate well below the mar
Those steps lead to a fuller help managers win more cus ket researcher's "radar
understanding of how mental tomers, and satisfy more of screen" - one traditionally
activity occurs. Then, the them. focused on consciousness.
marketer can gain a more
complete understanding of It's an arduous process to Note that unconscious
customers. understand the mind of the thought is preverbal. It
market. For instance, the involves mental activity, but
1111 number of known particles in primarily at the level of
the universe is 10, followed impulses and fragmentary
THE MIND OF THE MARKET by approximately 79 zeros. images. Tying our shoes, for
But the number of possible example, obviously involves
The goal for marketers is to neural connections in the a kind of thought, but at a
achieve customer-centricity. human brain is 10, followed subconscious level.
It occurs when: by more than a million zeros.
In terms of consciousness,
e111 First, the customer hears But even with its vast com thoughts are ideas or
and fully comprehends plexity, the brain isn't an concepts. However, more
that a firm's offerings entity unto itself. It interacts precisely, a thought is an elec
merit a purchase. with the body, mind, and trochemical "behavior" or
social world. As the brain occurrence that we can't see
e111 Second, the company links up with the social and without a neuroimaging
hears and fully under physical world, the body device.
stands the customers'
deepest thoughts and THE NEW PARADIGM OF AN INTEGRATED MIND-BODY-BRAIN-SOCIETY
strongest yearnings.
1 :1 3
Why should marketers care purely rational terms, the processing stimuli in largely
about such complex matters? purchase may make little unconsc10us ways.
For two main reasons: first, practica! or economic sense.
because marketing líes right After all, speed limits prevent Sights, sounds, and smells -
at the hub of the interactions; the driver from reaching the for example, smelling coffee
and second, because the new top speed on the speedometer, brewing at Starbucks -
paradigm reminds us that we so he cannot drive a $100,000 may unleash brain activities
can't study consumers in iso Porsche faster than a $20,000 tracing back to pleasurable
lation from the factors that Ford. memories from childhood.
influence them. Does it make practica! sense
Instead, the sports car makes to go in and spend several
The mind-body-society a statement about the dollars for what's basically
pyramid shapes thinking and owner's personal identity - just a cup of coffee? Maybe
behavior for each consumer, perhaps regarding youthful not, but millions of people do
as well as each marketer. ness, daringness, sexiness, or so every day.
What happens when a aggressiveness.
"marketer pyramid" and a The unconscious regularly
"consumer pyramid" come In sorne cases, consumers reveals itself through
together and interact? make purchases whose real metaphors. A metaphor is
purpose they try to conceal. "figurative language,"
We see the results in the For example, consider people referring to the representa
figure below called "The Mind who huy expensive chocolate tion of one thing in terms of
of the Market." Conscious products. When questioned, another.
processes play a relatively they often indicate it's a gift
small part; this is the top of to others. However, in-depth For instance, if a poet says,
each pyramid. In contrast, research finds that it's usual "My love is a red, red rose,"
unconscious processes play a ly intended for personal he doesn't mean she's turned
large role, represented by the consumption. The purchase into a flower. He means
broad base of each pyramid. is tangled up in emotions of that in sight and scent she
joy and guilt that the con resembles a rose.
However, as we've seen, sumer may not even under
marketers traditionally have stand at the conscious level; Similarly, if someone says,
focused on conscious process all the person knows is that "My hair is my signature," it's
es - and largely ignored the the sight of the box, or the clearly not meant precisely.
hard-to-read unconscious. smell of the chocolate, Rather, it suggests the hair
triggers a desire to huy. signals something about him
That's a big problem, one of or her as a person.
which all of us are at least Discussions of how neural
dimly aware. As we've activity takes place and By one estímate, human
already suggested, a person ultimately expresses itself beings use about six
purchasing a high-perfor in conscious thought tend to metaphors per minute of
mance sports car is not just be very technical. But the spoken language. Why so
buying a device to convey him key point is that conscious frequently? Mainly because
from one place to another. In ness results from neurons they establish connections,
helping us interpret the world
THE MIND OF THE MAruillT and make it intelligible.
4 A
consumer decision making experience of the world. messages, those below the
through such means as level of consciousness,
telephone interviews, focus Our degree of consciousness demonstrably influences
groups, and questionnaires. varíes over a lifetime - and behavior.
These approaches rely on even during the course of a
self-reflection and awareness. day or an hour. It fades in ® The delivery of overnight
and out as we work, move mail gets rated as "fast"
But how does that square about, sleep, and dream. or "slow" not so much on
with estimates that more time of arrival as on the
than nine-tenths of thought, Only a tiny portion of mental recipient's eagerness to
emotion, and even learning activity occurs as real aware get it.
occur in the unconscious ness and thought. However,
mind? The obvious answer: it's that consciousness which ® The placebo effect occurs,
It doesn't. allows us to reflect on for example, when
unconscious events. patients think they're
Clearly, consciousness, which receiving an analgesic,
expresses itself in carefully Here are sorne research but instead are getting
crafted words, regularly verified examples of the a sugar pill. A significant
involves self-censorship. unconscious mind at work: number of placebo recipi
Consciousness relies less ents experience an easing
on candor than on social ® The exact same dinner of pain, apparently
acceptability. tastes better if we like because their brains
the person with whom produce endorphins with
The point is this: Much we're dining. effects similar to the
potential knowledge about chemicals in the
consumers remains hidden. ® The difference between a medicines.
For marketers charged with product costing $10 and
achieving a deep understand one costing $9.99 is a In other words, when people
ing of consumers, that pre mere penny - but expect a positive experience,
sents a major problem. The consumers treat it like a they tend to get it. That
remainder of this summary bargain. holds true not only for
examines the techniques medicines but also for other
marketers can use to surface ® The participants in blind products.
more of the vast amount of taste tests frequently
consumer information that change their stated pref These examples call into
lurks in the unconscious. erences, often without sharp question the strongly
awareness of doing so, held notion that consumers
1111 when testers identify are savvy shoppers who
the brand and show the operate rationally.
EXPLORING THE UNCONSCIOUS packaging.
MIND OF THE CUSTOMER But shouldn't a product's
® The typical consumer price and demonstrated
To understand how customers realizes that generic med effectiveness, combined with
think and act, we need to ications are as good as consumers' own stated beliefs
understand the human mind. expensive national about the product, determine
As we've already discussed, brands, but he or she their buying behavior? Yes,
the greatest influences on generally pays the higher but in many cases, they don't,
consumer decisions take place price for the comfort of and the answer líes in the
below the surface of conscious the brand name. unconsc10us.
thought.
® The use of infants or baby The unconscious mind clearly
The term cognitive uncon animals in ads invariably represents a significant
scious - a synonym for the causes consumers to rank frontier. It's a place mar
unconscious mind - refers them high in sincerity, keters must explore if they
to the mental processes perhaps associating want to achieve competitive
operating outside consumer infancy with innocence advantage.
awareness. Together with and honesty.
conscious processes, they The pressing need is to
constitute an individual's ® The use of subliminal establish research methods
1 :1 5
that penetrate more deeply protected approaches that achieve several key goals,
into the human mind. In impeded learning, moved including:
this regard, metaphors offer ponderously, and obstructed
fertile ground. innovation. ® Determining auto design
preferences.
By metaphors, we mean At a deeper level, she
símiles, analogies, allegories, expressed feelings of impo Understanding patients'
personifications, and tence and isolation in the face experiences of medical
proverbs. of a powerful, slow-moving conditions.
status quo.
When the unconscious mind Developing home
reveals itself in metaphors, Clearly, the use of a healthcare products.
they're available for conscious metaphoric approach encour
examination. The conscious aged candor and passion. Gauging audience
mind can examine the uncon Apparently, it's easier to make reactions to television
scious, but the reverse isn't a critical analysis of Godzilla programming.
true. than of one's employer.
Metaphors can surface con
Enlightened managers invite It turned out that other sumer issues that don't reveal
consumers to use metaphors employees agreed with themselves by other means,
when describing products. the "Godzilla" characteriza such as questionnaires.
That's because metaphors tion. In response, senior Conscious expressions have a
offer a glimpse into con management decentralized guarded quality. Metaphoric
sumers' unconscious thoughts and simplified the process of expressions reflect more
and feelings. initiating new procedures. personal and uninhibited
views.
For example, the technique of The additional autonomy
metaphor elicitation can be given to people paid divi For example, a DuPont
highly effective. This method dends, leading to a tripling in researcher focusing on
involves encouraging con the number of promising new hosiery products said
sumers or employees to use ideas. metaphor research provided
metaphors in talking about "intensity, texture, and depth
companies, brands, and prod Here are two ways that that we'd never gotten from
ucts. Researchers can speed firms have used metaphors in other studies." She saw the
up the elicitation process by product development and research as "bringing out sub
presenting lists of metaphors refinement: tleties related to sexual issues
or by showing pictures. that you don't get in a
® Hallmark launched an straight interview."
One global industrial-goods entire new division based
company used metaphor on consumer metaphors Based on the research, hosiery
elicitation to find out what related to memory, which manufacturers modified their
executives thought about the is a subject of great inter ads. Instead of emphasizing
company's attitude toward est to the marketer of super-competent career
innovation. Before the inter cards, picture frames, and women, the new ads provided
views, participants chose gifts. images of sexiness, allure, and
from among several pictures female affirmation.
they could use as metaphors. ® A European cosmetics
maker has used three Overall, understanding
One woman selected a picture core metaphors it discov metaphors helps marketers
of Godzilla, the giant lizard ered in consumers' communicate more effectively
who destroys modern cities in thinking to develop entire about brands - and increase
old movies. In the common new lines of business. the likelihood of purchases.
portrayal of Godzilla, he's a For example, a Midwestern
protector of the old way of Many companies use con bank had found it was hurt
doing things. sumer metaphors to generate ing itself by conveying a
new products, including Bank stodgy image.
Metaphorically, Godzilla rep of America, Samsung, P&G,
resents the woman's view and DuPont. Other firms Reviewing metaphors
of senior management. It have used metaphors to valued by its small business
6 A
customers, the bank found that eight one-hour, one Researchers generally mea
these go-getters stressed person interviews produce the sure response times through
vitality. It modified its same number of ideas as the speed of participants'
marketing to emphasize its eight focus groups involving a computer clicks.
energy, resourcefulness, and total of 65 people.
commitment to growth. Response latency distinguish
What's more, in validation es between participants'
Understandably, when studies conducted with explicit, or conscious, emo
marketers seek to elicit Eastman Kodak, DuPont, and tions and thoughts and their
metaphors from consumers, General Motors, these tech implicit, or unconscious, ones.
the process can be challeng niques doubled the number of Whenever there's a difference
ing. People get suspicious ideas judged actionable and between explicit and implicit
when questioned by someone relevant to managers com thoughts, the implicit ones
they don't know - especially pared with other methods, give better indications of
when the inquiries deal with including focus groups and future behavior.
their deepest thoughts and surveys of more than 30,000
feelings. people. Two of the most effective
1 :1 7
approaches uncover attitudes The main neuroimaging Here's how fDOT might
of which consumers may not techniques are: benefit a researcher:
be aware. Second, they
reveal the social drivers 1. Functional Magnetic Imagine an exercise where
affecting behavior. Resonance Imaging, or participants are asked to view
fMRI. a number of icons, or images.
For example, if a person Then they are asked to gener
wants to be perceived as 2. Functional Diffuse ate mental pictures of the
health conscious, he may Optical Tomography, or icons. The brain activation
report on a survey or in a fDOT. should reveal how strongly
focus group that he does not visual areas become activated
consume much alcohol and Functional Magnetic when people generate their
may give negative ratings to Resonance Imaging tracks images of the icons they've
brands in that category. changes in neural activity. seen. If your product elicites
Implicit measures get closer The most common form of a heavy degree of positive
to the truth. fMRI is the Blood Oxygen activity, you've probably got a
Level Dependent, or "BOLD" market winner.
In one study comparing technique. It identifies brain
implicit measures with focus areas with a high level of Clearly, neuroimaging
groups and surveys, response blood flow, indicating signifi techniques can improve the
latency measures revealed cant neural activity. In a content and application of
that there is a much larger broad sense, it shows what standard market research
market for alcoholic bever excites consumers. techniques. What's more,
ages than the other methods they can detect and measure
suggested. People displayed In fMRI, neuroscientists take consumer reactions to various
much more positive attitudes a number of steps to measure stimuli. This means they can
toward specific brands, and an individual's brain activity. help isolate the key
toward consuming alcohol in The results suggest which metaphors and symbols help
general. factors, such as metaphors, ful in developing marketing
ads, and the like, elicit strategies.
Other research indicates that
implicit measures can be
especially powerful tools in
positive memories and encode
new memory. ••
the understanding of con The second neuroimaging UNDERSTANDING AND U SING
sumer attitudes about technique is Functional CONSENSUS MAPs
brands. For example, evi Diffuse Optical Tomography,
dence suggests that the or fDOT. The technique is Metaphors clearly help man
IAT predicts actual product new and needs more valida agers tap into critical, but
usage better than self-report tion. However, it avoids the elusive, drivers of consumer
measures. main disadvantage of the behavior. The next subject
fMRI technique, which is that we'll explore is consensus
A second powerful technique participants must líe still in maps, which build on
for capturing unconscious an expensive, noisy, cramped metaphor elicitation and serve
thoughts and feelings is neu device. as valuable tools for looking
roimaging. This involves into consumers' unconscious
brain-scanning techniques How does fDOT operate? It's minds.
that produce pictures of the something like shining a
structure or functioning of flashlight through your hand. Basically, consensus maps
neurons. Neuroimaging That occurs because light are graphic displays with two
allows researchers to make travels a significant distance. elements:
direct observations of people's
brain activity while they In fDOT, a researcher uses l. Words describing the
engage in various mental laser sources and detectors thoughts and feelings
tasks. applied to the head, right that consumers share
above the area of the brain about a particular topic.
Neuroimaging offers great under examination. Through
promise for marketers, this method, the researcher 2. A linear suggestion of the
especially in advertising and can get measures of neural linkages between the
positioning. activity. thoughts and feelings.
8 A
Such maps represent consensus map are: depend quality to trace on the map is
widely shared thoughts by ability, honesty, patronage, "dignity." By further analyz
consumers about products. moral character, dignity, ing the data, they can create
They reflect general concepts responsiveness, and hospitali a submap around dignity that
gleaned from original data, ty. Each of these circles is shows several other qualities
based on extended interviews connected to sorne of the that influence it.
with consumers. other circles by lines to show
how consumers link them. A submap for how consumers
Understanding common For example, honesty is view dignity at one company
elements in values, goals, and connected to dependability, is shown below. Customers'
behaviors is essential in mar patronage, dignity, and moral judgments about how the
keting. The next step for character. It is not directly company respects their
marketers is to determine connected to responsiveness dignity are connected to
which of the shared elements or hospitality. their perceptions of how the
they must acknowledge and company treats its employees,
respect. For many companies, a key whether the company appears
Consensus maps help A SUBMAP OF THOUGHTS ÁBOUT A COMPANY TIIAT HAS CONSUMERS'
marketers identify such BEST INTERESTS AT HEART
common features and how
they interact. Using
metaphor-elicitation tech
niques, researchers can make
consensus maps that show
most of the thinking of most
consumers on a tapie.
An example of a consensus
map is shown on the right. It
depicts consumers' thoughts
about companies that have
their best interests at heart.
The seven qualities in this Source: Mind of the Market Laboratory/Harvard Business School
1 :1 9
to act selfishly, has a sense of about the qualities of the marketing strategy that need
pride, and is evolving. business they are studying. reexamination.
These qualities are also
When a major camera known as constructs. The In analyzing and acting on
manufacturer conducted questions should include: a consensus map, a critical
corporate-image surveys, it factor is the original raw
found that consumers ques @
Which constructs merit data. It comes in the form of
tioned the firm's respect for further analysis? metaphoric images and verba
its employees. The company tim quotes - both of which
changed its marketing cam @ Which points should the are invaluable supplements to
paign to stress that it treated company convey to cus managers' unique knowledge
its workers well. The next tomers relative to each of their products.
time it conducted the survey, construct?
it found that consumers rated The extended consensus map
the company higher not only @ Which ranking does ping shown here illustrates a
in how well it treated its per the company have on sample consensus map and
sonnel, but also in dignity, each of these constructs the raw data underlying it.
which led to higher overall compared to competitors? The map is a product of a
ratings of the company and study on privacy conducted by
its treatment of customers. @
Which degree of quality the Harvard Business School
does the company achieve Mind of the Market Lab.
As the example shows, in terms of the strength
marketers that study consen of associations between
sus maps can reengineer constructs? The figure below shows
these maps. In that way, the consensus map
they can help boost customer @
Which constructs affect reflecting key constructs
satisfaction, strengthen brand the company's or brand's and the connections
loyalty, and enhance sales. desired position relative between them - elements
to other constructs? mentioned by nearly ali
Various companies use con participants in the study.
sensus maps in diverse ways. The answers to such ques The five constructs high
Here are sorne examples: tions can help managers lighted are those certain
evaluate how well their mar firms, including Johnson &
Immunex, the drug- keting plans dovetail with Johnson, General Mills,
sm
maker, used a consensus consumer thinking. They
and GM, found especially
interesting.
map about physician deci can help target aspects of
sion-making in a highly
successful drug launch. CONSENSUS MAP FOR CONSUMER THOUGHTS A.BOUT PRIVACY
@ Coca-Cola, Bank of
America, J. Walter
Thompson, and Fidelity
Investments use them to
develop communication
strategies.
10 A
The upper- and middle THE MEANING OF SCRUTINY
right figures shown here
depict excerpts from the
electronic version of the
map, as well as the raw
data behind the highlight
ed constructs. The specif
ic data relates to two
constructs: "scrutiny"
and "invasion."
Clicking on a construct
enables a user to access
various information about
the construct, including:
its definition, a set of
sample quotations from
which it emerged, and
visual metaphors that par
ticipants used to express
their thoughts about it.
Far more important than THE MEANING OF INVASION
the individual constructs
are their associations.
The connections - or
"lines" - in the upper and
middle figures represent
consumers' reasoning
processes. They give
texture and significance
to beliefs and feelings.
As illustrated in the lower
right figure, clicking on a
line allows users to see
how two constructs - in
this case, "scrutiny" and
"invasion" - relate to one
another.
Understanding such link
ages is crucial. They pro
vide the best available THE REASONING PROCESS INVOLVING SCRUTINY AND INVASION
basis for market
segmentation.
Companies should define
consumer segments on
the basis of similarities in
reasoning, not on the
constructs alone. lt's the
thinking processes - not
,
the constructs, and cer
tainly not criteria like
demographics or purchase
volume - that reveal "But Ulen !he Gloser they
klok the more !he lrwaslon
"why" consumers buy.
•
into your persi:mal !ifo and
to your fü1ancial wor!d rum
you've gol more poopie
wan!lng to koow mora
about you so in this
of ynur wortd
you'ro more 111Jtnen.1ble:
1 :1 11
Don't look at consensus with our strategic vision?
maps as static. However, fun
thought and emotion.
damental issues, such as cm What constructs do we Thus, the three categories
what it means to "feel good," want to erase? overlap. Memories are
probably don't change much stories, but stories have a
over time. * Which constructs should basis in memory. Both
we seek to de-emphasize memories and stories
In the same way, central or reinforce? contain elements of
human issues, such as the metaphor.
meaning of "home," generally @ Which constructs should
remain stable over several we add that would These concepts may
years. distinguish us from our seem abstract. But most
competitors?
of us have memories and
stories about certain prod
But sub-issues related to ucts, such as automobiles
home could change. These Additional tests over time we've owned, theme
might include: should demonstrate how well parks we've visited as
a company is succeeding in its children and adults, and
111
The experience of keeping "construct reengineering" vacation spots. Many of
a home clean, which is efforts. us can recite advertising
significant to a company jingles from our memories
like DuPont. A consensus map serves as a about products that no
guide for getting from one longer exist.
@
The use of exercise equip point in the mind of the
ment in the home, which market to another. The map
Consumers use
metaphors, memories,
is relevant to Nautilus helps managers identify and stories to give a
and its competitors. opportunities and obstacles to personal meaning to
successful marketing efforts. products and brands. But
® The use of home appli it's important to realize
ances, which is important Broadly speaking, a consen that outside influences,
to companies like Maytag sus map reflects the shared including marketers, can
and Samsung. frame of reference on a topic. cause people to change
As consumers experience their memories. They can
A consensus map helps man change - and marketing help create new meaning,
agers reengineer how they actions play a key role in this and new stories, about
interact with consumers. The - the map also changes.
their brands.
map can help highlight ways
companies can encourage
purchasers to see offerings in
•• In one study, moviegoers
who expressed negative
responses to a film they'd
new ways, with new usages. seen were shown a favor
MEMORY, STORIES, AND BRANDS able review. The
Marketers can play key researchers then asked
roles in helping new con As we've already the study participants to
structs penetrate consumers' mentioned, customers' repeat their original
thinking. That is, they can memories about products impression of the film.
help consumers form fresh serve as a foundation That is, they asked them
associations among existing
for metaphors. Metaphors not to let the positive
and memories involve review be an influence.
ideas. re-presentation, or
re-shaping, as do stories. The result was almost
Before facilitating such predictable. The moviego
shifts, managers should ask A metaphor re-presents ers generally remembered
themselves questions like the one thing in terms of judging the film in much
following: another. A story also more positive terms than
re-presents, through link they originally had.
® What do we want this ing events into a coherent However, they firmly
map to look like in six whole, a story. believed they were merely
months or a year? repeating what they had
AII three - metaphor, said before.
memory, and story -
cm What changes in this contain elements of truth Clearly, the glowing
map would align it better and fiction, as well as review had influenced
12 A
Fourth, leveraging thern store for a home plurnbing
them, subconsciously, to
®
1 :1 13
improving the grooming of Tenth, avoid premature dis
they thought about the
those responsible for car missal. Before you reject an brand. The answers
care significantly improved idea, reflect on whether it were generally positive -
customer loyalty. The idea might have unexpected referring to such things
had its origin in a very relevance. as "good styling ...
unlikely place: a magazine comfort ...and good
article about social bonding The goal of the 10 "crowbars" maintenance."
among primates. is to facilitate high-quality
thinking and intellectual Then, the company did
Sixth, stop squeezing the agility. These qualities are something daring: it
same baby chicken. In in short supply at many com asked consumers what
other words, don't put the panies. That's true for many
they believed the
Mercedes brand thought
same "death grip" on your reasons, including: restric about THEM. Negative
ideas that children do with tive work environments, answers abounded.
baby chickens. When people unfamiliarity with out-of-the
are overly attached to an box thinking, and fear of Consumers said things
idea, they block the path to trying to implement new like the following: "They
progress because they can't ideas. don't think of us " and "We
consider other options that are sheep." Another
may be better. The companies that are response was, "They think
successful in market share, 1 have money to burn."
Seventh, nurture cool passion. margins, and profitability, Yet another respondent
Imaginative thinking should will encourage the following
added, "They think l'm a
child that doesn't know
blend reason, or coolness, and characteristics: self-confi better."
emotion, or passion. Cool dence, honesty about what
passion requires knowing one does - and doesn't - In other words, the
under which conditions ideas know, courage to admit second question did
will work, and then helping mistakes, and, especially, more than elicit negative
create them. curiosity. Curiosity is impor comments. lt also demon
tant because it prevents strated the fragility of the
Eighth, have the courage of confidence from becoming positive comments about
your convictions, not someone arrogance. the product. What's more,
••
else's. Every company has it demonstrated that
its share of "yes, but" types
consumers believed the
company had much less
and people who are always interest in them as people
uncomfortable with new than as purchasers.
ideas. BETTER ANSWERS THROUGH
BETTER QUESTIONS You can frame better,
Yes, point out potential obsta more valid questions by
cles. But don't portray diffi Of course, you can't following these guidelines:
culties as insurmountable. find better answers to
The president of one health marketing issues without 1. Determine the generic
care concern handles the "yes, first asking better ques question you want to
but" people in this way: He tions. The question's explore. That is, if you
accepts their concerns, and
pointedness ultimately have a new product to
determines the answer's clean cars, don't just
then insists they solve the quality. ask about car clean
issues they raise. ing. lnstead, ask what
For example, it's human consumers think about
Ninth, ask generic questions. nature not to want cleaning - and cleanli
Remember that market disturbing conclusions in ness - in general. The
research doesn't exist for its our market research. So, answers you get from
own sake. Instead, it seeks to the tendency is to ask the broad question can
examine fundamental human consumers how they be more informative
and social processes. For feel about our brands - and useful than from a
example, General Mills has questions almost predeter narrowly framed query.
developed severa! brands
mined to get positive
answers. 2. Determine whether the
that reflect mothers' basic question should
concerns about their Mercedes, the carmaker, be specific to brand,
children's life-stages. asked consumers what category, or problem.
14 A
For example, if your the form of 11bad should do more than lead
product is a tooth news, 11 can lead to to predictable answers.
whitener, should you positive changes. To Well-designed, penetrating
ask consumers about avoid generating only questions should open
your brand? Or about superficial 11 good doorways into consumers'
whiteners in general? news, 11 ask consumers thinking.
Or about the problem to share any concerns
the whiteners seek to not covered in the In a practical sense, fram
address? Knowing research process. ing good questions takes
what the problem is - you, as a manager, out of
from the consumers' 6. Convert assumptions the realm of the 11 same old
perspectives - can into questions. same old. 11 lt forces you
help you design and Managers must look to assess what you know
position your brand. inward to identify their - and don't know. lt
own assumptions, and makes you choose what's
3. Pose more general and then outward to test important - and what's
more specific versions their accuracy. For not.
of the first question instance, light users of
that occurs to you. In your product might tell Thoughtfully framing a
the case of the car you more than heavy question can expose well
cleaner, a more gener users. Is the problem springs of assumptions,
al question would deal less with people's buy knowledge, and experi
with how consumers ing habits than with ence. Learn to question
feel about keeping something deficient in your questions, and good
things clean. the product? answers will begin to flow
Conversely, a more with abundance.
specific question 7. Employ a clairvoyant.
would ask something Or at least imagine you One key in framing
like, 11 What do you like had a clairvoyant, research questions is
best, and like least, someone who could to distinguish between
about keeping your car answer one profound velocity and direction.
clean? 11 question. Here's an Velocity deals with likely
example: A maker of sales, direction with
4. Determine whether alcoholic beverages general attitudes about
you need to know didn't pose a basic the product.
direction, velocity, or question about posi
both. In other words, tioning. lnstead, it Too many companies get
as you sail forth with a asked a clairvoyant's the cart - the velocity -
new product, decide open-ended question: before the horse - the
what's most important 11 What's the anatomy direction.
to learn: is it the of social well-being? 11
attractiveness or The question reached In one case, a bank asked
appeal of a concept or out to consumers' customers what they
product - that is, the thinking and feelings thought about a new
direction? Or is it the in ways that allowed savings plan - and,
likely initial sales - the company to especially, how many of
the wind's velocity? develop an extremely them would be likely to
The direction question effective ad campaign. enroll in it. Response was
is essential enthusiastic.
to development and 8. Employ a wizard -
launch decisions. The someone who can However, when the
velocity issue is fix broken things. company launched the
critical to production Better yet, imagine program, few people
decisions. that something goes enrolled. Eight months
wrong - that you after it began, the plan
5. Allow for surprises. have a deficiency in was discontinued. What
Recognize that most knowledge that might went wrong?
market research seeks lead to a serious prob
confirmation of lem. Then, get the The bank had paid too
managers' existing knowledge and fix the much attention to velocity
assumptions rather problem before it - potential sales - and
than illumination. In occurs. not enough to direction -
fact, disconfirming general attitudes about
information, even in Market-research questions the product. lt thus
1 :1 15
example, they assumed that the "what-if' variety. It suf-
badly misread demand for the ship was unsinkable, and fers from a lack of imagination
the new plan.
they assumed that they were to look below the surface.
lt was one of those cases navigating in waters that
where survey participants were clear of icebergs. Their Examining the interaction
were saying, "Gee, if 1 assumptions were wrong, and between the conscious and
could ever conceive of the results were tragic. unconscious minds of con
having a need for such an sumers can be exhilarating
intriguing product, l'd sure Of course, what sinks more and frightening. It demands a
buy it." Unfortunately, few conventional products and lot of study and reflection.
of them really had such a brands isn't an iceberg. But it's essential for managers
need. Instead, it's usually the sub who want to reduce product
Velocity questions tend to merged thoughts and feelings failures and increase customer
examine surfaces; activat of consumers, and of mar loyalty and profits.
ing a "let's pretend" level keters. But the "Titanic
of consciousness. Getting Effect" can be seen in the new In a marketing sense,
good answers to direction product failure rates, in the techniques like metaphor
questions requires plumb failed brands that lost their elicitation, consensus maps,
ing the unconscious. leadership positions, and in response latency, and neu
••
the celebrated firms that have roimaging are the waves of
recently declared bankruptcy. the future. They offer mar
keters opportunities to under
For businesses, the Titanic stand consumers' unconscious
Effect results from managers' minds - the next source of
ne of the greatest product unquestioned confidence in competitive advantage for
failures of all time was the customary assumptions about companies in every industry.
sinking of the Titanic. Its cap
tain and crew made several
disastrous assum tions. For
consumers. It reflects a fail
ure to ask hard questions of ••
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gerald Zaltman is the Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Business Administration, a member of Harvard
Fniversity's 'Mind, Brain, and Behavior Interfaculty Initiative,' and is Co-Director of the Mind of the
Market Laboratory. He has developed a new market research tool (ZMET) which is now being used by
major corporations for understanding the mental models underlying customer and manager thinking and
behavior.
He is author or co-author of fourteen books and editor or co-editor of twelve other books.
How Customers Think, summarized by arrangement with Harvard Business School Press, from How
Customers think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market by Gerald Zaltman. Copyright 2003 by
Gerald Zaltman.
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