Qualitative research is sometimes equated with quick and dirty research. Nothing can be further from the truth. Qualitative research encompasses a wide array of methods and techniques that can provide a rich understanding of consumers. The insights that are revealed can spark the big creative idea, locate the next big opportunity, or discover an entirely new way to position a product. Here are some examples:

Study the consumption cycle, not just buyer behavior. Breakthrough product ideas emerge from studying the full consumption cycle rather than just focusing on buyer behavior. At every stage of consumption, there could be potential opportunities for brand differentiation.

What does a brand mean to a consumer? A brand could be slowly slipping into oblivion because its core meaning has not kept pace with changing times. New dimensions of meaning emerge around changing core values in a market. How do we keep our brands vital and fresh during such transitions? Meaning hierarchy mapping, concept maps, and ethnographic techniques are particularly insightful in such situations.

Tools and techniques of qualitative research.In qualitative research, the research design often evolves as the research progresses. Each interview builds upon the previous interviews. The sample selection should reflect the diverse consumer groups in the target market. Our telephone interview center screens literally thousands of consumers to find a handful of precisely targeted participants for our qualitative studies. The analysis of qualitative research has dual objectives - search for concepts and insights within each interview as well as search for consistent patterns across interviews.