Research and the Creative Process
Posted by: Michael Schiller
When most marketing professionals think of “market research,” I think they picture reams of data tables in heavy files, with plenty of charts and diagrams. And the research comes with a presentation from a guy in a suit who “explains” what the numbers mean then walks out the door leaving a nice binder for the office shelf. This approach might work for the MBAs, but it’s not the best approach for creative teams developing marketing campaigns and brand identities.
To support strategic design and breakthrough creative work, I believe that market research also needs to be creative. It needs to help designers and writers really get inside the heads of the target audience.
While there are several methods for conducting research, surveys can be one of the most effective ways to acquire real insight and deep understanding. Other qualitative research tools include more obtrusive measures, such as one-on-one interviews and focus groups, or non-obtrusive methods such as observational data collection, transactional data monitoring, and, in some cases, content analysis. Determining which approach is best for you depends largely on your objective – what questions you need to answer.
During the research phase, as data are collected and the researcher’s observations and insights come into focus, information is shared with members of the creative team in a fashion that helps turn the growing body of knowledge into a theory of how the target audience thinks and behaves. This theory can then inform the ideas that are created for the campaign to make it resonate more effectively with the target audience and thus achieve the desired marketing result.
Gaining an accurate and deep understanding of issues that impact the decision-making process of specific target audiences starts with real insight. When you truly understand a market space and the emotional drivers that affect the decision-making process you have the intellectual fuel that compels people to take action.
Today, research is essential. Research brings the discipline of measurement and accountability into marketing’s strategic decision process so that stakeholders can deliver on demands such as altering perceptions, driving traffic, increasing sales, and improving ROI.
When launching a new marketing strategy or branding initiative, there is no better way to fully know your target audience, their mindset, and their decision-making process than through proper research and insight gathering.
Mike Schiller is Managing Director at Firebox Research & Strategy LLC. Mike has 25 years of experience in marketing, strategic planning, and decision behavior for clients in retail, manufacturing, utilities, energy, health care, and financial services. Mike earned his MBA at Western International University, Glendale, Arizona. In addition to directing research at Firebox, he teaches eBusiness and eMarketing in the Marketing Department at the University of Akron in Ohio.
