Session 9

Feb 2, 2015

Depth Interview Techniques: Laddering

In laddering, the line of questioning proceeds from product characteristics
to user characteristics. This technique allows the researcher to tap into the
consumer's network of meanings.
Wide body aircrafts

(product characteristic)

I can get more work done

I accomplish more
I feel good about myself

(user characteristic)

Advertising theme: You will feel good about yourself when flying our
airline. You're The Boss.

Depth Interview : Hidden Issue Questioning

In hidden issue questioning, the focus is not on
socially shared values but rather on personal sore
spots; not on general lifestyles but on deeply felt
personal concerns.
fantasies, work lives, and social lives
historic, elite, competitive activities
Advertising theme: communicate aggressiveness,
high status, and competitive heritage of the airline.

Depth Interview Techniques: Symbolic

Analysis
Symbolic analysis attempts to analyze the symbolic meaning of objects
by comparing them with their opposites. The logical opposites of a
product that are investigated are: non-usage of the product, attributes
of an imaginary non-product, and opposite types of products.
What would it be like if you could no longer use airplanes?
Without planes, I would have to rely on e-mails, letters and longdistance calls.
Airlines sell to the managers face-to-face communication.
Advertising theme: The airline will do the same thing for a manager as
Federal Express does for a package.

To develop a deeper understanding of brand imagery of CBTLs brand elements in

consumers minds to help us in our creative development and eventual propositions on
how to develop the brand.
4 respondents who are current Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf regular patrons were guided to
room with an aromatic coffee scent and sat in a plush comfortable chair. Lights were dim
and relaxed.

They were asked to close their eyes, relax and imagine that they were stepping through a
glass, like Alice in Wonderland. They were asked to imagine different doors marked with
different labels to a new world, namely World of Coffee, World of Tea, World of a new
Coffee Bean & tea Leaf store. Respondents unlocked these doors in their minds and
described to us what they saw behind each door.

{World of Coffee}
Magnificent coffee fields
World class harvests
Huge variety of coffee beans from all over the world
Freshly brewed aromatic scent around
Aromatic and dark coffee beans lying around on floor
{World of Tea}
Tea garden with flowers
Countryside feel
People sipping tea
Fresh, light green scenery
Refreshing & healthy
Early morning air
{World of a new Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf store}
Homely and warm
Warm orange feel
Friendly service
A place where everyone wants to be
Quality guarantee
Fireplace
Cosiness
Comfortable
Tight knitted people
Dimly lit ambience

Projective Techniques

Projection
Psychological technique to get answers
without asking a direct question
Participants project their unconscious beliefs
into other people or objects
Reduces threat of personal vulnerability
Consists of a stimulus and a response

Definition of Projective Techniques

An unstructured, indirect form of questioning that
encourages respondents to project their
underlying motivations, beliefs, attitudes or
feelings regarding the issues of concern.
In projective techniques, respondents are asked to
interpret the behavior of others.

In interpreting the behavior of others,

respondents indirectly project their own
motivations, beliefs, attitudes, or feelings into the
situation.

Associations
Uncovers a brands identity or product
attributes
Word association for a product/brand
Draw brands as people

Completion
For insight into participants need-value
system.
Sentences, stories or conversations are
completed
Ie When I think of Coke..

Construction
Process allows participant to construct
meaning
Participant constructs a story or picture from a
concept
Collages are developed on a topic
Bubble drawings or cartoon tests ask
participant to construct a dialog

Word Association
In word association, respondents are presented with a list of words, one at a
time, and asked to respond - the first word that comes to mind. The words of
interest, called test words, are interspersed throughout the list which also
contains some neutral, or filler words to disguise the purpose of the study.
Responses are analyzed by calculating:
(1) the frequency with which any word is given as a response;
(2) the amount of time that elapses before a response is given; and
(3) the number of respondents who do not respond at all to a test word
within a reasonable period of time.

Word Association
EXAMPLE
STIMULUS
washday
fresh
pure
scrub
filth
bubbles

MRS. M
everyday
and sweet
air
don't; husband does
this neighborhood
bath

family
towels

squabbles
dirty

MRS. C
ironing
clean
soiled
clean
dirt
soap and
water
children
wash

Completion Techniques
In sentence completion, respondents are given incomplete sentences and
asked to complete them. Generally, they are asked to use the first word or
phrase that comes to mind.
A person who shops at Big Bazar is ______________________
A person who receives a gift certificate from Pantaloons would be
__________________________________
Bob Dylan is most liked by _________________________
When I think of shopping in a department store, I ________
A variation of sentence completion is paragraph completion, in which the
respondent completes a paragraph beginning with the stimulus phrase.

Completion Techniques

In story completion, respondents are given

part of a story enough to direct attention
to a particular topic but not to hint at the
ending. They are required to give the
conclusion in their own words.

Construction Techniques
With a picture response, the respondents are asked
to describe a series of pictures of ordinary as well as
unusual events. The respondent's interpretation of
the pictures gives indications of that individual's
personality.
In cartoon tests, cartoon characters are shown in a
specific situation related to the problem. The
respondents are asked to indicate what one cartoon
character might say in response to the comments of
another character. Cartoon tests are simpler to
administer and analyze than picture response
techniques.

A Cartoon Test
Sears

Lets see if we can

pick up some
house wares at
Sears.

Expressive Techniques
In expressive techniques, respondents are presented with a verbal or visual
situation and asked to relate the feelings and attitudes of other people to the
situation.
Role playing. Respondents are asked to play the role or assume the behavior
of someone else.
Third-person technique. The respondent is presented with a verbal or visual
situation and the respondent is asked to relate the beliefs and attitudes of a
third person rather than directly expressing personal beliefs and attitudes.
This third person may be a friend, neighbor, colleague, or a typical person.

Social Networking

One of the most impactful trends in recent times.

For many, social networking sites have become the primary tool for
communicating with friends both far and near and known and unknown.
A large portion of this information discusses business and consumer-related
information.
Companies monitor these sites for information related to their brands.

Other Techniques
Observation
Field notes
The researchers descriptions of what actually happens in
the field.
These notes then become the text from which meaning is
extracted.

Advantageous for gaining insight into things that

respondents cannot or will not verbalize.

Collages
Respondents prepare a collage to represent their
experiences.
Analyzed for meaning.

Data Analysis
Quantify by classifying content into categories
that are given numerical values
Qualify what is meant by the projections
Participants elaborate on meanings
Multiple tests allow patterns to emerge
Triangulation of multiple methods brings
authenticity to data analysis

Exploratory Research in Science and

in Practice
Misuses of exploratory and qualitative
research
Interpretation
Qualitative research cannot draw conclusive
references.

Replicability
When the same conclusion is reached based on
another researchers interpretation.

Assignment
Pick a brand:
Cut images from a magazine that best describe your
feelings about the brand
Past the images together into a collage
Explain what these images mean to you and why
they apply to the brand
Compare your responses with those of another with
the same brand