There are several stages of “recognition” by the customer of your product or service. They are given different names by different authors but effectively they are: Impact First and foremost you need to be NOTICED. If your customers don’t see you, they have no reason to buy in. Everyone is working in an increasingly clutteredContinue reading “Visual Communication – The Four Stages”
Author Archives: Hester
Smiley Face Scales – Am I Happy? Is it Yummy?
I have always wondered what the most positive end of the Smiley Face scale means to children. Does it say “This product is yummy”? Or does it say “I am happy”? Those are two very different things. I had a scale developed with a facial scale that drew the faces in more detail and whichContinue reading “Smiley Face Scales – Am I Happy? Is it Yummy?”
Packaging – Liking is not Enough
When you are assessing new packaging for a product, it is important to remember that “liking is not enough”. You will often hear both marketers and product developers comment about a proposed pack design – “Well, I don’t like it”. This may not be relevant for two very simple reasons: The person within the companyContinue reading “Packaging – Liking is not Enough”
Visual Communication – Are you Telling the Right Story?
However you communicate your organisation’s image and services (through offices, logos, stationery, forms etc.), this is often the most tangible way in which you present your brand to your customer. Although advertising campaigns are a major focus for many marketers (large expenditure has a tendency to focus the mind amazingly) visual communication is changed almostContinue reading “Visual Communication – Are you Telling the Right Story?”
Designing a Concept
Product ideas are not consumer concepts. In general, when I first see product ideas they are often quite a rational statement, for example “A lightly carbonated beverage, flavoured with natural fruit flavours”. While this statement will have some appeal to consumers, we have not actively described a real consumer benefit – there isn’t much “tasteContinue reading “Designing a Concept”
Smiley Face Scale – Does it Engage?
OR? Traditionally, research with younger children has often used the so-called “Smiley Face Scale” to measure acceptability of products. They have also been used in cross-cultural studies where respondents are illiterate and word-anchored or numerical scales are inappropriate. Researchers have debated the format of this scale for years. Should it use photographs? Should it showContinue reading “Smiley Face Scale – Does it Engage?”
Fragrance – Are you Sending the Right Message?
A range of personal care products has to send the right messages to consumers, both in the overall fragrance message but also with specific products. Consumer expectations for fragrance often come from both the branding and the packaging of the product (or range). Experience over the years has shown us that consumers have a veryContinue reading “Fragrance – Are you Sending the Right Message?”
Why a Concept?
Understanding a concept and how it appeals to consumers is part of a co-ordinated approach to developing successful products. The concept sets up the expectation for the product or service. It is not just the product idea, but contains the idea written or presented in a way which appeals to a specific group of consumers. Continue reading “Why a Concept?”
The Wide, Wide World of Sensory Research
Marketers (and many others) have a tendency to see sensory testing as something relevant only to the food industry. I have had many marketers comment – “Oh yes, you do sensory testing – I’m not in the food business”. Clearly their image of sensory testing is one associated with people in white coats, small hutch-likeContinue reading “The Wide, Wide World of Sensory Research”
Colour my Life!
Colour is something we take for granted. We assess it, process what it means from the first time we open our eyes in the morning until we go to bed at night. The human eye is very good at differentiating colours and even quite subtle changes can be noticed. In consumer research, the information onContinue reading “Colour my Life!”
