Taking a Risk Why Video Ethnography is Rewarding and Yet Underutilized

In a world where brands are struggling with too much data and increased pressure to move faster and prove ROI, counter intuitively the CPG industry seems to be increasingly relying on less robust methods to reinforce gut reactions.

One of the biggest objections I get to using in-home observation to understand product consumption is, “We don’t know what the output will be?”

Well, that is sort of the point!

However, over time I have come to realize that this is a genuine objection. Brands want research to fit with their plans for category growth and new product development. Finding out that consumers don't want new products is not appealing. Understanding that no one is looking for a new drink, snack, ready to drink alcohol, new laundry supplements, skin toner is not going to get you promoted.

Yet, it may be the right thing to discover.

For 2 reasons:

1. We are in a race against time to save the planet. More packaging, products and wasted resource is a risk
2. But more importantly, anything we develop based on advertising and impulse, not a real need, is not sustainable. This is important to know even if it’s deeply uncomfortable and less profitable in the short term.

However difficult it is to put new products and concepts to consumers, it should be done BEFORE they are developed and launched at scale.

And this is where observation comes in.

People like to say YES. So in focus groups and interviews they talk themselves into liking products, packaging and suggested pricing. When we observe them at home we can see if products are used, the real sentiment around using them and whether the memory muscle is activated to use them again and again.

Additionally, we see all the pressures that may mean they don’t use products; storage, socio-demographics, family influence, other competitive factors that may not be in your sights; for example access to hot water, a stove. .

What I particularly like about video ethnography is you can get a bit of a quant feel too. You can choose people from anywhere in a country and when they send in their videos you can get as many as you need before you start taking decisions.

So is it expensive? No, it used to be, but costs have decreased.

Does it take longer than other types of research? No, people can be briefed and respond within 1-2wks.

Do you need a platform and AI? No and no. I believe that platforms are BAD - technology should be used to improve market research but never presented as a platform. Technology allows good researchers to access insights faster. A platform is not the same.

Will I lose insights in an over generalized output? No, because a researcher will always be running the show.

So what do I get from observation?

• A huge data set showing you what people/segments/personas do in your area.
• This does take time to distill and analyze. It needs to be worked in alongside the other research (quan, qual, secondary, market data) you have.
• It creates an invaluable empathy exercise where you see your product as your customer sees it within their lives, not as an isolated purchase.

Observation studies allow for everyone to get on the same page with the challenges; they allow for courageous conversations and real innovation to put the right products in the right place at the right time.

These are 4 golden rules for making observation projects work:

1. Great participants - recruit well, don’t let them recruit themselves.
2. Well thought out fieldwork and tasks - look at all angles and ways to get passive and narrated studies
3. Do an initial review and workshop of the raw data as it arrives. Get the thoughts of all the stakeholders and choose a direction and focus for the analysis.
4. Work towards a final story and presentation of results which will be easy to take onboard outside the insight team - a short video summarizing the findings uncovered and the data backing this up which enables everyone to get on with their jobs; innovation, sales, marketing and comms.

And finally, have fun. Getting insights, working with consumers, being at the front end of the innovation process is rewarding as well as challenging. Make sure you book the celebration for when you get to the end and give yourself a big cheer! You will have done an amazing job.