BRAND SAVVY: Six ways to mine for gold at the office

Posted on | December 9, 2008 |

By Kyla Lang Hart - Toniq

These are times that promote economizing and the pursuit of cost effective measures. Yet, these are also times when consumers need their favorite brands  to be strong for them so continued brand excellence and innovation are more important than ever.

In tough times, as well as in boom times, we have found that there are always incisive, in-depth, and interesting insights within any company’s walls. You just need to seek insight in a productive, channeled way.

Following this outline will help you initiate an intelligence expedition at the office to help inspire and plan for continued brand leadership.

1. Attitude: This is real research, not “mother-in-law” research - (although that has great value as well). Treat participants as you would paid respondents in focus groups.

2. Participants: Include a wide range of management: executives, middle, research, sales, global, and outside agencies. Mine each core group for their perspective. Don’t forget to tap managers who have worked on the brand in the past.

3. Approach: Create an environment that allows participants to discuss the brand creatively and emotionally. This is not a run-of-the-mill management interview. You are setting out to tap the sub-conscious.

4. A Road Map: Allow participants to express frustration and to develop their own future for the brand. For instance, use story-telling techniques or visual builds to probe beneath the brand’s surface.

5. Make the sessions interactive and entertaining with a variety of projective information techniques.

6. Moderator: Have an outside consultant develop, moderate, evaluate and present all points-of-view.

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