by What really sets the Qual360 conferences apart from others is that we’re always looking for the most innovative and interesting methods to engage not only in the field but in the conference room. Why have boring, same again topics and presentations when you can share some of the best approaches to qualitative research that are being executed around the globe? This is a conference you won’t want to miss. Here’s some topics by just a few of our fantastic speakers who will be speaking at our QUAL360 Asia-Pacific conference next week!
Consumer Theatre
Consumer Theatre is an interactive theatre-based experience that leverages trained improv performers to spark engagement and creativity. It’s the brainchild of Firefly Millward Brown’s North American qualitative research division, who consider it a unique way to quickly inspire idea generation by using the power and honesty of consumers, insights professionals, agencies and brand teams.
We recently spoke with Cheryl Stallworth-Hooper, Chief Executive Officer of Firefly at Millward Brown to learn more. She explained, “We have had tremendous success in using improvisational theatre to unearth and build on idea territories and we believe that this approach represents—in many respects—the future of qualitative research as it relates to ideation as well as brining segments to life to understand deep desires, need states and brand/category relationships. We also feel that it will bring tremendous value in that the experience tends to provide a powerful bonding opportunity for agencies, brand and insights professional and enables them to share in an exciting insights experience with consumers.”
Stallworth-Hooper believes that improv theatre can have a lasting impact on a brand’s ability to drive deeper brand meaning and differentiation because it creates an environment where consumers are willing to share deeper emotions. This in turn “gives brands the opportunity to unearth ideas that have greater resonance— which is essential in a world where consumers are being inundated by too much information and too many brand messages.”
Check out how Consumer Theatre is used to spark innovation from our recent QUAL360 Europe 2016 conference:
Millennials
Whether you consider them a generation that is misaligned or deserving of the title Generation Me, millennials hold a persistent power and fascination in market research. Ailean Mills is Global Insights Director for BAMM and she’ll be offering some fascinating insights on the generation she terms “the emerging affluents”.
She notes that “Millennials as they are at the forefront of technology – and came of age in 2008 – when banking and financial institutions were under question, especially in the west. They could tell us about the future.”
The convergence of technology and banking has driven Mills gaining a greater understanding of millennials. She explained, “We wanted to understand how finance fuelled all aspects of their lives – so we chose ethnography. And, as our target tend to spend a minimum of 4 hours a day on line, we complemented with netnography.” This will be a fascinating opportunity for all of us to gain greater insight into a misunderstood generation.
Digital qualitative research
While bricks and mortar shopping holds much of the consumer power, especially in North America and Asia, ecommerce and e-marketing are rapidly coming into their own. It logically follows that exploration into online shopping offers a great opportunity for exploring consuming needs and opportunities for innovation. Keerthi Kumaravelu, Regional Manager, Marketing Insights & Effectiveness at Lego is keen to share her insights with conference attendees, particularly in response to her extensive research within Japan. She comments that digital marketing has become a rage among businesses with investment in the millions and believes that:
“While we have access to Big data analytics and we are creating more data as we speak, let us not forget how the qualitative, consumer behaviors and needs drives the Big data we spend millions on. Let’s connect the dots between the qualitative and quantitative to Make it Big in the Digital space.”. This will be one talk you won’t want to miss.
Be inspired by fresh ideas, new tools and innovative methodologies at QUAL360 APAC. See you next week!
