“There is no such thing as the average American consumer (Young, p. 71, 2010). Says who? Well for one, author Anthony Young (2010) believes that in an era of fragmented media and eclectic genetic and societal makeup, organizations can no longer assume that what works for some will work for all.
Lets do a simple Google test. Here is what populates when I search “average American consumer.”
Not very representative of today’s reality. This is definitely more like it:
Young (2010) has this mantra that I am completely enamored with – instead of relying only on surveys and tests, “hit the streets” and get to the real people. That’s how you get an insight, an intrinsic understanding of today’s consumer.
I’ve done my own form of “hitting the streets.” It was eye opening, fun, and a great way to organically connect with people.
In 2009, I “hit the campus” to interview college students at UCLA and Cal State Northridge. At the time I was in the Page program, an early career initiative at NBCUniversal. I was on assignment at Focus Features, the film production and distribution company behind movies such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Atonement, and Coraline.
No one gave me the task to “hit the campus.” I wanted to do it on my own. I’m not the biggest fan of forced research such as focus groups – I think its results have a tendency to be skewed, and aren’t really captured in a natural environment. So I wanted to interview college students in their home turf to get their thoughts about film, college, and life in general. I gravitated towards interviewing college students because I was a recent grad. I wanted to get a sense of what my peers were thinking. Get inside their brain. Use my interest in film and studies in marketing and apply them to a real-life application.
I asked my friend to help me out. He was the cameraman and I was the reporter. We “hit the campus,” and with our results, created a project called “Meet these Ten.”
I spoke with ten randomly selected students, ages 18-25. I asked them a variety of questions in order to get their minds running and also give me the opportunity for maximized communication.
Here’s a breakdown of my questions:
- What do you love most about film?
- How do you typically hear about movies?
- Do you watch trailers online?
- When do you go see movies (right away, wait for DVD)?
- What upcoming movie are you eager to see?
- What two actors would you like to see in a movie together?
- What do you think of Focus Features (movie titles given for reference)?
- How many hours a week do you work?
- What’s the best part of going to college?
- What are the biggest issues facing your generation today?
I was honestly surprised by the willingness of the students to stop and talk to me. And their responses weren’t quick or forced in tone, which could have easily been the case. We actually had a conversation. I approached them like a friend, and they responded with participation.
It was such a great experience. From a personal standpoint, I was proud of myself for taking initiative and doing something I had never done before. From a learning perspective, I obtained an insider’s point of view and an understanding that insights gained from a “hitting the streets” approach can be incorporated into other research methods, and subsequently have an impact on future marketing strategies.
If you get invasive, and make conversation organic, you can get true responses in return.
Insight over analysis. Numbers are important, but step away sometimes and “hit the streets.” Or in my case, “hit the campus.”
Reference:
Young, A. (2010). Brand media strategy: Integrated communications planning in the digital era. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Images courtesy of:
- http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2010/12/05/sunday-talkers-33/old-fashioned-tv/
- http://francisanderson.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/demographics-no-such-thing-as-average-but-boomers-arent-happy/
- http://ibmsocialbiz.tumblr.com/post/1250164947/digital-indigestion-for-traditional-media-companies
- http://drtoddhall.com/index.php/students-tend-to-fit-one-of-five-christian-spirituality-types/
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