Are all insights really insightful

Sometimes it seems that market research is on an endless quest in search of the perfect insight.  All in all that sounds to me like a pretty good use of market research.

So why do some companies come up with better insights than others?

Is it because they have better techniques?  Is it because they have an internal culture that makes more effective use of insights? Or is it just luck? (Never underestimate the role that chance plays in business success).

The answer is some combination of all the above.  Getting the research right is the first step.  That means designing research that digs into the co-creation process with your audience. That requires getting away from the typical focus group and going for more intensive one-on-one sessions with new techniques.

Our friends at Olson-Zaltman have been giving this some thought in their newest newsletter called deepdives_spring09.  Or you can download it from their website.

Metaphors and the American consumer

There is a very fascinating study that gives us a window in the minds of consumers during the current economic latke.  It was done by the extremely smart people at Olson Zaltman Associates.  The name of the study is “The US Economy and Its Impact on Americans”.  You can download it from their website.

This study is also a very good introduction to the ways metaphor shape thought.  It is through metaphors that we can shed light on new ideas.  It is through metaphors that we can make sense of the bits and pieces of information in our lives.  Olson Zaltman use a proprietary and patented methodology, ZMET.  It stands for Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique…I think.  

For my fellow writers and English majors, I acknowledge that I have taken some freedoms with the word metaphor.  I am including analogies and similes under the same umbrella.