Video-based market research
Monday, February 4th, 2008I read an interesting article in the marketing press today, highlighting the potential benefits to companies of videoing customers as they use their products.
By way of example, video research reportedly helped Kenco when exploring how it could increase sales to coffee shops. It apparently helped Kenco to realise the degree of importance customers placed on factors aside from their choice of coffee bean.
Coincidentally, last night I watched TV’s “Come Dine With Me” - a programme where five strangers take turns to cook for and host a dinner party, with the winner pocketing £1,000. In this particular episode, a middle aged lady had invested in a brand new Moulinex food processor to use when making a crumble, hoping it would help her gain a competitive edge. All she wanted it to do was mix flour and margarine, but she simply couldn’t work out how to assemble the mixing blade and get the lid on.
I was particularly sympathetic, because we happen to have the same model, which I know from experience is quite awkward to use.
In the end, the poor lady got so frustrated that she ended up crying. She gave up with the food processor and went back to rubbing the mixture with her hands instead.
If only Moulinex had designed their product to be more user-friendly. Instead, they got free televised coverage of a keen home cook finding herself reduced to tears!
A nice example of video research, albeit a bit too late in the product development process.
On a food-related note, I’m delighted to share with you a fantastic, spelling error-laden phrase that arrived in an email today from a mobile phone dealer. The recently appointed chap is keen to revitalise his company’s relationship with us and other partners and urges:
“I am deadly serious when [I] say SUCSESS BREADS SUCSESS”.
As Homer Simpson would say, “Doh!” Or perhaps “dough”. Bless.
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