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The concept workshop
An
interactive client - consumer approach to concept optimisation
Developing
a new concept and optimising it so that it exactly matches
the expectations of a target group of consumers is often a
long and difficult process. A precise positioning corresponding
to an identified expectation (a "consumer insight")
needs to be defined for the new concept, and this positioning
expressed in a clear manner that can easily be appropriated
by the consumer. A variety of issues can be considered:
•
The
concepts drawn up are based on a precise expectation, but
are we capable of expressing this expectation clearly enough
for the consumers in the target group to be able to relate
to in the wording ?
• The promise needs to be written in language which
is immediately comprehensible by the consumer, and not just
by "experts" in the product.
•
Often just a word or an expression needs to be changed in
order to alter consumers' reactions completely. The process
of optimisation is therefore a very meticulous one that takes
into account all the words in the concept.
•
Quantitative testing needs to be carried out on totally finalised
concepts, at a stage when lots of different options are still
possible.
Our proposed methodology
The
basic principle is an interactive qualitative methodology
going back and forth between consumer reactions and the
work of the client team, over a short period of time.
This enables a starting idea to be analysed in depth,
optimised and developed to produce a finalised concept
and possibly certain components of the mix too (name,
product characteristics, presentation, pack …).
The initial concept is thus improved, modified and reworked
continuously throughout the groups, in order to end up
with a precise concept, finalised down to the last word,
which is then ready for quantitative testing.
Procedure
An interactive qualitative approach over one day:
•
Each concept is worked on monadically
•
One whole day per idea / concept
•
Each day is structured into 3 triads (3 - 4 consumers)
alternated with client meetings to reword the concept
and / or inject new material (drawings, texts, packs…)
•
The triads last for 2 hours in order to enable work
on both the positioning of the projects and also the concrete
components of the mix
•
The triads are matched across concepts on the main socio-demographic
criteria, since it is not advisable to introduce an extra
element of variation, in addition to the differences in
the concepts
Description
of the day:
•
1st triad: 10 am - midday (duration 2 hrs): evaluation of
the first wording (V1) watched by the client team behind
a one-way glass
•
Client meeting: midday - 1.30 pm: debriefing for rewording
and improvement
•
2nd triad: 1.30 pm - 3.30 pm (duration 2 hrs): evaluation
of the reworded concept + comparison with the old version
(V1)
•
Client meeting: 3.30 pm - 4.30: debriefing for 2nd rewording
and improvement
•
3rd triad: 4.30 pm - 6.30 pm (duration 2 hrs): evaluation
of the reworded concept + comparison with the previous version
(V2)
•
Client meeting: 6.30 pm: end of day debriefing / specifications
for the new concept
Recruitment
Respondents
taking part in the triads are selected according to precise
criteria. They have fairly creative, open-minded profiles
and hence are able to express themselves with ease.
These profiles are identified by use of a grid of items,
for example: Openness to new products in general, often
go to restaurants / the cinema / the theatre, often travel,
regularly read the daily press or magazines, are interested
in new technologies (computers, mobile telephones, the Internet...),
take part in the activities of a sports club / association,
etc…
Contact
reperes@reperes.net
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