Mental models are explanations of how we receive and interpret information and, ultimately, shape how we make sense of the world. They manifest in language through the conceptual narratives and metaphors we use in our everyday communication. Mental modeling can be tremendously helpful in market research: by understanding mental models and the related narratives (such as Heroic Journey, Transformation, Rescue, etc.), researchers and marketers can develop messaging strategies that more effectively motivate their target audiences to action.MORE…
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learn about next-generation market research methodologies, tactics, and findings
Feeling the Brand Love: Consumers write love letters to their favorite brands
Whether you are an over-the-top Valentine lovebird with flowers, reservations and sappy gifts ready at the whim OR whether you will cringe at the sight of any shade of pink or red on February 14th, there has long been a debate over whether Valentine’s Day should be observed and how exactly it should be celebrated, if at all. MORE…
4 Steps to Engaging Mobile Consumers
As mobile devices are embraced by a wider audience of consumers, a new mobile class has emerged.
The freedom and control that connected consumers get from their smartphones and tablets carries new sets of challenges and opportunities for brands and retailers trying to keep in step with consumers’ needs and expectations and for market researchers …MORE…
Webinar: 4 ways MROCs reveal your customers’ mindsets
In the field of marketing research, there is a simmering debate between those who believe neuroscience-based tools will make self-reporting obsolete, and those who have kept faith with humans’ ability to consciously understand and explain their own actions. But I say: Why choose?MORE…
Discussing Children’s Screen Time: Benefits and Consequences
Last week I presented our research study, Tech Fast Forward: Plug in to See the Brighter Side of Life, to a select audience attending the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (which drew over 150,000 people—a new record!). I spoke on one of the Kids@Play panels with Carly Shuler of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.MORE…
Listen to Me: A primer on active listening with social media monitoring tools
When having a face-to-face conversation with someone, we’ve been conditioned to maintain eye contact or to ask relevant questions to demonstrate that we’re really engaged—this is called “active listening.” While having a conversation online may add a layer of complexity, active listening online is still possible.MORE…
It Takes Two (Hemispheres), Baby: Neuroscience and self-reporting in market research
Brace yourself: I’ve declared it Neuroscience Thursday here on Verbatim.
In Mindsight, psychiatrist Dan Sigel notes that, “When we explain … we are relying heavily on the left hemisphere. When we describe … we are bringing the experientially rich side into collaboration with the word-smithing left hemisphere.”
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What Makes Market Research Valid?
One of the common questions I hear from clients is whether or not research results from our private, branded, online communities are valid: Are the findings biased? Can we generalize what we learn from community members to other groups? Are the differences observed significant?MORE…












