Browsing a couple of ad agency bloggers, and came across a couple of interesting pieces. This deck uploaded by Jason Oke demonstrates the issues with connections planning:
If agencies are moving towards a new understanding of what people do, and how they use media; and towards identifying people’s real problems. Separately, Adam Ferrier comments in his blog; “We are about to see a rapid shift away from ‘emotional measures’ towards behavioural measures’ as the research industry catches up to where (only the progressive) advertising agencies are going.” His response to a research agency whitepaper on emotion is:
“We now live in a world where there is so much more available to us within the communications framework. Rather than just ‘emotional’ or ‘rational’ advertising - we can:
Make products (e.g. iphone applications) that act as communications.
Put on experiences (e.g events) that act as communications.
Provide useful content (e.g. a traffic or finance reports) that acts as communications.
Create games that act as communications (e.g. The Beatles game to sell more Beatles records).
The focus should be on a behavioural response, not an emotional response. the question therefore could become… “How do I use my advertising to stimulate a behavioural response that builds my brand?”"
I am seeing qualitative research briefs coming through that focus on behaviour. The challenge this year has been business questions needing very good ethnographic work; accompanied with focus group budgets & timelines.