insights that transform businesses

Insights that Transform Businesses

• Why do some businesses find and harness insights that deliver breakthrough results ?

• And others seemingly have lots of insights, yet don’t get the breakthrough results they are after ?

Consider these brands:• Folgers – from years of static share fight with Maxwell House to 3 decades

of growth.• Johnnie Walker – from a decade of decline in a category declining for 25

years to 10 years of growth that turned scotch into a growth category globally again.

• Dos Equis – from obscurity as one of many tiny imported beer brands, to the “hot brand” of the decade 2000-2010.

• Obama – from seemingly a distant second in Florida, to winning Florida and, thus the presidency in 2008.

• Captain Morgan – from years of a slow growth share fight with Bacardi to double digit growth and leadership in the critical 21-35 year old cohort.

• Metamucil – from a stagnant laxative, misunderstood and used episodically, to a growing regularity aid, used daily and growing consistently.

THINK for a few minutes about a good gift and a bad gift you have received

Insight defined

• The power or act of seeing into a situation

• The act or result of comprehending the inner nature of things or seeing intuitively

Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary

“at the heart of an effective creative philosophy is the belief that nothing is so

powerful as an insight into human nature, what compulsions drive a man,

what instincts dominate his actions, even though his language so often

camouflages what really motivates him. For if you know these things about (a)

man you can touch him at the core of his being”

Bill Bernbach to American Association of Advertising Agencies in 1980

Jeremy Bullmore, former Chairman and Creative Director JWT London.

“A new understanding, probably of human behavior or attitude, as a result of which action may be taken and enterprise more

efficiently conducted”

By Contrast - Observation Defined• An act or instance of observing

A more useful insight definition…..

The single most critical penetrating discovery about target consumer motivation, applied to unlock growth

A more useful definition…..

The single most critical penetrating discovery about target consumer motivation, applied to unlock growth

Role in marketing Marketing is simply a means to a desired end – a

person thinking and behaving differently

Role in marketing…..Marketing is simply a means to a desired end – a

person thinking behaving differently1. Powerful insights get to the heart of consumer

motivation, values and needs


person thinking behaving differently1. Powerful insights get to the heart of consumer

motivation, values and needs2. They unlock what is in the mind of the

consumer – to help define the essential strategy and nature and content of message or marketing activity


person thinking and behaving differently1. Powerful insights get to the heart of consumer

motivation, values and needs2. They unlock what is in the mind of the

consumer – to help define the essential strategy and nature and content of message

3. Creativity (the idea) gains entry to the mind and is the catalyst for the desired effect

Gaining Insight

CuesHow people say it/do it

ObservationsWhat people say/do

Insight

Significance / FeelingsWhy people say it/do it

REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THREE THINGS

A Simple Organizing Framework

1. Issue – Specifically frame the question- What specific question about which consumer do we need to answer?

Organizing Framework1. Issue – Specifically frame the question

- What specific question about which consumer do we need to answer?

2. Information – organize the relevant data- What relevant information do we need to address this issue?



3. Insight- What is the single most important penetrating discovery from this

information?




3. Insight- What is the single most important penetrating discovery from this

information?

4. Implication– What potential strategies, plans and benefits can be identified to

drive growth as a result of this insight?


Obama and Florida

Top tips• Focus on the “core customer question”• Find the one “driving motivation” or “insight”• Ruthlessly tie it to “driving growth”

Getting to the Penetrating Discovery?• A core part of deep consumer understanding is to

determine the core motivations for consumers in the category you compete in.

• There are a number of ways to do this…

Source:Wikipedia

Maslow’s HierarchyOf Needs

Inventory of Consumer Motivations• Generic Insights – values, lifestyle, needs, beliefs not tied

to category or brand

Dos Equis – Values/lifestyle

• Issue – how to motivate “post college beer drinking male” to adopt Dos Equis

• Insight - Target wants to escape the trappings of “frat boy” party imagery and be seen as more sophisticated - even “interesting”

• Implication – Reposition XX as the beer that will make you seem more interesting and build 360’ marketing campaign to support

Johnnie Walker

• Issue – how to motivate 25-30 year old upwardly mobile men to start drinking Johnnie Walker

• Insight - Target is at the beginning of their live and career journey – they want to succeed – and start making progress on their journey.

• Implication – Reposition the brand against – ‘Inspiring Men to Progress’ and build a 360% global marketing program around it.



• Category Insights – • There is usually a key category insight (usually owned

by the leading brand).

Understanding deep rooted feelings about irregularity and its impact of peoples lives

Metamucil1. Issue – How to motivate irregularity sufferers to use Metamucil regularly


2. Information: – Natural fiber laxative– Most people use laxatives episodically – Metamucil only works to regulate the system when used regularly– People have not been motivated by the concept of getting more

fiber into the diet or “natural laxative”


3. Insight - People who suffer irregularity believe they cannot freely participate in the fullness of their lives as they are afraid of loss of control. They are desperate to “get their lives back”




4. Implication – A new positioning as the solution to this deep emotional dilemma - “ Metamucil and you could be regular for the rest of your life”– New forms and delivery to make it more convenient to become a

“habit”

3. Insight - People who suffer irregularity believe they cannot freely participate in the fullness of their lives as they are afraid of loss of control. They are desperate to “get their lives back”



Folgers transformation

Better Tasting Coffee Get Your Day Off to a Brighter Start

• Issue – how to motivate at home coffee drinkers to choose Folgers ?

• Insight - Target wants to get their day off to a great start (>80% of consumption)

• Implication – Shift from a “tastes better” strategy to “better mornings” category strategy supported by “mountain grown taste and aroma”

Harry’s Shaving Company

• Issue – how to motivate “overpriced” razor users (Gillette) to switch to Harry’s

• Insight - Target believes they are forced to endure high prices and difficult shopping access to get a good shave – resigned that they have no choice

• Implication – Launch a stylish new razor and shaving system that provides a great shave, at half the price in an easy on line business model

Core human insight –

“Our home and surroundings have a powerful influence on how we think, feel, and live; we feel good when they reflect who we are and who we want to be – and by changing them we an even become who we want to be”

“ We believe we sell tins of optimism, not just tins of paint – and can add color to peoples lives”

“Let’s Color the World”

“Lets Color the World”

Brazil – ghetto street

Marseilles – “walls are dancing”

Jodhpur – community square

Turkey – “field of dreams street”

De Beers – Right Hand Ring

Issue: How to motivate todays successful women to buy another ring?

Insight – Target wants ways to express her success and reward her self

Implication – Create a new line of “reward rings” that she will purchase for herself

Implementation – “Raise your right Hand” Campaign and new line of rings.





• Class Insights –• Different classes of brands in any categories – e.g.

Luxury cars vs. SUV’s

Inventory of Consumer Motivations• Generic Insights – values, lifestyle, needs, beliefs not tied to

category or brand

• Category Insights – • There is usually a key category insight (usually owned by

the leading brand).

• Class Insights –• Different classes of brands in any categories – e.g. Luxury

cars vs. SUV’s

• Brand insights- • Why the positioning of a particular brand causes it to be

chosen over a competitor in a class.

How to best state the insight

• Have only one – “the most powerful discovery of target motivation that can be leveraged for growth”• State in consumers terms• Target wants• Target needs• Target believes

Keep Asking Why

• Go beyond surface observations• Find the deep powerful root motivation• Keep asking why until you get to the bottom – the

true motivation that must be addressed

Tips for finding the most critical and powerful insight….• Focus on one consumer question• Drive to one underlying motivation that drives behavior• Intense consumer focus – eyes, ears, nose• Curiosity – dig beyond observations – use intuition• Challenge accepted ideas• Open mindedness• Thinking outside the box• Looking for new connections • Rigor in analysis• Structured Approach