Case study on BMP DDB advertising company - Essay Example

The BMP DDB advertising company based in the United Kingdom conducted this research. The aim of this research was to establish how the buyers’ behaviour could be understood by living with the tribes. The company employed an ethnographic approach to develop the consumers’ patterns and behaviour. The research was conducted between 8Am and 10 Pm for a few days. Participants were paid ?100 as compensation. Once the consumers were reached, the research process proceeded through the means of probing individual consumers concerning their purchases, attitudes, emotions, and perceptions about various products. Case Study Base Report Introduction This report seeks to explore and show that consumer behaviour can only be understood by living with their behaviour. The research conducted by the BMP DDB advertising agency, established significant evidence relating the consumer behaviour and their purchasing patterns. To understand the consumer behaviour, ethnographic marketing research was employed to establish the consumer emotions, moods, patterns, responses and lifestyles. It is evident that the dynamics existing among the consumers and the market place is constantly taking new shapes, and the changes are so profound. Therefore, for one to stay abreast of the consumer desires, needs and expectations, ethnographic marketing research becomes a perfect methodology for generating the information, which can directly lead to an effective and efficient product creation, communication initiatives and product packaging. Ethnography, therefore, can be defined as the research carried out within the immediate context of a real world customer understanding. This type of marketing research fosters the knowledge of the consumers’ multifaceted environment through direct observation, social, cultural, and economical standpoints. Moreover, ethnographic research provides avenues for better understanding for the consumers by determining how their internal and external influence affects behaviour (Agbonifoh, 2002:97-116) Discussion According to the company, the benefit of ethnographic marketing research over conventional research is that it singles out the inconsistencies between what individuals say, do and what they essentially do. Making follow-ups on the consumers throughout the day, allows the researcher to identify why an individual's habits may vary according to unsystematic factors such as their mood, the time of day, and the weather. It critically shows the peculiarity in the customers’ behaviour that market researchers are desperately searching. For instance, a customer’s store purchase data may reveal that they buy foodstuffs, but cannot tell the combinations of the stuff the customer eats (Agbonifoh, 2002:97-116). The company’s first marketing research put ethnographic research into prospective. This approach was tested with a family group. The results obtained were then compared with more traditional approaches of profiling buyers. It was then established that the outcomes of the research revealed something about the buying behaviour of the family, using their lifestyle and buying patterns. The outstanding concern that the research needed to answer was whether this behaviour bore any authenticity (Baker and Bass, 2003:90-210). The amount of data gathered by the researcher regarding the family’s behaviour, within the research period, depicted a lot about the family. However, the recorded information about the family, although exhaustive and often precise, did not completely capture the habits and information that comprise the personality of the family. The research identified that the family held high value of money than the average people. On the contrary, though the data on family properly suggested that they enjoy lavish goods like high-quality foods and foreign holidays, it could not reveal any presence of life factors that influenced their purchasing decisions. Moreover, the information about the family clearly showed that though the family liked quality foodstuffs, they diverse their purchases between superstores and local discount shops (Baker and Bass, 2003:90-210). This suggested that the family also went shopping for products whose prices were discounted and cheaper. The family was able to show the researcher one of the products brought from the discount store. The family explained the reasons for such option, and the cost that could be incurred had they shopped from the supermarket. The family was able prided on their ability to hunt down bargains, and sometimes went shopping for luxurious goods when their financial muscle was adequate (Baker and Bass, 2003:90-210). The family’s passion for offers facilitated a keen concern and frequent check of direct mail. The family checked mailings for various products in a nearby small print and for any special offers. The family collected mailers of major interest on a variety of household appliances and foodstuffs, alongside various vouchers from nearby shopping malls. The researcher was also able to realize that the family had a strong financial management that was capable of managing the family's resources (Agbonifoh, 2002:97-116). Once the family checked the coupon offer contained in the mail, they were more than happy to use as it provided more shopping opportunities for the family. The researcher realized that offers tended to star up the shopping habits of the family, and the family confirmed how it could not hesitate to make use of the voucher presented in the mails send to them. This explained why most people when presented with offers often hurry to utilize. On the contrary, it is not always true that buyers make use of the coupon in their mails due to varying desires and shopping behaviours (Agbonifoh, 2002:97-116). Other vital information on consumer behaviour could also emerge. The information regarding the family meals preparation, eating habits and unity becomes very critical. The researcher found that the family eats together, and that the female members of the family mostly prepared the meals. The family shopping was also established that almost all the members of the family did it. The information gathered about the family’s purchase decisions sets out the depth of ethnographic marketing research. The research was able to meet one on one with the community, as represented by the information gathered from the family. Having obtained the relevant data about the family both the researcher and the company can deduct the consumer trends, their interests, and even their buying behaviour patterns. This information is much superior in understanding the consumer habits since it is first hand. The buyers are able to supply information based on their real world experience and given their detailed understanding; the researcher is well versed on their diverse selection of products (Engel, 2004:309-490). Based on the level of information supplied by the family, the researcher could attach some sense of reality in the family’s purchase decisions. The family’s data concerning their lifestyle was correct in showing that they took pride in both luxurious and discounted goods. Thus, through the information generated from this family by the researcher leads to significant mileage in the development of products and brands. This information could also lead to identification of areas of weakness in the process of production and marketing of various products. Like any other marketing research approaches, ethnographic research unveils the consumer’s altitude and feelings about various goods (Engel, 2004:309-490). The study of ethnographic marketing raises a lot of concern that need to be addressed. Its importance and composition towards decision-making is crucial. The extent to which it gives a complete understanding on family purchases choices is also important. This approach’s ability for market segmentation and new opportunities is yet another aspect. Finally, one has to assess the scope of this approach to further expanding understanding about the buyers’ behaviour. Among the questions rising concerning ethnographic marketing research, its significance and the reasons for studying its composition in decision making, and whether it gives a complete knowledge of how family units make purchase decisions. The importance of this type of research is many far reaching. Given that the consumers’ relationship with the environment is multi- dimensional, and that individual buyers are not fully conscious of the cultural forces that mould their buying decisions, they intend to make diverse purchasing options. Ethnographic research is, therefore, able to uncover the veiled psychological and attitudinal influences facing the purchase decisions. Once this information is obtained, it gives rise to the design of advanced marketing models that would further trigger aggressive purchases from customers (Engel, 2004:309-490). Ethnographic marketing research helps in evaluating the consumer behavioural patterns in detail, thus, identifying meaningful information concerning their habits and trends, which arise through sustained, and structured observation on their buying behaviour. By identifying such patterns and themes, and obtaining their underlying meaning, the researcher is able to make sound judgment that best describe the consumer behaviour. Moreover, by following the consumer shopping habits, the researcher gets to address issues regarding consumers with a lot of subtlety. Concerning the opportunities that ethnographic market research can present towards the study of buyers’ behaviour, they are many and contain many benefits. Companies implementing ethnographic marketing segmentation receive a wide range of gains, particularly concerning the information that could be obtained. Market segmentation enables companies to gain consumer trust at the same time winning them. This is achieved through understanding the customers’ needs and needs in the segments in which they struggle. Thus, through using the information obtained, companies can easily strategize and design proper methodologies for marketing. Companies could in effect adjust to changing market demand of consumers more effectively, and plan for distinctive offerings to their clients. Market segmentation leads to companies enjoying competitive advantage over other companies in the global market. It requires that companies identify those segments with more possibilities and target specific groups of consumers. Segmentation often times helps companies to obtain high profits than expected. It also contributes to high levels of sales, which allow many companies to achieve large amount of revenues (Engel, 2004:309-490). It can be deduced that ethnographic market segmentation is best suited in many areas because it enables getting extensive information from few respondents, in the efforts to understand the individual behaviours from one plane. This becomes effective since the researcher concentrates more to understanding the meaning consumers attach to their behaviour and on others.7 Having discussed the benefits and possible opportunities for ethnographical segmentation to understanding the buyer behaviour, there is a need to assess the scope for expanding ethnography of a way of learning more of the buyer behaviour. The scope of ethnographic market research emphasizes on the significance of improving this research as a science for understanding the underlying motivation behind the buyer behaviour (Michman, 2006:29-50). Ethnographic market research deals with the methods and ways of writing about certain tribes of people. The researcher is thus, immensely involved immersed within the people for a period. There is need for expanding this research due to its holistic nature in comprehending the deeper meaning of consumer purchase decisions, based because consumer behaviour and culture are much complicated, and are composed of a multitude of causes (Michman, 2006:29-50). Since it involves the researcher’s immersion within the community, expanding its scope of this study, therefore, would increase and enhance the proximity of the researcher and the communities to foster a better understanding. This would again improve the quality of data collection, and the ability to coordinate the community would be achieved. Moreover, expanding the scope would allow the information gathered to be more fluid due to the inductive and integrated manner of engaging the community (Engel, 2004:309-490). Expanding the scope for ethnographic marketing research would allow naturalistic manner and more emphasis laid on understanding the community’s decision from a broader perspective. this means that, observing the individuals and the groups in the community in its natural context would generate more insight for more research into the behaviour of the community. The participation of the community in the research process is an integral part and forms the basis for ethnographic study in the character and behaviour of the community (Engel, 2004:309-490). The scope of expanding ethnographic research would be able to utilize and adopt the relevant information concerning the people into understanding their choices and decisions. Ethnographic analysis would further embody the community the power to increase their understanding based on their specific decision. The researcher gets to understand the most abstract external factors influencing the community behaviour such as their culture, complexity of learnt meanings, norms, values, and the various customs that are shared within the members of the community. The cultural norms and values elicit direct influence to members of the society in every aspect of their lives (Engel, 2004:309-490). Expanding the scope of ethnographic research also allows the study of consumer demographics. The researcher is able to identify the attitudes of the people, their interests and reasons for making various selections. The researcher can understand the motives behind the buyer behaviour across all age categories. It can also be noted that the presence of the researcher among the community could enhance an interactive purchasing experience. During the observation there could emerge various aspects from the buyers concerning their purchase. Ethnographic market research unleashes comprehensive information concerning the whole product usage, its consumption patterns and purchase cycle. This means that a large spectrum of information is captured from which the consumers reside, taking into account their cultural and social economical setting in making decisions. Based on this aspect, it is possible to design a good marketing strategy that would be able to cater for a large number of consumers. Many companies applying ethnographic marketing research endeavours to uncover hidden truths about the way of the people, and how they live, through seeking to make follow ups for days, filming their moves, at the same time having their every step recorded. The most predominant feature of ethnography is that it does not possess any hidden agenda. There is high value in undertaking this research by many companies since through the obtained information, they would be able to adjust and improve on their services. Ethnographic marketing research can also seek to understand the behaviours of young people in the community. The research would want to know how the young people go about making decisions concerning a variety of brands. For instance, the aspect of one brand becoming iconic in the culture of the youth could be high than others. The responded being identified and motivated by payment would supply the required information to the researcher, who would in return analyze the behaviour to establish the true underlying phenomenon. The whole process of ethnographic marketing research can be made worth undertaking only if the researcher avoids telling the households what the study is all about. This would reduce the chances of the respondents deliberately playing with the camera. The total involvement and immersion of the researcher in the lives of people is important to understanding their attitudes, lifestyles, and believes (Michman, 2006:29-50). On the other, ethnographic research has not been without opponents. It has been frequently described as being not able to give original insights and explanations. This implies that it is microscopic of the everyday life events. Critics of this research also argue that, at its worst, is entertaining, cheap, and quick, but very superficial and poorly undertaken. It could also be duly influence by background and prejudice of the person undertaking the research. This implies that the many hours of recording and filming could be pointless as it is based on prejudice and beliefs (Michman, 2006:29-50). The ethics behind the study of this approach as also received a lot of criticism, particularly where the respondents are not fully informed about the intention of the research. In addition, the participants may not represent well the target market, and the information may be biased. Critics yet put the rationale behind ethnographic approach under focus. The gathered information could not be the true representatives of the real nature of the participants as some other life factors might be overlooked (Michman, 2006:29-50). Conclusion In conclusion, the application of ethnographic marketing research is of critical concern. The advantages accruing from this type of research by far surpasses those from other research. The only way to understanding the underlying behaviour of consumers is through living with them and observing every move they make. Ethnographic research, therefore, provides the basis and fundamentals for understanding the attitudes, beliefs and the lifestyles of the community to establish the motivation behind their choices. Moreover, relying on the assumptions and beliefs without the actual state of affairs could be misleading. Through the researcher’s immersion and involvement with the community, their true behaviour and living can be put into perspective. Ethnographic research bears many benefits to the companies employing this approach. Having first hand information concerning the behaviour of consumers, many companies would be able to improve on areas of weakness in product production. Proper adjustments could also be engineered towards increased sales and revenue levels. Companies that have withstood the test of time have evolved through in-depth ethnographic research of their consumers. References Agbonifoh, B.A. & Elimimian, J.U. (2002) ‘Attitudes of Developing Countries Towards Country-of- Origin Products in an Era of Multiple Brands’ Journal of International Consumer Marketing, vol 1, pp. 97-116. Baker, S. & Bass, M. (2003) New consumer marketing: managing a living demand system. Chichester, West Sussex, England, pp. 90-210. Engel, J.F., Kollat, D.T. & Blackwell, R.D. (2004) Consumer behaviour, New York, vol. 2, pp. 309-490. Michman, R.D. & Mazze, E.M. (2006) The affluent consumer: marketing and selling the luxury lifestyle, Westport, Conn, vol. 3, pp. 29-50. Read More