Pet Product Marketing for Modern Pet Parents
Pet Product Marketing: How to Reach Today’s Pet Parents and Drive Brand Growth Key Takeaways 94 million U.S. households now own pets, with Millennials and Gen Z accounting for nearly 57% of pet owners in the United States Pet humanization has transformed the industry: 72% of Gen Z pet owners consider their pets family members, and half see no difference between their pet and a human child The global pet care market reached $246 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $427 billion by 2032 Younger pet parents prioritize authenticity, sustainability, and wellness over traditional “natural” or “organic” marketing claims Effective pet product marketing requires emotional storytelling, social media integration, and brand values that align with how consumers actually feel about their pets Introduction: The Pet Parent Revolution The terminology debate rages on in online forums and comment sections: pet owner versus pet parent. Yet beyond the semantics lies a fundamental truth that pet product marketers cannot afford to ignore. The relationship between humans and their companion animals has transformed so completely that traditional marketing approaches no longer resonate. Consider the numbers. Americans spent $147 billion on their pets in 2023, with pet food and treats alone accounting for over $64 billion. The global pet care market has grown to $246 billion and is projected to reach $427 billion by 2032. This is not incremental growth. This is a wholesale reimagining of what pet care means. For brands engaged in pet product marketing, understanding this transformation is not optional. It is the difference between connecting with passionate consumers willing to spend significantly on their pets and watching competitors capture market share with messaging that actually resonates. This article explores how the pet parent relationship has evolved, what modern pet parents actually want from brands, and how pet product marketing strategies must adapt to reach this valuable demographic. The Evolution of the Pet Parent Relationship How Pets Were Treated a Generation Ago A generation or two ago, keeping a pet was a fundamentally different experience. The family dog was often purchased as a gift for children. That dog received a generic name (Fido, Rover, Butch, Lassie) and ate inexpensive, commodity dog food. Days were spent waiting for family members to return home, with limited enrichment, socialization, or attention to emotional needs. Veterinary care was reserved for emergencies. Grooming happened rarely. The concept of pet wellness, mental stimulation, or emotional enrichment simply did not exist in mainstream consciousness. Pets were companions, certainly, but the relationship was transactional in ways that seem almost unrecognizable today. The Modern Pet Parent Experience Contrast that with how Millennials and Gen Z approach pet care today. Dogs and cats are not just companions. They are family members, fur babies, and sometimes practice children for couples not yet ready for human parenthood. Pet naming has become an event. Apps and websites help parents discover human-sounding names trendy and original enough to stand out at the dog park. Birthday parties for pets have become normalized. Pet parents share milestone moments on social media with the same enthusiasm they would show for human children. Spending reflects this elevated status. Pet parents routinely spend $100 or more on premium, grain-free dog food. The average annual spend exceeds $1,000 for both dog and cat owners. Gen Z pet owners spend an average of $178 monthly on pet care, with 70% living in multi-pet households. Instead of being kenneled for hours or left alone waiting for owners to return, today’s pets enjoy dog walking services, pet sitting, daycare, enrichment activities, and constant attention to their physical and emotional wellbeing. The pet wellness category has seen a 9.2% increase in purchase rates, driven by everything from skincare to dental care to digestive health supplements. Why This Shift Happened Several factors converged to create the pet humanization movement: Delayed family formation: Millennials delayed marriage and children longer than previous generations. Pets filled emotional needs traditionally met by human family members. Urban living: As more young people moved to cities with smaller living spaces, pets became more integrated into daily life rather than relegated to yards or outdoor spaces. Social media: Platforms enabled pet parents to share their animals’ lives publicly, creating communities around pet parenthood and normalizing significant emotional investment in animal companions. Economic factors: Rising incomes among pet-owning households enabled premium spending. At the same time, pets remained relatively affordable companions compared to raising children. Mental health awareness: Growing recognition of pets’ roles in emotional support and mental health elevated their status from optional companions to essential members of household wellbeing. Understanding Today’s Pet Parent Demographics Millennials: The Generation That Made Pet Parenthood Mainstream Millennials represent 33% of U.S. pet owners and remain the largest pet-owning generation. They normalized calling themselves pet parents, posting birthday celebrations on social media, and treating veterinary care as a non-negotiable household expense. Key characteristics of Millennial pet parents: 76% own a pet, and over 80% consider pets part of their family More likely to dine with their pets and include them in daily routines Prioritize quality pet food and are willing to pay premium prices Highly receptive to cross-selling and upselling when positioned around pet wellness Value human connection and expertise in retail and service interactions Prone to purchasing luxurious items, toys, and natural or organic products Millennials brought emotion to pet ownership. They made loving your pet publicly acceptable and expected. They created the market conditions for premium pet products to flourish. Gen Z: Taking Pet Parenthood Even Further Gen Z has grown to represent 25% of pet owners and is the fastest-growing segment of pet parents. They took everything Millennials started and intensified it. Where Millennials brought emotion, Gen Z added structure, systems, and non-negotiable standards. What distinguishes Gen Z pet parents: 72% consider their pets family members (compared to 58% of Millennials) 48% see no difference between their pet and a human child 70% live in multi-pet households Average $6,103 in annual pet spending per owner 81% celebrate their pet’s birthday 61% of pets acquired by Gen
Data-Driven Customer Experience Transformation with Mohamed Zaki
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Professor Mohamed Zaki of Cambridge University discusses his new book “Data-Driven Customer Experience Transformation.” Mohamed explores the shift from product-centric to customer-centric business models, distinguishing customer satisfaction from delight, and leveraging AI and data analytics to predict customer behavior. Mohamed also shares his insights on omnichannel experiences, personalization strategies, and real-world case studies, including Caterpillar’s CX transformation. < Episode Transcript Adrian Tennant: Coming up in this episode of IN CLEAR FOCUS … Professor Mohamed Zaki: One of the key things is the interpersonal relation with the customer, which is coming from where we see now a lot of the tech firms are going, it’s personalization. So we saw this with all these new tech firms, what made them successful on their platform, they understood every customer, what they really care about, what they need, what they prefer, and they offer that to them back. Adrian Tennant: You’re listening to IN CLEAR FOCUS, fresh perspectives on marketing and advertising produced weekly by BigEye, a strategy-led full-service creative agency growing brands for clients globally. Hello, I’m your host, Adrian Tennant, BigEye’s Chief Strategy Officer. Thank you for joining us. Recent research from Kantar reveals a striking insight. Customer experiences contribute more to brand perceptions than advertising. In fact, while paid media delivers 25% of brand building impact, direct customer experience and word of mouth account for around half of all brand perceptions. Our guest today is uniquely positioned to help us understand this data point. Professor Mohamed Zaki is based at the Institute for Manufacturing in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, where he serves as Deputy Director of the Cambridge Service Alliance. This research centre brings together the world’s leading firms and academics to address digital transformation challenges. Mohamed has consulted and lectured for over 50 organizations, including Manchester United, Caterpillar, and IKEA. He’s also the course leader for the Data-Driven Design for Customer Experience online course at Cambridge University Press and Assessment, and co-founder of Customer Experience Insights Limited, which developed the 360CX AI platform for customer engagement decision-making. He serves in advisory roles for several companies, most recently as AI Innovation Advisor at Tactful AI. His new book, published by Kogan Page, is “Data-Driven Customer Experience Transformation: Optimize your omnichannel approach,” which is also our selection for the BigeyeBook Club this month. To discuss some of his book’s key ideas and frameworks, I’m delighted that Mohamed is joining us today from Northamptonshire in the UK. Mohamed, welcome to IN CLEAR FOCUS! Professor Mohamed Zaki: Thank you so much. It’s a pleasure to be here with you, Adrian. Adrian Tennant: What inspired you to write “Data-Driven Customer Experience Transformation”? Professor Mohamed Zaki: So I work most of my career helping organizations around this area in particular for a while. So most of my research helping firms to understand how they can leverage data and AI to design better experience, but also as well to manage it in particular. What makes me drive to drive the book is actually the fast pace of the era that we’re living at the moment, especially the digital transformation that’s happening with many firms. When I’ve been asking a lot of practitioners, they were struggling a little bit with the right tools and frameworks that enable them to design the future of services and experience for the firms. But more important is leveraging this new emerging technology like AI and data to enable them to understand their customers better. And this is particularly problematic in enterprise firms or established firms, not the digital-born organization. You can see digital-born organizations, they’re quite starting as a startup, nimble, their tools and softwares and solutions is quite up to date. So that’s allowed them to become more data-driven, if you like, organization. Think about ChadGPT, for example. This is an example of a data-driven business organization, which has managed to do a better experience for users when we are interacting with a machine, in this case, a conversational AI. There will be a lot of attempts before, but they were the most successful one, and that came from the statistics. Many users daily joining their platform now, and this is because of the experience they had with this conversational AI capability. So I guess to answer your question in particular, there is need for a lot of practitioners now with fresh thinking, fresh tools that go beyond the traditional ones that exist for a while, like design thinking, journey mappings, and emotion mapping. So I thought, let’s leverage some of my engagements and interactions with a lot of firms, and most of the tools I’ve been developing through my research in this book to communicate and disseminate, and hopefully this is helpful for people. Adrian Tennant: In your book’s introduction, you highlight how we’re living in an experience-driven economy, where even beloved brands risk losing market share due to a single negative customer experience. Mohamed, what’s driving this shift? Professor Mohamed Zaki: This just came a lot as well from a lot of facts and figures that a lot of big practitioner firms, we’ve been surveying customers to understand, you know, the new generation of customers, what they think about the brand they are engaging with. And you can see the new wave of customers, let’s say this way, needs not the standard ways of services or the transactional strategy that we used to have with established firms. They need personalized experience, they need the speed, they need care about some of their issues and problems. Hence, this is a discussion in the book, to deliver a quality product or a service is not at the moment making your biggest competitive advantage. You have to have a quality product, of course, and quality service here, offer it to your customers. But what differentiate you versus your competitors is the customers really feel that they have a great experience and seamless experience with your brand. So we saw a lot of statistics,
What’s Right with America With Honorable Paul Johnson and Larry Aldrich
IN CLEAR FOCUS: Honorable Paul Johnson and Larry Aldrich, authors of “What’s Right with America,” challenge fear-driven narratives dominating media. They discuss how optimism drives innovation, the power of individual agency over collective thinking, and the economic strengths of the United States. The conversation explores marketing lessons from their data-driven approach to countering pessimism, the importance of entrepreneurship, and how brands can tap into shared American values rather than divisions. < Episode Transcript Adrian Tennant: Coming up in this episode of IN CLEAR FOCUS … Larry Aldrich: You simply can’t solve problems from a position of fear and negativity. You have to be optimistic. You have to believe you can solve them. Paul Johnson: The single greatest thing that our country ever did was, from the very beginning, it empowered the individual over itself. Adrian Tennant: You’re listening to IN CLEAR FOCUS, fresh perspectives on marketing and advertising produced weekly by Bigeye, a strategy-led, full-service creative agency growing brands for clients globally. Hello, I’m your host, Adrian Tennant, Bigeye’s Chief Strategy Officer. Thank you for joining us. In today’s polarized media landscape, marketers and brands face unprecedented challenges when communicating with consumers. As society appears more divided, many brands struggle to position themselves authentically without alienating segments of their audience. This challenge raises important questions about how brands can navigate these complex waters while staying true to their values and connecting with consumers in meaningful ways. Our guests today offer a unique perspective on America’s foundation, its values, and how understanding what’s right with America might provide insights for brands and marketers. Honorable Paul Johnson is a former State Department official, CEO and co-founder of Redirect Health, former mayor of Phoenix, and host of The Optimistic American podcast. Joining him is Larry Aldrich, a former federal antitrust prosecutor, former CEO of University Physicians Healthcare and two Gannett newspapers, and founder of Tucson Ventures. Together, they’ve authored a new book titled “What’s Right with America … And How We Can Keep It That Way!” Published by Post Hill Press, the book examines America’s core strengths and values, challenging the prevailing pessimism that dominates so much of today’s discourse. To discuss how their insights might inform marketing strategies in a polarized world, I’m delighted that Paul and Larry are joining us today from Arizona. Paul and Larry, welcome to IN CLEAR FOCUS. Larry Aldrich: Thank you. Paul Johnson: Thanks for having us, Adrian. Adrian Tennant: Larry, your book, “What’s Right with America,” comes at a time when many perceive the country as deeply divided. What inspired you to write this book? Larry Aldrich: So I would say Paul, specifically. I don’t really kind of suck up when talking to Paul, but Paul is the inspiration for the book. He and I are running buddies, and I knew about his podcast, The Optimistic American. And one day I said, “You know, you might want to market this a little differently. You might want to write a book.” And he goes, “Well, I’ve written books.” And he said, “If you want to write a book with me …” meaning “you want to take the first crack at it.” And I said, “Sure. I’ve always been thinking about writing a book. So here we go.” So that really was the inspiration, specifically. Generally, I think I tire very much from the negativity. And I get caught up in it like everybody else, and you just kind of find yourself just spiraling down. And again, the inspiration of Paul just spending much of his time on a podcast talking about optimism and what makes America great, those two things intersected for me to be quite interested to write the book with Paul. Adrian Tennant: Paul, when we were preparing for this podcast, you mentioned how fear-driven narratives dominate media channels on both sides of the political divide. Now, as someone who’s worked in both politics and business, how do you see this affecting the broader cultural conversation? Paul Johnson: Well, I don’t think there’s any doubt that it’s had a big effect. I do want to say one thing about Larry. I appreciate Larry giving me so much credit. But Larry was a publisher. He worked for the Justice Department. He has an incredible understanding of the Constitution. And I have known him for a long time. And his fundamentals and his belief in the foundations of America are almost unshakable. It’s one of the things that I’ve loved about him. And he contributed and wrote a ton on that inside this book, that I enjoyed myself. You know, what we see that’s happening, and that is counter to my instincts, is a huge amount of pessimism that exists in America today. The pessimism is being driven really by both sides, and there are a wide variety of reasons for it. But there’s political advantage, and it’s profitable to be negative. But consequently, the American brand is being hit on a regular basis. If you were trying to figure out how to market into that, my guess is the first instinct would be you have to be negative as well. But as we know about branding, anytime you’re talking about branding, sometimes being counter to the existing culture is what actually gets you noticed. We’re hoping that is what happens. Although I can’t tell you how many times Larry and I have been up on podcasts and seen comments from people saying, “What’s right with America? Are you guys morons?” That there’s not much right with it. And here’s what I would say to that. “You’re wrong. You know, take a look at the data. Start with that.” You know, today, again, on the right and the left, we, you know, we can listen to the Bernie Sanders talk about inequality that exists because of income levels. We can also hear both sides talk about things like the need for tariffs because the United States has been hollowed out and our industry has been destroyed.
Bigeye’s Retail Revolution Study
Pets are now being seen as more a part of the family than they were before. There is an increase in the humanization of these animals whether it be toys made to mimic human products, owners purchasing pet insurance, or grooming made to be a spa experience.
Bigeye’s 2023 US Pet Owners Study
Results from Bigeye’s new 2023 US Pet Owners Study reveal 97 percent consider their pets to be family members. What are the implications for pet care marketing?
Everything You Need to Know About Living in Austin, Texas
Learn everything you wanted to know about what makes Austin, Texas weird from the people that call it home. Download our Austin, TX research report to review all of the details. Introduction The capital city of Texas, Austin is the 11th-most populous city in the United States and the seat of Travis County. Located nearly in the center of the state, Austin is about three hours south of Dallas; three hours west of Houston; and about 90 minutes north of San Antonio. Experiencing a population growth of 34.1% between 2007 and 2017, the Austin region is one of the fastest-growing in the country Austin has been the fastest-growing major metro in the country for nine straight years, from 2010 to 2019. The metro population jumped to an estimated 2.2 million people as of July 1, 2019, according to the United States Census Bureau. That is an increase of 2.8% from the prior year, bigger than any other metro with at least 1 million residents. That’s 169 people added every day, on average. With a vibrant, well-educated, and youthful population of 2.2 million in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), the median age in Austin is 34.7 years. Of Austin’s population aged over 25, 44.8% have a Bachelor’s Degree. Leading the US in tech salary growth, it’s the number four city tech workers would consider moving to. Austin’s laid-back, take-it-or-leave-it kind of attitude matches well with its fun and “weird” culture, celebrated on bumper stickers and T-shirts with the slogan, “Keep Austin Weird.” “Everyone is welcome and has a place somewhere here. And it just makes it such a unique place because you just never know who you’re gonna meet or what experience you’re going to have just ‘cause there’s so many different things.” Jamie E, 38 Austin Neighborhoods Downtown Austin is popular with younger residents with middle to upper household incomes. These Austinites love the convenience of being just blocks from shopping on Congress Avenue, live music venues on 6th Street, and even some great parks, hiking, and biking along the Colorado River. Across the Colorado River from Downtown Austin sits South Austin, where young, artsy types congregate. Barton Heights offers great family areas, while Travis Heights and Bouldin Creek attract mainly hip, liberal Austinites. North and Northwest Austin include Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Leander, which attract a lot of families. The Leander is an award-winning school district, and Apple and Dell have large operations in the area. North Austin also has some great luxury apartments. These fast-growing Austin neighborhoods are popular with families. West Austin has some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, such as Westlake Hills and Steiner Ranch. The commute into town is a bit longer than in other areas of Austin, but residents are closer to Lake Travis and the great outdoors. Neighborhoods Oak Hill and Circle C Ranch are further south. Although East Austin used to be considered the poorest part of the city, the area is now mostly a hipster neighborhood with many sleek, modern developments. Southeast Austin is home to a lot of University of Texas students, likely because of the large numbers of apartments and other rental properties in the area. “I am in a tiny house in East Austin. With three dogs – I have two Huskies and a mix. You’d be surprised the people who to live in the tiny houses where I’m at.” Shelly S, 42 Doing Business in Austin The Austin region offers businesses deep talent, education, quality healthcare, telecommunications, and a modern, international airport. The major employers include: Amazon, AMD, Apple, Charles Schwab, Dell, General Motors, IBM, Intel, National Instruments, Samsung, Tesla, VISA, and Whole Foods. Key Industries include: Advanced Manufacturing Clean Technology Creative & Digital Media Technology Data Management Financial Services and Insurance Life Sciences Space Technology The growth isn’t slowing down any time soon. The new Tesla Gigafactory, set to be located in eastern Travis County, will be one of the world’s largest and most advanced automotive plants and will bring an estimated $1 billion in capital investment to the region. In addition to being home to tech giants, Austin has a thriving startup scene. Austin area startups attracted $2.2 billion across 263 venture deals in 2019. Startups account for a larger share of businesses in Austin than in nearly all major US metros and Austin ranks 6th for new businesses per 1,000 population. “A couple of my friends work at Google and Facebook and they’re always saying so many people are moving in. I would say those apartment complexes are definitely to cater to people like that. Cause it’s like the new hub.” Madison P, 28 The Cost of Living in Austin Texas consistently ranks as one of the nation’s most favorable business climates based on its low tax burden and competitive regulatory environment. Texas features no personal or corporate income tax, and overall the state has one of the lowest state and local tax burdens in the US. According to Austin’s Chamber of Commerce, the cost of living is 2% lower than the national average. Austin Apartment Costs Renters will generally find more expensive prices in Austin than most similar cities. The median two-bedroom rent of $1,450 is above the national average of $1,193. The city’s median one-bedroom rent is $1,175. While rents in Austin fell moderately over the past year (-0.6%), many cities nationwide saw slight increases (+0.2%). According to RENTCafé, these 5 Austin neighborhoods offer a good selection of rental apartments, unique dining, shopping, atmosphere, walkability, and a sense of community: Downtown Austin (average rent $2,200/mo) Central Austin ($2,100/mo) Clarksville, between downtown and the MoPac Expressway ($2,100/mo) Zilker, South Austin ($1,400/mo) Travis Heights, South Austin ($1,400/mo) What Austin Renters Want No two renters are the same but many Austin renters are consistently seeking features and amenities. Here are the top things tenants report looking for in a property: Convenient Location – People want to live, work, and play in a geographically convenient circle. If your multifamily property is located
Gen Z and Gender Identity: Toss Out the Stereotypes
Gen Z wants gender inclusion, and brands that conduct customer persona research may uncover a larger market with these younger buyers. In a week when a lot of the news covered a tragic fire caused by a so-called gender reveal party, it’s sort of ironic to realize that today’s babies may not grow up to view gender the same way their parents do at all. Of course, babies get an assigned sex at birth. At the same time, Gen Z has already disrupted ideas about gender that their Baby Boomer, Millennial, and Gen X parents and grandparents just took for granted. The sex assigned at birth may or may not describe how individuals will grow up to view themselves. And the way that people view themselves obviously influences the sorts of products they buy and even which businesses they choose to purchase those products from. Find out what marketers need to understand about changing perceptions of gender. This will help inform customer persona research, product development, and all aspects of marketing. How Gen Z Attitudes About Gender Have Changed According to Pew Research, Gen-Z generally refers to people born after 1996. That means that some are young adults but many are still children. Right now, most surveys of this generation include people who are at least 13 years old. It’s possible that younger children will eventually form their own generation. Even so, Gen-Z will likely influence the attitudes of those that come after them. Most importantly, Pew also found that members of Gen Z tend to have very different attitudes about gender norms than their parents and grandparents. For some examples, Gen Z members tend to have: A comfort with gender-neutral pronouns: They’re most likely to know people who prefer gender-neutral pronouns for themselves. These younger people feel comfortable referring to an individual as “they” to avoid using “he” or “she.” A preference for more than two gender options: They tend to believe that gender options on forms or surveys should include selections besides the traditional male or female. Leaving these out may skew results of marketing surveys and other data gathering. In the worst case, leaving out other gender options can even offend some respondents. A desire for inclusion and diversity: Gen Z generally feels that society should act more accepting to people who don’t define themselves in traditional roles. Since consumers tend to patronize companies they identify with, accepting changing gender definitions and promoting inclusion can help attract this market. In Bigeye’s national research study, Gender: Beyond The Binary, we found that 50% of Gen Z respondents believe that gender is a spectrum, not a binary. Marketers must understand the shifting views toward traditional gender roles to cater to younger audiences’ changing needs. An Audience Analysis Agency Perspective on the Positive Side of Disrupting Gender Norms According to The Robin Report, a magazine for retail, fashion, and beauty executives, failing to account for changing gender norms can mean losing out on billions of dollars that Gen-Z and younger Millennials spend on retail goods. Some changes may prove quite simple. These are some suggestions to help target audience demographics of Gen-Z better: Consider gender-neutral packaging: Sure, young women have been purchasing “boyfriend” jeans for decades, but young men may also prefer to purchase a certain brand’s clothes and beauty products if they didn’t appear targeted solely to women. Consider using diverse models and maintaining authenticity by resisting the urge to dramatically Photoshop images. Consider genderless products: Well-established luxury brands have introduced genderless fashion and even coed fashion shows. As an example, Abercrombie introduced a children’s line of genderless clothes, which appealed to progressive parents. Also, Victoria’s Secret made news by hiring a transgender model. Don’t overlook the other genders: For instance, many cosmetics companies targeted their marketing to women. At the same time, one survey found that over half of men admitted to using at least one cosmetic product during 2018. These products included concealers and foundations. By embracing gender diversity, beauty companies can tap a huge market. How an Audience Targeting Agency Can Welcome Gen Z Consumers If today’s brands want to grow by engaging an audience of younger people, they should stop limiting their potential by restricting themselves to traditional notions of gender. An audience insights agency may help businesses uncover some surprising news about a product’s potential market. And really, if a company just has to bend some gender rules to attract an audience, then that surprising news is really good news. Interested in learning more about the attitudes and perceptions about gender? Download Bigeye’s national research report Gender: Beyond The Binary.
Using Biometric Research to Measure Customer Reactions
Biometric research can help measure and evoke responses from customers. See how a market research company helps you understand customers with biometrics. Biometrics refers to measurements and calculations of human features and behaviors. Most people still associate commercial biometrics with security, like thumbprint and facial recognition readers. Yet marketers already use this technology not only to measure reactions in labs but even to evoke them at home or out on the street. Find out how a market research agency might suggest incorporating biometric research into the data that can help drive successful, data-driven marketing. How businesses use biometric research for marketing To demonstrate how a quantitative and qualitative market research agency might use biometrics to improve marketing, Bloomberg highlighted the example of Expedia. Their market research company invites actual customers into their lab with the enticement of a gift card and a chance to help improve their experience with a service they already use. Inside the lab, a young woman checked flights and hotels for a trip she had already planned with her family. While she used the website as she normally would at home, a researcher watched her through a two-way mirror, eye-trackers tracked where she looked, and sensors monitored facial muscles that would detect any trace of a smile or frown. After the experience, the subject also filled out a survey to help enhance the researcher’s understanding of the experience. Expedia stored this information along with data from other research subjects, so they could use it to better understand users and, in turn, keep improving the customer experience. As a travel company, they understand that emotion drives vacation planning. They also know they need to discover the feelings of trip planners better in order to design an experience that can compete with online rivals. Note that Expedia has not just survived but remained competitive since 1996. Unlike so many rivals, they survived the tech bubble in the early 2000s. While they haven’t always executed every business move perfectly, the company credits at least some of their success to a constant drive to understand the motivations of their customers. Their leadership in biometrics offers one good example. Using biometric tech to test products and designs Besides facial recognition, some technology can also measure galvanic skin response, often called GSR, or simply “sweat response”. GSR measures the state of arousal and requires sensors applied to the skin, so it’s usually done in a lab. According to the National University of Singapore, marketers employ GSR in several research applications for product or website design. Even though this tech can measure arousal, it can’t say if the reaction comes from a positive or negative response, so it’s best combined with other methods, such as surveys or facial recognition. How biometrics research can assist customer-facing marketing For a different take on using biometrics for marketing, Trend Hunter descended into a subway to report on the example of Coca-Cola’s Coke-Moji displays. The marketing research agency for Coca-Cola was not so much interested in gathering quantitative data from biometrics, but in using it as a tool to engage consumers. Just as on the internet, subway users can develop ad-blindness because of the daily barrage of consumer marketing they see in the station and on the trains. The display showed people who passed by an emoji shaped like a bottle cap. Sensors read facial expressions, and then the emoji playfully duplicated them. The device worked to engage people and, perhaps, even brighten their mood a bit. Walmart is also using facial recognition technology in a more subtle way to help improve customer experiences. They’re developing a system that will use sensors at the checkout counter to detect dissatisfaction and then alert employees to offer assistance. They also plan to keep this information to correlate mood with purchasing behavior. Walmart hopes this data can help them find and resolve pain points in order to improve revenues. Why work with a market research agency to employ biometrics? The world’s largest and most successful companies know they need to understand their customers better in order to engage and serve them. Combining data from biometrics sensors with subjective experiences from consumers can help them achieve this understanding. A quantitative and qualitative marketing research agency can work to help their clients employ the right combination of research tools to help their customers achieve this goal.
Why Market Research Online Communities Make Sense
For qualitative research companies, market research online communities provide an efficient, flexible, and robust tool for generating consumer insights. These days, people connect online with each other and with the companies that they patronize. That’s one reason why a qualitative marketing research agency may suggest using online communities to gain a deep understanding of customers. Market research online communities only came into being about a decade ago, pioneered by the UK’s Further, which describes itself as a Human Insights company. Further’s team saw the potential of emergent Web 2.0 technology to conduct qualitative research online. Despite the relative newness of using these online research groups, they’ve rapidly gained importance as a way to help data-driven companies better understand their market. What are market research online communities? Sometimes called “MROCs” or “insight communities”, marketers might compare market research online communities to traditional focus groups. Instead of gathering the group together in a room, qualitative research companies gather their groups entirely online. Group organizers pick participants that fit some criteria, like demographics that fit a buyer persona, general interests, or specific experiences. But unlike a traditional focus group, where all participants are physically present at the same time, MROCs enable participants to log in and out of the community whenever it is convenient for them to do so. The asynchronous nature of MROCs enables participants from different parts of the country – or different parts of the world – to engage in qualitative research studies. When they join the community, these participants may perform various tasks. Some examples include surveys, discussions, brainstorms, and even games. Each of these activities helps the researchers gather the information that marketers can use to improve test theories, answer questions, or further define their market. While this article mostly discusses these online groups for insight-driven qualitative marketing research, scholars also use them to gather information for studies. Three common kinds of MROCs This list briefly explains the three common kinds of MROCs: Short-term: These communities only last from a few days to a few months and can yield quick insights with a modest budget. Typically, researchers have tightly focused goals and engage with up to 60 participants. Pop-up: Sometimes also called “on-off communities”, researchers will summon these groups as the need arises. They generally use from 50 to 250 participants. A qualitative marketing research agency may suggest a pop-up community when they have a limited budget and few questions but want to keep options open for more research in the future. Continuous: Researchers keep a long-term or even permanent community open when they see a consistent need for answers and have the budget to support it. These may require up to 5,000 participants and a dedicated team of staff to manage and moderate. Benefits of MROCs for qualitative user research Successful advertising, marketing, and even product development depend upon high-quality marketing research. Marketers find that running online communities lets them make efficient use of their research budget because they’re: Cost- and time-effective: Online research platforms can provide the tools to affordably and easily manage all kinds of groups, engaging with participants in multiple timezones, and including feedback from people who find it difficult or impossible to travel to attend a traditional, in-person focus group. Flexible: Researchers can determine how long to run the group, how many participants to include, and the kinds of activities to use for information gathering. While some businesses benefit from running continuous online communities, others can meet their goals rapidly. Robust: Platforms for conducting MROCs have a lot of the same features that online forums and social networks offer. In fact, some businesses even use groups in existing social networks, though purpose-designed platforms can provide tools that make tracking and managing participants easier. In either case, it’s possible to host discussions, conduct polls, and even post pictures and videos. Profitable: Having a way to gather high-quality information also helps businesses maximize returns from other marketing activities. For instance, they can learn how to target ads or which features to include in their product design. Market researchers can trust the overall quality of the information they receive from these online groups. It’s easy to segment participants in real-time, based on their comments or demographics, and to tag verbatim quotes for qualitative analysis. Some people may perfectly fit the target but feel reticent about expressing their opinion in a room full of others. In-person focus groups generally have to stick to a tight schedule; however, online communities can allow more flexibility. With the relatively anonymous nature of sitting behind a keyboard, participants often feel more relaxed about speaking up. Because they can log in online, respondents also have the luxury of chiming in when the existing discussion has helped them frame their thoughts. Sometimes, researchers even add an element of gamification or social engagement to the mix to help encourage participation. Why online communities make sense These days, consumers compare, shop, and even socialize online. It only makes sense to include marketing research online communities in every toolbox of marketing research techniques. When compared to more traditional forms of surveying the target audience, they also provide a robust solution that can help spare budgets and improve bottom lines. BONUS: Listen to Stephen Cribbett and Terri Sorenson from Further discuss the benefits of qualitative marketing research online communities with Bigeye’s VP of Insights on our podcast, IN CLEAR FOCUS.
What an Audience Analysis Agency Thinks About True Crime
What kind of people like true crime podcasts, documentaries, and articles? Learn how a brand personas agency views true crime fans. Everybody’s heard the old adage that says crime doesn’t pay, especially in the long run. Plenty of stories about the eventual fates of criminals prove the saying true in some sense. They often end up dead, in prison, or at least, disgraced. Still, that saying sure does not apply to a genre of crime stories called true crime. In fact, true crime podcasts, books, and documentaries have been attracting legions of fans and lots of revenue. Meanwhile, all kinds of businesses have jumped on the bandwagon. They want to know if they can use this fascination with factual accounts of newsworthy crimes to bolster their own audience, so they may seek the perspective of an audience analysis agency to find out more. An audience analysis agency perspective of true crime fans As an example of true crime popularity, according to Forbes, the “My Favorite Murder” podcast raked in over $15 million last year. That’s more than finance guru Dave Ramsey’s earnings of $10 million. Out of all podcasts, “My Favorite Murder” only ranked behind comedian Joe Rogan’s $30 million income. Besides the “My Favorite Murder” podcast and related content, true crime fans can find plenty of other podcasts, books, and even Netflix specials on the topic of real-life criminals and their victims. The public has had an appetite for true crime stories for years. Everybody knows about Jack the Ripper. Still, these tales of crime, suffering, and punishment have gained unprecedented traction in the last few decades. Obviously, this genre can attract a large audience. Still, before deciding if true crime stories provide a good opportunity to for business sponsorship, a brand personas agency would want to know more about the audience. Why do so many people like true crime stories? A social psychologist named Amanda Vicary also grew fascinated with true crime. In turn, she also gained an interest in the psychological appeal of these sometimes grizzly and disturbing stories. For one thing, she had presumed that this sort of thing would mostly appeal to men. After doing a little research, she found out that women made up the overwhelming majority of the audience. Even though she liked this genre, the large female majority of the audience surprised her. Dr. Vicary wanted to resolve this apparent paradox with a study that she eventually even published in a scientific journal. She discovered that, like herself, women’s interest generally centered upon the mental processes involved in these criminal acts. Perhaps surprisingly, women usually also preferred stories with female victims. It’s surprising because Vicary said research has found that women tend to fear becoming victims of crime more than men do. As she dug into the mystery, she found that reacting to that fear may have attracted the audience. She finally concluded that that these stories drew in women because they hoped to learn enough about these acts of violence or exploitation enough to figure out which steps they could take to either prevent or survive them. Dr. Vicary admitted that many women might experience this feeling subconsciously. Consciously or not, people may view true crime stories as a way to prepare and even to gain comfort, and this knowledge should factor into your audience analysis. How can understanding true crime fans help with audience marketing? Actually, it’s possible for marketers to learn a lot about true crime audiences during the audience analysis portion of their marketing research. Just from Dr. Vicary’s research, a brand personas agency would learn the likely gender of the majority. They would also understand that most of their audience doesn’t indulge in these alarming stories for a vicarious thrill. They don’t view the criminals as heroes either. Instead, they want to better understand crimes as a way to gain the information that they could use to protect themselves of feel comforted they would never get into the same position as the victim. The audience feels threatened on some level, and they view true crime as a sort of self-defense school. That’s not enough information for a completed set of buyer personas. Still, it’s a good start. To learn more, marketers would need to probe further into the audience for any particular kind of content they might either plan to produce or sponsor. Considering Dr. Vicary, a noted researcher and professor, enjoys these kinds of stories, it’s not wise to make assumptions about educational levels, income, or age. Why consider true crime content for audience marketing? Knowing even this much, this kind of audience might spark the interest of any businesses promoting home security, self-defense products, or almost anything related to preparing better defenses against the type of villains featured in true crime stories. These people already demonstrated a willingness to invest in informative content, so they’re probably also likely to invest in other solutions. Also, a majority of the audience appears eager to take control of their lives by educating themselves. Beyond security, they may also have an interest in businesses that help them learn new things, enjoy different experiences, or even gain more power. Businesses that promote courses or products related to health, business, self-improvement, careers, and even beauty may find an attentive market. All in all, true crime fans may provide a surprisingly receptive and open-minded market for all sorts of companies that can offer them value.