GfK Qualitative and Ethnography

GfK’s Qualitative Services area offers a complete suite of techniques designed to help you gain a holistic understanding of the consumer and get beneath the surface aspects of their opinions and behaviors.

Offering many traditional qualitative tools

GfK Qualitative Services utilizes traditional qualitative tools including:

• Focus groups
• In-person one-on-one depth interviews
• Triads or conversational groupings
• In-depth telephone interviews

Combining tradition tools with specialized techniques including:

• Internet-based qualitiative, including groups, chats, and bulletin boards to tap into opinions in the constantly changing Internet world
• Ethnographic studies combining in-depth interviews and onsite observation to paint a detailed picture of consumers in their social context
• Emotional Brand Intelligence – deep dive techniques to uncover deep, emotional drivers behind consumers’ reactions
• Cultural imprinting studies – a combination of relaxation, regressive, and projective techniques designed to get to the hidden cultural imprints that consumers are barely aware of, yet that shape their opinions and behaviors

Design Consulting

Qualitative research is widely used, and often misused because it’s done with so little planning and thought.  GfK’s Qualitative practice area specialists take an active role up front to be sure that qualitative research is appropriate, and to carefully design the project to meet the objectives and add value.

GfK's Ethnography Service

What is Ethnographic research? 

The simple definition is that it allows the opportunity to observe "users” in their typical settings, acting in their normal patterns – with or without the presence of specific products.  True ethnographic studies can be accomplished in nearly any location, and we have successfully conducted research of this type in diverse areas such as automobiles, family kitchens, and grocery stores.

GfK Qualitative and Ethnography boasts a deep breadth of experience in this type of research approach.  We have learned a lot about its strengths and weaknesses along the way.  Before we suggest and undertake such a study, we strongly consider the following:

• Who do we want to talk to?  And why do we think the information required will be best collected in the real world versus a more traditional research setting such as a focus group room?
• What do we hope to learn that we don’t already know, and how will it be implemented at the conclusion of the study?
• How do we ensure that we recruit appropriate participants?  We need to avoid those who are simply out to perform.
• Conversely, how can we make participants feel comfortable enough to act as they normally would?
• Is this a study that needs to be audio taped or visually recorded?  If so, how can we go about this with the least amount of intrusion?
• Who should directly observe from both the client and research side?  Too many visitors may have a claustrophobic and dampening effect on the participant.
• Who is going to lead the questioning, and how will briefings be conducted after the research so that all team members are heard and consensus can be reached about what was observed.

Addressing these and other issues prior to undertaking any Ethnographic study will help insure your study will include the right respondents, in the right locations, and the correct tools for observation and analysis, with constructive insights to guide your next steps.

For more information on GfK's Qualitative and Ethnography products and services, contact us.