Marketing: Consumers in the Mist Patty Brantley Stephanie Creek By: Allison Wellner
Ethnographic Research A branch of anthropology dealing with the scientific description of individual cultures A branch of anthropology dealing with the scientific description of individual cultures Ethnographers have answered some pretty big questions: What is society? What is culture? What do we, the members of the human family share? Ethnographers have answered some pretty big questions: What is society? What is culture? What do we, the members of the human family share? Now bringing new insights to the consumer market Now bringing new insights to the consumer market
What about the Consumers? The general manager hired Ellen Moore and another anthropologist to conduct a comprehensive ethnographic study of his guests at the Pier 5 Hotel. The general manager hired Ellen Moore and another anthropologist to conduct a comprehensive ethnographic study of his guests at the Pier 5 Hotel. Seeking to create a new identity for his hotel Seeking to create a new identity for his hotel Needed to know more about customer service and customer satisfaction Needed to know more about customer service and customer satisfaction Customers point of view Customers point of view
What about Consumers? Understanding consumer behavior helps to adapt strategies and make informed decisions by taking the consumer into consideration. Understanding consumer behavior helps to adapt strategies and make informed decisions by taking the consumer into consideration. Consumer groups have their own code and symbols. Crack the code, and you can create new, better products. Consumer groups have their own code and symbols. Crack the code, and you can create new, better products. -Wellner -Wellner
Unusual Steps Moore and her partner gave guests disposable cameras asking them to photograph things they thought were magical. Moore and her partner gave guests disposable cameras asking them to photograph things they thought were magical. Give a better understanding of what the guests did during their stay. Give a better understanding of what the guests did during their stay. Interviewed guests after their stay about experiences. Interviewed guests after their stay about experiences. Combined guest results with their own to provide specific recommendations to the GM Combined guest results with their own to provide specific recommendations to the GM
Children were ignored Problem: Offered family packages, but ethnography revealed children were essentially ignored at hotels. Problem: Offered family packages, but ethnography revealed children were essentially ignored at hotels. Solution: Check in kids instead of focusing just on the parents. Solution: Check in kids instead of focusing just on the parents. Built good-will and promises of return. Built good-will and promises of return. Leisure business is up approx. Leisure business is up approx. $500,000 $500,000
How to do it yourself. Turn your own staff into ethnographers. Turn your own staff into ethnographers. Have an open mind, ask the right questions, dont change the companys focus Have an open mind, ask the right questions, dont change the companys focus Aspect Medical Systems turned their own executives into ethnographers and redesigned a signature product. Aspect Medical Systems turned their own executives into ethnographers and redesigned a signature product.
Sources Wellner,Allison. Marketing: Consumers in the Mist Marketing: Annual Editions. p Wellner,Allison. Marketing: Consumers in the Mist Marketing: Annual Editions. p