Qualitative technique pits opposing groups to create insights

By Kieron Mathews | December 1, 2011

Reading time: 7 minutes

Abstract

In the Rotated Opposed View method, a product or service’s users and non-users watch, listen and learn from each other to help observers develop more effective marketing strategies.

Research Topics:: Benchmark Studies | Competitive Intelligence | Competitor Analysis Evaluation | Competitor Customer Research | Qualitative Research
Industry/Market Focus:: Research Industry
Content Type: Research Methodology

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Learning from the enemy

Editor's note: Kieron Mathews is joint CEO of Kadence International USA, a Framingham, Mass., research firm.

The essential question asked of the global marketing community is, “How can we get more people to buy our product/use our service?” The methodology presented in this article addresses a more direct extension of this question: “How can we convince consumers that our product is a value for money in a market dominated by less-expensive alternatives?”

The Rotated Opposed View (ROV) methodology was developed at Kadence International in response to a specific brief and research objective. Being a methodology-neutral agency, Kadence was able to devise a new methodology tailored specifically to the client’s requirements. The client, which had a high-priced product in a price-competitive market, needed to develop an effective value-for-the-money proposition. More traditional research methods such as focus groups and surveys simply delivered the same news: a substantial price reduction would increase sales. These research methods were evidently not delving deep enough to fulfill the brief. They failed to generate a marketable value proposition for the product.

ROV methodology is a qualitative research approach that involves respondent participation both in front of and behind the glass and concludes with a group creative session of buyers and non-buyers, believers and non-believers. The process enables each group to view how the other party responds to questions, before bringing the two groups together to monitor their interaction. This approach enables each group to react to the viewpoints of the other, to find the areas of lasting difference but most importantly, to find common ground.

Suitable for a range of scenarios, ROV methodology can help develop marketing strategies and provide insight for marketing managers in possession of a quality, premium product, one that requires a powerful, unique selling point to be embraced by a wider group if market penetration is to grow.

Reveal and diagnose

ROV methodology seeks to use a two-hour session to reveal and diagnose differing viewpoints and find the criteria on which to build a bridge between them. Candidates comprise two groups: high- and low-intensity users of the product with the same socioeconomic profile. Both the usage frequency and perception of the product are intentionally polarized to ensure that the participants have opposing viewpoints.

The session begins with the low-intensity users outlining their reasons for not using the product, why they do not identify with the brand and highlighting any competitor products which are preferred. Meanwhile, the high-intensity users watch and listen from behind mirrored glass in the viewing room along with their own moderator. With some targeted probing from the moderator, the session “viewers” are then invited to express their opposing opinions on paper, ready for the next session.

After 45 minutes, the roles are reversed and the high-intensity users become the “viewed” and the session repeats as before. In this second session however, the high-intensity users discuss their affinity for the brand, their reasons for purchase and why they select this particular product over the others available. They also openly discuss areas where they agree and disagree with the low-intensity users.

At the end of the split-sessions, the two user groups are brought together and the differences between their usage of the product and attitudes are explored to find commonalities. In a “pitch and object” session, the high-intensity users pitch the product to the low-intensity users, who then explain their objections before the group collectively identifies common ground. This process continues until some consensus is found.

The outcome is the generation of unique insights into the mind, attitudes and reasoning of the consumers and also proves a valuable experience for the participants. Both the separate and collective components of the session can deliver invaluable information for the development of marketing strategies.

Inverts this paradigm

In the traditional marketing paradigm the marketers tell the consumers why they should buy a product. ROV methodology inverts this paradigm and asks the consumer to tell the marketers why they buy and, more interestingly, why others should buy a particular product. This does require the product to be already present in the market but is ideal for identifying new value propositions in mature, price-sensitive markets. A post-product launch technique such as this allows marketers to tap into the brand loyalty that already exists and utilize the feedback for future campaigns.

The process of pitch-and-object assists in the development of marketing campaigns by drawing on the passion of high-intensity users to convince low-intensity users of the merits of the product. This element of debate identifies product unique selling points (USPs), benefits and value propositions and allows these to be developed and tested in one sitting.

Bringing consumers of differing opinion together in this manner can provide fresh insight into how marketers will be able to change the mind-set of low-intensity users, maintain the mind-set of the high-intensity users and eventually alter the perception of the product.

Breeds confidence

There are three key benefits of ROV methodology, the first being good-quality, free-flowing and honest participant engagement, which provides the greatest possibility of generating valuable insight for the client. The environment created breeds confidence and allows the separate groups, on either side of the glass, to become comfortable in their surroundings and within their groups in a controlled, engineered environment. The opportunity for participants to get behind the glass is not something traditionally associated with market research. As a result participants see more perspectives and feel a greater ownership.

The second notable benefit of using ROV methodology is the efficiency of insight generation. Establishing two polar viewpoints enables the discussion to be focused extremely quickly. Traditional approaches to a scenario such as this are likely to move beyond the same cost issue heard by so many marketing managers, so many times. This method utilizes the cost barrier to its advantage by using it as a stepping stone into a value assessment. In the context of the high- and low-intensity users, lengthy focus on cost as an issue is largely irrelevant as one half of the participants no longer see it as an issue. Additionally, as the participants are selected from the same socioeconomic profile, the only difference between them is that some buy and some don’t. The time can therefore be spent to greater effect, not on describing this hurdle but on how it can be overcome. High-intensity users are able to articulate their views on the price of the product and in turn, justify its expense to the low-intensity users, providing the client with their value-for-money argument.

Third and finally, the pitch-and-object component of this session is very useful in shaping later marketing strategies. This method of to-ing (pitching and repitching on the part of the high-intensity users) and fro-ing (objecting and objecting again from the low-intensity users) acts as a form of strategy distillation because the resulting marketing strategy has already been put through its paces.

Further to these three key benefits, there are other points worth noting:

The methodology brings the voice of the consumer to the heart of marketing strategy decisions. The pitch-and-object sessions refine and develop the various pros, cons and perceptions associated with a product, allowing the voice of the consumer to be taken forward and developed into marketing strategies.
Creative and innovative research techniques such as this help to alter the perception of research in the minds of the public and increase engagement with future research projects.
The enjoyable research experience affirms the high-intensity user’s faith in the product, softens the low-intensity user’s opinion and presents a positive profile of the company undertaking the research – and research as a whole.
The strategic value of the output from this method benefits for the wider research community. Immediately-actionable insights strengthen the position of research in the marketing strategy process and affirm its value in the marketplace.
It is also very fast. The entire process is completed in one sitting. You can deliver in-depth, actionable insights and save time and money.

ROV methodology addresses the long-standing problem of the psychological cost barrier. The sessions allow advocates and critics to take in, analyze and discuss opposing viewpoints in an inspiring and engaged way, rather than simply responding to questions centered around their individual beliefs.

See past the veneer

In a nutshell, this methodology adheres to the old adage, “Know your enemy.” It is important to understand the views of those who do not like your product in addition to the views of those who do. Juxtaposing them in this way allows us to see past the veneer of like-and-dislike and value-for-the-money and advocate-and-critic and see the root causes of each position and how we might be able to alter perceptions and, ultimately, sell more products.

The relative simplicity of the methodology is essential to its success. Those outside and within the discussion are able to easily perceive and dissect the process and structure of the sessions. This transparency evokes a certain level of trust in the researchers, which serves to enhance commitment and involvement in the project.

Further to this, ROV helps to define the product target audience through the contrast of opposing viewpoints. Through close assessment of the people involved, it is possible to single out the persona of a high-intensity user, helping to aid the creation of the marketing strategy.

By placing such conflicting opinions in close confinement, a greater strength and depth of opinion is explored than would have been evident by assessing the two groups separately. This delivers the basis for a marketing strategy that will survive the most thorough of examinations.