These are simple ways of bringing the respondents culture into the research findings. For example, with research among leading edge respondents we often ask them to collect brand relics which recently captured their imagination or inspired them. We ask for artifacts which for them define their culture and life. By understanding what people use and what is around them one can also get a sense of the future and cultural change. Another approach we have used successfully is the recruitment of information gatherers .
Some consumers e.g. teenagers, can be particularly difficult to research.
Presented with the standard market research interviewer or moderator they will often give the answers you expect to hear rather than the truth. By recruiting other teenagers to act as information gatherers and even moderators of their peers we can short circuit this in a more interactive workshop. A final example is the use of observation in shops or other venues. Simple observation can reveal startling truths about what does or does not work in a shopping environment. On a recent project to understand the behaviour and motivations of dog breeders, depth interviews with the breeder at home were supplemented with observation at dog shows.