Tagged : market research

in Media Culture

GoldenEye for Wii Goes Focus Group Viral

A new viral video released by the producers of a new improved version of the Nintendo video game 007 Goldeneye employs focus group video to illustrate how people feel about this game. Many people believe that GoldenEye for Nintendo 64 is the quintessential first person shooter video game, and the focus group footage backs this up.

As a massive proponent and producer of videos for market research my only complaint is that they did the video in a fairly typical focus group way. It would have been much better had they employed professional videography and audio recording techniques. I have practiced this for years and their is no reason why it can’t work in a focus group. Imagine how much more effective this video would have been if you could actually see the people discussing this up close and personally. Nintendo, you should have called me!

In any case, I applaud them for utilizing the focus group research for the viral campaign. It is an awesome example of actionable insights and outside the box thinking in market research. That, and the fact that there will be a Wii version of this classic 007 game gets me a little excited inside.

in Media Culture

Focus Group Moderator

Over the past 4-5 years I have been working in market research primarily in the area of ethnographic research. The ethnography is a valuable tool in qualitative research and provides a level of in-depth insight that can result in very actionable insights for a brand as there is a direct and personal connection with the end user, or the consumer, if you will. I’d rather just call them people!

I have been fortunate to work all over North America connecting with some amazing people from all walks of life along the way. Primarily my work has taken me to the major market cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, but I have also worked on a variety of custom research projects that have taken me to other cities with rich and unique cultures like Kansas, Atlanta, and Austin.

I have done this work primarily through other research companies for some of North America’s top brands like Nike, The Gap, Beam Global Spirits, Time Warner, and many others, but it is now time for me to evolve and continue my work in Market Research through a new Vancouver based company which I will be spearheading called Core Strategic.

Over the past few years qualitative research has moved toward more and more online research — particularly during the recession. While I believe that online research is an amazing tool for both quantitative and qualitative research, I am a firm believer in continuing to conduct research in person — up close and personal. Core Strategic will focus on delivering highly focused and actionable insights in custom market research in a very inter-personal way.

There are so many rich insights to be gleaned from in-person observational methods and discussions, and it takes a skilled observer to interpret this information into valuable insights. I see the world in a different way than most, and am infinitely curious about the reasons that people do things and how they interact with things and their environment.

At Core Strategic I will be offering my services as a focus group moderator and qualitative researcher. I have a track record for delivering highly visual and engaging content in market research reporting and look forward to working with some exciting new clients. I have a deep understanding of the human spirit and bring with me a depth of experience particularly in areas surrounding youth research and modern youth culture.

If you are interested in hearing more about what I do please feel free to contact me here at my personal website, or at the forthcoming CoreStrategic.com.