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Innovation

Invoke Solutions

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Invoke Solutions

It’s not very often that we get to see how our qualitative research work move forward.  So much of the research we do is during the beginning stages of product development but recently, we were able to see some of the ideas we helped create move forward into further testing via an Invoke Live Session. Invoke Live is a large scale online focus group that allows researchers to interact with 30-300 participants for 45-90 minutes to gain in the moment insights. This methodology provides real-time feedback from target consumers in a hybrid qualitative/quantitative fashion.

For me, one of the highlights of this experience was that we were able to have the moderator, client and advertising agency together in one room, simultaneously viewing the online discussion. I was intrigued by the interaction of these parties and their ability to immediately extract useful insights. It was beneficial to have multiple eyes on the data because different people can pick up on different responses. I also found it interesting to see how specific questions worked or did not work; as well as the clients ability to probe and/or re-ask questions in a different way to get more impactful responses.

Invoke has been used in the following ways:

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  1. Communications Testing
  2. Package Testing
  3. Name Testing
  4. New Product Development
  5. Website Usability
  6. Shopper Insights
  7. Employee Sentiment Program

This was an exciting experience for our team and we hope to use this platform in the future. The ability to gain such a large amount of qualitative and quantitative research through this portal would be highly beneficial for clients trying to reach many consumers at once. We look forward to seeing how the results of the session play out in our client’s media campaign.

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Live from #TMRE:  Turning Facts into Ideas

Live from #TMRE: Turning Facts into Ideas

Christopher McKinney with Mead Johnson and Cynthia Ryan/Shari Morwood with Ideas To Go presented on how they turned facts into ideas.

It's always interesting to hear new ways for generating ideas for innovation, especially when the company has a  "new science or technology" and need to ensure the ideas will work with overarching brand positioning as well as benefit the consumer.

The speakers walked us through the process of how this came to life when innovating for their brand, Enfamil.

 

They began with a team of  "experts" who ideated, giving a variety of perspectives:

  • a futurist who could give a  "Big Data" perspective
  • a brain imaging specialist who provided a view about brain development
  • leaders in pediatric medicine
  • creative consumermoms

Then, they utilized a list of  "general facts" about the brand or category as creative stimuli, and from that, the team created 3000+ ideas. Wow!

Utilizing this process, they were able to restate, categorize, and select a series of 28 potential ideas to move forward with for further testing.

Live from #TMRE:  Improv Improves Innovation

Live from #TMRE: Improv Improves Innovation

For the 2nd workshop today, I was glad I stayed in the Professional Development track.  As an information hound and being in this business for many years, it's always fun when I feel like I learned a new way to approach innovation.  And that was what this was all about. Michelle James, Chief Emergence Officer of The Center for Creative Emergence, took us through several exercises designed to break us away from the common fears we all have:  worry about not looking good, fear of saying something stupid, etc.

 

The Improv Principles and Improv Mindsets

she discussed (and we experienced) are all about acting "as if" what others are giving you is a gift...and then "adding to it."  And from that, there is freedom.  Feeling free, and that you will be accepted allows teams to STOP worrying about fears and in that moment, begin to create.  I love that:)

She also mentioned how natural it is to come to the edge of your comfort zone with resistance but that forcing through it (i.e. 'playing' by these principles), a new environment is created with those around you...and those who feel like they helped create, also feel as if they own the outcome!