Case Study
Creating a Communications Campaign that will Resonate with Multicultural Audiences
overview
The last time our consumer-packaged goods (CPG) client produced a major advertising campaign was back in 2016, and from 2020 until now, their marketing strategies and tactics only focused on their line of products. A lot has changed in the world since 2016, and our client felt that the time was right to create a new, bold campaign that promoted their brand’s personality and values. As they embarked on the development phase of the campaign, they wanted to ensure that the new campaign would resonate well with all audiences, particularly multicultural ones. Understanding the significance of capturing the essence of cultural groups, our client partnered with C+R to guide them through the nuanced process of creating and testing their campaign, given our well-rounded expertise in qual, quant, and multicultural research, and the use of innovative tools.
Together, we delved into the task of refining the campaign concept, combining insights from pre- and post-production research to ensure maximum impact.
THE PROBLEM
How do we create a bold communications campaign that resonates with our target audience of Multicultural consumers?
Wanting to create a bold new campaign that resonated with multicultural audiences in particular, our client knew that when brands try to do something bold, sometimes unintentional mistakes are made, and instead of resonating with consumers, they end up alienating them. To do this campaign “right”, they knew that different rounds of research were needed – from concept development to pre-production testing to post-production testing. They needed a partner that could help them with all aspects of this process, especially to make sure the insights were grounded in a multicultural lens.
OUR APPROACH
Multiple phases conducted: Multicultural Consulting, Agile Live Qual/Quant, and Neurological
To accomplish this goal, we recommended that our client start with multicultural consulting through C+R’s CultureBeat division. To start, we implemented an open ended, unstructured “office hours” style of conversation between the client marketing team and CultureBeat’s practitioners to provide a multicultural perspective. After the “office hours”, we assembled a Team Sounding Board where CultureBeat’s team members provided feedback on pre-production materials, which included cultural historic context, archetypes of watch outs, and consulting on the script, casting, food styling, etc. Armed with this information, the marketing team was ready for the production phase.
After the advertising was produced, we conducted a LiveHIVE session, C+R’s proprietary agile solution that captures both quantitative data and rich qualitative insights in a single, live approach. LiveHIVE starts with a quantitative online survey in which the client and C+R teams see and discuss the results as they come in. During this portion, we incorporated C+R’s SmartPulse – a neurological immersion where select respondents were sent heart rate monitors to wear to showcase how immersed and engaged respondents were, second-by-second, while watching the ad.
After the quantitative survey, respondents were hand-picked to participate in online focus groups segmented by ethnicity and culture. This ensured that each group felt comfortable and welcome to share their opinions on the ads and how each impacted them. This allowed for rich cultural context and anticipated watch outs.
The result
All phases of the research program were critical to the success of the campaign
CultureBeat Consulting played a pivotal role in optimizing the communication concept, fostering genuine and meaningful connections with multicultural audiences throughout the production process. Neurological immersion analysis revealed specific elements of the ad that generated greater engagement among respondents, allowing us to highlight key aspects that should be included in the campaign. Furthermore, our qualitative research unearthed valuable feedback from multicultural groups, identifying areas of resonance and potential improvements.
Within a short span of just a few hours, our research and comprehensive debrief provided the client with a crystal-clear understanding of the campaign’s necessary direction. Subsequently, we delivered a cohesive report that seamlessly integrated quantitative and qualitative findings, unveiling deeper insights for fully optimizing the campaign.
proven experience
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