Schools of Thought

So Big They Are Almost Invisible: 4 Roles of Brand Rituals and What They Mean for Researchers

The profound impact of rituals makes them a rich opportunity for marketers. This article discusses the “invisible” power of ritual on people’s lives and some of the ways brands capitalize on these behaviors. Discover how brands tap into the human affinity for ritual through cookies, sports jerseys, beer, and flight attendant safety speeches. The authors close with suggestions for how qualitative researchers can adopt a ritual lens to develop a deeper understanding of consumer behavior. […]

Book Reviews

What to Ask: How to Learn What Customers Need but Don’t Tell You by Andrea Belk Olson, BenBella Books, 2022

Contrary to what the title may suggest to qualitative researchers hungry for discussion guide ideas, this book isn’t about crafting a discussion guide. Instead it presents a well-rounded examination of the many reasons companies struggle to innovate (or even talk to customers, much less get useful insights if they do). By understanding more about our clients’ struggles, we can become more effective changemakers in advocating for research. […]

Schools of Thought

Morality: Looking through the Lens of Virtue

We live in an increasingly divided world; people are unable to find common ground on simple issues, conversations are fraught with tension and conflict. As conversations are a qualitative researcher’s stock-in-trade, it’s important to realize that at the root of this division lies morality, our sense of right and wrong. […]