Chanced upon this piece - another form of policing !

Mobile Phone Gives Beggar Away
Mon August 11, 2003 10:11 AM ET
SANAA (Reuters) - A man begging at a mosque in Yemen was exposed as not being so destitute as he pretended when his mobile started ringing inopportunely on Friday.

The Yemeni news agency Saba said the embarrassed man beat a quick retreat after worshippers heard his phone ring inside his bag.

There are only about five telephones, both land-lines and mobiles, for every 100 people in Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries.

12:22:20 PM    comment []  trackback []

John Porcaro shares with us his wonder at some consumer focus groups he attended :

"Fascinating stuff tonight. I won't go in to too many details, but I find it's so interesting to be "behind the glass" listeining to "real" customers.

I was talking with some co-workers who are with me here, and we decided that a lot of the value of the focus groups isn't getting the research report (although that's good), it's hearing the passion in the voices our customers, seeing their expressions, hearing their descriptions of what they think of our products, our marketing, our partners.

There were a few times when we were hearing the pain these guys experience that I wanted to go in and give someone a big hug, and tell them we're listening. As it is, they didn't know it was Microsoft doing the research, but we heard plenty of comments about our products and our channel partners.

I know after tonight's group my team here won't look at our customers quite the same. They're more human. More jaded, yet more vulnerable, and in some ways more trusting. And certainly more real."

Way to go John.  How i wish all clients would believe this and practise it.  I always urge them to attend focus groups and interviews.  And i'm happier when its the hands-on execs attend the groups - the people who actually interact with consumers, ones who create and design stuff for them.  So typically - if the research is on developing advertising concepts or creative, i'd encourage more from the creative team than the planning or servicing department to be present at the groups. 

Yet, more often than not the excuse is "no time, no money to travel or to put into viewing facilities - and anyways we trust you".  Nothing can replace the touch-feel of observing your customers interacting, thinking and feeling in a non-threatening environment.  No numbers or statistics will give you the wonder of being able to observe every nuance of feeling and thought.  And no researcher however hard he or she may try with audio-visual aids can really 'bring the consumer alive' at a presentation or in a report.  

The other benefit of having a client present at groups is when studying the unfamiliar.  New markets, new products, new territory for all.  The research process can then be made more iterative - with each group followed by a discussion and review with clients present - allowing for tweaks and modifications and in some cases even a complete overhaul of the process. 

This takes on greater significance in a country with as much diversity as India - in its geographic and cultural spread.  Its a whole different thing to experience the consumer in his or her real setting - there have been so many 'aha' moments for creative folk at agencies or brand and marketing managers when they've been physically present.

I recall one instance - we were in a little village in rural UP - one of the largest states in India and with one of the  lowest literacy rates.  I was moderating a group among married women in a tiny little room made of mud with one small hole in the wall doubling up as a window.  The study was designed to understand and identify advertising symbols that could be effective for rural consumers, where literacy levels are low and exposure to the external world is limited, especially for women.  Picture this - 7 women with their sarees pulled over their head (ghunghat), right down to their chins - one woman with her head uncovered - and me.  I asked them why they covered their heads in my presence - i'm a woman afterall - and they told me that i was a guest at their in-laws' village - so they had to keep their heads covered ot of respect.  The one lady without her head covered was really visiting her parent's home - since she was not at her in-laws' she was permitted to do so.  

Then naturally the discussion went on to television viewing habits - and the 'aha' moment was when we realised that these ladies would never watch TV in the presence of men and elders, as they were not permitted to sit in their presence or remove their sarees from their faces.  So what on earth were we talking about advertising symbols to them for!  Luckily for me, the client was present and we relooked at the entire research design then and there.

11:21:46 AM    comment []  trackback []

Google now has a built-in calculator. Coool. How about a built-in dishwasher? [Scripting News]

Google really gets it.  With increasing utilities its fast becoming a one-stop shop search engine. 

8:15:26 AM    comment []  trackback []

The GuestMap i installed has pop-up ads.  Hope this doesn't keep you away from leaving your mark. Thanks to those who braved it already :):):)

8:03:35 AM    comment []  trackback []