Ethnographic Market Research Agency UK
What is Ethnographic Research in Marketing?
Ethnography is an immersive form of qualitative market research that enables researchers to acccompany and observe consumers as they go about their daily lives.
Whether at home, socialising, shopping, at work or online, ethnographic research enables us to understand exactly how consumers think, feel and behave – in context and in the moment.
What is the main advantage of ethnographic
market research?
The main advantage of this ‘fly on the wall’ research approach over other research methods is its ability to identify unmet needs or pain points that other forms of qualitative research can’t bring to the surface. This enables marketers to create products, services, and experiences that resonate more deeply with consumers. In addition, the first-hand narratives gathered by ethnography act as powerful stimuli for brand and marcoms development. In an era where consumers demand more authenticity and personalisation than ever, the insights gained from ethnographic research provide a competitive edge.
When should Ethnographic Research Be Used?
Ethnographic research is invaluable for projects that demand a deep, contextual understanding of consumer behavior, motivations, and unmet needs. It excels in situations where observed reality may differ from stated intentions, or where subtle environmental and social factors can play a significant role. Brands typically use ethnography for projects focused on:
Deep Customer Insight: Moving beyond stated preferences to uncover the ‘Why’ behind actions and decisions. For example, how do consumers use your products—or those of your competitors—on a day-to-day basis.
Innovation & Product Development: Identifying latent needs and pain points that recalled experiences often miss, to inspire new product, service, or feature development.
Experience Optimisation: Mapping customer journeys and user experiences (UX) to determine how to optimise experience delivery both on- and offline.
Concept Validation: Testing product, packaging, or design concepts in real time and in context.
Market Entry & Cultural Adaptation: Exploring new market opportunities and understanding social and cultural nuances that could impact product adoption.
These applications make ethnographic research particularly appropriate for the following project types:
Identifying new innovation opportunities within mature categories
Optimising a new product or service pre-launch
Developing offline customer journeys and moments of truth that drive acquisition and loyalty
Validating UX design to maximise user uptake and engagement
Ensuring packaging concepts reflect real understanding of how consumers interact with products at all stages of purchase and consumption
What are the Different Methods of
Ethnographic research?
Brandspeak has been delivering ethnographic research on behalf of B2C and B2B clients since 2004. We tailor every project to your brand, objectives, and category. We offer accompanied and auto-ethnography (i.e., mobile and digital ethnography) approaches, often combining them to ensure that we deliver the contextual insights you require. More detail on each is provided below:
What is Accompanied Ethnography?
The ethnographer joins participants in real-life contexts (e.g., home, store, work), both observing and engaging with them in real time. The results are captured on video for subsequent analysis. In addition, pre- or post-interviews may also be undertaken to explore initial motivations or subsequent reflections regarding the activity in question. Accompanied ethnography is perfect for retail experience audits, in-home product or service evaluation, and monitoring customer service engagements.
What are Mobile & Digital Ethnography (Auto-Ethnography)
Auto-ethnography approaches are suitable for any type of research project, but particularly those where budget or geography prevent an ethnographic researcher from accompanying the process in person, or when the experience being monitored takes place over a period of several days. Participants self-record their experiences, typically via their smartphones. Digital diaries are often also completed to provide wider context. They then upload their recordings for analysis.
“Ethnography shows you not just what customers do — but why they do it.”
Ethnographic Market Research - FAQs
What is the primary goal of ethnographic market research?
The primary goal of ethnographic market research is to uncover contextual insights regarding the needs, expectations, and behaviours of consumers that other forms of research are unlikely to reveal.
How does ethnographic research differ from other qualitative methods?
The main difference is that ethnographic market research is an observational approach conducted in context and in real time, whereas other forms of qualitative research rely on recalled experiences.
What are the main benefits of conducting an ethnographic study for a brand?
Brands benefit from ethnographic studies by gaining a level of insight that other approaches cannot deliver. This means they typically achieve a higher ROI and are better able to contribute to marketing strategy formulation.
What kind of insights can ethnography uncover that other methods might miss?
Because of the forensic nature of ethnographic research, it is able to: uncover the 'Why' behind consumers' actions and decisions; identify potential opportunities in the form of latent needs or existing pain points that recalled experiences often miss; enable the optimisation of CX and UX journeys; and optimise packaging concepts by evaluating them in real time, prior to roll-out.
How many participants are typically involved in an ethnographic study?
There is no 'best practice' answer here, but numbers are generally limited due to cost and because a huge amount can be understood by focusing on a small number of people. Brandspeak's studies typically range from 5+ participants, depending on the nature of the project.
Can ethnographic research be conducted online or remotely?
Yes, ethnographic research can be conducted either online or remotely via mobile or digital ethnography (also known as 'auto-ethnography').
What industries or product types benefit most from ethnographic research?
Ethnographic research is equally valuable for B2C and B2B brands operating in both nascent and mature business and industry sectors—essentially, anywhere a deep understanding of the target audience's needs and behaviours is required.
How long does an ethnographic study usually take to complete?
Typically, the logistical considerations within ethnography projects are greater than in other forms of qualitative or quantitative research, and the experience being studied may also take days or weeks to complete. Ethnographic research isn't always suited to projects with tight timeframes.
How are the findings from ethnographic research translated into actionable business strategies?
Findings from ethnographic research are translated into actionable business strategies by linking the findings, conclusions, and recommendations directly to wider brand, product, or CX/UX strategy, which is managed at board level.
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- We worked with Brandspeak on a brand awareness project and we were extremely pleased the quality of service and the process. They understood the complexity of the briefs and ask plenty of questions to make sure they fully understand the objectives. They interacted with all levels of people in our business and understood the differences within the market and suggested ways to tie the research together so it was still comparable. The results were delivered with easy to digest summaries that could be used across the business. We would highly recommend using them
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- Blink
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