3 Tips for Finding Consumer Insight Gems

At the foundation of every successful advertising campaign is a consumer insight — an emotional expression of an unmet need or want that’s not obvious but prompts an “AHA!” when identified.

Think of Snickers’ “You’re not you when you’re hungry” ad campaign: this wildly successful advertising employs the insight that people feel and act differently when their bodies need food. The emotional promise at the core of the Snickers advertising is that feeling of wellbeing we experience after eating a filling and energizing snack. Many different snacks could fulfil this insight, but Snickers was the first to identify it and now owns it in the marketplace.

Finding true insights in order to develop compelling marketing messages is not easy, but it is something that all marketers can do with a bit of work: you just need the tools to know an insight when you arrive at one and to find one in the first place. Luckily, these tools can be taught.

In our 20+ years as strategic marketing researchers and trainers, we’ve learned a few basics that we would like to share with you.

Start with your WHO
At Noetic, we teach (and practice!) a strategic marketing model built on WHO you wish to communicate with, WHAT insight will convince them to purchase your product or service, and HOW your message will be delivered to your potential customer.

Starting with your WHO—your prospective customer—is essential to achieving your advertising objectives. Ground in your customer demographics, psychographics and behavior first. If you can, speak to your potential customers and watch how they act when purchasing and using the product you wish to sell. The more you know about your customer, the better chance you have of arriving at a meaningful insight about their relationship with your product, service or category.

Look for Interesting Facts
We live in a data-rich age, so chances are you will find more facts about your customer than you know what to do with. In order to arrive at insights, you have to be selective about which facts you pursue. For this we recommend identifying “interesting facts” that have a greater chance of leading you to non-obvious insights. Begin by identifying a few interesting FACTS that begin to indicate a need or want of your WHO that your product or service may be able to address.

Dig for Insight Gems
Just identifying interesting facts is not enough. To find insights, you have to go deeper by starting with an interesting fact and then asking “Why” over and over again until you arrive at an AHA “That’s so true!” moment. You will see it because you will be at a deeper emotional place of understanding your customer’s unfilled need or want. It often helps to work with a team of colleagues to reach this deeper place and to know when you’ve truly found the most meaningful and motivating insight.

These tips will help you know what insights are and provide the basic steps for finding them.

If you’re Interested in learning more from Noetic Consultants, check out their upcoming Agency Planner Essentials webinar series providing three key skills for every strategic planner.