A rather unusual photo today to show the rather unsual market research survey I was talked into. I don't usually stop, but I had time on my hands while I was up town and the woman seemed friendly enough so I gave her 10 minutes of my time to answer questions on my tea drinking habits. Not content with asking me questions on the street, I was taken up to the 7th floor of the Ramada Hotel on Princes Street. As well as questions, I actually had to make six cups of tea using different teabags while she timed how long I left the teabags in and noted how much milk I added. Then I had to taste two cups of tea and answer questions on them, all the while trying to pretend that I care whether or not she wrote down that it was 'somewhat too strong' or 'much too strong'. Anyway, I got a free bar of chocolate and as I was seven floors up on Princes Street, I took the opportunity to go out to the balcony and take some photos! Any strange market research experiences out there?
6 comments:
hah maybe in the future I should not ignore them... I've never been in there.
I had a strange one a few weeks ago - I got a call from a "research company" asking me to evaluate a new tv comedy - they'd send me a tape and then call me the next day and ask me a bunch of questions. It came with a booklet that had about fifty questions about products like shampoo and dish soap, which made me suspicious that the test was about the commercials, not about the show. I watched the show anyway, which was awful (and suspicously out of date as far as clothes and hairstyles) then went online and quickly figured out that I was right - they were testing responses to the commercials. The show had been made in 1997!
When I first looked at the photo I thought that was biscuits in the bowl in front, so I thought, well they made it worth tasting. On closer inspection though, I saw that it was the ued tea bags LOL !!!:) We've never had surveys like that here in Bloemfontein, however, when a new brand of tea or coffee hits the market, they usually let you taste in the local supermarkets in order to pursuade you to buy the new product.
I really only stop when I'm at a loose end, although recently when I've been feeling generous I haven't 'qualified', but when I have in the past it involved tasting chocolate biscuits and on another occasion, crisps. Now that I fall into 'the grumpy old man' category I reckon they should pay you at least a tenner for your time - information is valuable! Years ago I used to get 'invited' to various MR evenings where you'd spend an hour with a bunch of similar folk and discuss some subject or other. For your trouble you usually got a few beers and £15 . . . and that was over 20 years ago!
I've participated in two ones like this and actually had a lot of fun. The first one wanted to know my opinion of a marketing campaign for a bank - they wanted to address young adults. Got a bag with chips out of that. The second was actually funny since I had to give my opinion on razors for women. They showed all different kinds and I was kind of wondering if they would ask me to try it but they only wanted to know about colors, shapes, etc. Got a piccolo (mini champagne bottle) out of that.
Princes Street is the best street in the UK if you enjoy being part of market research. There always seems to be gangs of women trying to haul you into buildings to talk about KitKats or insurance or whatever.
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