1.
In today’s business reality, decisions cannot be based on random,
uncontrollable factors such as luck. The same goes for the assessment of
which insights to take on in the innovation funnel. In this fast-moving
environment the risk of failure is greater than ever.
Figures reported by the Doblin Group show that 96% of all new product
introductions and innovations fail to return their cost of capital (Marsh,
2012). The current market space requires brands to validate each step of the
entire innovation process, starting with the validation of insights.
What to
expect

2.
Consumers are social animals
and our decisions are colored by
group thinking or herd behavior
(Earls, 2009). The majority of
consumer decisions are taken in
a social setting. Nevertheless, we
do not take this social dimension
into account in survey research.
We keep on conducting
surveys in an individualistic
setting, where participants are
asked the one question after the
other without being able to
connect and reflect with other
participants.
1 From insight to innovation
Consumers are bad witnesses of
their own behavior. Survey
research traditionally taps into
the so-called ‘system 2 thinking’
of our brain. Nonetheless, the
entire thinking behind behavioral
economics and the work of
Daniel Kahneman (2011) show
that our decisions are mainly
taken quickly, automatically
by the so-called ‘system 1’
side of the brain. Therefore we
need to tap more into implicit
attitudes and procedural
knowledge in our surveys.
The majority of consumer
decisions are taken in a given
context or occasion. It is
important to grasp the contextual
background consumers are in
when making certain decisions.
We need to get a better
understanding of the
variations in consumer
behavior depending on the
consumer situation or
context.
1 2 3

3.
Survey research copes insufficiently with the
complex reality of consumer behavior.
Decisions are influenced by a number of dynamics
and it is important that surveys mirror these different
aspects in order to provide valuable input for the
decision-making process.
Considering the importance of validating these insights for
the innovation process, the need for accuracy is more
present than ever. Can insight validation through surveys
reclaim its position to provide consistent and rich data for
decision-making by capturing the complex consumer reality,
while at the same time increasing the engagement level?

4.
A PARADIGM SHIFT
Today, consumers expect to go beyond
simply ‘responding’. Yet the foundation of
survey research, as Pete Comley (2006)
describes, is a parent/child relationship between
researcher and participant. The sole role of
participants is to respond to a researcher’s
questions, without allowing them to return with a
question themselves. Therefore the time has
come for us to allow participants to play a
more active role in research and become an
empowered partner. This empowerment starts
with creating an engaging survey experience for
participants by fostering feelings of autonomy,
competence, relatedness and value.
In research we can identify three supplementary
collaboration modes between researcher, brands
and consumers: listening, doing and co-
creating.
These collaboration modes can be plotted against
a second dimension representing the inter-
consumer relations or interactions. Theories such
as Herd’s make us realize that we are more
socially determined than we think. We need to
move away from solely looking at the
individual respondent and to start
recognizing the value of consumer
interactions. This is where our second dimension
comes in, a continuum going from ‘individual’ to
‘connected’ in 3 phases: me, crowd, group.

5.
Figure 1. Research collaboration framework
By combining both dimensions, we can
identify a framework with twelve quadrants
(see Figure 1). Traditional insight validation
research primarily focuses on one single
cross-point in this framework, namely
‘individual’ and ‘asking’. Yet we can benefit
greatly from going beyond this single-
box thinking. This does not imply that we
should completely let go of asking questions
to participants; that will still remain the core
of insight validation research. However,
combining the different collaboration
modes will allow us to better uncover
the underlying dimensions of an insight
strength and better capture the
complex consumer reality behind an
insight.

6.
7
CLOETTA CASE
STUDY

7.
Cloetta is a leading confectionery company founded in
Sweden in 1862. Cloetta owns some of the strongest
brands in the market (e.g. Läkerol, Jenkki), all with a
long heritage. Cloetta’s goal is to build a solid
foundation of consumer understanding as the
key to success for break-through and break-out
innovations in fun yet rather mature categories such
as candy, chocolate, chewing gum and pastilles.
Insight validation research is firmly embedded in their
innovation process as it helps the Cloetta team decide
which insights to take forward in their innovation
funnel. Their quest for consumer understanding
translates into the need to understand why
certain insights underperform and how they
could be optimized.
1 Project background

8.
In order to assess the impact of this new
approach, we split-ran the survey. Some
participants got a traditional insight validation
survey whereas others got the enriched version
containing some new engaging tools and a
’Village’ dimension. The research approach is
based on our new survey thinking where we
go beyond asking questions and apply the
principles of the self-determination theory
to better engage participants.
2 Project methodology
After the main survey, participants were invited to
enter “The Village”, a second optional survey
dimension where engaged participants could take
their collaboration with the Cloetta brand a step
further. After having filled out the survey, the
participants had the choice to opt in for this part
where they could connect with other participants
and participate in some additional contextual
tasks. The Village is a platform consisting of
different buildings, each containing a
different task-based element.

9.
Figure 2. Cloetta project framework
This insight validation survey thus went
beyond the traditional single-box
thinking of ‘individual’and
‘asking’. The different tools in and after
the main survey can be plotted on our
framework (see Figure 2). The survey
still consisted of various research
questions assessing the strength of an
insight, yet on the individual dimension
we also introduced some task-based
exercises. Next to that, the
introduction of The Village allowed
us to involve the crowd through the
social dimension embedded in these
tools. More detailed information on each
of these tools is available in the next
section.

10.
Next to the traditional questions and key performance indicators measuring
the insight strength, we introduced some new tools in the survey:
3 Project approach
IMPLICIT MEASUREMENT TOOL
Through emotional measurement, we map
the emotions which are triggered by an
insight as well as their relative emotional
positioning. Knowing the emotional space
claimed by an insight is powerful information
for ideation, concept development, future
communication and brand activation.
To map this, we used our implicit association
tool. This tool allowed to understand which
emotions are natural, potential or
limited. Through a action-based exercise,
we avoid stated responses and over-
rationalizations. This implicit measurement
exercise allows plotting all emotions on two
dimensions: (1) the percentage of
participants linking the emotion to the
insight and (2) the time required to press
the space bar, resulting in four
quadrants (see Figure 3).

11.
NATURAL
ASSOCIATIONS
POTENTIAL
ASSOCIATIONS
NICHE
ASSOCIATIONS
LIMITS
These are spontaneous emotions; the
majority of participants link the emotion
with the insight within an above-average
reaction time.
These emotions are triggered only
amongst a few participants, yet the
reaction time is above average.
These emotions are highly associated
with the insight; they do however
require some reflection (response time is
below average).
Few participants link the emotion to the
statement; the reaction time is below
average.
Figure 3. Implicit Measurement quadrant
FREQUENCY
REACTIONTIME

12.
One of the key performance indicators when testing an insight’s strength is
relevance. Relevance can be driven by personal identification or by
peer identification. Traditionally we measure identification using a stated
question in which participants are asked to indicate on a 7-point scale to
which extent they identify with the statement. This question is then
followed by an open-ended question, asking them to elaborate on their
response.
In the new survey set-up we took this a step further by showing
participants the results of this question - including their own
answers and the answers of other participants up until that point
in the survey. We asked participants to interpret and explain the results
using their own background and knowledge as a reflection point. This
‘crowd interpretation’approach puts them in a co-researcher role.
After having filled out the survey, the participants could opt in for
‘The Village’where they could connect with other participants
and further collaborate with the Cloetta brand. The Cloetta Village
consisted of five buildings: Lounge, Ideation, Picture Shop, Internet café
and Gallery (see Figure 4).
RESULT SHARING TOOL

13.
The Lounge (1) is the most central
building of the Village where
participants can connect with one
another, start a discussion on topics created
by the researcher and even post topics of
their own. This is where participants can
connect with one another, the researcher and
the Cloetta team.
In the Lounge we introduced three featured
topics where participants could introduce
themselves, give feedback on the survey and
share their advice with the Cloetta brand.
This introduction topic enhances the
feeling of being visible as a consumer.
Not only did we introduce Cloetta as a brand
in this topic, we also openly shared the
objectives of the research. The latter
encourages consumers to provide valuable
feedback to help a brand. Apart from these
featured topics, participants could create
their own posts related to the research
topic, which allowed them to discuss
and interact with other participants.
This open social space helped to gain
additional insights as it provided us with
answers to questions we did not even ask.
5
1
2
4
3

14.
In the “Picture Shop” (2) participants were invited to participate in 5 tasks by uploading
pictures and reflecting on these. Such a task-based element allows to get a better understanding of
the consumers’ context. The different tasks are inspired by observational and ethnographical research:
consumers are asked to explore their environment, observe their own behavior by taking pictures and
reflect upon them. In the Gallery (5) building, participants could view the work of others, ‘Like’ it and
comment on it.
In the Ideation building (3) participants could brainstorm and share ideas on three topics
related to the insights tested in the survey. Besides posting their own ideas, participants could see
what other people posted and ‘Like’ it or comment on it. This idea sharing allows involving participants in
discovering the solution space. The output of this exercise is the creation of ‘idea cards’, which
combine a consumer idea with an inspirational visual that can be used in future ideation or concept
writing workshops.
In the Internet café (4) participants created the Facebook page of the typical person who
would identify with one of the key insights tested in the survey. The participants could create this
persona by uploading pictures, adding socio-demographic information and a description of that person’s
interests.
In the Gallery (5) participants could view the reviews of others, ‘Like’ them and add reviews
themselves.

15.
The additional task-based elements lead not only to more data, but also to better data. These findings
show that by involving consumers in an interpretive role, we can gain a greater
understanding. The reason behind these findings can be explained by additional research
conducted by Balcetis and Dunning (2011).
The contextual output from the new tools and challenges, composed of consumer visuals, stories and
ideas, allowed us to add more sensing and understanding to the research results.
In the Internet café participants were invited to create the Facebook page of the typical person who
would identify with one of the key insights. This exercise resulted in different Facebook personae.
The most recurring personae were hard-working women in their late 30s with a nice
career and young children. They were visualized by images like a 7-armed woman (see Figure 5)
- returning home, checking her e-mails, feeding the kids, running the household.
4 Research findings
IMPACT FOR THE RESEARCHER

16.
Figure 5. Persona matching the survey data
In addition, the involvement
of consumers in shaping the
consumer space (Ideation
tool) and the possibility to
share their advice and
feedback allowed us to
shape very tangible
recommendations for
future improvement or
product ideas.

17.
A first key benefit for Cloetta was the addition
of contextual understanding to the
validation process.
This new survey approach helped Cloetta
get a sense of why certain insights
perform better than others and how they
could be optimized.
The task-based elements in The Village
allowed for Cloetta to grasp the contextual
space behind a consumer insight and
identify cultural differences.
The consumer-generated visuals and stories
helped bring these differences to life.
By sharing the results of the identification KPI we
gained 66% of additional learnings, especially
regarding some subtle wording of the
insights.
Consumers explained for example how some
words should be avoided, helping Cloetta to
understand how they could rephrase the
insight and increase its potential.
Next, the open conversations and discussions in
the Lounge gave Cloetta a feel for the
spontaneous conversations and topics
linked to the insights areas.
IMPACT FOR CLOETTA

18.
5 To conclude
Traditional insight validation surveys should thus be enriched with engaging tools
and tasks that allow us to grasp the contextual space behind an insight
and help form tangible recommendations for improvement.
The quest to uncover high-potential consumer insights will never end. Yet
the calculation of an insight’s strength score is not enough. The goal should be to
enrich this validation process, so that it helps us understand how certain
insights can be improved and optimized and why others should be ignored.
Insight validation therefore is more than gathering those go/no-go decisions; it is
about gaining an understanding as to why certain insights perform well
and others do not.

19.
References
• Balcetis, E. & Dunning, D. (2011). Considering the situation: Why
people are better social psychologists than self-psychologists.
Self and Identity, 1-15.
• Earls, M. (2009). Herd: How to Change Mass Behaviour by
Harnessing Our True Nature. Wiley.
• Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Macmillan. ISBN
978-1-4299-6935-2.
• Marsh, L. (2012). 8 ways to ensure your new-product launch
succeeds. Retrieved January 6, 2014, from
http://www.fastcompany.com

20.
Katia Pallini
Survey Innovation Manager
InSites Consulting
Mechtild De Bruin,
International Knowledge & Insights leader
Cloetta
Annelies Verhaeghe
Managing Partner
InSites Consulting

21.
Thank you!
@InSites
marketing@insites-consulting.com
www.facebook.com/insitesconsulting
www.slideshare.net/InSitesConsulting