Capturing emotion in qualitative Research. Consumers’ decision-making processes are strongly influenced by emotional assessments. To gain understanding of these assessments is essential in order to produce valuable insights into the consumers’ world which can be used for all aspects of strategic brand management. Emotions, though, are difficult to capture because respondents in market research tend to rationalise their own decisions. Therefore, we need innovative qualitative research tools that help us to build bridges into the inner emotional world of consumers.

1. Coming to terms with
emotions
Dr. Ute Rademacher & Kay-Volker Koschel,
Ipsos Germany
ESOMAR World Research Conference
Athens, 8th – 10th of October 2006

2. 2
Presentation Overview
Why emotions?
To be and not to be an emotion
How to capture emotions in qualitative
market research
The emoticons in theory and put into
practice

3. 3
Why emotions?
Many ‘brands’ were built between 1930-1980,
and are “old” and many markets are saturated
Copy-cat products have matched the leaders
and many are “good enough”
The trade is gaining in power, with their own
brands
Media is fragmenting and many ad campaigns
fail
It is getting tough out there and more difficult
to make a difference

4. 4
Why emotions?
Emotions are powerful:
 They often are subconscious and more out
of control
 They affect the thinking response or
informational processing
 They become associated with the brand
and strongly determine the basic feel
towards the brand
 They can create a positive or negative
attitude toward advertising, which then
becomes associated with or transferred to
the brand
 They transform the experience of use

5. 5
To be and not to be an emotion
Emotions as result of evolution processes
Rational and emotional are two sides of the
same coin
Emotions regulate, influence and organize our
behavior
Memory units and emotions
Strategic brand management and the “Me-Pay-
Off”
Emotions differ regarding two dimensions:
 Positive vs. negative character
 Active vs. passive character

6. 6
How to capture emotions
in qualitative market research
Why is it that difficult to express emotions?
 Sub-conscious brain activities
 Culture of rationalisation
 Pre-defined social roles
 Rules and generalizations vs. spontaneous
emotions
 Danger for our personal balance
 They are something personal and intimate
 They make us feel vulnerable
We need to build bridges to the internal emotional
worlds of our respondents

7. 7
Building bridges to the internal world of
emotions...
 Facial expressions and body language as a
key to enter
 Creating visuals that represent emotions:
Emoticons
Several phases of consumer research to
understand how...
 ...the emotions are expressed
 ...they can be visualized
 ...they are related to each other
How to capture emotions
in qualitative market research
The landscape of emotions: Emoti*Scape

8. 8
Free/
Unrestricted
Confidence
Hate/
Repulsed
Dislike
Exploited/
Ripped-off
Skeptical
Hurt/Upset
Apathetic/
Unmoved
Bored
Intimidated
Irritated
Lonely/
Ignored
Sad/Depressed
Furious/
Outraged
Happy
Warm Fuzzy
At peace/
Normal
Proud/
Self-Respect
Appreciated/
Special
Entertained/
Pleased
Eager/
Enthusiastic
Shocked
Shy
Tired/
Worn Out
Trust
Turned-On
Gratitude/
Relieved
Cool/Calm
Aloof/Feel
Superior
Attraction/
Charmed
Love
Inspired/En
couraged
Jealous/
wishful
Harmony/
A Connection
Surprised/
Amazed
Curious/Interested
Embarrassed/Ashamed/Guilt
Confused
Disappointed
Worried/
concerned
The emoti*cons in theory
and put into practice
The Emoti*Scape
Positive /active
Positive /passive
Negative /active
Negative /passive

9. 9
Illustration: Case study
 Client: eBay
 Methodology: Focus Groups
 Acceptance, use and relevance of two
concepts of buyers’ protection
 Test the emotional impact and perception of
two verbal concepts
 All respondents tick their emotions on a
sheet of paper showing the emoti*scape
landscape
The emoti*cons in theory
and put into practice

10. 10
Free/
Unrestricted
Confidence
Hate/
Repulsed
Dislike
Exploited/
Ripped-off
Skeptical
Hurt/Upset
Apathetic/
Unmoved
Bored
Intimidated
Irritated
Lonely/
Ignored
Sad/Depressed
Furious/
Outraged
Happy
Warm Fuzzy
At peace/
Normal
Proud/
Self-Respect
Appreciated/
Special
Entertained/
Pleased
Eager/
Enthusiastic
Shocked
Shy
Tired/
Worn Out
Trust
Turned-On
Gratitude/
Relieved
Cool/Calm
Aloof/Feel
Superior
Attraction/
Charmed
Love
Inspired/En
couraged
Jealous/
wishful
Harmony/
A Connection
Surprised/
Amazed
Curious/Interested
Embarrassed/Ashamed/Guilt
Confused
Disappointed
Worried/
concerned
Leid,
Schmerz
Positive /active
Positive /passive
Negative /active
Negative /passive
Emotional Reactions:
27x rather negative / 14x rather positive
Emotional Reaction to ebay´s
Standard Buyer Protection
- Evaluation of the verbal concept -

11. 11
Free/
Unrestricted
Confidence
Hate/
Repulsed
Dislike
Exploited/
Ripped-off
Skeptical
Hurt/Upset
Apathetic/
Unmoved
Bored
Intimidated
Irritated
Lonely/
Ignored
Sad/Depressed
Furious/
Outraged
Happy
Warm Fuzzy
At peace/
Normal
Proud/
Self-Respect
Appreciated/
Special
Entertained/
Pleased
Eager/
Enthusiastic
Shocked
Shy
Tired/
Worn Out
Trust
Turned-On
Gratitude/
Relieved
Cool/Calm
Aloof/Feel
Superior
Attraction/
Charmed
Love
Inspired/En
couraged
Jealous/
wishful
Harmony/
A Connection
Surprised/
Amazed
Curious/Interested
Embarrassed/Ashamed/Guilt
Confused
Disappointed
Worried/
concerned
Positive /active
Positive /passive
Negative /active
Negative / passive
Emotional Reactions:
6x rather negative / 45x rather positive
Emotional Reaction to ebay´s
Alternative Protection Concept
- Evaluation of the verbal concept -

12. 12
Case Study Ebay
Standard vs. Alternative Buyer Protection
2. Trust
3. Confidence
4. Cool / Calm
5. Gratitude / Relieved
1. Curious / Interested
2. Sceptical
3. Worried / Concerned
4. Irritated
5. Cool / Calm
1. Apathetic / Unmoved
The service does not really
convince and partially even
irritates
A clear interest in this
security-providing service
arises
Standard Protection Alternative Protection

13. 13
How to make use of the emoti*cons during the
qualitative research process:
 Using as a starting point for discussion
 Present the emoti*scape landscape several
times
 Combine emoti*cons with projective
techniques
 Present emoti*cons on separate cards
 Arrangement of emoti*cons groups
 Emotion sorting
 Include in lifebooks / diaries
 “Emo*watch”
 etc.
The emoti*cons in theory
and put into practice

14. 14
The emoti*cons in theory
and put into practice
The Emo-Watch
The “Emo-watch” is very easy to
use for children because all
emotions that are presented on this
watch are well-known from their
own daily-life.

15. 15
Advantages of Emoti*Scape:
 Respondents don’t have to verbalise emotions
 They don’t have to express and show their
emotions
 A straight-forward method decreasing risks of
creating artefacts and supporting
rationalisations
Why should one use Emoti*Scape?
 It facilitates and supports tapping into the
emotional side of things
 It stimulates to dig deeper into the emotional
arena through offering visualised emotions
 It can be used as flexible stimulus material for
a lively and more involved discussion
The emoti*cons in theory
and put into practice

16. 16
With the Emoti*Scape landscape we build
bridges to the inner world of consumers.
Emoti*cons are appropriate and applicable to:
 ...overcome psychological barriers
 ...help the respondents to become more
conscious about their own emotions
 ...differentiate feelings which appear first as
unspecific
 ...dig below the surface of first general
impressions
 ...create involvement
Summary

17. Thank you for
your Attention!
For further information please contact: Kay.Koschel@ipsos.com