This document discusses new approaches to understanding and engaging with consumers in the digital age. It proposes that consumers now act as creators through customizing their experiences and belonging to online communities. Brands should recognize consumers as peers and empower them to contribute feedback and new ideas. The document recommends several virtual and collaborative methods for product development, including co-design workshops in virtual worlds, creative briefs to stimulate consumers' ideas, and home use blogs to test innovations with consumers in their real lives. The overall aim is to mobilize consumers by associating them with offer development and fostering dialogue through interest-based online communities.

1. Understanding an mobilizing
the consumer 2.0
via communities
November 7, 2007
François Abiven
Emilie Labidoire

2. A new consumer is in power
• Consumer = actor -> he/she “acts”
in everything, even the news he/she
receives (netvibes)
• The offer’s customization
exacerbates individualities -> each
person “builds” his/her own style
Creation / creativity has become a key
factor in life
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3. A new relationship with brands
• The hierarchy is
rejected: a world of
peers and exchange
• The consumer also
wants to give (and not
just pay)
A consumer who has become an actor in his/her own
consumption, especially through belonging to a
community
3

4. A challenge for consumer research
Knowing and meeting the new consumer:
… immersion,
… capturing ascending information
A new way of investigating the consumer:
involvement
…
A necessary change
that is rich in opportunities
4

5. Mobilize the consumer by
1.
associating him with the
offer’s development
2. Understanding the consumer via
ad-hoc communities
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6. Co-design via a
collaborative
protocol

7. Virtual worlds are the ideal place for co-
design:
. Creativity
. Pleasure and sharing
. 3D modeling
=> A real opportunity for brands to
mobilize the new consumer
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8. Real Life brand versus the residents’ creativity
1. American Apparel tee-shirts
in Second Life
2. Examples of
models
designed by
the residents
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9.  Recruit creative residents who like to
express themselves and who are open to
novelty and to others
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10.  A two-week collaborative blog during
which the consumer’s imagination is
boosted and directed via a CREATIVE
BRIEF
In the
Each day, INPUT and STIMULI “Workshopsquot;
are introduced in the form of section, you can
stories, anecdotes, alternative access the
ideas, etc. different themes
launched by the
Repères team
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11.  Modeling the best routes on SL in the
form of mini-worlds
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12.  Evaluation of concepts via
“immersed” focus groups on Second
Life
12

13. A prospective and interactive protocol
CREATIVE PHASE
8 product
innovations
on a low
involvement
market!
EVALUATION PHASE
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14. Exploratory test

15. A flexible, modular protocol
. Possible injection of
questions/thoughts at any time
. Spontaneous emulation
. Lasting exchanges
=> Drives more direct, more sincere and
collaborative communication between
consumers and brands
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16.  A dialogue blog to better identify the
target and watch it act and interact with
the concept(s)
Concept A
Concept B
16

17.  Work more precisely on the themes and
the ideas that emerge:
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18. A live
innovation test:
Home Use Blog

19. Experience is essential for testing
innovation:
Strong
expectation
Interest decreases over time
Interaction,usage
1st week 2nd week Field time
 How to establish the product among the consumer's practices
 How does the adoption of a product evolve over time?
 How do consumers influence each other?
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20. Home Use
Blog (HUB)
Double immersion of the innovative
product:
In a community
In real life
blog
personal, specific
…
Direct, interactive follow-up
A team discussion forum between customer/institute
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21. Home Use
Blog (HUB)
In vivo analysis of the innovative product:
To…
• Detect insights, consumption usages,
• Uncover triggers and barriers to product ownership,
• Find out which positioning fits best (the product and the
brand)
• Identify possible improvements to be made to the formula
and/or the pack
• Suggest communication routes
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22. 1. Mobilize the consumer by
associating him/her to the offer’s
development
Understanding the
2.
consumer via ad-hoc
communities
22

23. Federate marketing targets around
common centers of interest to think with
the consumer, to take the time to
dialogue…
Virtual mutual interest communities
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24. Interest in building a community around a
marketing target:
See the consumer evolve in his/her different spheres
of consumption and gain transversal understanding
of his/her mode of operation
 better identify a brand’s positioning and anchoring values
for this population
 understand its mode of integration into the consumer’s
overall life
 identify weaknesses, anticipate changes
 direct and optimize the offer, meet expectations
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25. CONTINUOUS: a place to know
the consumer
 Knowing this target, its aspirations, sensitivities
and lifestyle
 Monitoring it in everyday life, understanding its
mode of operation, motivations and usages
towards member brands
 Detecting insights
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26. AT THE REQUEST OF THE
MARKETING TEAMS:
a place for dialogue and
collaboration
 Making the target react quantitatively and/or
qualitatively to propositions, innovations,
concepts
 Associate it with thought if a question emerges
 Engage it in co-design
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27. In a word…

28. The emergence of social interaction
platforms and the popularity of this type of
communication among consumers drive:
 An approach of listening and dialogue
 A more sincere, more spontaneous
expression
 A new mode of “symmetric” dialogue: a
dialogue between equals
 A partnership with the consumer: thinking
together, co-designing…
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