Let’s start with a quote from Noel Gallagher. It’s quite a long one…
“The consumer didn’t want Jim Hendrix. But they got him. And it changed the world.
They didn’t want Sgt Pepper. But they got it.
They didn’t want the Sex Pistols. But they got them.
Consumers don’t know what they want. You f*****g give it to them. And they like it.
Let’s put it this way. If a fashion house is a record label, right? Do you think fashion would stay the same if they asked the consumer what they wanted to wear next summer?
Why fashion always moves forward, why we all look different and have different haircuts is because fashion doesn’t do focus group it with consumers.
Consumers are idiots. 99% of them are f*****g idiots.
Not my consumers though. They’re f*****g brilliant.”
Why are we talking about this? In the FMCG world, we say we want to be shopper focused. That’s a good thing. We should be shopper focused.
However, there is one big problem. Shoppers often don’t know what they want.
This is because shoppers spend little time thinking about your category or brand. They don’t buy it enough. Maybe once a month or less. They don’t care enough. Buy brand A or brand B? Whichever one is on deal this week.
But as an industry we tend to think shoppers do know what they want. That they think about your category like you do. That they care like you do.
So we get them to do the detailed 15 minute questionnaire about your category. You ask things like…
“What is the best location for the category in store?” Shoppers say, “where it is at the moment.”
“What is the best way to organise the shelf?” Shoppers say, “how you currently do it.”
“How do you use the product?” Shoppers say, “the way I’ve always used it.”
“What type of promotions do you want?” Shoppers say, “the one with the biggest discount.”
“Would you buy this new product at Y (high) price?” Shoppers say, “yes, of course.”
This is completely understandable. Shoppers can’t tell you what the perfect location in store is. They can’t tell you the best way to organise the shelf. They can’t tell you new and different usage occasions. They can’t tell you the most profitable promotion to run. They can’t tell you what your pricing strategy should be.
They can give you a view on what you currently do. But they are pretty bad at giving a view on what you could or should do.
Shoppers can’t lead you. You need to lead them.
So, how can you do this?
You need to move from trying to reflect shopper behaviour to trying to direct shopper behaviour. For example…
If you change the category location (be confident it’s the right thing to do first…). Tell shoppers you are going to do it in advance. Then signpost the new location really well. Direct the new behaviour.
If you change the way your category is merchandised. Make how you’ve done it crystal clear to shoppers. Direct the new behaviour.
To prompt a new usage occasion for your product. Tell shoppers how and when to use it. Spell it out. Direct the new behaviour.
To give shoppers different (non-price) incentives to buy your brand. Create the exciting, repeatable activation campaign. Direct the new behaviour.
To launch a new premium product into the category. Tell shoppers why it is worth paying more for. Direct the new behaviour.
Henry Ford famously said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”
Noel Gallagher said pretty much the same thing. Just a bit more directly. With a few more expletives.
Lead don’t be led.
Feel free to forward. Have a great weekend. Speak to you in a fortnight.