Understanding the consumer and the consumers needs, values, behaviours and aspirations is not a clear-cut and simple operation. In addition each product category is governed by its own laws, while the consumer is guided by different motives depending on the market in question. Thus explaining the consumers behaviour requires separate investigation in each case.

The simple demographic pigeonholing of targets (e.g. young, urban, well-off) explains little. After all, such a consumers decision strategy is different when wanting to eat something during a break at work than when wanting to eat for pleasure, and different again when wanting to impress friends. There is no universal understanding of the consumer, one always has only a picture of but a fragment, depending on the specified objective of the identification.

Many years of experience, highly developed research techniques, and a coherent concept of the consumer mean that we can cope with the complexity of this problem. We can define what it is possible to investigate in a specific case, what it is the client really needs, and how to obtain this.

We are able to determine the importance of what is rational and what is emotional in relation to any product category and any situation, and determine what role the specific emotional and functional components have. And we can show what universal human needs are satisfied by specific image attributes of products in a given category.

Utilising the synergy of the qualitative and quantitative approach enables a deep understanding of the consumer.

In the former approach we apply ethnographic studies, participative observation, creative groups, BrandSight, and also classic discussion groups and in-depth individual interviews.

The quantitative research tool palette stretches from the very detailed studies of the Usage & Attitudes type (building up penetrating syntheses) to advanced techniques enabling one to measure not so much what consumers declare as what really stands behind their decisions.

This group of techniques includes a variety of types of conjoint analysis, the modelling of complex factors shaping preferences with the help of advanced statistical techniques. In addition there is the Navigustor, which explains ones taste, even if one is unable to name what it is behind ones preferences.

All these techniques make it possible to obtain a deeper understanding of consumers than when they talk about themselves. The results of these complex analyses are easy to understand and provide clear hints to be used practically in marketing.