Let me preface this post by saying I'm all for researching consumer behavior and the psychology behind it. With that said, let's discuss focus group hypnosis, which has been growing in popularity and getting some attention from the news media of late, most recently on Brandweek.
What is focus group hypnosis? In short, a session typically includes no more than 8 participants and takes about 2 hours. During the first 25 minutes, the participants are introduced to the process and put into a relaxed state. Then the moderator asks participants questions individually. The cost? $50,000-$75,000 for four sessions, similar to traditional focus group costs, and apparently, many Fortune 500 and large companies are using it including Volvo, Dewar's and Domaine Chandon.
Proponents of focus group hypnosis claim it helps them delve deeper into consumer emotions and get closer the brand with more "colorful and vivid" feedback. Naysayers say it's a waste of marketing dollars. Which side of the debate are you on?
I have to go with the naysayers on this one for the main reason that I don't think there could be a more subjective method of analyzing consumer behavior. Would you invest your marketing dollars in a strategy that is rooted in the results of hypnosis sessions? I'm not even a numbers person but I still think this is way to subjective to even bother with. What's next, dream interpretation? Maybe a psychic? There's always the Magic 8-Ball.
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