Media Innovation

 The Challenge

Consumers expect high levels of innovation in the entertainment market, and most have acquired a wide range of technology products, services, and devices.  While many of these products aren’t always used to their full potential due to a lack of integration between products, consumers continue to seek out seamless integration that allows them to access services and content when and how they want. A leading UK-based television and broadband provider sought market research to reveal how they could better meet these multi-technology needs of the marketplace, drive innovation in the industry, and ultimately generate stronger advocacy of their brand among consumers.

The Solution

Illuminas employed a two-phased qualitative research approach that combined ethnographic observations with in-person focus groups, allowing us to observe consumers and capture deep technology usage insight without relying solely on self-reported data.

• Phase 1: In-Home Observations and Interviewing
  • The cornerstone of this approach involves the researcher engaging in on-site observation with consumers, and when appropriate, questioning participants on their usage of technology. This type of research methodology provides an understanding of the influence of external factors (product, living arrangements, presence of children at home, etc.), internal factors (consumer characteristics, environmental elements, income, etc.), and how these interactions influence behavior.
• Phase 2: In-Person focus Group Workshops
  • Having gained in-depth learning and consumer understanding from the in-home interviews, we worked with the client to develop a focus group discussion that was intended to clarify key topics, brainstorm new media opportunities, and test reactions to potential media services or products intended to meet the evolving needs of consumers. 

The Insight

• Provided a detailed view of home technology context or environment
• Revealed rivers and barriers to adoption of home media technology
• Measured the impact of household environment or other variables on purchasing decisions
• Identified the hierarchy of needs by different segments of consumer types
• Unveiled unmet needs, key concerns, and frustrations with media products and services
• Predicted future usage and possibilities (integration, functionality, design) through consumer observations and direct questioning or brainstorming with consumers
• Revealed preferred media innovations and developed content for positioning