Great Quotes for Planners #22 -Huxley on pre-testing

"The vast majority of human beings dislike and even actually dread all notions with which they are not familiar... Hence it comes about that at their first appearence innovators have generally been persecuted, and always derided as fools and madmen." -Aldous Huxley

One of my favourite hobby-horses, this.

When the consumer research comes back against your brilliant, ground-breakingly original idea, remind the client that Heineken 'refreshes the parts' failed research.

As did the Dyson vacuum.
And the Aeron chair.
And Seinfeld.
And the computer mouse.
And the Sony Walkman.
And the cash machine.
And Guinness 'Surfer'.
And Stella Artois 'Jacques de Florette'

Comments

[David Taylor (from Where'sTheSausage)]

And, when written as concepts, Post-It notes (rectangular bits of paper you can stick and stick) and ABS brakes (brakes that turn on and off)...and Bailey's Irish Cream (Yuuuk).

Post-it notes were a hit when they were prototyped and given to secretaries.

And a great quote from a French creative: "plus de testicules, et moins de tests" (more balls, less testing!)

David

[Amelia Torode]

I think that your Great Quotes for Planners are a great example of Branded Utility - really useful, thank you!

[Stan Lee]

I believe it's time the industry redefined how we deal with failure in research.

Let's say we have a group of ten people and nine of them hate what we've shown them. This is deemed a failure.

Thinking laterally, this means that 10% of participants liked what they saw. In direct marketing terms that is a fantastic response rate. Well above average for DM in fact.

So rather than killing off something that 90% of people don't like, why not fine tune it for the 10%. With further testing on a group of ten percenters we could have a tightly targeted and highly succesful campaign.

[Daniel Mejia]

Hey Jason, so I finally found some time to check around your blog. I`m really loving it, specially the Quote for Planners thing. I would definetly keep coming more often. Thanks.

[Cleaver]

Tend to agree with you Stan, although I think what you say only really applies if those 10% of people really love what we've shown them.

It's only love that moves us to action or changes our perceptions; for our purposes the difference between indifference and hatred is negligible.

[GentlemanPete]

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