Why I Do Not Do Focus Groups (outside of those put on by my employer)
I got offered a chance to do a focus group this past week. I turned it down flat. Hey, it would have been an easy $100 for 2 hours. I don't do them. For the first time in a long time I'm going to write about why I don't do them.
Back in the 1990s I did lots of focus groups. Some were related to my work and others I just lucked into. The one that turned me off to doing them involved 7 other men and me. We were being asked to help with a new advertising campaign for Nissan. Their ad agency had come up with a new campaign built around a mysterious Japanese man reminiscent of Mr. Miyagi. Their tagline was "Feel the Magic" of driving a Nissan.
The leaders of such groups never start the questioning with the same person, so that no one is always first or last. For this particular question, I would go last. The question was, what did we think about the tagline. All seven of my fellow attendees said they thought it was group. Then the leader of the group turned to me and asked me what I thought. I was ready. "I think it sucks" was my response. He asked me why I felt that way and I pontificated for a moment. "A car commercial is supposed to make you want to go and test drive the vehicle. What does "feel the magic" mean in English? The slogan should make it sound like it would be fun to drive the car. Why not 'enjoy the ride.'"
Imagine my surprise weeks later when I saw a new Nissan commercial on television with "enjoy the ride" as the tagline. I felt ripped off. I came up with this great idea for them and all I got was $150 or so.
A couple of years back I had a conversation with someone who earns their living doing focus groups. I told her my story and she sympathized. Then she pointed out that I was paid to offer my thoughts, and they had paid for the right to use any of what I shared in the room. I don't feel so ripped off anymore.
But I'm not going to make that mistake twice.
Back in the 1990s I did lots of focus groups. Some were related to my work and others I just lucked into. The one that turned me off to doing them involved 7 other men and me. We were being asked to help with a new advertising campaign for Nissan. Their ad agency had come up with a new campaign built around a mysterious Japanese man reminiscent of Mr. Miyagi. Their tagline was "Feel the Magic" of driving a Nissan.
The leaders of such groups never start the questioning with the same person, so that no one is always first or last. For this particular question, I would go last. The question was, what did we think about the tagline. All seven of my fellow attendees said they thought it was group. Then the leader of the group turned to me and asked me what I thought. I was ready. "I think it sucks" was my response. He asked me why I felt that way and I pontificated for a moment. "A car commercial is supposed to make you want to go and test drive the vehicle. What does "feel the magic" mean in English? The slogan should make it sound like it would be fun to drive the car. Why not 'enjoy the ride.'"
Imagine my surprise weeks later when I saw a new Nissan commercial on television with "enjoy the ride" as the tagline. I felt ripped off. I came up with this great idea for them and all I got was $150 or so.
A couple of years back I had a conversation with someone who earns their living doing focus groups. I told her my story and she sympathized. Then she pointed out that I was paid to offer my thoughts, and they had paid for the right to use any of what I shared in the room. I don't feel so ripped off anymore.
But I'm not going to make that mistake twice.
posted by me at 5:19 PM
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