The project in summary
The situation
We met the client when we gave a presentation at a conference in Venice about using consumer led marketing methods in the cultural sector. They approached us afterwards and said they were launching a new children’s area and would we discuss it with them? We went to Paris, met the people and they appointed us. Whilst they had some principles they wanted to apply to the new area, which was their biggest ever initiative, they wanted to take an audience led approach to defining the offering as far as possible.
The Work
We conducted a consumer segmentation using TGI.
Some ‘most likely’ segments were identified.
Parents and children were recruited into qualitative proposition research.
From this the proposition and ‘executional mandatories’ were defined.
As the client overall was not familiar with taking an audience led approach we developed with them some methods for evaluating the correctness of activities.
The Outcome
Both the area itself and the communication of it were developed very much in line with the research findings. We understand that it has been very successful and it features prominently on their website.
The work in a bit more detail, if you’re interested
We went through the following stages:
Stakeholder discussions
As the client overall was unfamiliar with such an approach we conducted a series of stakeholder discussions:
For them to describe their individual issues
For us to explain the process, the reasons for it, the outputs and how to use them.
Audience segmentation
Together with the Museum, and using their data, we defined a core geographic catchment area. We then defined an attitudinal and circumstantial universe, which in broad terms was people with children who go out to attractions, including air and space related venues or events. We then conducted the segmentation using TGI.
Some priority segments were immediately clear.
Qualitative research
On the basis of the clients’ thinking to date and the observations from the segmentation, some names, propositions, and some illustrations of how they might ‘come to life’ were developed.
These were tested in qualitative research amongst both parents and children within the priority segments.
The findings were very similar to those of all the projects we have conducted regarding family / child targeted venues or activities:
A high degree of interactivity is required. Particularly valuable is interactivity specific to the theme, e.g., what it feels like to actually be in a space station, rather than ‘just pressing buttons on a screen’
The tone of communications needed to overtly target children: parents want to be able to show a website / a leaflet / an ad, to their children and then the children decide they want to go as a result of seeing it.
Parents assume there will be a learning benefit as a museum is the provider.
Proposition development
Based on the findings of the qualitative research we were able to define an optimal name, proposition and the ‘executional mandatories’ to deliver that proposition.
Simple attendance forecasting
Following the qualitative research we were able to put some questions on an Omnibus research survey that identified respondents into their segments, described the new area appropriately, and then asked about likely visiting. From this a broad estimate of likely appeal and attendance was constructed.
Executional evaluation criteria
Because a number of the functions within the organisation were unfamiliar with an audience led approach to planning we jointly developed a simple set of criteria for deciding whether ideas would be appealing to the defined audiences
To the credit of the Museum their initial plans for the facility were broadly correct, as they had planned to place an emphasis on highly relevant interactivity. However, it did provide direction towards the most important exhibits that must be present and correctly executed, and it provided considerable assistance regarding who and how to communicate with.
You can visit the ‘Planete Pilote’ website HERE
More examples of our work
Stella Artois
Minette Walters
