Q. What kinds of things can we find out in Focus Group Discussions that we might not find out in other ways?
A. The first thing that comes to my mind is that you can use Focus Groups for a very basic check — to determine whether the overall concept of the product or service is appealing to consumers.
Wine Example* – An international company was purchasing wine from various small winemakers in another country (not well-known for its wines) for sale in the United States. The company hired US wine specialists to work with the foreign winemakers to explain US tastes and wine-purchasing behavior to them. The winemakers then used this information to tailor their wines to the American market – though the wines were still made from the same grapes in the same wineries using the same handmade processes.
The international company had decided to market the wines as being “developed by US wine specialists and made by traditional methods in (other country).”
When some of the wines were tested in Focus Groups in the United States the respondents found them interesting and were anxious to purchase them. HOWEVER, when they heard the positioning statement they reacted very negatively.
A large part of their interest in these wines was because they were from small winemakers in a “developing” wine area. They saw themselves as leaders and innovators among their friends if they purchased these wines. The last thing they wanted to hear was that they had been “developed by US wine specialists.” The story of the small winemakers and the new winemaking region were the basis of the appeal of the wine for them.
With this knowledge the import company was able to develop packaging and marketing materials that emphasized the country and the small winemakers. They continued to use the wine specialists (the taste of the wine was still important), but did not mention this aspect in the marketing.
*This example has been altered to disguise the actual client and product class.
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