Summary
This article describes how brands can use hypnosis or trance techniques to better understand consumers' thought-processes and unconscious purchase choices. A dual-method research project that involved trance and standard qualitative interviewing revealed the sub-conscious influences on supermarket shopping. For example, in-store discount messaging resonated with consumers, as did additional sensory factors such as smell, taste and touch. The research also showed the significance of strong first impressions that can lure customers away from familiar brands in favour of new ones. By contrast, brand advertising messages rarely feature in trance interviews; possible reasons for this are discussed.

Summary
This paper argues that without a clear understanding of individual decision-making and with too much of a focus on the collective behaviour of demographic groups, much research will simply lead marketers astray. Instead, companies can gain direct, practical plans to drive growth by embracing precision research that recognises the difference between stated intent and actual behaviour. Part of this process involves a restructuring of research approaches around the way the human brain actually works and the crucial distinction between the unconscious decision-making part of the brain and the rational survey-completing part. The paper advises market researchers to avoid inviting respondents to explain subconscious actions rationally. Instead, they should use far shorter surveys that focus on questions that are relevant to the way individuals make decisions and that don't actually encourage vague or inaccurate answers.

Summary
The role of consumer co-creation in developing multi-market Asian brands is the focus of this paper. It focuses on a co-creation project undertaken by Mizone, a beverage brand that has grown strongly in the APAC region, with an independent brand voice in different Asian markets. The key business challenge for Mizone was to develop a consistent, but differentiated, brand voice and vision that worked across markets, supported the growth of the brand and was relevant to consumers. It achieved this through a research process involving ethnography, online communities and co-creation workshops. Using this process, the authors argue, helped to root the brand vision and purpose in consumer truth and allowed Mizone to rapidly test and re-iterate the activations and articulations of the brand vision in real time.

Summary
This paper describes how Symrise, the flavour and fragrance producer, was looking for new ideas and business opportunities for its Mint business line. Symrise decided to launch research on Mint with three key objectives: explore consumer motivations and insights regarding Mint; understand consumer expectations in terms of taste and sensorial experience; and detect new business opportunities for Mint product development. Research showed that consumers were very happy with the Mint experience, but also that Mint could be used in combination with other flavours and sensorial experiences. The research showed strong differences between countries: Mint is strongly linked to cultural habits, and has a strong potential for offering new kinds of sensorial experiences.

Summary
In India, qualitative research in under threat from two angles: clients who are demanding quick, concise and digestible research information for their decision-making; and time-poor respondents who have a limited capacity for introspection and sharing. Despite these pressures, qualitative research continues to be a long conversation with an impatient respondent,that produces a verbose report. This paper calls for Qualitative 2.0 (beta), an approach that includes shortened discussion groups, an end to the generic funnel approach, with research conducted with consumers in a manner akin to speed dating, among other changes. This paper is viewed in the context of work done with L'Oréal, the global beauty company.

Summary
This paper describes how traditional qualitative research was tailored to make target group insights directly actionable for Nutricia, the Danone-owned advanced medical nutrition company. It also demonstrates how this research further allowed a cross-functional team of global and local managers, a creative agency and market researchers to work together on the launch of a successful communication campaign.

Summary
This paper describes a research project for CNBC, the news channel, which combined qualitative research with an interactive, experiential research event. It involved inviting customers into the CNBC studio to experience the business first-hand, thus facilitating a day of direct interaction between CNBC and its consumers. The paper argues that it is an approach that could be applied in an interesting way by businesses that 'do things differently' to bring customers 'into the heart of their business' and experience the environment, products or services.

Summary
This paper focuses on a case study involving the use of an online community of Indian youth, undertaken by Coca-Cola, the soft drinks company. Coca-Cola needed young Indians to become partners in its decision-making process, an initiative for which it wanted to engage them in their natural habitat. So the research team decided to meet them in an environment where young people feel comfortable - Facebook. By developing an ongoing relationship with the consumer, Coca-Cola was able to achieve low attrition rates. This approach is recommended to brand teams as it allows them to access the community in real time and use it for multiple tactical and strategic research.

Summary
The Creation Center is the creative think tank at Deutsche Telekom, the telco, that works as an in-house agency-like division. Qualitative research at the Creation Center is adding long-term strategic value through creating insight-based future scenarios and ideas for new product and service concepts. These scenarios allow the decision makers to build their product roadmaps based on a normative scenario and enables them to adapt their strategy quickly in case of changing circumstances. The Creation Center shows how qualitative research contributes high-value strategic value for a company that has to make continous, multiple decisions on infrastructure investments, strategic partnering and standardisation.

Summary
This paper argues that qualitative research can make a bigger impact on business by crossing three boundaries. First, qualitative researchers should come forward as consultants before and after a research project. Second, they should embrace and enrich quantitative research. And third, consumers should be allowed to take over part of the research process. The process is illustrated with a client case study of services provided for the airlines Air France and KLM.