As we enter this time of the year, I always reflect on how meaningful it is to me and my family. Some of my best memories have occurred during this special holiday season.
What would life be without Christmas? Or Hanukkah? Or Kwanzaa? Or the many other celebrations at this time of year? What would we miss the most? How could we ever replace the joy and humility that we feel during our celebrations.
My reflections today are exactly the type that researchers evoke when using deprivation exercises. Group moderators use projective deprivation techniques to help uncover a person’s hidden thoughts, emotional needs and motivations. Writing a eulogy and/or tombstone message is one example of this technique. People are asked to write a sentence or two describing how they would feel, or how they might miss the brand, product or service. Often a single sentence provides great insight on just how meaningful a brand is in the consumer’s day-to-day life.
One of the most famous examples of this technique became the foundation of the “Got Milk” campaign. Goodby, the San Francisco ad agency, was asked by the California Milk Board to help increase the consumption of milk. The strategy of selling milk as a complement to certain types of foods was not working. Goodby researchers found consumers were taking milk for granted.
To understand the true value of milk to people, they needed to deprive them of the product. People displayed anxiety and disappointment when milk was not readily available at crucial moments—for example, when a big snow storm is headed our way. We cannot imagine being snowed in without bread or milk, so there is a run on the grocery store. Or when we leave home without our cell phone, and we turn around to go get it.
The “Got Milk?” campaign nicely and humorously reminded people of the importance of milk to their everyday life. Celebrities used during the campaign added a little extra cachet and contributed to the campaign’s success. The results: awareness of milk increased 90 percent, and while consumption of milk did not go up, it did stabilize.
Another excellent example is the rebirth of Toys “R” Us. I believe their return is a direct result of people being deprived of the special shopping experience this brand delivers, especially at this time of year.
So the next time you are faced with needing to energize a mature brand or product category, try a deprivation strategy. Asking your customer to imagine life without your brand may yield the emotional insights needed for a powerful campaign. Visit the Services section of our website for more information. Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season.