Projective techniques for brand image research: Two personification‐based methods explored
Abstract
Purpose
Since it is hard for consumers to express their feelings and views regarding brand images, market researchers increasingly use projective and enabling techniques to collect rich and meaningful data. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and use of two methods of brand image research based on personification. Both methods were used to investigate the personality of four beer brands.
Design/methodology/approach
The first method was based on mood boards: participants were asked to make collages of celebrity photographs representing the beer brands (n=16). The second method used a job‐sorting task: participants were asked to connect jobs with the beer brands (n=100). The results of both methods were related to a list of brand personality traits.
Findings
Holistic interpretations of the mood boards and the jobs associated with the beer brands reveal highly similar results among the two methods, which strongly discriminate between the four beer brands. A translation of these findings to scores on personality dimensions further underlines the similarity of the two methods used, but does not convincingly distinguish between the four beer brands.
Research limitations/implications
The similarities in the results underline the congruent validity of the two methods. The observation that the two methods lose their discriminating value when holistic impressions are translated to personality dimensions scores calls for more research into the way projective research data may be interpreted and used.
Originality/value
This study is a first attempt to compare the results of two different but related projective techniques for brand image research. It demonstrates the importance of methodological research in this area.
Keywords
Citation
Hofstede, A., van Hoof, J., Walenberg, N. and de Jong, M. (2007), "Projective techniques for brand image research: Two personification‐based methods explored", Qualitative Market Research, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 300-309. https://doi.org/10.1108/13522750710754326
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited