Knowing Your Sources

Market research, like all social science research, falls into one of two categories: quantitative and qualitative. Quant data can be categorised and statistically measured, whereas qual data is non-objective, and cannot be categorised systematically (e.g. numerically).

The difference is pretty stark, but market research is particularly susceptible to pulling quant statistics out of the ass of qual data. This kind of research, unsurprisingly, tells us nothing, and I have found the perfect example to demonstrate why.

Big Data | Faffery

Quick guys, we need to know ASAP how this target market behaves. We need to track eye movements and mouse hovering and other arbitrary wank to really know our customers. We need to know our customers so we can push this brand vision and do some real and proper engagement.

You know what we need? We need some data. And I mean, data. Big fucking fuckloads of data. What do you mean, “how do we get it”? It’s only data, numbers and shit, yeah? Here, just take these surveys and throw them at people.