Spotter’s Guide to
INSIGHT
Momentum Pocket Book Edition
Published by Momentum Worldwide First Edition, 2017
All rights reserved.
Introduction Insight exists all around us. From that one thing you’d change about that everyday product to make it less irritating, to the observations of what people’s behaviours are and why; from the use of innovation or technology in an unexpected way, to a fresh perspective that unlocks a particular issue, we pass it constantly in our daily lives. And the secret is, absolutely anyone can find insight. There are plenty of places to start, but here’s the rub: you have to get out and actively seek it, because it won’t come to you. So we’ve created this guidebook to help inspire you to know what to look for, where to go, and how to catch the insight that exists all around us. By slipping this book into your pocket and having it to hand when out in the wilds of consumer society, we hope to open up a fascinating world and foster a deeper understanding of the art of insight. This will allow you to see the world through a different lens and develop product and consumer truths that inspire creative thinking. Welcome to your Spotter’s Guide to Insight: happy hunting.
What is insight? The dictionary defines it as:
What other people say: “Nothing in life is more exciting and rewarding than the sudden flash of insight that leaves you a changed person” Arthur Gordon Webster, Physicist
“There is nothing so terrible as activity without insight” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Writer
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” Albert Einstein, Scientist
“A revelatory breakthrough in your understanding of people’s lives that directs you to new ways in which to serve your customers better” Helen Edwards, Brand Expert
Some warnings • We must be careful not to confuse observations with insights. Observations only become insights if you can see the WHY • True insight is not a repetition of obvious, existing observations • Insight is not telling people something everyone already knows • Insights are always qualified, never fictional • Insights can be shared and evolve with other’s input • Insights can be expressed in many ways, but are best told by the people who find them
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding” Marshall McLuhan, Founding Father of Media Theory
“I always tell my team if it’s in Wikipedia, it’s not an insight because the rest of the world has it” Omar Johnson, CMO, Beats
Anyone can become an Insight Spotter! One of the recurring myths of insight spotting is that the discipline remains the preserve of agency planners or research teams. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The reality is that insight spotting can – and should – be practised (and enjoyed) by everyone, from the receptionist on the front desk, to the shop floor, all the way up to the managing director. We are all consumers and we all experience things, so every single one of us is equally capable of finding insights to power product change, creative ideas or simply win the admiration and respect of even the most discerning dinner party crowd.
In the working world, types of Insight Spotter typically include:
Planners
Creatives
Account teams
Finance & HR
Clients
Business leaders
Cleaners
That bloke down the pub
In one reported case, even a Financial Director was said to have uncovered an insight! But outside of work, there are many additional accomplices who can help you spot insight, including: • • • • •
Kids (often without realising it) Your mum (keen observation skills) Your partner (spots things a mile off) Bartenders (they observe human behaviour daily) Your friends (offer a different POV on your work)
Locations: where to find insight When becoming an Insight Spotter, one of the first questions people ask is “Where do you find them?� The answer is simple: one can uncover an insight anywhere. Destinations
Occasions
Everywhere!
Commute
Wedding Street Holidays
Home
Unusual places
Nights out
In the wild: guidance and tips While the Insight Spotter can find insights anywhere, there are some general rules that can help you to uncover insights more easily: Away from desks This is a very important principle for the novice Insight Spotter to understand. Insights tend not to reveal themselves in front of computers, from Google, or in reports, but generally appear outside in the real world. Their natural habitat Birds of a feather flock together, so the old adage goes – and, unsurprisingly, insights tend to gather in their natural environment. If you seek a shopper or retail insight, visit a shop. If it’s a soft drinks insight you seek, drink a selection of soft drinks. Beer? Go to the pub*.
Places where people gather Conversation and real, old-school human interaction has been well documented in its ability to unearth insights. *Please drink responsibly. The author can confirm from personal experience that insights are not found in a kebab shop at 2am.
Tools required The amateur insight enthusiast can get started in the wilds of consumer society with no need for financial investment or expensive professional equipment. The following arsenal is readily available and accessible to anyone seeking to unlock and identify insight in the world around them. Open mind This is key. Even if obvious, insights are usually unexpected, so equipping yourself with an open mind is critical. Legs Do not underestimate the importance of your legs. These need to carry you into the wild and enable you to explore. Mobile phone Capture photographic images in the wild. Use your notes function to capture thoughts. Turn Bluetooth on and hunt for beacons. Use social networks to delve into other people’s thoughts, views and perspectives. Specimen jar Traditionally, a glass jar has been used to store captured insights. More modern insight spotters prefer to jot them down on a piece of paper. Keeping a pen and paper to hand forces you to capture things differently to using digital equipment.
Have I unearthed an insight? When in the wild, correct identification of an insight is vital. Many amateur spotters believe they have uncovered a rare insight, when in fact, it’s only an observation. Physiologically, check your reactions against this scale. It should help to determine the accuracy of your discovery. Not quite sure? Then 9 times out of 10, the rule of thumb tends to be that this is not a powerful insight. Keep hunting!
Getting closer! Typically, this type of reaction indicates that you are hot on the trail of an insight, or have identified one of the commoner varieties. Bloody hell! Well done! You’ve discovered a genuine insight in the wild!
Species of insight Typically, insights belong to one of three main groups and two subgroups in the insight family tree.
Human An insight into human behaviour – why does someone do something? How do they perceive something? What do they truly desire? What would make a meaningful difference to their lives?
Cultural Reflecting wider cultural and social trends, this type of insight typically stimulates planners, creatives and designers, all of whom relish new trends and societal developments. What cultural trends are changing human behaviour? How can brands connect to these?
Business This type of insight unlocks business opportunities for a client. What would change their model? How can they better service customers? What human problem can their offering overcome? What are the gaps in the market?
Category Reveals a different perspective on a particular category, allowing your clients to steal a competitive advantage. Insights can even come from looking at what other categories are doing.
Product How are people using a particular product? What would make it better? What could actually replace it? How could problems be solved with a new product?
Sub-species of insight Within the family groups, we can further drill down into specific subspecies of insight: Obvious (rightus obvious) Insights are hard to find, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t obvious when we finally do find them. They often hide in plain sight – and teasing them out is the challenge.
Bloody Obvious (obvious maximus) As above, but a more extreme example. Often accompanied with a physical movement of palm slapping on forehead.
Game-Changing (holy fuckius) The Holy Grail of insights – a true game-changer that shapes a different way of approaching or doing things. With it comes great success.
The strategic genus One of the common mistakes made by seasoned and novice Insight Spotters alike, is to incorrectly class data as the same species as insight. Data is part of the same genus, but displays different characteristics.
Data tells us WHAT is happening
Insight tells us WHY it is happening
It’s an important distinction to make, but indicates why the two species can exist harmoniously, rather than living in conflict.
Amassing your collection: how to display them As satisfying a pursuit as it is, keeping insights to oneself is not the correct procedure for displaying your collection. The following represent the common ways in which the Insight Spotter can share their finds to prolong their enjoyment and share them with fellow enthusiasts.
Displayed proudly in creative work Arguably one of the greatest ways of displaying an insight. When polished, presented carefully and presented to the right audience, this type of insight has been known to reap huge commercial benefits.
In front of a client collector One of the best ways to share your insight is with a fellow client collector, ideally with whom you already have a familiar rapport. Sharing these insights helps to strengthen the bonds with fellow collectors and lead to new expeditions with your clients.
Public gatherings Organising gatherings with other Insight Spotters is a great way to share your collection and further everyone’s interest in the subject.
Electronic telegrams Most agencies offer an electronic mail function, and these can be successfully employed to share a find with like-minded and enthusiastic peers.
Pen portraits Informing creative with audience pen portraits helps fellow collectors to see and understand the same insight that you have found. Sharing this knowledge is key to truly unlocking insightdriven creative.
Blogs Sharing insights with people around the world is an exciting way to stimulate further debate and discussion.
Insight checklist This checklist has been included to enable the Insight Spotter to collect specimens and note down any observations in the wild.
Date spotted Human Cultural Business Category Product
Time of day
Location
Observations
Correspondence
If you would like to discuss any of the content contained within this volume, the author welcomes all correspondence. Telegrams should be directed to: hello@momentumww.com
Copyright Š Momentum Activating Demand Limited 2017. All rights reserved. This document, and its contents, are confidential and may not be reproduced or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher.
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