The Significance and Challenges of 1. Consumer Research

Consumer research is the activity of collecting, analyzing and interpreting consumer information to help companies develop or improve products, services, marketing and strategies.

The purpose of consumer research is to understand consumer needs, preferences and behavior, as well as market trends and opportunities, so as to improve the competitiveness and profitability of enterprises.

The audiovisual industry is a creative and competitive industry, involving music, film, television, games and other forms of content production and dissemination. The audio-visual industry is characterized by the short life cycle of products, the changeable tastes of consumers, the rapid changes in the market, and the large number of competitors.

Therefore, audiovisual enterprises need to constantly innovate and adapt to meet the needs and expectations of consumers, as well as to seize the opportunities and challenges of the market. Consumer research is an important means for audio-visual enterprises to obtain market information and insight, which can help audio-visual enterprises to make the following decisions:

Product development: by understanding the needs and preferences of consumers, as well as the gaps and potential of the market, to determine the theme, style, content, form and function of the product, as well as the pricing, packaging and distribution strategies of the product.

Marketing: By understanding the behavior and psychology of consumers, as well as the competition and laws of the market, to determine the target market, target consumers, market positioning and differentiation strategies, as well as product promotion, communication and sales strategies.

Market monitoring: by understanding the feedback and evaluation of consumers, as well as the performance and dynamics of the market, to evaluate the effect and impact of the product, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the product, as well as the direction of product improvement and optimization.

However, consumer research also faces some challenges and difficulties, mainly in the following aspects:

Sample bias: Due to the large, scattered and diverse consumer base of audio-visual products, it is difficult to obtain a representative sample through traditional sampling methods, resulting in bias and error in the research results.

Data distortion: As consumers of audio-visual products are affected by many factors, such as emotion, environment, society, culture, etc., it is difficult to obtain true and accurate data through traditional data collection methods, which leads to distortion and bias of research results.

Delayed results: Due to the rapid changes in consumer demand and preferences for audio-visual products and the rapid changes in the market, it is difficult to process and interpret data in a timely and effective manner through traditional data analysis methods, resulting in delayed and outdated research results.

Multiple Methods of 2. Consumer Research

In order to overcome the challenges and difficulties of consumer research and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of consumer research, audio-visual enterprises need to use multiple consumer research methods, combined with quantitative and qualitative data, as well as active and passive technology, to obtain more comprehensive, more real and timely market information and insights. Specifically, the multiple methods of consumer research include the following:

Online research: use the Internet and mobile devices to send questionnaires to consumers through e-mail, websites, social media, applications and other channels to collect basic information, opinions and suggestions of consumers, as well as feedback on the needs, preferences and behaviors of audio-visual products. The advantage of online research is that it can cover a wider range of consumer groups, reduce research costs, improve research speed, and facilitate data storage and analysis. The disadvantage of online research is that there may be self-selection bias of the sample, the reliability and validity of the data is difficult to guarantee, and the depth and breadth of the research is limited.

Focus group: using video conference or face-to-face meeting, invite a group of representative consumers, guided by a professional moderator, to discuss the relevant topics of audio-visual products, collect consumers' views and feelings, as well as their expectations and suggestions for audio-visual products. The advantage of focus groups is that they can obtain more in-depth and detailed data, discover consumers' potential needs and motivations, and explore consumers' psychology and emotions. The disadvantages of focus groups are the possible imbalance and instability of the sample, the subjectivity and bias of the data, and the high time and cost of research.

In-depth interviews: Using telephone or face-to-face interviews, for individual consumers, professional interviewers use semi-structured or unstructured methods to ask questions about audio-visual products, collect consumer experiences and stories, and The attitude and evaluation of audio-visual products. The advantage of in-depth interviews is that they can obtain richer and more diverse data, understand consumers' personalities and differences, and tap consumers' values and beliefs. The disadvantages of in-depth interviews are that there may be samples that are difficult to obtain and summarize, data complexity and difficult to quantify, and the efficiency and effectiveness of research that are difficult to grasp.

Eye tracking: using eye tracking and physiological measurements, by monitoring the movement and changes of the consumer's eyes when viewing audio-visual products, such as gaze point, saccade path, pupil size, blink frequency, etc., as well as the attention and excitement of audio-visual products. The advantage of eye tracking is that it can obtain more direct and objective data, measure the visual and cognitive processes of consumers, and evaluate the attractiveness and effectiveness of audio and video products. The disadvantages of eye tracking are that there may be expensive and complex equipment, difficulties in data collection and analysis, and low external validity and generality of data.

Neuromarketing: Using EEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging, by recording the activity and changes in the brain of consumers when watching audio-visual products, such as brain waves, blood oxygen levels, neuronal connections, etc., as well as emotions and preferences for audio-visual products. The advantage of neuromarketing is that it can obtain deeper and more realistic data, reveal consumers' subconscious and decision-making mechanisms, and predict consumers' choices and behaviors. The downside of neuromarketing is that there may be sophisticated and expensive technology, complex access to and interpretation of data, and controversy over the ethics and morality of data.

Case Analysis of 3. Consumer Research

Shangpu Consulting Company is a professional market research and consulting company, committed to providing high-quality consumer research services to customers in the audio-visual industry, helping customers understand the current situation and future of the market, and enhancing their competitiveness and profitability. Shangpu Consulting uses multiple consumer research methods, combined with quantitative and qualitative data, as well as active and passive technologies to provide customers with comprehensive, true and timely market information and insights. The following are some examples of consumer research services provided by Shangpu Consulting to clients in the audio-visual industry, including research purposes, methods, processes and results.

Case 1: Providing Consumer Research Services for a Music Streaming Platform

The purpose of the research is to understand consumers' usage, satisfaction and loyalty of music streaming platform, as well as their expectations and suggestions for music streaming platform, so as to provide basis for product improvement and marketing of music streaming platform.

Research methods: combined with online research and network analysis, collect consumer active and passive data, analyze consumer needs, preferences and behavior, as well as market competition and opportunities.

Research results: Through online research and network analysis, Shangpu Consulting provides the following market information and insights for music streaming platforms:

Consumers' use of music streaming platform: consumers' use frequency and duration of music streaming platform are relatively high. The main use scenarios are at home, on the road, at work, in sports, etc. The main use functions are listening to songs, discovering new songs, creating song lists, sharing songs, etc. The willingness to pay is low, which is mainly affected by price, content, service and other factors.

Consumers' satisfaction and loyalty to music streaming platforms: Consumers' satisfaction and loyalty to music streaming platforms are high, which are mainly affected by factors such as music quality, music quantity, music diversity, music recommend, and music social networking. However, there are also some dissatisfied and disloyal consumers, which are mainly affected by advertising interference, copyright restrictions, complex operations, and lack of functions.

Consumers' expectations and suggestions for music streaming platforms: Consumers' expectations and suggestions for music streaming platforms are mainly focused on the following aspects: reducing prices, increasing content, improving services, optimizing operations, enriching functions, and increasing interaction.

Competition and opportunities in the market: there are many music streaming platforms in the market, the competition is fierce, and consumers have a variety of choices. Music streaming platforms need to formulate appropriate market positioning and differentiation strategies according to their own advantages and disadvantages, as well as consumers' needs and preferences, in order to improve their competitiveness and attractiveness. At the same time, there are also some opportunities and potentials in the market, such as the innovation and diversification of music, the cross-border and integration of music, the socialization and emotion of music, etc. Music streaming platforms need to seize these opportunities and potentials to create more Value and influence.

Case 2: Providing consumer research services for a film production company

The purpose of the research: to understand consumers' viewing habits, preferences and evaluations of movies, as well as their expectations and suggestions for movies, and to provide a basis for film development and marketing by film production companies.

Research method: combined with focus group and eye tracking, collect subjective and objective data of consumers, analyze consumers' views

Research process: first of all, through the focus group, invite a group of representative consumers, guided by a professional host, to discuss the relevant topics of the film, collect their viewing habits, preferences and evaluation of the film, as well as their expectations and suggestions for the film. Second, through eye tracking, eye tracker and physiological measurements are used to monitor the movement and changes of the consumer's eyes while watching the trailer or segment of the movie, as well as the attention and excitement to the movie.

Findings: Through focus groups and eye tracking, Champ Consulting provided film production companies with market information and insights in the following areas:

Consumers' viewing habits of movies: Consumers' viewing habits of movies are affected by many factors, such as time, place, crowd, mood, purpose, etc. They generally like to watch movies in theaters, homes, online and other places on weekends, holidays, evenings, etc., with friends, family, lovers and other people. The purpose of watching movies is mainly entertainment, relaxation, learning, etc.

Consumers' preference and evaluation of movies: Consumers' preference and evaluation of movies are affected by many factors, such as genre, theme, style, content, form, actors, directors, etc. Generally, they like to watch comedy, action, science fiction, horror and other types, pay attention to social, historical, cultural, human and other themes, and appreciate real, innovative, diverse, profound and other styles, look forward to interesting, exciting, touching, inspiring and other content, love the forms of sound, rhythm, tension, interaction, etc., and support talented, charming, popular, and well-known actors and directors.

Consumers' expectations and suggestions for movies: Consumers' expectations and suggestions for movies mainly focus on the following aspects: improving the quality and standard of movies, creating the characteristics and differences of movies, satisfying the diversity and individuality of movies, increasing the value and influence of movies, strengthening the publicity and promotion of movies, and optimizing the viewing and experience of movies.

Attractiveness and effectiveness of the movie: Through eye tracking, consumers can find out the attention and excitement of various aspects of the movie, such as pictures, music, dialogue, plot, characters, etc., when watching the trailer or clip of the movie, so as to evaluate the attractiveness and effectiveness of the movie. Generally speaking, the higher the attention and excitement of consumers to the film, the higher the attractiveness and effectiveness of the film, and vice versa.

Case 3: Providing consumer research services for a TV drama production company

The purpose of the survey: to understand consumers' viewing habits, preferences and evaluations of TV dramas, as well as their expectations and suggestions for TV dramas, and to provide a basis for TV drama development and marketing by TV drama production companies.

Research methods: combined with in-depth interviews and neuromarketing, collect subjective and objective data of consumers, analyze consumers' views and feelings, as well as their emotions and preferences for TV dramas.

Research process: First, through in-depth interviews, for individual consumers, professional interviewers use semi-structured or unstructured methods to ask questions about TV dramas and collect their viewing habits, preferences and evaluations of TV dramas., And expectations and suggestions for TV dramas. Secondly, through neuromarketing, EEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging are used to record the activity and changes of the brain of consumers when watching the trailer or segment of the TV series, as well as the emotions and preferences of the TV series.

Findings: Through in-depth interviews and neuromarketing, Shangpu Consulting has provided TV drama production companies with market information and insights in the following areas:

Consumers' viewing habits of TV dramas: Consumers' viewing habits of TV dramas are affected by many factors, such as time, place, crowd, mood, purpose, etc., generally like to watch TV dramas at night, weekends, holidays and other time periods, at home, online, TV stations and other places, and friends, family, lovers and other people, the main purpose of watching TV dramas is entertainment, relaxation, learning and so on.

Consumers' preferences and evaluations of TV dramas: Consumers' preferences and evaluations of TV dramas are affected by many factors, such as type, theme, style, content, form, actors, directors, etc. Generally, they like to watch romance, suspense, costume, comedy, etc. Type, pay attention to social, historical, cultural, human nature and other themes, appreciate the true, innovative, diverse, profound and other styles, look forward to interesting, exciting, touching, inspiring and other content, love the forms of sound, rhythm, tension, interaction, etc., and support talented, charming, popular, and well-known actors and directors.

Consumers' expectations and suggestions for TV dramas: Consumers' expectations and suggestions for TV dramas mainly focus on the following aspects: improving the quality and level of TV dramas, creating the characteristics and differences of TV dramas, satisfying the diversity and individuality of TV dramas, and increasing the value of TV dramas And influence, strengthen the publicity and promotion of TV dramas, optimize the viewing and experience of TV dramas, etc.

Attractiveness and effectiveness of TV series: Through neuromarketing, consumers' emotions and preferences for various aspects of TV series, such as pictures, music, dialogue, plot, characters, etc., can be found when watching trailers or clips of TV series, so as to evaluate the attractiveness and effectiveness of TV series. Generally speaking, the higher consumers' emotions and preferences for TV dramas, the higher the attractiveness and effectiveness of TV dramas, and vice versa.