Unilever required growth and innovation research to support development of new products. Magenta delves deep into different consumer personas to bring them to life and reveal unmet needs and opportunities. Detail was needed not just on the condiment purchasing habits and preferences of each persona, but their values, desired accomplishments for the future and their fundamental priorities in life.

Digital ethnography was conducted in three international markets to understand weekly food habits, and the role that flavours and cooking techniques play to enhance meals. Tasks provided insight into their preferred condiments, home staples and priorities when purchasing condiments in-store. Further details were supported through in-depth individuals with participants from each persona group across all three markets.

Analysis was provided by Magenta to Unilever, who combined the insights with AI to generate virtual personas. These AI persona profiles were embedded into a workshop, where colleagues could ask the personas questions in order to better understand them – with their answers based on the knowledge taken from the ethnography and supporting interviews.

Our client was in the process of developing a new product for launch. They required fast-turn around concept testing with the target audience to help with development of the product.

Through a series of consumer discussion groups, we explored current usage and behaviour of the category; proposed product names and whether the insight resonated with consumers. Insight provided feedback on how to optimize the concepts to effectively communicate the product attributes to shoppers and enhance overall appeal.

The project was delivered in one week, from commission to delivery of the final report.

As a result of previous research conducted by Magenta on positioning as a disruptive challenger in the shower products market, Original Source wanted to explore opportunities in the men’s category. The brand wanted to understand consumer reactions to in-development concept propositions and opportunities for optimisation prior to launching them.

The research deep dived into the shower needs and product purchasing behaviours of men as well as women purchasing shower products for men through focus groups. These immersive groups reviewed eight concepts with consumers to understand the level of appeal of the product and the relevance of it’s benefits. The unique selling point of each concept was also explored to better understand the essential factors that will entice customers to swap to when making a purchase.

Through qualitative ratings, we provided our client with a consumer ranking of the concepts and a recommendation of the strongest product ideas to move forward with. Further detail was provided through individual concept profiles which offered an overview of each concept’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement in the product’s scent, consistency, packaging as well as the overall consumer likelihood to purchase.

Original Source came to Magenta with the aim to reinvigorate its position as a disruptive challenger in the shower products market. The brand wanted to reconnect with its innovative roots by developing a pipeline of transformative products that deliver ”energy from nature" to the target audience.​

To get to the bottom of consumer shower needs and behaviours and to put the innovation concepts to the test, we firstly asked consumers to share a 'post shower' video diary to capture their ‘in the moment’ experience, asked them to create a dream shower gel mood board, then went into a series of immersive focus groups in which we reviewed and ideated the proposed shower product concepts.

We carried out both thematic and discourse analysis to identify which concepts had the most potential and which direction would likely be most successful for the brand to take. We presented these findings in a sensory and activity-led workshop in which we collaboratively worked through the insight and recommendations to arrive at clear next steps and actions.

Our client had developed a new brand proposition with four possible ranges to proceed with. They required feedback on the extent to which the new brand proposition resonated with consumers in France, which range resonated the most, and whether the proposition appealed as an in-store loyalty programme.

We conducted qualitative online focus groups alongside a quantitative survey to test the proposition, determine reactions to the brand ranges and to understand any optimisations to consider.

With a rapid turnaround, one week from commission to delivery, we provided an integrated debrief report recommending the preferred brand range and developments to enhance appeal.