Managing time across cultures and languages is important. Some languages and cultures are faster, others slower. If you design in a “fast” language, you need to allow more time for “slow” languages.

How it works

The same discussion in different languages takes a different amount of time. Some languages need more time as they are wordier, with longer words or more polite additions. As a rule of thumb, English groups that need 90 minutes will take about 120 minutes in French or German. Make sure to allow enough time to cover the same guide in different countries.

Considerations

German and French market research sessions are often longer than in the U.K. or US. This is in part due to language: German and French people use more words and longer words and sentences, which requires more time.

Even more interestingly, German and French respondents need a longer warm up period than the British: the Germans because they are more reserved and need to be reassured about privacy issues; the French because they are individualistic and need to be trained in group exercises and discipline. These are very different reasons in nature, but both require allowing more time for introductions.

French researchers use a lot of projective techniques, and spend time understanding the respondents’ personality, social and cultural values, beyond the controlled social image they want to give to others during a group, in order to make sure analysis goes beyond the rational answers.

In contrast, German consumers come ready to perform the job of being a respondent. They want to know what is needed and to get on with their task. More time, however, is needed to set the scene, reassure everyone about privacy, and create group interaction

Benefits

Make sure to highlight the important research needs and allow enough additional time in “slow” language countries.

An increasingly used compromise in all countries is to add some extensive pre- and post-group assignments to stretch and enhance the data gathered in a specific project, so that face-to-face time is used most efficiently.

Cultural differences between markets – even when all are predominantly English-speaking – can be large and important for marketing success.

Brilliant is not always brilliant

Words have different meanings in different regions. “Brilliant” is a good example. Although Canadians and Americans know roughly how the British use the word “brilliant,” we do not share that meaning. In fact, as I have told one client, the presence of that one word in marketing material immediately identifies it as British, and therefore a foreign-owned company. Even before I had disclosed the sponsor of the research, this was apparent to the participants.

This single word was carrying tremendous baggage.

The devil in the religious details

Canadians are less religiously active than Americans, a well-documented difference that appears to be growing in magnitude. Although not hostile to religion, and relatively tolerant of religious differences, Canadians largely consider faith a personal and somewhat private matter, regardless of their own affiliation.

A global charity that was about to start fundraising in Canada ran into this phenomenon in a project when we tested their US fundraising materials. Canadians were very enthusiastic about the mission and purpose of the organization. However, these potential donors pounced on every hint of religion in the materials, even when it was subtle. Determining the best strategy to handle the organization’s roots proved to be one of the more important elements in the project.

Sayings and beliefs

Global English is filled with many references that can be traced to either the King James Version of the Bible, or the works of William Shakespeare. We are fortunate to be able to communicate with ease across cultures, in part because of these common references of meaning.

On a project in Jamaica, I made the off-handed observation to the client team, “failure is an orphan, while success has many fathers.” The room fell silent.

This saying, to my ears, recognizes the tendency of people to rally around a success, and to distance themselves from failures. Unfortunately, the saying was not well known among my Jamaican clients. Not only this, but the whole topic of orphans was a sensitive issue, because it is a contemporary social problem, not something from a Dickens novel. This little moment in time reminded me that no matter how easy communication may feel, language is not independent of cultural beliefs, it is part of them.

Marketing relies on nuance

Marketing success frequently relies on nuance and subtlety, especially when emotions are involved. In our global economy, where Global English is increasingly the common language of business, we must not underestimate the potential for misunderstanding due to nuances of language.

Our work as marketing professionals might be simpler if the same word meant the same thing everywhere, but it doesn’t. Local context and local culture are always important to true understanding.

Translation in multilanguage qualitative research is key – and often underestimated

How it works

Words matter in qualitative research since the goal is to elicit well-described experiences and emotions, as well as understand the reasons behind actions. This is best done when respondents can communicate in their native language; language related issues can be minimized and even a bilingual team works better using translated material.

Considerations

When choosing to have a simultaneous interpreter take into account that this will be the only voice the client might hear over many hours. The quality of the interpreter may become the basis on which research is judged. As a result, it is important to involve interpreters at an early stage in the project and make sure they have all available material well ahead of the fieldwork.

Translation of all material is key:

• Screener and discussion guide: A team of multilingual researchers allows for cross-communication in multiple languages. When crosschecking translated guides and screeners, it is not unusual to find details that need clarification. This allows problems to be eliminated before the fieldwork begins.
• Visuals: Many clients plan to use English stimuli to avoid translation costs. Though many respondents speak English and understand the basic meaning of the visuals, this presents difficulties when it is necessary to discuss the meaning of a headline, a humorous tagline or even a double meaning of one key word. This is best done in the native language since respondents will feel at ease, open up and give richer answers.
• For best translation involve:
  • The agency for promotional visuals since direct translation often does not make sense
  • The client engineer or local sales/marketing people for device/machine/product descriptions
  • A special dictionary from the client’s interpreters for technical terms

Benefits

Using native language throughout the research allows for findings in the different languages, support for later translations of consumer material, as well as support for regional teams since they can listen to the “voice of their customers.” It also allows listening to the grey tones between the black and white answers.

Leveraging smartphones to capture consumer experiences in the spur of the moment

How it works

Mobile technology is helping transform research projects from stand-alone, project-based studies to a continuous research process.

Consumers’ attachment to their mobile phones allows access to them wherever they go.They are able to talk, text and share videos while cooking in the kitchen, commuting to work or buying groceries.

For experts and business people, mobile provides an easy way to capture quick thoughts that can be followed up during later research in-person or online.

Considerations

Despite the current excitement about the new mobile and online tools available, each communication channel faces drawbacks. Researchers can tailor their questions, however, to take advantage of the relative strengths of each of channel.

A preferred method will be influenced by:

• Where the research takes place (on-the-go, at home)
• The complexity of the question and/or task given
• The kinds of answers expected

Each communication channel lends itself to answers of varying depth and level of detail or precision. Most allow respondents to be spontaneous and fast, while providing an anonymous atmosphere.

• Voicemails are best used to answer a single explanatory question in a private location. Answers can be wordy but show a lot of emotions.
• Texting (SMS or MMS) is best for generating quick, but rather short and simple responses, usually straight to the point.
• E-mail answers are best for generating longer responses from any location that can be followed up with questions and answers by the moderator. Detail can be captured quite well.
• Online forums can be accessed through smartphones and are best used for generating thoughtful, more detailed and interactive responses that can lead to a group discussion in a later step of the research.

Benefits

Mobile research can be used as a standalone research method, but it also opens up many new options such as when it is added as homework before focus groups, a diary to provide a basis for further discussion or as part of a community or bulletin board.

Respondents should be given flexibility about how they communicate with you. Their preferences for different communication channels vary almost as much as the features on their mobile devices.

Build on the strengths of each of the communication channels during the research design. Mobile phones, tablets and the internet have opened up opportunities to combine immediate, in-the-moment findings with reflective research. Information gathered at the spur of the moment provides the researcher with the emotions as experienced and not memorized. Take advantage of it.