Subcultures and niche audiences: The research journey from early adopters to mass targeting

As a brand grows from an esoteric entrant loved by a niche audience to a mass market name known to the mainstream, how should the approach to research change? 

Join Neil Douthwaite and Amanda Herbert as they explain how as the brands they’ve worked with have grown, their approach to the research has grown with them. It’s a useful insight into how to best speak to audiences, subcultures and under researched groups with specific needs. 

In the early stages of a brand’s development, it’s crucial to take the early adopters on the journey with you. At the outset they are the only ones who know and understand the brand from a consumer perspective. At every stage of the journey, research needs to reflect both the brand reality and the brand aspirations. Discover how to adapt to your audience, find the language they use, the interests they have and the settings to speak to them in. 

What you’ll learn: 

• The importance of anecdotal evidence to understand a brand in its early stages and to prove or disprove received wisdom 
• How to maximise small budgets in the early stages of brand development  
• The role of recruitment methods in the early days 
• How core targets can teach you about current barriers to growth 
• How and when to understand the tipping points in brand development and how to understand who the followers will be 
• How to adapt research as recruitment targets grow and when to speak to the mass