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GIM Consumer Insights

Qualitative and quantitative research,
always on target

Topic
They simply ignored the fact that, deep and reliable insights into consumers’ behaviour, and a comprehensive knowledge about their hidden motives, views and behaviour patterns are the key to successful product, service, brand and communication strategies. Since our foundation in 1987, we have actually been researching all of these areas for our clients. Consumer insights research is therefore a significant part of our DNA.

For our consumer insight research, we use our thirty years of experience with every qualitative target group research method available. This includes ethnographic approaches (GIM ETHNO) but also all “classic” basic methods that can be deployed as single modules. Last but not least, we also apply tailor-made, integrated research designs like for example GIM DIVE™ or GIM Safaris.

In the past 15 years, we have additionally used our quantitative research methods to generate consumer insights. Our primary method for this purpose is the target group model GIM CONSUMER. As part of our target group-brand approach ICU™ (Integrated Consumer Understanding), it has been well-established on the market for years. In contrast to conventional target group models, GIM CONSUMER incorporates two different levels (needs, mindsets) that are essential for a comprehensive analysis of consumers.  

Areas of application
GIM Consumer Insights makes the “vast consumer cosmos” accessible to you in all its complexity, from hidden motives to observable behaviour. The CONSUMER model takes today’s self-confident consumers seriously and reaches further than any other comparable approach. Conventional methods usually analyse target groups either on the basis of socio-economic parameters, or lifestyles, or create target group segmentations based on concrete needs (and thus, do not provide a holistic view on the target group). Therefore, these methods cannot fully explain the consumption behaviour that is prevailing today.

CONSUMER is the first target group approach that examines and understands consumers on the exact levels on which they can be addressed. The model enables you to …

  • …identify the consumers’ sets of values
  • …understand the consumers‘ mindsets
  • …meet the consumers‘ product-specific expectations and needs


CONSUMER provides a segmentation which reflects the hybridity of today’s consumption behaviour:

  • The need segmentation generates all information you require to successfully design a portfolio’s product or brand benefit.
  • The mindset segmentation shows you how to design a differentiated and successful target group communication.

With that, CONSUMER tackles those research questions that open doors to more consumer insights. Furthermore, as this model is an integral part of ICU™ (Integrated Consumer Understanding), it can also provide strategic brand management - without mixing brand and target group attributes. 

Toolbox 
Our toolbox for generating valuable consumer insights is well-equipped. We provide qualitative and quantitative research methods, all of which have been successfully applied many times in the scope of numerous studies for our clients. In the area of qualitative market research, we offer everything from classic focus groups to online communities to “day-in-life” formats, like our GIM SAFARIS. In the quantitative area, we focus on the target group model CONSUMER.

References