How to Avoid Bias in Ethnographic Research
What you find could make your business soar
While the purpose of Marketing Ethnography is to gain insights, it is almost impossible to do so without small partialities.
By no means is it an easy task to abandon ingrained and sometimes harmless stereotypes while researching sub-societies from a social and behavioral standpoint. Being aware that stereotypes were built on oversimplified images and executed with a lack of objectivity, makes it no less difficult to avoid small triggers that create large barriers for others.
Ethnography for Marketing growth requires more than a good eye and curiosity. To truly uncover bonafide ideals and understand current and potential audiences, empathy and impartiality would be required. A mere racial or circumstantial assumption could easily mark the difference between an average brand and one that goes platinum.
Here are a few tips on approaching Ethno-research without falling prey to misinformation led by stereotypical assumptions.
Start without a hypothesis
Research in Design Ethnography, as with most research, usually stems from a hypothesis. This research serves to prove, disprove, and unfold findings. When it comes to Marketing, a partner to Design, it’s very easy to make assumptions based on communities, current events, and race. And though some may be partially accurate, the ability to truly hack into a market would be stunted by the inability to remove blinders.
Harvard University published a stereotype test that when taken shows how much of our decisions and perceptions are based on bias. This bias can tend to trickle into research decisions and even primary hypotheses. If you’re ever curious feel free to take the test here. A bit of guilt may ensue, but for me, it was important to understand how even the most open and accepting individual could be a vessel to hidden inherent stereotypical beliefs. There’s no shame in it as we are a product of our environment. Awareness makes a big difference and a necessary step in really grasping granular ethnographic research.
So where do we start if there’s no hypothesis? Though debatable, try diving directly into the given research project without tunnel vision. Consider every value while keeping your constants static, and focus on consistencies minus the face. It can be fulfilling to uncover unbiased accounts of people’s preferences, lifestyle, and decisions unfounded by predisposed barriers.
This is true data.
Make no Ungrounded Assumptions
There’s an old saying about when we assume (ass-u-me) that stuck with me, and over the years prevented some intensely awkward interactions.
The same goes for Marketing Ethnography. If all else fails, let the numbers work for you. Avoid assumptions.
Here’s a well-known example:
Febreze, the air freshener spray was initially created to mask unsightly odors. Instinctually the brand marketed to people with a houseful of smells — cats, cigarettes, sweaty teenagers, unwashed clothes. You name it. The ads directly spoke to the need for clean-smelling homes. Somehow the sales weren’t reflected. After removing the predisposed assumption and studying people within their households it was almost unanimously determined that Febreze was seen as a reward. The final touch after cleaning. Their ads were changed to target likewise and showed content dwellers misting a pristine home with Febreze — sales were abundant and even led to multiple spinoff products.
Now here’s one that’s more personal:
A colleague of mine launched a clothing line that took a bit of coaxing to hit the mainstream. While having a discussion he made a statement he thought to be influential: “ I target my community.”
His designs were stellar and unexpected to him, sales were mediocre. His solution was to target higher-end black communities. Sales plateaued.
Intended target is definitely an important factor in business growth. He wanted to sell to his community and Febreze wanted to sell based on the initial purpose of the product. It takes hard work to create something amazing. We know the feeling.
On the bright side, often the response from the intended target incites desire in other communities. New communities offer new opportunities and exposure.
Ethno-research unveiled that assumptions proved deficient for both companies. In my colleague's case, at a granular level, there were more non-racially claimed purchases than the actual biased target. With Febreze, the use-case was mistargeted from a commonality standpoint.
The thing about ungrounded assumptions is that it creates an unintended armor around a segment of data that could be more deeply researched. Assumptions create a false sense of confidence in the information that may or may not be valid.
Allow for harmless curiosity
There’s something extremely captivating about delving into varying lifestyles. How people exist and interact in their current environment is much different to 5, 10, or say 50 years ago. I’m not primarily referring to technological advances and the way we connect. Despite its importance, it’s quite valuable to consider ‘fusion lifestyles’. Fusion lifestyle is just as it sounds, an embodiment and combination of core cultures within one home. Think fusion cuisine. Yum. A platter that doesn’t fail to mesh the foundation of multiple ethnic dishes. Delectable — but even better with an understanding of its roots.
In the US many more households are becoming interracial than ever before. In the 1970s a mere 1% of American households were seen as biracial, and less than 0.001% of interracial households notably existed.
By 2018, 3.7% self-identified as mixed-race individuals and in 2020 7.2% of all new marriages were interracial or of a pair of blended races. With a fusion of culture comes a different view of preferences and perspectives in life and its sensitivities. That’s where curiosity and empathy come in handy.
Interest in this cultural shift could be a harmless intrigue as well as a baseline for future understanding of evolving demographics.
In Summary
As a starting point in an attempt to circumvent bias in Marketing Ethnographical research, it can help to challenge yourself to
Start without a hypothesis
Avoid Assumptions
Allow for harmless curiosity
Research in itself stems from the desire to know and unveil, but only presents itself in its truest form when bias is abandoned. There you’d find the knowledge, exposure, and associations that could allow you to tap into market potentials, and help your business soar.
Dig deeper and enjoy.
