Concept testing

The aim of concept testing is to better prioritize new product/service launches so as to contribute to business development but also to ensure that the resources of the value chain are used in the most effective and efficient way. These tests may be performed on a product, a service, an entire range or on a specific client program.  A concept test presents a real customer/consumer stake in the form of an insight and offers a value proposition in reply.

Is prioritizing concepts by positioning them in "green", "orange" or "red" zones according to mass-market standards a truly satisfactory means of decision-making? The strategy adopted by many companies is to try to break into profitable niche markets, classified as "red" or "orange", using an approach centred on mass scores. 
Our approach differs in that we aim to get right to the heart of the targeting process and the associated industrial project in order to offer a more finely-tuned decisional framework, owing to the fact that for many companies operating on mature markets, just a few additional percentage points gained on a specific market segment can be decisive.
Whether using qualitative or quantitative methods, this is how we approach the issue:

1/ Draft/Review with you the material that you want to test, because we place a great degree of importance on the clarity and articulation of the wording. We do everything we possibly can to ensure that your concepts are clear before being put to the test, whatever the chosen method.

2/ During the assessment, we first of all focus on assessing the concept insight, qualitatively or quantitatively, without yet revealing the associated value proposition (since this enables us to be sure that the demand space that you are seeking to exploit has real potential). The value proposition is thus presented during a second phase. This dual-phase approach makes it possible to perform an in-depth analysis of the opportunity that the product or service offer represents and to ascertain the most appropriate type of industrial project (niche with potential, blockbuster or mainstream).

3/ In quantitative research, we recommend that you perform a comparison with a controlled benchmark; many players in this field propose measurement against a database of norms and standards, for which it is impossible for you to verify the precise target, nor the tone of the language, nor the form of the visuals in the concept… In a nutshell, you have no idea of what you are measuring yourself against. Our approach aims at measuring benchmarks (i.e. your offers and those of your competitors) with a concept format over which you have complete control and against which you can compare openly and transparently. 

4/ Finally, in quantitative research, we closely examine the core target that corresponds to each of your concepts in order to identify niche opportunities. Indeed, the real success of many new brands lies in their ability to break into niche markets, those markets that established brands tend to think twice about approaching, owing to the financial model that they have to follow and their "quest" for high-volume sales. It is not uncommon to see such new brands being subsequently bought out by their established elders once they have shown what they are capable of. Furthermore, a non-negligible amount of growth comes from direct (organic growth) or indirect acquisition of niche offers that would, in all likelihood, be placed in the orange zone when subjected to conventional concept tests. From a strategic point of view, our approach is therefore focused on digging and delving to identify niche openings (that go beyond their orange status), strengths rather than weaknesses, allowing you to determine the strategic and financial means to seize such opportunities.