Ethnography for Your Brand

On the day before Thanksgiving, the Brand Show looks into the latest buzzword in marketing, ethnography. Ethnography is the study of culture and people. Ethnographers are studying people in their daily lives and gaining better insight than focus groups and in-depth interviews. Previously ethnographers were primarily used in the academia sector. Now, advertising agencies and companies are hiring them to learn more about their brand. Today, we will look into the growing use of ethnographers in marketing.

This week’s Brand Rant discusses how Wal-Mart’s latest price claim of saving the American family $2,500 might actually be false. Consumers do not actually have so shop at Wal-Mart to get the savings. Only the existence of Wal-Mart saves consumers money. And in the Brand Spotlight, we look into how the NBA’s New Jersey Nets are trying to benefit from the Broadway strike in New York City. Dr. Don Stull, a professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas, joins us to discuss ethnography.


Wal-Mart’s price claim of saving American’s families $2,500 a year may be a little deceptive.

The NBA’s New Jersey Nets are hoping to attract a new type of fan as they offer ticket discounts to those who are unable to see a Broadway play because of the Broadway strike.


Ethnography is starting to replace focus groups and in-depth interviews as the best way to learn about consumers.


Eight O’Clock Coffee studied groups of coffee drinkers in different cities, hoping to find out more about its target consumer.


Procter and Gamble have used ethnography to determine how American families plan parties.


Market researchers are using ethnography to determine what people do rather than what they say.

Ad agencies are increasingly hiring ethnographers to follow people in their natural settings like in their homes or in a bar.



Marketers are looking into the science of ethnography to better grasp who their consumers are.