Setting the scene
Using Pickles, Mustard showed Carlsberg the decision making process for consumers choosing which beer to buy in a pub, taking them through the entire journey from deciding where to go, to entering the pub, going up to the bar and finally making a choice. The Pickles App was also used to capture live responses to a new TV ad as it aired.
The context
Carlsberg UK had a mass of information on consumer trends, usage & attitudinal data, but the vast majority of information was collected after the fact, rather than in real time. Carlsberg were keen to gather insight on what was driving the decision making process at the point of engagement, in a pub.
In particular, Carlsberg had put a lot of work into expanding its UK portfolio over a number of years; launching ciders, a range of craft beers and premium lagers. As a result, understanding why a consumer might choose a new beer, one different to their ‘usual’, was crucial.
What we did
Mustard recruited a group of beer drinkers to Pickles and held a week of daily discussions covering topics like drinking occasions, brand preferences and what they look for in an bar or pub. Discussions across the week allowed Mustard to ‘live with’ respondents through their phone, allowing insight to be collected on drinking habits at home as well as out of home.
Respondents were also given a mission to complete, wherein they were asked to visit their local pub and buy a new beer they hadn’t had before. Pickles members were asked to upload photos, describe the pub, and talk through what they were buying and what was driving their choice, as well as what they might be buying usually.
Finally all respondents were asked to be ready on a Friday at 9.15pm to view Carlsberg’s new ‘The Danish Way’ advert, in order to capture live feedback.
The results
Feedback from ‘the Danish Way’ advert was collected in real time, analysed and sent back to Carlsberg the very next day, allowing an instant view on how well the advert aligned to its intended messaging.
The pub mission and weekly discussions showed Carlsberg how to use POS, bartender training and branding to attract experimental drinkers, but also gave them confidence in their core consumers and how to retain them.
The response
“Brilliant to see an instant reaction to the new Carlsberg Export advert when it aired. Unprompted and in situ responses provide an extra dimension when we talk to both customers and colleagues about the evaluation of the advert. Great and innovative way to approach research on-the-fly!”
Carlsberg
