product testing: start ABC testing your product
by: Sarah Kneebone
Have you ever been drawn to some fancy-looking packaging or heard about a jazzy new concept, but then found the sensory experience to be a total let down? It happens, but it doesn't have to happen to your product.
With PLAY's holistic approach to product testing, the whole customer experience can be tested and refined so you can more meaningful decisions about your brand.
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Considering the whole picture.
Let’s bring in our first contestant, Brand A, to demonstrate what we mean.
Brand A runs a concept test for a new soft drink flavour, a fizzy pomegranate and elderflower infused banana juice elixir. People love the idea. It’s exciting, exotic and sounds healthy.
Brand A invests plenty of precious dollars in a dramatic, sparkling launch for the new drink. People get excited and begin buying bottles by the dozen.
Then, they taste it.
Unfortunately, it tastes like someone emptied the compost bin into a blender. Word gets around and the product completely flops. Ouch.
All of this could've been avoided had the sensory experience been tested with the pack and concept.
Introducing a holistic approach.
In many circumstances, it can be dangerous to make decisions about customer experiences when different elements have been tested in isolation. Holistic, contextual insights born from integrated market research methods can provide you with a more bullet-proof direction to follow (and some peace of mind).
PLAY's ABC testing was born out of a need to incorporate the complete customer experience including concept, packaging and product.
This kind of product testing is as flexible as it is all encompassing. It can be conducted as quantitative or qualitative research, and the method is designed to meet the specific needs of each business. For example, if sensory is the most important to test, we’ll do a blind test first and follow it up with branded pack. Not only is it more cost-efficient than individual tests, it provides a quick read on key insights from each bucket.
This way, you can get a quick read on your whole offering and adjust as needed so that each stage compliments the next.
Get stuck into ABC testing.
Some scenarios where holistic product testing could come into play:
- You’ve got lots of prototype products and you don't know which one will work best.
- You’ve got ideas from global with multiple concepts or marketing strategies but you don't know if they'll work for the Australian market.
- You’ve got an innovative product that the market wasn’t ready for when you first developed it. Is it now the right time? Where do you start?
Over to you.
To find out more on our range of methodology options for ABC product testing, give us a call on
02 8097 0200 or email hello@playmr.com.au at any time.
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about the author
Sarah Kneebone
Sarah is PLAY’s go-to content writer with a passion for marrying creativity and communication with clever strategy. A former marketer with PLAY and for international brands such as QBE Insurance and General Motors, Sarah moved home to the UK to raise her little family and start a health coaching business. Luckily for us, she continues to share her talent for the written word with the team in Australia.
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