The 5 "Don'ts" for a Successul IDI

How to lose $30million in 2 months - The overlooked art of conducting a successful in-depth interview 

The Tropicana orange juice rebranding disaster is the flagship example of a failed marketing research strategy. It demonstrates the consequences of investing heavily in an advertising campaign without conducting rigorous marketing research and well-designed qualitative in-depth interviews (IDI).

In 2009, Tropicana invested $35 million in advertising their brand and packaging redesign. However, shortly after launch, sales dropped by 20% within 2 months, resulting in a loss of $30 million. Within just 30 days, the company made the decision to return to their original packaging, marking it as "The worst rebrand in history".

In depth one-on-one interviews (IDI) represent highly effective tools for marketing researchers to gather meaningful and actionable qualitative data.

The art of conducting a successful IDI requires a strategic approach and careful execution. Here at The MarkeTech Group, we have amassed nearly 30 years of experience, enabling us to share the five key practices to avoid (5 DON'T's) that have allowed us to help several companies launch effective advertising campaigns - and many other business objectives.

The 5 "Don'ts" for a Successful IDI

1. Going off script

As Alexander Graham Bell said: "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success". A great amount of time and energy needs to be spent to design a well-scoped and efficient interview guide prior to conducting the first pilot IDI. Being unprepared can jeopardize everything and, in the end, be a waste of time for both the moderator, the respondent, and the client.

Examples of habits to avoid include: not logging in early (at least 10 minutes before the start), not knowing who will be interviewed, and not collecting relevant demographic information before the interview to ensure the respondent’s opinion is relevant.

At The MarkeTech Group, we avoid CABSI at all costs.

If you cannot hear or be heard correctly, an IDI will be nothing be but a waste of time. Ensuring an excellent internet connection and microphone settings for both the interviewer and the interviewee is critical.

Do not forget, an IDI is a simple conversation between 2 individuals, and being likable while remaining professional is the balance that needs to be found to get the most out of an interview.

Last but not least, as a moderator discussing with an expert in a specific field, there is no shame in admitting not knowing a given acronym or concept, Hawking once said: "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."