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Archetype Research

Underlying drivers

The objective of an Archetype Research is to determine how people of a particular Culture react to a concept or a product category. An Archetype Study relies on discovering the deep and latent responses which people have towards the category.

This is done by leading respondents to recall the time in their early childhood when they first realized the true meaning and implication of the product or of the concept.
(Abreaction).

These meaning and implication are carried on through life, even though the individual may not realize that they are there, nor that they form an important element in his brand or category choice.

Our approach to a Problem is :
- To determine the latent structures
- To identify the Archetype
- To check that the Archetype is truly representative to all people in the culture.

Each type of customer / country has his own demands, and it is a challenge for the marketeer / developer to satisfy so many different types of customers / countries. However, there is at least one trans-customers / trans-countries tool which can be used to satisfy all of them, and it is the Archetype approach, based on the concept of Cultures.

• A Culture is the result of the collective neurosis of a group of individuals who have built through the years their language, religions, arts, objects, usages, social relations, taboos, etc. Each individual who is growing in the Culture has to integrate these ready-made answers in order to be identified as belonging to the group.
  The function of a Culture is to de-dramatize the biological background and to provide each individual in the group with ready-made answers to fundamental problems (Birth, Love & Sex, Aging, Death, Food, Shelter, Mother & Father, etc.).
• For example, each Culture has built its own attitude towards the role of the woman and its evolution throughout the woman's life (what is allowed / expected and what is rejected / taboo, etc), its language around these concepts, its own system of relations which have become, though unconsciously, a part of each individual who has grown into the Culture.
  (Hence, in each Culture, the attitudes of female patients, general practitioners, hospital doctors, specialists, families and others towards women's diseases and treatments, are affected by this cultural collective unconscious).
• When a company is positioning a concept or a product in one or several countries, what is needed is the knowledge of the basic cultural frame on which this concept or product can be rooted on, survive, and grow.
  What is needed is harmony with the cultural environment and a stock of various powerful suitable actions which will allow the concept or product not only to survive, but moreover to become better accepted and more successful than other competitive offers.
• In the 1980’s, it is an Archetype Research which helped White Horse to understand the reasons for the falling Japanese whisky market.
• The 1980’s OTC success of Bristol Myers Lion’s Bufferin for headache could be explained in a similar manner. Bufferin’s Japanese advertising may not appeal to American consumers, but was in line with the Japanese Archetype of Pain.
• In the 1980’s, Merck used The Pain Research Archetype findings to successfully launch its Pain-killer in France.
  A similar success was later achieved by Aventis (then Specia).
• The outstanding Japanese market-shares achieved in the 1980’s & 1990’s by Unilever with its two shampoos (Thimotee & Lux) are another illustration. Nestle also used the Archetype approach to develop its Japanese coffee markets.
• Yet, it is another Archetype Research which helped L’Oréal to gain in the 1990’s an in-depth understanding of the Japanese fragrance market.
• In the 2000’s, ... but chuttt, recent success stories are just too recent to be told.

About Healthcare Archetype Research

• Many of the diseases necessitate to explore several basic Archetypes (for example: Blood, Heart, ... in the case of Hypertension). Specific treatments, or their galenic forms, may also necessitate the exploration of additional Archetypes. e.g. the understanding of peculiar cultural responses in the usage of skin-patches for the treatment of Hypertension may necessitate the exploration of the Archetype of Skin; the distinctive response may originate in the Archetype of Skin, or in the interference of this Archetype with those of Blood, or Heart; the understanding of behavioral patterns often requires researchers to develop a true detective spirit...
• The researchers must also carefully distinguish the cultural structures which are framed by Archetypes from those which are related to Myths.
  With time and money, Myths can be modified while Archetypes are instilled in one’s brain for all of his life. Going against Archetypes, even against those which are or become totally irrational, is a waste of energy^[1].
• Results are best expressed in terms of potential (i.e. culturally supported) fields of relations between patients, doctors, diseases (thinking out to the severity), and the various medications:
  - purpose and reasons for prescribing / not prescribing,
  - expected effects and attributes,
  - key words,
  - galenic forms,
  - recommended (versus contra-indicated) promotional channels,
  - etc.
• Many culturally-supported areas may not be currently - if ever - addressed, leading the developer / marketeer to consider entirely new options.
• The Japanese sleep market illustrates the possible positive contribution of Archetypes to development and marketing. Before the introduction of Halcyon, the market for sleeping drugs was rather small and was split between several drugs marketed by big players (Takeda, Shionogi, etc.).
  The image of sleeping drugs was very dark, doctors and patients were reluctant to prescribe / to take sleeping inducers, and the overall attitude was that (to the exception of special cases, such as an old dementia patient disturbing a whole family) “Japanese don’t need sleeping drugs so much”. In other words sleeping drugs were prescribed not for the benefit of the patient, but to the benefit of the community, when the community needed protection (in psychiatric institutions for example).
  
  A Research on the Archetype of Sleep in Japan showed that the problem was anchored in a negative cultural connotation of sleep, especially of sleeping alone.
  
  In the 1980’s, Halcyon was positioned as an awakener (HALCYON NO ASA), therefore removing the sleeping drugs cultural barrier, and allowing Halcyon to almostc double the market, reaching - and maintaining - a dominant position for many years.
  Later, new comers tried to copy Halcyon’s success, but without an understanding of the very reason for the success of Halcyon they largely failed to mimic the positioning key-point.

Archetype Research: Field Work

given a topic:

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION

• Pre-information (professional / non-professional) on the studied topic,
• (if any) Biological background^[2] on the studied topic,
• Ethnological observations (in / out of shelters, in / out of professional environments, etc.), of situations concerning relations with the topic,
• History relative to the topic in the Culture,
• Analysis of (non-professional / professional) books, magazines, songs, movies, etc., on the topic,
• Analysis of the learning materials relative to the topic,
• Implications of the topic in Arts & Religions,
• Physical objects in relation to the topic,
• Cultural habits in relation to the topic,
• Myths and rituals relative to the topic,
• Semantic analysis of the (non-professional / professional) language around the topic.

IDENTIFICATION OF LATENT RESPONSES

• Focus groups of aspecific people (old, middle-aged and young respondents of both sex),
• Focus groups of specific^[3] people (old, middle-aged and young respondents of both sex),
• Discussions with families involving three generations,
• In-depth interviews with aspecific and specific people, as well as with professionals,
• Focus groups of professionals^[4],
• On the spot analysis and interviews,
• Other research as needed.

During the interviews and the focus groups, researchers are aiming at an in-depth understanding of the psychology of respondents concerning the topic. Procedures utilize projective technics, combine "as a group" approaches with individual exercises, and intend to clarify conscious and unconscious attitudes, satisfactions and dissatisfactions, as well as needs, expectations and aspirations with regards to the topic.

ARCHETYPE EXPLORATION

Twenty to fifty people, males and females, young and old, belonging to the Culture^[5], from several geographic areas and social origins, are explored to identify the Archetype and to check that the Archetype is truly representative to all people in the Culture.
The exploration is run individual per individual. It concludes with the handwriting by each individual on his first remembrance relative to the topic. There is no input by the persons conducting the Research, the materials come out naturally.

TREATMENT OF THE INFORMATION

Data are processed in the language of the country and analyzed with the aim of explaining all what has been said, and of revealing what is common to all respondents versus what is specific to an individual.

EXPLOITATION

The results, together with all supportive data, present the Archetype and the roles of the various actors (professionals / non-professionals, etc.) inside the Archetype.
All available positioning^[6] are identified, as well as the taboo area in which a concept or product, and its communication, will be rejected.

The current positioning of the major existing responses (concepts or products) are analyzed, and the remaining available positioning - "black holes" - are highlighted.
Specific recommendations are issued based on the results and on client's questions. Results can be used to develop better accepted products and / or to better design the communication^[7].

^[1]Note: To the exception of addressing the Archetype in early childhood, before it is established.

^[2]Note: e.g., if the topic is related to health, the part(s) of the body related to a studied disease; for example, concerning cerebrovascular diseases, Blood, Heart, Brain, etc.

^[3]Note: e.g., if the topic is related to health, patients and their environment.

^[4]Note: e.g., if the topic is related to health, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.

^[5]Note: i.e. exclusively grown up in the Culture environment and in the language of the Culture till five years old at least.

^[6]Note: With cross-reference to statistical data, it is possible to estimate the market-size of each available positioning.

^[7]Note: The findings can also be utilized as a promotional tool. Through disclosing essential parts of an Archetype Research, several companies, especially pharmaceutical companies, have shown to professionals their willingness to contribute to social progress.

Note: until we have a mutually agreed and honored contract with our client or prospect on the concerned topic, our Documents, Research Proposals and the relevant Research Procedures are the sole property of Bouée Research Institute & L207. They cannot be used, directly or indirectly, partly or as a whole, without the prior written consent of an authorized person from Bouée Research Institute or L207.