Marketing Research Blog

From “Why did you choose this brand?” to “What influenced your decision in that moment?”

Brand preference still matters—but it’s rarely the whole story. Someone might love a brand and still grab something else because it was on sale, better positioned, or just easier to spot. Asking about the moment of choice helps us get into real-life behavior.

From “What do you like about this product?” to “What, if anything, made you hesitate or think twice about this product?”

Positives are easy to name. But what almost made someone walk away? That’s where the friction lives. We’ve started asking things like, “What, if anything, gave you pause? That tweak has led to insights on everything from unclear packaging to subtle price sensitivity that we would’ve missed otherwise.

From “Which type of shopper are you?” to “What were you solving for that day?”

People shop differently depending on their mood, needs, or even the time of day. I’ve bought something practical in the morning and something indulgent later that night. (Haven’t we all?) Asking about their mindset or what they were trying to accomplish in that moment gives you more meaningful, usable insight.

From “Which brands are you aware of?” to “What caught your attention recently?”

We all know top-of-mind awareness doesn’t always reflect what’s actually working. And aided lists can make all brands seem equally familiar—even when they’re not. Instead, we’ve been asking things like, “What’s something that stuck with you—whether or not you bought it?” It’s been a better way to get at what’s breaking through the noise.

From “Where do you usually shop?” to “Where did you shop last time—and why?”

Shopping behavior isn’t static. People bounce between in-store, apps, delivery, and third-party sellers and rarely think twice about it. Asking about their most recent trip helps ground the response in reality and often reveals more flexible, channel-agnostic behavior.

From “Which ad do you like most?” to “Which ad made you feel something—and what was it?”

“Liking” an ad doesn’t mean it worked. But when someone tells you “That one made me laugh” or “That one felt like it was talking to me,” then you’re getting somewhere. We’ve also tried asking, “If you were telling a friend about this ad, what would you say?” That question gives us insight into emotional connection and message clarity in one shot.