Alternative Aral Focus Group Report

Note: I spent much of my time during my market research career traveling around the world conducting or observing focus group discussions. Aral was an oil company operating in Germany that was being taken over by BP.

Aral intro (alternative)

Focus group report

The moderator began by reading the respondents a prepared statement announcing that BP had acquired Aral, and that this group discussion would revolve around this new relationship between the two brands.

The respondents looked shocked, and even stunned. “Ach, nein! Surely it cannot be so!” cried out one respondent when she began finally to recover. “Why would Mr. BP, the most respected energy company in the entire world, champion of green, leader of innovation, want to have a relationship with our poor little Aral?” “Yes,” chimed in another, “we love our little Aral, she is like our little child, but she is so, how do you say it, frumplich? Frumpy?”

The moderator calmly reassured them that this was indeed the case, and that during the next 3 hours they would be looking at the ways that BP and Aral might introduce this new relationship to the public.

“No, no. You are, how do you say, pulling off our leg? It is not so,” insisted another respondent.

Rather than try to persuade them with words alone, the moderator reached down and picked up a design board with an Aral sign decorated with the new BP logo added as a touchpoint. The women respondents were as giddy as Hello Kitty schoolgirls as they pointed excitedly at it. “Look, look,” they cried, “it is true!” “How can it be?” said another, giggling with delight. “We are not worthy. But there it is, we can see it with our own eyes.”

“It is wonderful. It is like they are bed partners. They take the pleasure of each other,” added another young woman with a warm glow.

“This is truly excellent,” said one of the men. “That Aral blue, it is nice, but it is so cold, so…sterile. Now look, it is like the sun itself is rising on Aral. It is most excellent. But can’t we perhaps be allowed to make the sun bigger?” “Maybe,” piped in another, “maybe could we just make it a whole new BP station? But no, that would be asking too much.”

“This calls for a toast,” called out another male respondent. “Frau Moderator, Lowenbraus all around, if you please.”

The moderator explained that real beer was not allowed during the groups; since they would be going for three hours only weissbeer [white beer – the local low-alcohol variety] would be allowed. “No beer for 3 hours?!” cried out one of the other males. “What do you think this is? Some kind of konzentration kamp?”

With considerable reluctance – but seeing the growing tension in the room – the moderator agreed, and an assistant was sent out to find a local gas station c-store for several cases of good strong German beer. The assistant, fearful for the moderator’s well-being, drove full speed and was back with the beer in less than 15 minutes.

Now the mood turned jolly. The moderator read out a variety of lock-up statements and value propositions, each of which was hailed more enthusiastically than the last. So great was the happiness that some of the female respondents were actually tearful with joy.

At the end of 2½ hours the statements had all been discussed and the respondents were eager to return home to tell family and friends the great news.

The moderator reminded them, however, that this was a 3-hour group and rules were rules. The group then spent the final half-hour loudly and enthusiastically singing patriotic German songs in praise of the Fatherland, of BP, and, not to be left out, of Aral.

NOTE: As professional researchers, we find all qualitative discussions important and interesting. Our job, however, reaches a new height of meaning and fulfillment when we have the opportunity to pass along such happy news in such a well-designed setting.

Peter A Hempel, PhD

Frankfurt, Germany – February 2003