BRAND MANAGEMENT

THE ZALTMAN METAPHOR ELICITATION TECHNIQUE

The Zaltman metaphor elicitation technique (ZMET) is a market research tool. ZMET is a
technique that elicits both conscious and especially unconscious thoughts by exploring
people’s non-literal or metaphoric expressions.
It was developed by Dr. Gerald Zaltman at the Harvard Business School in the early 1990s. As
Zaltman described it, “A lot goes on in our minds that we’re not aware of. Most of what
influences what we say and do occurs below the level of awareness. That’s why we need new
techniques: to get at hidden knowledge-to get at what people don’t know they know.” The
technique has been used by academic researchers and for marketing purposes to study a variety
of topics related to both marketing and the social sciences.
Jerry Zaltman began thinking about the power of using imagery in research while in Nepal in
1990. He gave local residents disposable cameras and asked them to take pictures that explain
village life.
The imagery revealed ideas that would have been difficult to put into words. This insight
spawned an entirely new field of research: the use of imagery to facilitate deep probing into
people’s true thoughts and feelings. ZMET forms the foundation of this research, and continues
to inform new approaches within Olson Zaltman and in the industry at large.

The ZMET research process

Research study participants are usually asked to collect a set of pictures that represent their
thoughts and feelings about the topic of interest. Zaltman cites prominent researchers like
Steven Pinker and Antonio Damasio to support his claim that humans think in images – often
in the form of visual images – rather than in words. The pictures that participants collect are
important non-literal devices for uncovering deeply held, often unconscious, thoughts and
feelings.
The goal of the ZMET interviews and analysis is to uncover the relevant fundamental structures
that guide people’s thinking about a topic. These deep structures are unconscious, basic
orienting frames of human thought that affect how people process and react to information or
a stimulus. They manifest themselves in surface metaphors used in everyday language and
conversation; when grouped they point to the deeper frames or structures a person is using to
understand a topic (see framing). These frames can be used in a marketing context to help
marketers communicate more effectively to consumers about a brand, product, or topic.

Importance of ZMET

 The consumer is in control, not the researcher (unlike focus groups, gather own
pictures, develop own insights).
 Use of metaphor helps uncover the importance of non-visual sensory images
 Reduces problem of consistency
 Pays attention to cognitive and emotional sides of the brain
 AMAZON
I really believe the vision that making Amazon the Earth’s most customer-centric company
more than anyone.

The reason why I chose Amazon as the brand to make the poster is because how well I was
treated when I raised a complaint which one wouldn’t be able to see in other e-commerce
companies. It may be a small thing but it was pretty magnificent on how Amazon takes little
things seriously.

Poster Planning:
In order to make a poster first the things that are to be represented under amazon are listed
down that is amazon online shopping which is first started with books alone so the books are
to be highlighted, then followed by amazon prime, amazon music. Amazon having USP as
amazon delivery system representation of process seemed an interesting idea. And amazon pay
can be represented in one way or other indirectly in the poster. Amazon forest picture can be
used to trigger the unconscious thinking of the viewer in order to strike them as amazon. Orange
Paint can be used as border as amazon has orange colour in its logo. It might help the viewer
to associate with the brand consciously or subconsciously.

Poster Making:
The process started by searching for related pictures with respect to amazon forest then
designing the delivery process with proper images to represent, followed by pictures that
represent music and other products that are available on amazon. Then identify the pictures
that can explain amazon prime and its features. Then followed by painting the poster orange to
create a subconscious association with the brand.

The poster in not done just by making a collage of 5 pictures rather many small elements are
taken and placed in a specific pattern that made it into one whole part that is meaningful. And
the small elements are attached using double sided tape to give a elevated affect and make the
poster more interesting for the viewers. Orange colour is painted to the borders in order to make
the poster look more vibrant and get the exact tint of orange as well.

Idea’s Not Taken Into Consideration:

 Representation of alphabets A to Z of amazon.
 Using online shopping pictures, website, network, computers as it would make it too
obvious.
 Using of amazon logo arrows in border design.

The above ideas are not taken into consideration while making the poster is because it would
make it to
o obvious for the viewers to guess the brand.
 Scanned by CamScanner

Picture -1 = Forest (centre) – triggers amazon as it’s the name of the forest.
Picture -2 = music symbols collage (top left corner) – amazon prime.
Picture -3= Delivery process steps. (top right corner) – amazon one day delivery process-USP
Picture -4= entertainment (bottom right corner) – amazon prime and its features
Picture -5= cardboard box and things coming out of it (bottom left corner) – online amazon
shopping experiences and things that are available. Books are highlighted as amazon started
with selling books alone.