Filed under: Comment
So I got an email from BrainJuicer inviting me to a book club event they’re holding.
In short, if you agree to attend, they’ll send you a book to read [which unsurprisingly relates to issues and viewpoints held dear by Brainjuicer] and then you attend the event so you can chat about it with a bunch of other people who have taken part.
What an intimate, simple and lovely idea.
I know it’s not a new concept, I know many people may claim they’re too busy to read a book … but this approach not only demonstrates their belief in the value of human emotion, it show more understanding of their audience than 99% of other research companies who either:
1. Ignore you.
2. Send you copious amounts of bullshit.
3. Invite you to a conference where they can bore you with copious amounts of bullshit. *
Sadly – or fortunately, depending on which way you look at it – I cannot attend, but I hope I will get invited again because if for nothing more, I want to show my support to research companies who treat people as humans, not robots.
_________________________________________________________________________
* Yes, I know there is a worse scenario, such as inviting you to a conference that either:
1. States the obvious about China being big & rich and digital’s changing everyones lives.
OR
2. Has me presenting how China is big & rich and digital’s changing everyones lives.
… but I’m assuming no one would be so stupid to attend either of those ‘events’, even if a gun was pointed at their head. Probably by me.
21 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
They should fuck with everyone’s mind and send out 50 shades of grey.
It’s a nice idea but I bet less people take it up than a promise of free piss and stale sandwiches.
Comment by DH August 1, 2012 @ 6:34 amPiss and sandwiches every time. It would be the only way to numb the pain of being in a room with Rob.
Comment by Billy Whizz August 1, 2012 @ 6:47 amDon’t worry Billy, I would never go to somewhere that you have been allowed to go.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2012 @ 8:04 amIt would either get the most visitors to the ‘book club’ or the least. Would be quite interesting to find out which … though I have this vision of a room full of only men feeling embarrassed as they realise they have shown what a sad bunch of wannabe perverts they really are.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2012 @ 8:06 amYou mean you can read Rob? I thought you could only watch documentaries.
Comment by Billy Whizz August 1, 2012 @ 6:48 amThis blog isn’t the same without Andy. Why does he have to have holidays?
Comment by Billy Whizz August 1, 2012 @ 6:49 amI believe he’s with his parents-in-law so I don’t know if that really can be classified as a holiday.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2012 @ 8:07 amNice idea, but I think Dave is right about which approach would attract more guests. I’m assuming they’re working on the quality, not quantity model.
So what is the book they offered you?
Comment by Pete August 1, 2012 @ 7:17 amThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2012 @ 8:09 amSo it’s a book about thinking. Big deal.
Comment by DH August 1, 2012 @ 10:48 amFine point David.
Comment by George August 1, 2012 @ 3:36 pmAlso, that book takes ages to read properly so it’s not such a smart choice if you want people to come to the meeting informed. It’s a shame the gathering clashes with your next holiday because it would be interesting to see how many attendees hadn’t grasped the book’s metaphors.
Comment by John August 1, 2012 @ 5:03 pmYou’re not suggesting Rob is always on holiday are you John?
Comment by Pete August 2, 2012 @ 12:19 amI find it disappointing that alcohol is needed to tempt people to learn something new. The flip side is it’s disappointing that companies put on events where there is nothing new to learn.
Comment by George August 1, 2012 @ 7:43 amBrainjuicer are interesting but their methodology has as many holes as their competition, it just starts off in a better place.
Good point George … but it goes back to what we used to always bitch about. Too many companies talk to people about things they wish they were interested in rather than what they actually are interested in, hence the need for food and entertainment to get them through the door, even if they are only going with a half-hearted attitude.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2012 @ 8:10 amI agree, at least Brainjuicer are trying something different, even if it isn’t perfect, and pushing the ‘how does it make people feel’ approach to dreaded pre-testing.
Comment by northern August 1, 2012 @ 5:35 pmOn the other hand, that approach got that drumming Gorilla signed off…………
Don’t start me off on that again please. I’m in the mood for blood.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2012 @ 7:44 pmWas your holiday leave cancelled?
Comment by DH August 2, 2012 @ 1:08 amhey Rob – a book is making its way over to you now… han z
Comment by han zantingh August 31, 2012 @ 11:52 am… and i’ll include the cheatsheet that gives you a synopsis 😉
Comment by han zantingh August 31, 2012 @ 11:53 amJust got it – thank you so very much matey, really appreciate it. Sorry I couldn’t be there, hope you will run it again so I can attend.
Comment by Rob August 31, 2012 @ 1:46 pm