Consumer & Market Knowledge (CMK) at P&G

P&G Careers

24 Jan 201803:54

Summary

TLDRThe video script emphasizes the importance of understanding consumer needs in product design, particularly in the context of Procter & Gamble (P&G). It highlights the balance between data analysis and consumer interaction, where insights from real people guide decisions. The speaker describes how consumer feedback helps shape innovations like the 'magical pods' in diapers, which address issues such as bulkiness and sagginess. The company’s approach fosters a culture of curiosity and collaboration, ensuring that consumer needs remain at the center of product development and marketing strategies.

Takeaways

😀 Designing a good product starts with understanding people's unique needs; no two humans are alike.
🔍 The role of CMK (Consumer and Market Knowledge) is to understand consumers and markets, then bring that knowledge to the company to make informed decisions.
📊 CMK provides a balance between analyzing data and engaging with consumers to understand their motivations.
🌍 Research, including consumer feedback from various countries (e.g., China), is key to uncovering valuable insights.
🍼 Diapers can become bulky, affecting how babies move, which is a concern for some parents.
✨ The innovation of 'magical pods' in diapers helps solve the sagginess issue by distributing liquid evenly.
💡 CMK plays a crucial role in shaping product innovations by working with R&D and marketing teams.
🤝 Collaboration with multi-functional teams ensures that consumer needs are at the center of decision-making processes.
🎯 The price and specific features like 'magical pods' are critical factors in consumer decisions between similar products.
📈 Tracking how new product innovations perform in the market is an important part of CMK's ongoing process.

Q & A

What is the primary focus when designing a good product?
-The primary focus is understanding people's needs, recognizing that no two humans are alike, and bringing that knowledge into the company to make informed decisions.
What does CMK stand for, and what is its role in P&G?
-CMK stands for Consumer and Market Knowledge. Its role is to balance analytical data analysis with direct consumer interaction to ensure decisions align with consumer needs.
Why does the speaker find working in CMK fascinating?
-The speaker finds it fascinating because they get to understand why people do what they do and use data to influence product decisions that have a real impact on the company.
What project is the speaker currently working on?
-The speaker is working on a diaper innovation project called the 'next daya pair,' which they are preparing to bring to the market.
What inconvenience did one mom mention about diaper usage?
-One mom mentioned that diapers tend to become bulky, making her baby’s walk look awkward or silly.
What does 'insight' mean in the context of CMK?
-'Insight' refers to uncovering a motivation or need in the consumer, which could come from direct consumer feedback or data analysis.
How does CMK use consumer feedback to improve products?
-CMK analyzes consumer responses, finds common themes, and uses those insights to influence product innovations, like addressing diaper sagginess with 'magical pods.'
What is the role of CMK in product development at P&G?
-CMK works closely with marketing and R&D to ensure consumer needs are at the center of product development and communication.
Why did one mom choose the 'baby dry' diaper over others?
-The mom chose the 'baby dry' diaper because it offered a better price and had 'magical pods' that addressed the issue of sagginess.
What qualities is P&G looking for in new hires for CMK?
-P&G is looking for people who are curious, willing to always ask 'why,' and who can 'peel the onion' until they fully understand the consumer and the market.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Understanding Consumer Needs in Product Design

The speaker emphasizes that designing a good product begins with understanding people's needs. They highlight that no two individuals are alike, and it's crucial to grasp consumer preferences and market dynamics. Their role involves bringing these insights to the company to ensure informed decision-making. The speaker finds it fascinating to understand why people act in certain ways and believes that the Consumer Market Knowledge (CMK) role offers a balance between analyzing data and directly engaging with consumers. They express a sense of fulfillment as their work significantly impacts company decisions.

📊 Bridging Consumer Insights and Company Strategy

The speaker elaborates on how consumer insights are integrated into company strategies at P&G. They discuss their involvement in a diaper project for the French market and how their research is influencing product development. A real-time update from an agency informs the team about an upcoming meeting to discuss findings. The speaker mentions how personal interactions with consumers reveal unique pain points, such as diapers becoming bulky, which affects a baby’s movement. Such insights guide product improvements that align with consumer expectations.

💡 Discovering Insights from Consumer Feedback

The speaker explains how the team leverages consumer feedback to identify deeper motivations or needs, often referred to as 'insights.' They describe reviewing answers from consumers, like mothers from different regions, to identify recurring themes. The team synthesizes these insights to shape their strategies. A recurring theme mentioned is the discomfort mothers experience with bulky diapers, which can hinder their child's movement. This insight helps the team focus on addressing these concerns in their product designs.

🤝 Collaborating with Cross-Functional Teams

The speaker describes how the CMK team collaborates with various departments, such as marketing and R&D, to ensure that consumer needs are always prioritized. They highlight an example where product innovation and consumer feedback are combined to create a new diaper feature—'magical pods'—that prevent sagging. This innovation addresses a key consumer concern and is then communicated effectively through product marketing, showcasing the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.

🌟 Bringing Consumer Insights into Product Development

The speaker shares an example of a mother’s decision-making process when choosing a diaper. Despite hesitating between two options, she ultimately chose the one with 'magical pods,' which helps prevent sagging. This real-life consumer interaction demonstrates how insights shape product features and marketing messages. The team’s goal is to integrate these insights into every step of product development to ensure they meet consumer expectations and solve their problems effectively.

🏆 Implementing Innovations Across the Product Line

The speaker highlights the successful implementation of the 'magical pods' innovation across different diaper products for various age groups and sizes. This roll-out shows how a single consumer-driven insight can influence a broad product line. They emphasize how the CMK team’s insights have been instrumental in achieving this transformation, demonstrating the company’s commitment to investing in its people and empowering them to make impactful decisions.

🎓 Investing in Employee Development

The speaker reflects on how P&G invests in employee growth and development, especially for new hires. They mention the supportive environment where employees are encouraged to learn and bring their unique approaches to problem-solving. This nurturing culture enables employees to contribute meaningfully to the company’s initiatives while continuously learning and evolving in their roles.

📈 Tracking Success and Looking Forward

The speaker discusses the next steps for the team, which involve tracking the market performance of the new diaper innovation. The team remains hopeful that the product will perform well, showcasing their dedication and anticipation of positive results. They mention that P&G seeks individuals with a natural curiosity and a desire to deeply understand consumers and markets, reinforcing the importance of continuously asking 'why' and exploring new avenues for growth.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Consumer Understanding

Consumer understanding refers to the process of identifying and interpreting the needs, motivations, and behaviors of customers. In the video, the speaker emphasizes that a key aspect of designing a good product is understanding people's unique needs and tailoring decisions to meet those needs. This concept is central to ensuring that product development aligns with consumer expectations.

💡Data Analysis

Data analysis involves examining raw data to draw meaningful insights that guide business decisions. In the script, the speaker mentions the balance between the analytical side of things—such as analyzing consumer feedback and market trends—and direct consumer interaction. This balance helps inform product design and marketing strategies, ensuring decisions are evidence-based.

💡Consumer Market Knowledge (CMK)

Consumer Market Knowledge (CMK) is a department or role within companies like P&G that focuses on gathering and interpreting data about consumers and markets. CMK professionals are responsible for providing insights that drive product innovation and marketing decisions. In the video, the speaker highlights how CMK helps keep the consumer at the center of decision-making, working with cross-functional teams to shape product plans.

💡Product Innovation

Product innovation refers to the development of new or improved products that meet emerging consumer needs. In the video, a key innovation mentioned is the 'three magical pods' in diapers, which address consumer concerns about sagging. This innovation was developed by R&D and communicated based on insights from CMK, showing how innovation is driven by both consumer feedback and technical research.

💡Consumer Insights

Consumer insights are the deep understandings of consumer behaviors and preferences, often uncovered through research and data analysis. The video frequently refers to 'insights' as a way to uncover motivations or needs in consumers, such as understanding why moms choose a particular diaper based on factors like price or functionality (e.g., non-sagging). These insights are critical in shaping product offerings.

💡Cross-functional Teams

Cross-functional teams are groups composed of members from different departments working together towards a common goal. In the video, the speaker mentions working closely with marketing and R&D teams to ensure that the consumer is always at the center of what they do. This collaboration is crucial for integrating consumer insights into every aspect of product development and marketing.

💡R&D (Research and Development)

R&D refers to the department responsible for creating and testing new products and technologies. In the video, R&D played a role in developing the 'three magical pods' innovation for diapers, which addresses a key consumer need for non-sagging products. The collaboration between R&D and CMK highlights the importance of aligning technical innovation with consumer insights.

💡Product Performance Tracking

Product performance tracking is the process of monitoring how a product performs in the market after its launch. In the script, the speaker mentions the next step of tracking the initiative’s performance in markets, indicating that it is crucial to ensure that the product meets consumer expectations and performs well in real-world usage. This tracking helps inform future improvements and marketing strategies.

💡Consumer-Centered Decision Making

Consumer-centered decision making involves making business decisions with the consumer’s needs and preferences as the primary focus. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of keeping the consumer at the center of all decisions, particularly in product development and marketing. This approach ensures that the products created are relevant and valuable to the target audience.

💡Curiosity and Problem Solving

Curiosity and problem-solving are qualities valued in professionals working in CMK, as they are essential for uncovering deeper insights and finding innovative solutions to consumer problems. The speaker mentions the importance of 'peeling the onion' and continually asking 'why' to get to the root of consumer behaviors. This mindset is critical for driving meaningful product innovations and market strategies.

Highlights

Designing a good product starts with understanding people's needs.

No two humans are alike, which makes understanding consumers and markets essential.

The role of CMK (Consumer Market Knowledge) is to ensure company decisions align with consumer insights.

CMK combines analytical data with real consumer insights to guide decisions.

Data-driven insights and consumer feedback play a critical role in product development.

The CMK team collaborates closely with multi-functional teams, including marketing.

P&G places a strong emphasis on consumer-centered product innovation.

A mother chose Baby Dry diapers due to price and the 'magical pods' feature, addressing sagging concerns.

Sagging in diapers is a key issue for consumers, and product innovation tackled it with 'magical pods'.

Innovations like liquid absorption channels were tested and validated by consumer feedback.

P&G invests heavily in training new hires, encouraging them to find their own ways to learn and contribute.

CMK’s insights are critical in shaping product plans and ensuring that the consumer is always at the center.

The initiative's performance in the market will be tracked to ensure it meets consumer expectations.

Curiosity and the drive to ask 'why' are key qualities P&G looks for in people, to better understand consumers.

CMK helps identify and address consumer needs through constant analysis and market feedback.