Most brand surveys measure what people say. I design surveys that reveal what people think. There's a gap between the two, and the gap is where strategy lives.
The category structure survey
My core research instrument maps where a brand lives in people's minds relative to competitors. Not where the brand thinks it lives. Where it actually lives.
How it works
- Forced trade-offs. Not "rate these on a scale" but "which would you choose and why"
- Category mapping questions. "What other brands come to mind when you think of [brand]?"
- Attribute association. Not "do you agree this brand is innovative" but "which brand in this set is most innovative"
- Perceptual proximity. "How similar are brand A and brand B?"
Why it matters
The output is a map of mental real estate. Where your brand sits. What territory is unoccupied. Where the micro-monopoly opportunity is.
The survey doesn't tell you the answer. It shows you the landscape. Then you pick the lot.