RESEARCHERS STUDY NERDS AT HOME
By Adnews Staff
Clinical psychologists and cultural anthropologists spent more than 300 hours in 30 U.S. homes to observe the behavior of computer users, in a study called The Interactive Consumer. In addition, subjects in the study sponsored by four New York agencies belonging to British-based Cordiant PLC filled out diaries and were questioned in interviews. However, the public pronouncements coming out of the research so far have been less than enlightening. Betsy Frank, executive vice-president of Zenith Media, told The new York Times that on-line communities are highly fragmented and that marketers should focus on trying to reach "more discreet groups of consumers in more targeted environments." She says that companies must find "new ways to communicate." Zenith is one of the sponsoring agencies. The others are Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, Saatchi & Saatchi Interactive and Zenith Interactive Media. Saatchi & Saatchi senior vice-president Erica Guren says the best mindset for an on-line advertiser is "very zenlike, soft but strong." Cordiant's next study will be of the interactive child.