Coolhunting
Encyclopedia
Coolhunting is a term coined in the early 1990s referring to a new breed of marketing
professionals, called coolhunters. It is their job to make observation
s and prediction
s in changes of new or existing cultural trends. The word derives from the aesthetic of "cool"
.
In this they resemble the intuitive
fashion magazine editors of the 1960s such as Nancy White (Harper's Bazaar
1958–1971). Coolhunters operate most notably in the world of street fashion
and design, but their work also blurs into that of futurists
such as Faith Popcorn
. Many webloggers now serve as online coolhunters, in a variety of cultural and technological areas.
of the youth demographic in the areas listed above. They then compile their data and produce reports detailing emerging and declining trends in youth culture as well as predictions for future trends. These reports are then sold to various companies whose products target the youth demographic. They also offer consulting
services. Coolhunting firms often provide services for some of the largest corporation
s in the world.
their market research
, some companies opt for in-house youth culture marketing divisions. These divisions act in much the same way as a coolhunting firm but the reports and data collected remain within the company and are used solely to promote its products. A company will often prefer this form of coolhunting as a way to gain an advantage in the valuable youth market since the research conducted by coolhunting firms is available to anyone willing to pay for it. A prime example of a company that employs in-house coolhunting is Viacom
's MTV
television network.
and marketing campaigns targeted at them. Coolhunters therefore must be more stealthy in their methods of gathering information and data.
s, though quite obvious in their attempts at gathering information, are very popular among coolhunters as they provide direct insight into the thought
s and feeling
s of their target demographic. Coolhunters will typically gather a group of randomly selected individuals from their target demographic. While one or more market researchers interact with the group, they are often being monitored and recorded
by a non-visible group, because not only do coolhunters want to hear what their subjects have to say, they also want to observe their simple mannerisms.
Depending on the nature of the study, the methods of the information-gathering during a focus group interview may be extremely broad, with questions relating to lifestyle and youth culture, or more specific, like comparing certain brand
s and determining which brands the group is most responsive to.
Participants in focus groups are usually rewarded for their participation, whether it be a cash amount, free products, or other rewards.
s or trendsetters. They will then hire these individuals to be undercover coolhunters, who gather information secretly among their peers and report their findings back to their employers. This is a popular method of coolhunting as it provides insight into their target demographic within their natural environment.
s where upon completion, the participant will usually receive a prize or monetary compensation. Other times coolhunters will enter chatrooms and webgroups posing as an individual within the target demographic and gather information.
}
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
professionals, called coolhunters. It is their job to make observation
Observation
Observation is either an activity of a living being, such as a human, consisting of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses, or the recording of data using scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any data collected during this activity...
s and prediction
Prediction
A prediction or forecast is a statement about the way things will happen in the future, often but not always based on experience or knowledge...
s in changes of new or existing cultural trends. The word derives from the aesthetic of "cool"
Cool (aesthetic)
Something regarded as cool is an admired aesthetic of attitude, behavior, comportment, appearance and style, influenced by and a product of the Zeitgeist. Because of the varied and changing connotations of cool, as well its subjective nature, the word has no single meaning. It has associations of...
.
In this they resemble the intuitive
Intuition (knowledge)
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason. "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri', which is often roughly translated as meaning 'to look inside'’ or 'to contemplate'." Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot necessarily justify...
fashion magazine editors of the 1960s such as Nancy White (Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
1958–1971). Coolhunters operate most notably in the world of street fashion
Street fashion
Street fashion is a term used to describe fashion that is considered to have emerged not from studios, but from the grassroots. Street fashion is generally associated with youth culture, . Japanese street fashion sustains multiple simultaneous highly diverse fashion movements at any given time....
and design, but their work also blurs into that of futurists
Futurology
Futures studies is the study of postulating possible, probable, and preferable futures and the worldviews and myths that underlie them. There is a debate as to whether this discipline is an art or science. In general, it can be considered as a branch under the more general scope of the field of...
such as Faith Popcorn
Faith Popcorn
Faith Popcorn, , is a futurist, author and founder and CEO of marketing consulting firm BrainReserve. Prior to founding her consultancy, Popcorn was an advertising agency creative director. She is a graduate of New York University and New York’s High School of Performing Arts...
. Many webloggers now serve as online coolhunters, in a variety of cultural and technological areas.
Firms
A coolhunting firm is a marketing agency whose exclusive purpose is to conduct researchResearch
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
of the youth demographic in the areas listed above. They then compile their data and produce reports detailing emerging and declining trends in youth culture as well as predictions for future trends. These reports are then sold to various companies whose products target the youth demographic. They also offer consulting
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
services. Coolhunting firms often provide services for some of the largest corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
s in the world.
In-house
Rather than outsourcingOutsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
their market research
Market research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy...
, some companies opt for in-house youth culture marketing divisions. These divisions act in much the same way as a coolhunting firm but the reports and data collected remain within the company and are used solely to promote its products. A company will often prefer this form of coolhunting as a way to gain an advantage in the valuable youth market since the research conducted by coolhunting firms is available to anyone willing to pay for it. A prime example of a company that employs in-house coolhunting is Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
's MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
television network.
Methods and practices
Coolhunting is much more than simple market research because of the nature of the subjects. The teen and preteen market is often referred to as a "stubborn" demographic in that they do not respond well to blatant advertisingAdvertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and marketing campaigns targeted at them. Coolhunters therefore must be more stealthy in their methods of gathering information and data.
Focus groups
Focus groupFocus group
A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging...
s, though quite obvious in their attempts at gathering information, are very popular among coolhunters as they provide direct insight into the thought
Thought
"Thought" generally refers to any mental or intellectual activity involving an individual's subjective consciousness. It can refer either to the act of thinking or the resulting ideas or arrangements of ideas. Similar concepts include cognition, sentience, consciousness, and imagination...
s and feeling
Feeling
Feeling is the nominalization of the verb to feel. The word was first used in the English language to describe the physical sensation of touch through either experience or perception. The word is also used to describe experiences, other than the physical sensation of touch, such as "a feeling of...
s of their target demographic. Coolhunters will typically gather a group of randomly selected individuals from their target demographic. While one or more market researchers interact with the group, they are often being monitored and recorded
Recording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
by a non-visible group, because not only do coolhunters want to hear what their subjects have to say, they also want to observe their simple mannerisms.
Depending on the nature of the study, the methods of the information-gathering during a focus group interview may be extremely broad, with questions relating to lifestyle and youth culture, or more specific, like comparing certain brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
s and determining which brands the group is most responsive to.
Participants in focus groups are usually rewarded for their participation, whether it be a cash amount, free products, or other rewards.
Undercover coolhunters
Coolhunters will often seek out individuals from within their target demographic who are regarded as leaderLeader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
s or trendsetters. They will then hire these individuals to be undercover coolhunters, who gather information secretly among their peers and report their findings back to their employers. This is a popular method of coolhunting as it provides insight into their target demographic within their natural environment.
Online coolhunting
There are a wide variety of methods for conducting market research online. Popular examples are online surveyStatistical survey
Survey methodology is the field that studies surveys, that is, the sample of individuals from a population with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population using the sample. Polls about public opinion, such as political beliefs, are reported in the news media in democracies....
s where upon completion, the participant will usually receive a prize or monetary compensation. Other times coolhunters will enter chatrooms and webgroups posing as an individual within the target demographic and gather information.
Further reading
also printed as:}
- Scott WesterfeldScott WesterfeldScott Westerfeld is an American author of science fiction. He was born in Texas and now divides his time between Sydney, Australia and New York City, USA.-Books:...
, So YesterdaySo Yesterday (novel)So Yesterday is a novel by Scott Westerfeld published in 2004. It has won a Victorian Premier's Award and is also an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. So Yesterday, the author's third publication, is considered his "breakout novel" and has been optioned to be made into a film by one of the producers...
External links
- PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
Frontline series, The Merchants of Cool - Malcolm GladwellMalcolm GladwellMalcolm Gladwell, CM is a Canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He is currently based in New York City and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996...
, "The Coolhunt" (1997). - Cool Hunting course at Central Saint Martins College of Art and DesignCentral Saint Martins College of Art and DesignCentral Saint Martins College of Art and Design is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. The school has an outstanding international reputation, and is considered one of the world's leading art and design institutions...
- Science of the Time