Fast Concept Testing in Fashion

Project Overview

We have been running idea screening and concept testing with leading brands for over 10 years, using our fastSCREEN™ methodology world-wide.  In 2020, the approach was enhanced with the launch of Zip-Zap Ideas® an online platform for internal idea generation (ZIP) and for evaluation with target consumers (ZAP).

On six separate projects, we have used Zip-Zap Ideas® to support a global fashion brand.  They wanted a faster and a more consumer driven approach to develop and test new shoe designs with target consumers, to identify the latest designs that would have greatest consumer appeal.

Our Approach

Over a period of nine months, we ran six separate projects with Zip-Zap Ideas® that tested 159 different concepts with over 3,500 target consumers across the USA and the UK.  For each project, our team of Copy Editors helped the internal project team to refine and edit concepts prior to testing.  We then used fastSCREEN™ features of Zip-Zap Ideas® to launch and test consumer appeal for different product ranges.

Target consumers were recruited against 8 different profiles based on gender, age, and whether they had purchased the brand before. In each survey, they were presented between 16 and 32 different mini-concepts, randomised across 1-4 pages.  All concepts were written in a short concept format and shown an image of the design.  Consumers selected the designs and concepts they liked the most, and were also encouraged to add comments as to WHY they liked the idea or HOW the ideas could be improved.  

When reviewing the results, our approach is to identify the concepts that are "significantly more appealing" than the average of all ideas tested, or against a known benchmark. For this project, we looked for "significant winners" based on confidence level of 90%, with between 200 and 400 consumers against each profile.  

Results

Across all six projects, the work helped to identify 35 concepts that were "significantly appealing" from a total of 159 concepts tested.  There was also a consistency of results between the UK and USA markets with similar concepts "winning" with both consumers.  Of the 35 leading concepts, there were at least 10 concepts that were "significant winners".

"The approach is fast and consumer centric, and the results have guided the designs that we are supporting with our online and in-store marketing activity." Global Marketing Director

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