The Rise of Ethnography: How Market Research Has Gone Gonzo

With the emergence of ethnography as a means of tapping consumers' mindsets, suddenly market researchers are digging a whole lot deeper. Focus groups still work but hanging out with the target group while the gang interacts with products (and peers) and imparts insights can deliver more powerful revelations. Once destined for far-flung exotic locations, today's ethnographers also are venturing into the corporate jungle to present their findings on urban sub-cultures. There are compelling reasons for smart marketers to go gonzo.