Every puzzle has a solution but when the puzzle is about delving into the consumer psyche, it is a tough nut to crack. Illumina, the disguised market research club of MDI, has been providing companies with that unique opportunity to study consumer behaviour for 23 years, in a format that aims to produce the cleanest and most bias-free incites from Market Research. In the past, Illumina had the honour of collaborating with brands like HUL, Godrej, ITC, Airtel, Flipkart, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, Idea Cellular, Videocon and ITC to name a few. They had sponsorship associations with the likes of TATA Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra and Mahindra, Union Bank, Nielsen Ltd, and many more.
In 2019, MDI celebrated the 23rd edition of Illumina, where corporates and students of MDI once again collaborated to understand the psyche of Indian consumers. Some of the notable collaborations were with companies like Colgate Palmolive, HUL, Mankind, Swiggy, Decathalon, Nathus’, Amplus Solar, etc. The set of market research events was initiated with Rural Illumina held at Pataudi Village on 8th October, 2019. Rural Illumina was held as part of the Dussehra Mela organized for the people of the village. In one of the projects, through a simple game of hit the bottle, the villagers' awareness regarding a particular shampoo and conditioner was gauged, and compared to a competitor's brand perception. Various observed factors and insights were then used to understand the consumer's choices. The other market research activity involved talking to the people visiting the fair, and finding out their preference for antacid. Apart from informing them about the company's product, the respondents were also given the opportunity to taste it. It gave the members honest insights about consumer behaviour, and would help the company effectively market the product. All in all, it was a day that combined fun as well as essential learning’s for the budding marketers, who got on-ground research experience in a rural setting.
Expressions was the next event which was held on the morning of Urban Illumina. Over 120 students from schools across Gurgaon came down to the campus to take part in painting and diya decorating competition. While the students enjoyed their Sunday showcasing their creative talent, their parents answered the questions of the disguised researchers.
The next and the flagship event of the club, Urban Illumina was held on 20th October with Corporation Bank as the title sponsor. Other notable sponsors included HUL, Spykar, Monster, Zoomcar, Smaash, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, PNB, Fresca, Zebronics and many more. The main event or the Diwali Mela saw a plethora of food and entertainment stalls with the melodies of Astitva band in the background and an energetic performance by Ritviz that made the campus dance to its beats. The campus was lit with fairy lights and decorated with photographic memories of the batch hanging along the event venue capturing the essence of this year’s theme “Life in Pixels” perfectly. The Mela was attended by students, faculty and administration of MDI along with a large number of guests from across Gurgaon and Delhi. In between the hustle and bustle of the festival, team Illumina conducted disguised market research for various corporate partners imitating to be entertainment stalls.
The research was designed in the form of various fun games through which the team captured unbiased consumer insights. The presence of varied category of respondents ranging from children to elderly, businessmen to professors and students made all the researches even richer. Some of the notable projects revolved around food preferences and perceptions of consumers in appetizers and desserts. Games like play of darts, Insta star, battleship and paper toss were tweaked and designed in order to understand the consumers in the most unbiased and fun way. Another project aimed to gain insights for improving the company app by mapping consumer preferences with present product offering. Apart from being a part of these activities the attendees also enjoyed live entertainment like the giant wheel, hoola-hoop performers, and stilt man that have become a part of the Urban Illumina legacy. Overall the event was a great success as it had something for everyone to enjoy and engage in.
2019 was one of the best years for Illumina with numerous success stories and engagements, with some of the best corporate brands. The senior and junior team together put their heart and soul into making all these events a great experience for the attendees alongside also providing a great learning experience for everyone involved in the research projects. A list of satisfied, happy sponsors and project partners at the end of the year was just another feather in the hat for the team.
Write-up credits: Shivani Aggarwal (PGPM 2019-2021), Senior Member, Illumina, MDI