Concept naming: Exploratory methods in the development of product design and brand DNA

The primary research method described in the case studies for this chapter offers a unique alternative for integrating product personality in brand development. A new method, a specific derivation of product personality assignment referred to as 'Concept Naming,' is offered in combination with other more standard research methods. The Concept Naming method in particular asks respondents to assign personalities to particular areas or features on a product rather than the entire product itself in order to explore consumer/user perceptions, motivations and attitudes towards specific product/brand attributes and the individual meanings and values they place on them. Concept Naming in combination with other qualitative and quantitative data collection methods facilitates the development of a product character vocabulary based on form, color, material, texture, details, and brand. This product character vocabulary when analyzed leads to the development of product and environment design based on Brand DNA (a combination of the tangible and intangible aspects of the product brand).