Is “innovation” a winning message?
The client’s new video concept was a move into bold new territory. While they were a leader in medical breakthroughs, a message so focused on technology carried risks. Would a story about the future feel cold or disconnected from the human side of care? Traditional research could tell them if people liked the video, but it couldn’t reveal if the underlying message of innovation was taking their brand in the right direction. They also needed to understand if video was the right medium for the message.
Research that reveals the hidden story
PSB’s Narrative Intelligence approach cut through the noise to go beyond surface-level feedback. Our in-survey, AI engaged real respondents in a dynamic conversation about the video, asking tailored follow-ups to uncover the “why” behind their reactions.
For example, our emotion coding revealed a critical disconnect in how audiences reacted to the video. While the national audience reacted positively (only 7% expressed frustration), frustration spiked among the hospital’s most loyal audiences—23% of donors and 20% of caregivers. Narrative Intelligence then connected those emotions to specific themes within the video, pinpointing that that discussions around the next generation of healthcare, a lack of specifics, and a late brand reveal were driving the negative reactions for insiders.
Crucially, NI allowed us to measure the video against both traditional ad metrics (e.g., “trustworthy,” “unique”) and new, AI-identified innovation metrics (“forward-looking,” “technologically advanced”). The data showed the video wasn’t landing on traditional measures but was a powerful driver of the innovation metrics. The core message was working.
A tale of two audiences
Our research showed the video concept was a resounding success with the national audience, driving double-digit increases in favorability and likelihood to seek care. They saw a forward-looking, inspiring organization.
However, audiences who already knew and loved the brand were more critical towards the video. Their feedback, captured in their own words through Narrative Intelligence, provided a clear blueprint for refinement. They found the campaign’s lack of up-front branding confusing, felt the story was too focused on technology without enough human grounding, and wanted more specific proof points. The data didn’t just tell our client if the video concept worked; it showed them precisely how to refine it to make their innovation story more powerful and authentic, connecting cutting-edge care with an indistinguishably human touch.
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