ABC+ by Brain Value

ABC+

The expert of children and family research

ABC+ was created in 1987, with one simple mission in mind: giving a voice to children, who were already known as influencers but had previously never been consulted.

Today, after thousands of research studies accomplished, ABC+ has become ABC + by Brain Value to take full advantage of the growth coming from Brain Value and multiply opportunities of synergies.

Specialist Specialist

The expert of children and family research

This positioning relies on several areas of expertise:

Knowledge of psychic mechanisms regarding every milestone in a child’s development.
Mastering methodologies and types of moderation dedicated to children.
Interpretation of societal changes, and the position it gives to families and youth.
Understanding family relationships, trouble spots and aspirations in family life.
The changing role of grand-parents, key in the flourishment and balance of family life.

The child is becoming an even more specific & complex target.

A multi-faceted target:

Indeed, levers are not the same regarding age groups and sex. A one-year difference can bring with it the phenomena of rejection or adoration, depending on the child.
A segmentation challenge that we always take into account when defining our research methodologies.

A coded target, whose expectations need to be decrypted:

A moderation challenge which we consider by adapting our discussion guides and interview methods to the targets.

A complex target, whose trends and fads change constantly:

A modernity challenge which pushes us to show constant innovation in our sociological and trend follow-ups, in the creation of new tools and moderation techniques used during the strategic planning sessions we offer.

The Family, a changing target.

Since 1993, ABC+ has established a family ‘observatory’, a sort of overview that enables us to

Understand in-depth the shifts in family life and the status of maternity & paternity: shifts which generate new insights.

Identify tensions and priorities in education, which directly influence family activities and product choices.

Studies Studies

Child and family research is unlike any other research study

Children’s studies require target expertise and the use of specific methodologies.

Target expertise:

For children, each age group is specific

Every age is different, which is why we cover a range: from little children to older ones, i.e. a few months to 16-year-olds.

Early childhood: 0 – 3 y.o.
Childhood: 3 – 6 y.o.
Middle childhood: 6 – 9 y.o.
Pre-teenagers: 10-12 y.o.
Teenagers: 13 – 16 y.o.

Mums are also part of our priority

For 25 years, ABC+ has been interviewing mums, therefore also positioning ourselves as experts regarding the mother target.

This specific target is not related to womanhood, nor adulthood, it is connected to mums who are conditioned by their status of motherhood.
We decode mother/child relationships and their evolution.
We gather testimonies from mothers who anticipate their children’s tastes.

… Dads and grand-parents are also widely and increasingly integrated into our research mechanisms!

Indirect targets and experts are often implicated

Friends, adult networks, teachers, educators
…hold a mediator role which influences consumption and targets’ motivations.

Methodologies Specific methodologies and tools

We have developed various methodologies

Qualitative research: focus groups with specific child moderation and individual interviews - 25 years’ experience has enabled us to develop specific methods to give rhythm to our fieldwork, adapt spaces, facilitate and share speaking time…
Quantitative research: in France or internationally via mirror questioning, assisted questioning…
Ethno studies: in-home interviews followed by observation and documentation (photographs, videos…).
Strategic planning: before launching a study, to better understand the targets’ challenges and tendencies, or afterwards in the form of workshops.
… Studies with various goals:
-    Brand overview and mix
-    Target explorations
-    Usages and Attitudes
-    Positioning testing, product testing

Tools ABC+ Tools

Duo-groups To survey children and mums simultaneously but separately. A method which guarantees ‘truth-telling’ from each target, while also confronting differing points of view.

Interviewing mums To gather children’s perceptions, especially from kids who are not able to put ideas into words yet, nor socialized enough to perform in groups. Mums will therefore interview their child, and then report their reactions, before giving their own point of view.

Testimonial mums Mothers anticipate more and more their child’s tastes (with purchases that take into account the child’s tendencies to guarantee consumption of the purchased product). It is almost always fitting to interview mothers alone, or at the end of childrens’ focus groups.

Tiny reporters No one is more curious than children, especially when asked them to play journalists / reporters and tell us about their hobbies and those of their friends.

Storytellers’ notebook All children love filling out ‘secret notebooks’ … and that is what they do when we ask them to write down their timetables, consumption, brand imagery…