MKT-642 Interdisciplinary Approach to

Consumer Understanding

Project: - Interdisciplinary Approach to Covid-19

Submitted By: Karan Trivedi AU1814018

Aneri Sheth
Deepesh Sangtani AU1814037

Submitted to: Prof. Ravi Miglani

Date: 20th April, 2020

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Ethnography, Nudge and Neuromarketing Methods to understand Public Behaviour
Ethnography and Experiment Carried out
Ethnography closes the gap between what people do and what they say they do. It helps to
remove the limitations of people not being able to, or not wanting to, tell us about their actual
feelings and motivations. There are three view points of ethnography which includes seeing
from consumers point of view, systematic study in their natural environment and within
cultural context thereby understanding their attitudes and behaviours. Ethnography is a kind
of implicit research method to know hidden feelings and it revolves mainly around
participant observation.
We knew that if we ask people in traditional survey that are you following lockdown rules
and social distancing almost everyone will have ‘Yes!’ as their answer. But are they really
following it? It is said that Ethnography can show you the below the surface behaviour and
feelings. That is why we decided to conduct an Ethnography study.
Amid this Coronavirus pandemic, since the lockdown is in place, We tried to carry out an
ethnographic experiment in our society, neighbourhood, while visiting grocery shops and
became an observer + participant observing the people in their natural settings. The objective
was to identify whether people follow the lockdown rules or not. Also, measures to prevent
oneself from Covid-19 like social distancing, handwash, wearing masks are being followed at
grocery shops or not. Since the government and civic bodies have tried to spread message and
awareness for the measures to be followed, the aim is to check whether the communication is
understood and accepted by all or there are still loopholes in that. As a part of study, I became
an observer for 5 days and carried out the research. From the 5-day study, I observed certain
things and activities that took place which is narrated below.
Karan’s Part (Ethnography-Experiment)
The lane in which I live has around 3 grocery shops nearby in line at some equal distance.
Firstly, while visiting grocery shops for buying vegetables or dairy products like milk, I
noticed that, every shop has sanitizer bottle kept in front on the desk which the customer was
supposed to be used before making a purchase or ordering something. These is to eliminate
any risks of infection when customer gives out cash with his/her hands. Second thing I
noticed that, among the 3 shops, one shop which was bigger compared to other two has extra
measures like circles were drawn with white chalks at distance of 2 meters from the entrance
to certain distance where customer must stand in those circle in waiting line, thereby
automatically maintaining social distance. The same was not the case in other two grocery
shops. Now, the locality I am living has middle class people living in flats as well as there are
slumps nearby where lower-class people stay. I observed that, majority of lower-class people
visits the other two grocery shops where such measure was not there and they create chaos
and no line formation, standing side by side and not following the social distance. Third thing
I observed that, not all people were wearing masks at the shops and even on the roads. There
was a strict communication from civic authorities stating compulsory masks wearing while
stepping out else a fine of Rs.5000 will be imposed. It seems that the communication is weak
in this aspect and not seriously followed by people. Adopting measures of social distancing,
wearing masks is a frame of stating that I am fighting in this war of COVID-19 and we are all
together. However, not following it makes the fight weak against the disease. Every grocery

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shop has banner posted of safety measures to follow and adopt. While visiting the shop, I saw
many not wearing masks. I just looked at them, tap my finger on my mask and then pointed
out to the banner of safety measures. I didn’t need to speak, I just reminded them, they were
out of frame and not helping in the war.
As an observer, every evening I stand in my balcony and notice the happenings. I found that,
lockdown was not followed fully, since many society members move out from their home
and come down the society for walk or quick chat with all for relaxation and time pass. But
they do all followed social distancing. I notice that, many society members kept chairs at
some distance between them and sat for talks. Some wore masks, some tied handkerchief but
measures were followed. Also, amid lockdown, no outsiders were given entry in the society
premises, even maid and cook were also not allowed. There is a bottle of sanitizer kept
outside the lift which everyone should use before entering in it. Talking about my family,
whosoever went out for grocery shopping or for other essentials or for a walk in the society
premises, as soon as we enter home, we first carry out handwash and changing of clothes.
These is the observation I saw within these 5 days and found that, people do not strictly
follow the given measures in the locality and some more communication needs to be
addressed and measures should be taken.

Aneri’s Part (Ethnography-Experiment)

Social Distancing during Lockdown!! Are people really following or fooling??
Social distancing has played an important role in India in reducing the Covid-19 cases. As
compared to other countries, India immediately implemented lockdown soon after there was
rise in the Covid-19 cases. Lockdown is mainly related to social distancing. The more the
people stay home, the less the virus spreads. Thus, social distancing is very necessary in such
a deadly crisis.
Our Prime Minister Mr. Modi has ordered everyone to stay safe in our homes. This is to
break the chain of corona virus. But are all the Indians following the lockdown? For an
ethnographic survey, I went to a nearby Amul Parlour to see whether people are following
social distancing or not. I went there at morning 9 AM. There was a crowd gathered at the
parlour of around 20-30 people who came to buy milk or milk products. None of them
followed social distancing. All were busy buying without thinking about the seriousness of
the disease. The same situation was observed when I went to a vegetable vendor to buy
vegetables. People were not following the rules. Few of them did not even wear masks.
Another experiment was done observing people in my flat. Servants and cooks are not
allowed to enter inside the flat. There have also been rules for the ones who go for a walk or
to get refreshed on the terrace. The watchman makes sure that there are not more than 4-5
people on the terrace. If there are more, they are asked to come after some time once the
current ones leave. It is also compulsory for all the flat members to wear masks whenever
they step out of their houses.
Deepesh’s Part (Ethnography-Experiment)
In morning I went to buy milk from an Amul Parlour just outside the society. It is on the main
road so a lot of people regularly visit there to buy dairy products. First thing I observed when
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I reached near to the shop that there were around 15 people and everyone was wearing a
mask. Although some people were maintaining considerable distance from other people but
there were as such no lines formed. Usually people know each other here so some 5 odd
people made a circle and were chatting. Some people brought cloth & plastic bags with them
and the shopkeeper would keep milk packets and other products directly in the bag. When my
chance came to buy milk packets was outside the counter, a thread was tied to the side pillars
which was approximately 1 metre away from the counter. Counter was approximately 2
metres length making it total 3 metres distance between buyer and seller. Also the shop had
sanitizer and he also had a spray (water + soap) which he was spraying on the counter.
There are also laariwalas who sell vegetables just across the road. I observed that people did
wear masks but no social distancing was being followed. Also people who had cloth bags and
were not touching dairy products were not touching the tomatoes and other vegetables. They
were doing it to select the good vegetables and it has been quite a practice in India.
We have a small veranda in our house where I walk every evening, but this time I went to
observe what is happening in the society. People were walking maintaining distance and also
wearing masks. People also sit on chairs in society garden where they were maintaining some
distance. Children were playing badminton with their parents inside the gates (in the veranda)
and were not wearing masks. Society watchman is constantly taking a round in the society in
the evening making sure that everyone is following the rules.
In our house whenever someone comes from outside, first wipes the things he/she bought
with a wet cloth (soap + water). And then they wash their hands.
Insights from the Ethnography-Experiment
All 3 of us tried our best to capture the data like an ethnographer and tried to summarize in
the previous part. We have come up with the following insights:
 In the society or building premises, majority of the people are following social
distancing.
 There are shops where people don’t make proper ques.
 Some people still don’t follow social distancing outside grocery shops.
 Some people still don’t wear masks outside grocery shops in spite of an Rs.5000 fine
imposed for not wearing a mask by the government.
 Since society or building rules are strict and watchmen are there to inspect, people
follow rules.
 Since outside the grocery shops and dairy there is no one to inspect, people tend to
forget about social distancing.

Nudge for Social Distancing

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After conducting the Ethnographic Research we have enough evidence that there still some
people who are not following social distancing (maybe unknowingly). Because if asked that
do they follow social distancing and
wear masks they will answer yes!
They want to follow social distancing
but due to their regular behaviour they
forget to follow social distancing at the
shops sometimes. So, we thought only a
minimal nudge is required to ensure
people to follow social distancing. The
nudge we planned is as follows:
Since WHO has said ideal distance to
save oneself from the corona virus
spread is 6 foot or 1.8m. So, we planned
to use the Priming Heuristic to prepare
this nudge. We will use red and green
colours, where red is perceived as
danger or alert or stop by the people and
green is perceived as safe or
environment.
So, outside a milk parlour or grocery
shops we can make green outlined
rectangles of 1*2 metres on a distance of 1.8 metres (as prescribed by WHO). And in
between these green rectangles red crosses should be drawn. A visual example is shown in
the image.
This experiment will remind people in their system 1 brain that they have to maintain some
distance from people or it could be dangerous (red crosses will trigger that in their mind).

Neuromarketing Tools
Amid this Corona Virus pandemic, we can understand that many expensive tools like FMRI
scans can’t be taken into consideration by AMC. Since planning a whole FMRI test and
executing it takes a lot of time and expertise which may not be available in this point of time.
So, we need tools which can generate faster results and their planning and execution is also
not time consuming. Hence, we have come up with 2 tools which can be useful for AMC in
this situation. The tools which we are proposing are as follows:
Eye Movement Tracking: This is a tool used to track change in eye movements like speed,
location & duration of fixations, pattern and gaze path. It accurately records what and where
people look when they perform tasks. So, it is precisely possible to track what people look,
read and more importantly what they miss. A participant/respondent has to wear simple
spectacles which records all the previously mentioned information. This spectacle (a mobile
eye-tracking device) also has a camera attached with it so that while analysing one can see
exactly track changes in eye movements.

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We will use this tool to check whether our Nudge Experiment is successful or not, by
analysing participants’ eye movement when they look at the green boxes and red crosses.
Also, there are many ways AMC can use this tool, we have added only one additional way to
use it.
Behavioural Reaction Time: It is based on hearing/seeing a stimulus and pressing a
response button. Priming is used to record the behavioural reaction time. Precisely if the first
word primes the second word (has a strong association in the System 1 brain), then the
response will be faster. If the second word is not primed by the first, the response will be
slower. This technique is used when direct questioning can only provide rational responses,
not the true feelings (which is usually helpful to track accurate behaviour).
In this situation, if you directly ask people are they following social distancing and wearing
masks all the time they go outside they will obviously answer yes! But there are instances
where these same people may not have followed social distancing and also they might have
forgotten to have a mask. But with Behavioural Response Time priming and testing AMC
can figure out the true feelings of the people in this lockdown period.

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