Consumerology Book Review by Philip Graves
Tony Lewis shares his thoughts on Counsumerology book by Philip Graves – The market research myth, the truth about consumer behaviour and the psychology of shopping.
“Boldly questions the validity of traditional research methods.”
About Philip Graves
Philip Graves is a consumer behaviour consultant with over twenty years’ experience observing customers as both a market research manager and advisor. His work exposed the persistent gap between what people claim they do and how they actually behave in real purchasing situations. He has advised major brands including ITV, Virgin Media and Pepsi, shaping more effective, insight-led strategies.
What puts Graves in a strong position to talk about consumers is not just theory, but direct observation. He has spent years analysing real-world behaviour rather than relying solely on claimed data. This hands-on exposure to decision-making in live commercial environments gives his views credibility, particularly for marketers seeking practical, evidence-based insight rather than comfortable assumptions.
Consumerology Book Outline
Market research is a myth is the premise of the book! Philip Graves argues why the findings obtained from most market research are completely unreliable (really?). Whether it is businesses seeking to define their corporate strategy or politicians wanting to understand the electorate, he suggests that questions answered on a questionnaire or discussed in a focus groups is the cause of (many) product failures, political blunders and wasted billions.
Consumer.ology potentially exposes some of the most expensive examples of research-driven thinking clouding judgement, experience and evidence. Failures include New Coke to General Motors, from Mattel to the Millennium Dome. In contrast suggests instances of success through ignoring market research, such as Baileys and Dr Who. It also suggests some tools and ideas businesses should be using if they want to understand their customers.
Who is it for?
The book Consumerology is ideal for marketers, brand managers, insight professionals, and anyone else involved in understanding consumer behaviour. It’s particularly useful for those relying on research, surveys, or focus groups, as it reveals why traditional methods can mislead, and how to uncover what customers truly do.
Key points and lessons from Consumerology
Market Research as the scapegoat
Clearly, the premise of this book (i.e. blaming market research for bad business mistakes) is unlikely to sit well with any practising market researcher and therefore it was difficult to stomach at times. However, there is merit in some of the points Philip makes, such as the need to; focus on behaviours , the importance of context and the importance of the subconscious mind for decision-making. But overall, it felt that many of the arguments were actually quite naïve and indeed misleading, and that some of the case studies were potentially based on hearsay (rather than the full story) – blaming research for the outcome rather than the hundreds of other factors that can lead to the demise of a product launch or marketing campaign.
Importance of Behavioural Economics
Chapter 2 is one of my favourite chapters because it taps into the important area of Behavioural Economics (BE). It includes topics such as Loss Aversion, Social Proof and Mental Fluency. There are many facets to BE and all researchers and marketers should ensure they are well-versed with these concepts. Armed with these ideas it is a lot easier to understand the world and make better decisions and recommendations. I would recommend Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely and The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton.
The Consumer in context:
Chapter 3. Another good chapter, which is titled ‘The Consumer in Context”. This makes an important point about the context of the research and how advertising and product choices are influenced by the environment in which they are tested. The important lesson here is that research should be as realistic as possible. For example, undertaken where advertising and products are most likely to be consumed or bought. Looking at your brand in isolation is a bit of a meaningless context and it is important that the broader market context and brand options are always taken into consideration within a research exercise.
Overall thoughts about Consumerology
This book was recommended to me by Peter Knowles the previous owner of Heawood Research. I’m most grateful to Peter as it has opened my eyes to the critics of research. In Consumerology, Philip Graves challenges traditional market research methods, arguing that what consumers say often differs from what they do. Drawing on behavioural science, he exposes the flaws in surveys and focus groups. It’s a provocative, essential read for marketers seeking more reliable insight and smarter decision-making.
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