New in 2010, we have released a follow up to our ethnographic insights with a new quantitative report, Coming of Age in the Great Recession. In the fall of 2008, we conducted an ethnographic study on the cultural impact of the economic crisis and what it might mean for the future of consumerism. A year later, in the midst of the recession, we followed up with a quantitative survey.

As consumer anthropologists and marketers we set out to document this critical juncture for our culture and to identify how businesses can best respond to this shift in consumer behavior.

Together, our two research efforts document the "grounding" of the American Dream and the emergence of a new kind of consumer — The Grounded Consumer. The reports portray a society and culture going through a "rite of passage" and moving into an era where we measure the quality of our lives in social terms before economic ones.

In Grounding the American Dream we describe the five stages of "grounding" and how each stage presents specific marketing opportunities across several business categories.

In Coming of Age in the Great Recession we document specific behavioral changes as a result of the "grounded" shift and reveal four distinct segments characterizing the post-recession mindset.

To learn more, visit our study website where you will find the original study and the quantitative follow-up.

For more information, please e-mail Robbie Blinkoff or call him at (410) 223-3589.

A New Model for Communication: Studying the Deep Structure of Advertising and News Consumption.

The Associated Press, Context-Based Research Group, and Carton Donofrio Partners unveiled key findings from their collaborative, national anthropological study at WeMedia Miami on March 10, 2010. The findings of the study, A New Model for Communication, closely follow the results of a study released in 2008 by Context and AP that focused on news consumption and demonstrated that people are experiencing news fatigue and have trouble connecting to more in-depth stories (see below). Both studies were based on ethnographic research methods, which involve tracking and analyzing the behavior of individuals in their work and home environments. The new study followed 24 men and women, ages 18 to 55, in Atlanta, Kansas City, New York and San Francisco. Among the key findings was the fact that advertising simply isn't working as well as it could because the social contract – the implicit agreement advertisers and consumers have established to support a productive exchange – has been violated. The report suggests that the anthropological concept of "Communitas," involving a more egalitarian information sharing, can be used to rebuild trust between information providers and consumers. The report recommends that media companies and advertisers give themselves a "Communitas test" to see how their strategies measure up in terms of providing honest and relevant information to consumers and creating opportunities for two-way conversations.

To learn more download the complete report entitled, "A New Model for Communication: Studying the Deep Structure of Advertising and News Consumption."

For more information you can email Robbie Blinkoff or call him at (410) 223-3589.

A New Model for News: Context Research and the Associated Press

The Associated Press and Context-Based Research Group collaborated on a report that unveiled key findings from their global anthropological study at the annual World Editors Forum in Sweden on June 2, 2008. The ethnography examines news consumption patterns of young adults between the ages of 18 and 34 in Britain, the United States and India. Among the key findings was the fact that the subjects were experiencing news fatigue, meaning they were overloaded with facts and updates and had trouble connecting to more in-depth stories. Participants yearned for quality and in-depth reporting, but had difficulty immediately accessing such content. This experience was common across participants' race, gender and geographic location. "Ultimately, this deep-dive helped reshape our thinking about journalism in the digital age. We believe the findings and proposed model will help news organizations better meet the needs of today's media consumers."

To learn more download the complete report entitled, "A New Model for News: Studying the Deep Structure of Young-Adult News Consumption".

For more information you can email Robbie Blinkoff or call him at (410) 223-3589.

The Mobiles: Social Evolution in a Wireless Society

A growing and vibrant international subculture has seamlessly integrated wireless products into their daily existence: The Mobiles. Context-Based Research Group's latest global study reveals a shift in human consciousness as wireless integration alters behavior, attitudes and etiquette around the world ­ as well as how business should adapt to this evolution.

Click below to download a copy of the "The Mobiles" report.