Article by: Mike York, COO

Ever bought a seven-foot totem pole at 2 AM? No? Just me? Okay, cool.

Here’s the thing: people don’t make decisions in a vacuum. They make them in kitchens with a sleeve of Oreos, in checkout lines while juggling unreasonable toddlers, or on their phones at 11:30 PM while Googling “best tactical flashlight that’s also a stun gun for a future raccoon standoff.”

That’s where custom research swoops in like the world’s most polite detective. Instead of assuming that everyone buys stuff the same way, research actually digs into the messy, hilarious, and often irrational context behind the buy button.

Why Context-Rich Behaviors Matter

Let’s be real: “People like sneakers” is useless intel. You know who else likes sneakers? Literally everyone from your grandma to your favorite barista’s iguana.

But why they buy sneakers, that’s gold. Is it for marathon training? For TikTok streetwear cred? For hiding the fact that they haven’t done laundry in a month?

Here at SMARI, we give brands the ability to map these motivations in detail, turning generic “buyer personas” into living, breathing characters who do questionable things on weekends.

The Comedy of Assumptions

Without context, marketing looks like this:

• Assumption: “Our customers want value.”
• Reality: They’ll happily pay $6 for artisanal round ice balls because they “taste colder.”
• Assumption: “People shop logically.”
• Reality: One-third of carts get abandoned because someone’s cat knocked over a cup of coffee and then sat on the keyboard.
• Assumption: “Shoppers compare products.”
• Reality: They just bought the one with the best meme in the reviews section.

Good research doesn’t just ask “what do they buy?” It asks “what mood are they in, what’s happening around them, and what irrational little gremlins drive their decision-making?”

Turning Insights into Action

With context-rich purchasing insights, you can:

• Time campaigns for actual decision windows (not random Tuesdays).
• Craft messaging that makes people say, “Oh wow, this brand gets me.”
• Stop wasting money yelling at people who aren’t even in the mood to listen.

Basically, you go from “spray-and-pray” to “laser-focused Jedi mind trick.”

The Punchline

At the end of the day, customers aren’t spreadsheets. They’re sitcom characters with unpredictable arcs. SMARI helps you understand the scene before you deliver the line.

And when you nail the context? You’re not just selling a product. You’re delivering the perfect punchline at precisely the right moment.

So, are you marketing in the dark, or are you ready to turn on the lights and see your customers for who they really are (totem poles, Oreos, cats, and all)?

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SMARI is an award-winning Indiana-based market research consultancy that was founded in 1983 with the idea of guiding change and inspiring confidence. We are proud to work with SMEs as well as a variety of Fortune 500 brands. We are powered by our core values: integrity, community, perseverance, trust, passion, curiosity, and innovation. SMARI’s expertise includes full project scopes, including instrument design, sampling & fielding services, reporting & analysis in Healthcare, CPG, Retail, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing, Financial Services industries, and beyond. Much has changed in our 40+ years, but our tagline and overarching mission remain the same—to guide change and inspire confidence. Start a conversation with us at www.SMARI.com.