Market research video vox pops

Derived from the Latin term ‘vox populi’, which means ‘voice of the people’, video vox pops are an engaging format which enables you to both see and hear the direct reactions of your target audience. Constructed from footage taken on-street, in group sessions or in the participant’s own home, video vox pops bring recorded clips together to highlight research findings and key points raised by participants. 

At DJS Research we’ve used vox pops within qualitative research projects and as a standalone method to capture authentic views and opinions on camera. They can be a fantastic way to bring consumers, end-users or audiences to life in the boardroom and video can be such a powerful tool – it’s often the on-screen clips that stakeholders remember the most!

With a wealth of videography experience, our in-house Creative Services team can produce short, engaging video clips to intersperse within a debrief or longer highlight reels which summarise key points and complement long-form reports. Our professional videographer has recorded vox pops on the street, in focus groups and as part of home-based interviews. We bring not only the skills and the tools to capture high quality footage, but the vital interpersonal skills to make sure respondents feel comfortable on screen. Our team know how to set up quickly, conduct shoots efficiently and create clean, polished outputs that reflect genuine consumer insights.

Although video vox pops may appear entirely spontaneous, they require careful planning to execute effectively and we work closely with our clients to understand content requirements and aspirations in detail ahead of the shoot. A recent example of an in-home video vox pop for our Yorkshire Water can be found below.

Case study: Bring a customer’s personal experience to life through an at-home video vox pop

Yorkshire Water wanted to share tangible examples of real-life customer experiences, specifically the negative impacts of domestic drain flooding, with their on-site teams and through their internal customer services training programme. They identified a severe case where a customer had been adversely affected when sewer drains flooded beneath her home. To bring the experience to life, our solution was to conduct a video vox pop style interview in the customer's home to capture the real essence of the event.

Having someone come into your home with professional cameras, lighting and sound equipment can feel a little intimidating, so our first priority was to reassure the homeowner and ensure she felt relaxed. We used a simple and informal setup and took the time to have a chat (and a cuppa) with the customer to put her at ease before we began filming.

Together with the team at Yorkshire Water our researchers had developed a bespoke set of interview questions to help the customer share her experiences, encouraging her to speak openly and with confidence.

In addition to the main interview, we captured additional footage of the affected home and the surrounding area to support the overall narrative. These extras ensured a strong visual context and increased the warmth and personality of the overall piece.

Our sensitive approach, and holistic mode of content capture, transformed a straightforward interview into a valuable, personal and authentic piece of content which conveyed a powerful message to Yorkshire Water employees.