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BUSINESS ANTHROPOLOGY

Pioneering since 2006

Since 2006, we have used business anthropology to inform the work we create for you: marketing campaigns that connect with your customers on a deeply human level.

WHAT is it?

Business anthropology applies anthropological theory and methods to organisations, marketing, consumer behaviour and design. It looks at the human side of business decisions: emotional connections and cultural influences.

How does it work?

It uses ethnographic research: in-depth, qualitative study of people in their natural environments. This reveals customer behaviour, employee dynamics and market trends, and the emotional and rational factors behind decisions.

Who is it for?

Businesses engaged in sales, marketing, product development and organisational strategy. It suits companies that want to know their customers deeply, improve employee engagement and strengthen customer experience.

How Demographica can help you

Four anthropology lenses, one goal: stronger connections and better strategic decisions.

Audience Ethnography

An anthropological deep dive into your target audience to uncover key insights into who they are, what they do, think, and feel on a human level.

Product Ethnography:

An anthropological approach to understanding user insights, including experiences, needs, and emotional relationships with specific products.

Employee Anthropology

Analyses your employees through an anthropological lens, providing insights into sales culture, team dynamics, and employee experience crucial for marketing your brand.

Customer Journey Ethnography

An ethnographically informed approach to understanding customer experience and expectations, mapping their journey to better serve their needs and expectations.

By applying ethnographic research methodologies, Demographica illuminates the emotional and cultural drivers behind consumer decisions and organisational dynamics, enabling businesses to build stronger connections and make informed strategic decisions.

How an engagement runs

Immersive, qualitative fieldwork, from first conversation to interactive report.

Step 1

Immersion with you

  • We ask questions to understand your research and marketing requirements. Your anthropologist then writes a Research Proposal for sign-off, while customer names and contacts are collected.

Step 2.1

Participant introduction

  • Customers are told about the research and can opt out. You get an introductory email template or script, you open the door, and we schedule interviews and immersions.

Step 2.1

In-field ethnography

  • Our anthropologists visit participants in their own settings, using observation and open, conversational interviews. We follow their stories and notice the sights, sounds and smells of the space.
    Runs for 6 weeks, with an insights workshop at the end of week 4 or 5.

Step 3

Immersion with you

  • A half-day session where we share findings and co-create insights with your teams, unpack themes and build out the decision-making unit.

Step 4

Interactive ethnography report

  • Key insights, DMU personas and user profiles, and customer journeys. Insights guide strategy; the DMU and segmentation give you tactics for engaging stakeholders.

What you can achieve

Our anthropologists have worked across B2B industries, and on ethnographic immersions in Africa for global clients.

  • A real-world understanding of the cultures of your customers’ worlds
  • Humanising the people at the centre of the buy, and understanding users’ and stakeholders’ roles, emotions and behaviours
  • Seeing how the whole buying system or journey works together
  • Marketing communication and design that is human-first and resonates
 

GET IN TOUCH

START WITH
THE PEOPLE

Tell us about your research or marketing challenge and we will shape a Research Proposal around it.

+27 (0)11 447 7373

hello@demographica.co.za