Female Focus Group Script

Moderator: Hannah Wills
Scribes: Lucy Stevenson
Hannah Thomas
Attendees: Alisha Abraham
Jasmine Anderson
Alexandra Burnham-Stevens
Emily Fleming
Alice Fry
Sophie Rose
Gemma Sparrow
Jessica Taylor
Sophie Thompson

Hi, thanks for coming everyone. I’d like to start by going round and asking you to introduce yourselves and what you do. You can start (looking at girl to the right) with your name, age, occupation, any interests you have, sports you do and anything else you think is relevant.

Jasmine: Hi I’m Jasmine, I’m 21 years old and I’m a Student studying Media Studies. I took a year out in between High School and university to go travelling. I love sports- I go to the gym and take Salsa lessons.

Sophie Rose: Hi my name is Sophie and I’m 20 years old. I live in Marbella in Spain but I came over to England to go to University. I’m studying Architecture and I do pretty much the same as Jasmine in the sports sense: I go to the gym and we go to Salsa together as well. I go swimming sometimes too.

Sophie Thompson: Hello my name is Sophie. I’m 19 and I’m studying American Studies. I don’t really do very much apart from going out with my friends! I’m pretty useless in the physical sense. Don’t do any sports. I know I should but I just can’t be bothered!

Alexandra: Hey my name is Alexandra and I am 19 as well. I’m from Spain too and came to England for University. I’m studying Business with Spanish. I’m not really that into my fitness either, I go to the gym the odd time but not as much as I should! That’s about it really!

Gemma: Hi my name’s Gemma and I’m 20 years old, I’m a student too, studying Sociology. I go walking the odd time but not much other exercise I’m afraid! I do all the normal things like going out with my friends and all that too. Just not much in the way of sports!

Alisha: My name’s Alisha, I’m 20 and I’m a second year student doing Architecture. I moved here from India a few years before I started university and hope to go back there to live when I graduate. I don’t have much spare time because my course has such a high workload but I try to go to the gym whenever I get the chance.

Jessica: I’m Jess and I’m 19. I’m in second year too studying Broadcast Journalism. I used to go to the gym a lot last year but I seem to be going less this year, I just can’t be bothered as much and I feel like I have more work to do! Apart from that I don’t really do a lot else.

Alice: Hello, I’m Alice, I’m 21 and I’m currently studying Fashion and Textile Management. I also go to the gym quite a lot with my housemates, if they didn’t encourage me I don’t think I’d have much motivation to go!

Emily: My name’s Emily, I do fine art and I’m 20. I don’t really like going to the gym or running, I don’t enjoy sports like that. I do like going swimming occasionally though.

Thanks, I’m going to ask you a few questions so if you have something to say then please feel free to start a discussion.
Do you wear lifestyle trainers at all, as in not for sport but for casual wear?

Emily: No not really. I’m not really in to trainers. They should be for sports and not fashion. (Everyone laughs.)

Gemma: No I don’t either.

Jess: I don’t wear trainers except if I’m going to the gym. Then I wear Nike.

Alisha: Yeah I wear Nike to the gym but I quite often wear Converse outside of it.

Alice: Yeah I like Converse too, I definitely think they’re better for fashion than for sport!

(Sophie Thompson and Jasmine nod in agreement.)

Sophie Rose: I have a few pairs but I prefer wearing other shoes really if I’m honest.

Alexandra: Me too, I wear them from time to time but I wouldn’t say I’m some kind of sneaker freak or anything! (Laughs.)

What are your favourite brands for lifestyle trainers, if any?

Alisha: Definitely Converse, just because they’re so comfy. Their reputation is good too, like they’re just known for being cool. (Everyone nods in agreement.)

Jess: Yeah I always think your Converse look good, I just don’t tend to wear them myself, it’s not really my style. But yeah, I’d say Converse are my favourite on other people, they always seem to look stylish.

Sophie Thompson: Well as I said before I’m not really big on my sports, but I do love throwing on a pair of Converse and just lounging around.

Jasmine: Yeah I love converse too. They’re great for throwing on to go to Uni.

Sophie Rose: The actual brand doesn’t really matter to me as long as they look good. I like to look good at all times, regardless of whether I’m sweating at the gym or just out and about. I’m wearing Reebok at the moment.

Alexandra: Personally, I’m an Adidas woman. I don’t know...I’ve been wearing them since I was a kid and I’ve never worn anything else! They look good and they perform well. Well...when I actually bother to go to the gym! (Laughs.)

Jasmine: I don’t know about their lifestyle ranges but for sport I love Nike. I think they’re a great running shoe. I wear them to the gym all the time!

Gemma: I don’t really care. A pair of trainers is a pair of trainers.

Emily: I don’t really like trainers, I just don’t think they look nice.

Alice: Some do! Obviously I wouldn’t wear trainers that are specifically designed for sports just for everyday but I agree with what everyone’s been saying about Converse. I like Gola too, they have some nice stuff.

Alisha: I like hi-tops, (to moderator) I like the ones you’ve got on.
Oh thanks, these are Ecko Red.

Alisha: Hmm I haven’t really heard of them.

Jess: Me neither but I often look at people’s trainers and think ‘Oh they’re cool’ without knowing the brand.
So the brand isn’t always that important?

Jess: Well not to me, no. But that’s probably because I don’t really buy trainers. I just look at them.

Emily: Yeah I’m the same. I look at some pairs of trainers by a brand and I’ll think ‘hmm maybe they’re not TOO bad’ and then I’ll see another by the same brand and just think they look vile. It doesn’t bother me though because I’m not going to buy them anyway.

Alisha: Yeah I know what you mean but if I’m going to spend money on them I’d like the brand to have a good reputation, I wouldn’t be too keen on buying a brand I’d never heard of before.

Jess: No, because you don’t really know what kind of quality they’ll be.

Alice: And it’s kind of nice if someone asks you where your trainers are from if you can say a brand that has a great reputation rather than one that people know to be a bit dodgy.

So quality is important to you Jess and the rest of you think brand reputation is important?

All: Yeah definitely (nodding).

So when you buy trainers, is this what you look for the most?

Jess: Well for me to even notice trainers they have to look good, like a mix between sporty and stylish. I don’t like really bright colours though, like you get a lot of them that are neon and orange or whatever. I don’t like that.

Alisha: No I don’t like weird colours, I like red Converse though just because they’re so classic. I suppose that’s what’s important to me yes, prestige and reputation. But mostly comfort to be honest.

Emily: If they’re not comfortable then what’s the point in even wearing trainers? You might as well just wear something else. (Everyone nods in agreement.)

Alexandra: That’s true, I usually wear trainers when I want to wear something really comfy.

Have you ever heard of New Balance?

Alisha and Emily: No. (Shaking of heads.)

Jess: New Balance? Yeah, they’re quite in at the moment aren’t they? All the indie boys wear them, I’ve noticed a couple of people I know wearing them recently.

Alice: Really? I’ve only ever seen people running in them. To be honest I didn’t think they were really considered cool enough to wear outside of sports.

Gemma: Nope.

Jasmine: Yeah I have, I used to have a pair for playing hockey in school! They were pretty good actually!

Sophie Rose: I’ve heard of them but I’ve never owned a pair or anything.

Alexandra: Yeah the name sounds familiar.

Sophie Thompson: Nah I don’t think I’ve ever heard of them.

What do you think of New Balance Jess?

Jess: I don’t really know much about them, I’d not heard of them until recently. But
the ones I’ve seen people wearing look alright.

I take it none of you own any New Balance though?

(Everyone shakes their head.)

Jess: Nah, like I say I don’t wear trainers normally and when I do sports I use Nike, just because all the pairs I’ve had have been really good so why change?

Jasmine: Like I said, I used to. I don’t own any anymore though.

Alice: I wear Reebok for sports. I’m really not a runner though, otherwise I might use them.

Alisha: And I’ve never heard of New Balance! (Emily nods in agreement to this.)
Have you ever seen any New Balance adverts?

Alisha: Nope.

(Alice and Emily shake their heads.)

Jess: No I don’t think so. I’ve only noticed the trainers on other people. If I have seen any adverts I haven’t remembered what they were for!

Gemma: Well I’ve never seen any advertising for them I don’t think.

Sophie Thompson: Yeah they’re a bit under the radar aren’t they?

Jasmine: The only reason I’d heard of them before I went to buy a pair was because our teacher had recommended them! I’ve never seen any advertising either.
What are your favourite adverts or advertising campaigns at the moment?

Jess and Alisha: That cat one!

Emily: With the thumbs? What’s that for again?

Alisha: Milk, Cravendale I think.

Jess: (Nodding) Yeah, I love that advert! It makes me laugh every time I see the gang of cats clicking their fingers. Jog on kitties! (Starts laughing.) Apart from that the Fosters ones are always funny, where people ring them up with their problems. (Everyone nods.)

Sophie Thompson: Nadal is advertising something right now. No idea what it is, but I know he’s in it and I know he looks good! Mmmm...

Sophie Rose: That’s a good advert then if you don’t even know what it’s advertising!

Sophie Thompson: I don’t know...something sporty!

Sophie Rose: (Laughs.) Yeah, remember the old Diet Coke adverts? They were so good! With the sexy men? And that Aero Bubbles advert with Smyth Jerrod from Sex and the City...now that’s what I call effective advertising! AND I remember what the advert was about! (More laughs.)

Sophie Thompson: (Laughs.) Yeah you are right!

Jasmine: I used to love those Dr. Pepper adverts. They always made me laugh!

Gemma: Yeah they were good! I like that advert with the cow on the beach and it wants to be a horse! It’s so funny!

Alice: Yeah! (Laughs.) She’s called Mary isn’t she?

Gemma: Yeah! Love it.

Alice: Oh, and Innocent! Where the smoothies are superheroes, I love that one. I think it’s because the song always ends up in my head and it’s such a weird idea, that the smoothie is a superhero. I like his cape.

Jess: Hmm that one annoys me a bit. I also like the McCain ones just because they’re all about family and I think it’s cute.

Emily: Urgh, I find things like that boring! I’m not interested in ‘cute’ adverts.

Jess: Why? It’s nice! What about Oreo’s? I love that advert! That little boy and his dog are adorable.

Emily: Nah, they’re the kind of adverts I’d flick the channel for. I like the rapping farmers one for Yeo Valley, that really makes me laugh.

(Everyone nods in agreement.)

Gemma: It makes me laugh every time! I hate the way they’ve made it into a shorter version now though!

Alexandra: Remember that one last year with the fish? I think it was advertising Cadbury’s Spots v Stripes. It was so weird! It was like why are there fish advertising for the Olympics? It was a good laugh too!

Jasmine: Yeah I like the WKD adverts too. They’re always funny ‘cause someone is always doing something stupid in them!

So on the whole you’d say you like entertaining adverts better?

Alisha: Definitely, if they’re funny or just really random then they get my attention and I’ll sit and watch the whole thing to find out what it’s all about.

Jess: Yeah really unusual ones are more likely to get my attention if I’m just passing but if I’m watching the TV anyway I tend to pay attention to most of them and I like the sweet ones too, with cute animals or children in them.

Emily: The thing I really hate is when adverts TRY to be funny but really aren’t!

Alice: Yeah, I can’t stand that! If you’re not funny then don’t try to be, surely brands can see those adverts are terrible?

So what do you count as bad adverts? What adverts do you dislike?

Gemma: I really really REALLY hate those Go Compare adverts. They are SO annoying.

(Everyone nods in agreement.)

Sophie Thompson: Oh I hate that advert!

Alexandra: Yeah and those Compare the Market ones too. The meerkat thing was funny at first but it’s just been so overdone now.

Jess: Oh no! I still like that one, I think it’s hilarious!

Alisha: No I agree with Alexandra, it’s been done too much and has no relevance whatsoever.

Jasmine: I don’t like any kind of insurance adverts really. They’re all crap!

Sophie Rose: I’m not a big fan of the Crunchy Nut advert with the man doing the news really fast ‘cause he can’t wait to get his cereal. It’s just stupid. And I hate that Ryvita advert with Lisa Snowdon. When is that woman going to realise that she’s just not famous? So she went out with George Clooney like a million years ago...so what?

Jasmine: (Laughs.) Bit harsh Soph?

Sophie Rose: I don’t care. She’s so annoying!

It’s interesting that you automatically refer to TV adverts, would you say this is the media channel you pay most attention to?

Alisha: Yes definitely, I don’t have a lot of spare time on my course but when I’m not doing work I enjoy relaxing in front of the TV so that’s where I see the majority of adverts.

Alice: I like to look at magazines and I’m really interested in photoshoots for campaigns because I used to do photography but I can’t really afford magazines any more! I don’t really listen to the radio either so yeah, TV would be the main place I see adverts.

Emily: (nodding) I only listen to my iTunes rather than the radio.
What about outdoor advertising, that’s surely quite hard to miss?

Jasmine: Yeah I suppose but I kind of tune it out. I mean, if I’m walking somewhere I just focus on getting there quickly rather than looking around at posters and stuff.

Alexandra: What about billboards though and trams? Those adverts are massive!

Jasmine: I know but they never seem to advertise anything interesting, all the ones I’ve seen in town are like for government campaigns and McDonalds and stuff. I don’t pay attention to them because they’re boring!

Sophie Rose: Yeah I suppose you’re right.
So if a brand did an interesting outdoor campaign you would pay more attention?

Gemma: Yeah probably, like Alexandra said, some of that stuff’s hard to miss. It just doesn’t capture my attention because it’s usually pretty standard. If it was amusing or something really really different then I’d definitely stop and look because I’d want to know what was going on.

Jess: Like the T-Mobile adverts.

Gemma: Yeah exactly! If it was something like that, you’d kind of know that everyone would be talking about it in a few days so it would be really cool if you could see it first hand rather than on YouTube. Then you could say to people ‘Yeah I was there when that happened!’

(Everyone nods in agreement.)

Speaking of YouTube, what do you think of online advertising?

Alice: Honestly? It annoys me a bit.

Emily: (nodding) I know what you mean, I hate pop-ups. I don’t think anyone actually looks at them because they’re just so annoying being in the way all the time when you’re busy.

Jess: Sometimes if I see an advert that looks interesting in the corner of a webpage or something then I’ll click on it to see more. But that’s very rarely.

Alisha: If I’ve heard people talking about a really cool advert they’ve seen and I haven’t seen it before then I’ll often go online to have a look but only if it’s funny or just weird. Like that Cravendale cat one, I hadn’t seen it before but my housemates were like ‘I love that advert with cats with thumbs, I can’t believe you’ve not seen it yet!’ So I decided to check it out on YouTube.

What brands, if any, do you think have consistently good advertising?

Sophie Thompson: Erm I don’t know really. Nike? They always have loads of big names in their adverts so it gets a lot of people talking. And my boyfriend wouldn’t stop talking about that one they did for the World Cup last year because he said it really got him in the World Cup spirit. What a loser!

Alisha: I don’t know either, I usually think brands have a really good ad campaign then when their next one comes out I’m like ‘oh, that’s nowhere near as good as the last one!’ Probably Coke. I mean, I quite like their adverts and they’re usually quite original, not to mention their Christmas adverts are so iconic now.

Alice: Oh yeah definitely. And Fosters actually, they’re normally really funny.
Do you think celebrity endorsements are a good or a bad thing?

Emily: I don’t think celebrity endorsements are exactly necessary, I mean most of the adverts I like the best don’t have any celebs in whatsoever.

Jess: I agree but I think some campaigns just have more impact when they’re full of celebrities. Remember that Pepsi advert ages ago where Pink, Beyoncé and Britney were gladiators for the emperor Enrique Iglesias? That advert wouldn’t have got half the attention it did if they hadn’t been in it!

Gemma: I don’t know. It can be quite tricky. Every celebrity has people who love them and people who aren’t so keen. Like the L’Oreal adverts with Cheryl Cole. I know loads of people absolutely love her but personally, I wouldn’t buy anything she advertises. I think she’s so over-rated.

Jasmine: Yeah I agree. I think if you like the person it’s great but if not then it doesn’t do any favours for the brand. That whole Tiger Woods scandal is a prime example. Everyone thought he was such a great sports man but as soon as he did something that harmed his likeable reputation, his advertising contracts were all torn up!

Sophie Rose: Yeah it was the same as Kate Moss and that whole coke thing.

Alice: But at least she managed to bounce back after that. Tiger Woods isn’t having any luck at all!

Well thank you very much for answering my questions, it’s been a great help.

Posted by Lucy Stevenson