Modern market research has made significant progress in pushing the envelope of analytical models of consumer behavior, but common and highly visible marketing failures indicate that something is missing in this approach. Long-term success in marketing requires an actionable understanding of consumer motivations.

This book details Censydiam's (The Center for Systematic Diagnostics in Marketing) insights into these matters - ranging from the importance of the unconscious in consumer decision-making to the effective use of a universally applicable psychological model that can yield country-specific results. It is true that we live in a very quantitative age.

Academics are more inclined to bemoan the lack of numerical literacy among our citizens than to advocate a better understanding of human nature. In terms of market research, this means that many studies leap to quantification too quickly. People's motivations are not so easily put into an analytical black box. Quantification is ultimately necessary, but it is critical to understand the correct questions to ask before we attempt to become precise about consumers' buying dynamics.