When our client approached us with a brief to recruit just six participants, it sounded straightforward on paper. In reality, it was anything but.
This project involved recruiting BT customers for 3.5-hour filmed sessions in their homes, complete with professional film crews. The sessions were designed to explore specific consumer segments in depth, so the recruitment criteria were understandably precise. But as the brief unfolded, the layers of complexity quickly became clear.
Participants needed to match specific BT segments through a segmentation tool, agree with ten statements associated with that segment, and fall within a very specific age and family stage profile. On top of that, there was a logistical constraint: each participant needed to live within a 30-minute drive of the previous household to keep filming schedules manageable.
As Project Manager Sam Garlick explains:
“Finding people who matched the segment via the tool was just the first hurdle. They also had to agree with ten relevant statements, be the right age and family stage, and then live close enough to the other participants for filming logistics. It was definitely a puzzle.”
Rather than chasing an impossible idea of “perfect”, the Acumen team focused on practical problem-solving and close collaboration with the client. For each segment, we presented several strong candidates who met the brief closely, even if they weren’t an exact match in every single detail.
This approach allowed the project to move forward efficiently while still maintaining the integrity of the segmentation criteria.
The client team were equally pragmatic. In some cases, they flexed slightly on individual factors, such as accepting participants who didn’t pay for TV packages but matched every other requirement, or allowing travel distances to stretch a little further to secure the right household.
Regular conversations between the Acumen team and our client helped speed up decisions and keep recruitment moving smoothly within the tight timeframe.
Despite the complexity behind the scenes, the end result was exactly what the client needed: six carefully selected BT customers who reflected the required segments and were comfortable hosting extended filmed research in their homes.
Projects like this highlight what recruitment really involves. It’s rarely just about demographics. It’s about understanding the nuances of a brief, navigating practical constraints, and working closely with clients to find the best possible participants.
It's just what we do.
