Recruiting brand affinity in alcohol research

The Brief

A global research agency partnered with Acumen to recruit participants for a series of online focus groups exploring consumer attitudes toward spirits, with a particular focus on Southern Comfort drinkers.

The study required 28 participants across four online groups, with quotas spanning age, gender, location, social grade, and socialising habits. Alongside the logistical complexity, the project came with a tight turnaround and a particularly challenging recruitment requirement: finding participants with a genuine affinity toward a specific spirit brand, rather than people who simply fell loosely into the category.

The Challenge

Consumer recruitment often looks straightforward on paper. In reality, the difference between an average group and a genuinely valuable discussion usually comes down to participant quality.

For this project, the challenge wasn’t simply identifying people who drank spirits occasionally. The client needed participants who had a meaningful connection with the category and could speak naturally and confidently about their preferences, behaviours, and perceptions.

Traditional screening approaches can sometimes flatten nuance, particularly in FMCG and consumer brand research. A simple “yes/no” response to brand usage or preference rarely tells the full story, especially when working with socially influenced categories like alcohol, where recognition and genuine affinity are not always the same thing.

Combined with detailed quotas and last-minute timelines, the project required a recruitment approach that was thoughtful, responsive, and highly collaborative from the outset.

Our Approach

Rather than relying on a rigid screener process, the Acumen team adapted the recruitment methodology to better reflect the nuance behind consumer behaviour.

Instead of asking participants whether they liked Southern Comfort in a binary way, we reframed the question using a scaled affinity model. Participants were asked to rate their relationship with the brand on a spectrum, allowing us to identify varying levels of engagement and distinguish genuine fans from lighter or more casual consumers.

This small but important adjustment created a much richer understanding of participant suitability and significantly improved the overall quality of the sample. It also helped create stronger group chemistry during the discussions themselves, with participants able to engage more naturally and meaningfully with the subject matter.

To meet the project timelines, Acumen used a blended sourcing approach, combining recruitment from our existing engaged participant network with targeted outreach to broaden the sample where needed. Throughout recruitment, quotas were monitored closely and adjusted dynamically to ensure balance across all required demographics and social behaviours.

The project was managed collaboratively throughout, with regular communication, rapid problem-solving, and a flexible approach helping the study stay on track despite the compressed timelines.

The Outcome

All 28 participants were successfully recruited and scheduled across four online focus groups within the required timeframe.

The sessions ran smoothly, quotas were achieved in full, and the client was particularly pleased with the overall participant quality and level of engagement within the discussions.

Most importantly, the groups delivered the kind of nuanced conversation the client was looking for, demonstrating the value of careful screening design and recruitment methodologies that go beyond surface-level qualification criteria.

Why It Worked

This project demonstrated that successful recruitment is rarely just about speed or volume. It’s about understanding the difference between someone who technically qualifies for research and someone who genuinely belongs in the conversation.

By combining flexible thinking, nuanced screening techniques, and hands-on quota management, Acumen was able to deliver a high-quality sample under pressure without compromising on participant fit or research integrity.

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