Consumer poetry: insightful data and methodological approaches

Within interpretive consumer research there is sustained interest in preserving the authentic emic voice of consumers within research accounts (Wallendorf and Belk, 1989). The use of diaries (Patterson, 2005) photography (Dion et al, 2014) and consumer verbatim (Corden and Sainsbury, 2006) all have heritage as evidence of the consumer within researcher interpretation. This paper considers the potential of consumer authored poetry as an additional source of the consumer insight. It argues that, despite notable calls (Sherry & Schouten, 2002) for the inclusion of poetry within interpretive consumer research, it remains largely absent as a source of consumer storytelling.It considers that there may be two bases for this. That there may be disciplinary reluctance to engage in the unfamiliarity of poetic deconstruction; and that there may be a lack of value placed upon the data and resultant insight which poetry can provide. To address these issues it suggests methodological considerations which may be useful for consumer researchers considering engagement with poetic materials.