MEE specializes in conducting qualitative research that elicits informative, accurate and authentic responses. Our focus group research determines the motivation and persuasion techniques that can best reach and influence target populations for any project. MEE has a proven track record of delivering effective market research and analysis services. Through insightful expert interviews and focus groups, MEE gains critical information from African American cultural authorities and behavior change theorists, urban youth and service providers. This multi-layered research approach results in groundbreaking, highly accurate reports, along with video summaries, which graphically illustrate the research findings and allow our clients to see and hear firsthand what the target audience is thinking.

Research capabilities include:

• Literature searches and reviews;
• Insightful expert interviews with leaders in sociology, psychology, mass media and urban culture;
• Community needs assessments;
• Development of research designs (including research objectives);
• Focus group research (recruiting, scheduling, coordination, logistics and moderation); and
• Data analysis and reporting.

MEE’s overall approach incorporates first-rate research into the planning, development, testing and evaluation of all of our social marketing media, materials and campaigns. Conducting such research began with 1992’s The MEE Report: Reaching the Hip-Hop Generation, in which MEE provided a detailed analysis of urban youth and their hip hop culture. Since that time, research projects have included collecting and analyzing data on dating violence among youth, relationships between adult males and teen females, and media habits within African American and Latino/a households. Major findings of MEE’s research are reflected in UrbanTrends, our quarterly subscription newsletter and special collection series.