What is a ZMET?

"Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique, or ZMET, was developed by Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman. A ZMET interview aims to discover how individuals and groups react to the materialistic and metaphorical world on a practical and more philosophical, existential level. This information can make marketing programs more meaningful and effective. A ZMET interview should last approximately two hours. The interviews focus mainly on the subjects' visual perceptions and how these relate to their emotional states and interpretations coming from the other senses." (All day erryday)  

That is a formal definition and summary of a ZMET interview brought to you by People of Our Everyday Life.  ZMET interviews have been the topic of discussion in my Consumer Behavior course for the past week and it has been quite the intriguing process.  But, for me ZMET does not stand for Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique.  ZMET to me is, Zebra Magician Extraterrestrial Tycoons.  Yes you read that correctly.  Step into my psychological lounge of exponentially theoretical cranium crazy that divulges dubious wit.  

But real quick, I am taking a page out of my friend and business adventure advocate, Noah "The House Cat" Ullman's book.  Check out his blog here (Yo Der Go Dat Blog Again).  Listen to this awe inspiring ballad as you read, it is truly a transporting song that elevates your senses to new heights! (Song of the Century).  Let's begin this journey into the life of Zebra's Magician Extraterrestrial Tycoons.

Z

Zebras.  What are they truly? A quote by Marty The Zebra from New York, "I'm ten years old. My life is half over and I don't even know if I'm black with white stripes or white with black stripes!" (I got the quote from here) If we conduct a full fledge dissection into the innards of this quote we will find the heart and sole that is, what is Marty thinking?  The answer is, wrong, he was thinking wrong.  Marty the Zebra reached a point in his life where he couldn't even form an identity for himself due to his lacking knowledge of himself and the knowns of his world.  Even though Marty is a zebra, this existential crisis corroding his mind is the opportune time for Marty to partake in a ZMET interview.  Just as we had been asked about our own lives after graduation, Marty must be asked about his life thus far and where it is headed into tomorrow.

The ZMET interview process would help Marty escape from Madagascar, but also help him gain a better understanding of what he himself is relating to.  Marty is an eclectic thinker, a truly innovative soul, but there is more occurring in his mind that he isn't even aware of.  This is the goal of the ZMET process, to pull these thoughts, these ideas that are so recessed under all other noise.  

M

Metaphor.  Just kidding, the M is for magicians.  Magic is defined as the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.  With that said, is it potentially true to say that through the process of a ZMET interview, there is influence on the course of events by seemingly unknown or mysterious powers?  With that in mind, we can clearly conclude that ZMET interviews are magic.  Flick that wand and use that technique that elicits both conscious as well as unconscious thoughts by the extraction of individuals magical potential, or their non-literal or metaphoric expressions. (Zaltman Wiki leaks confrimed)  Same difference.  

This process is designed and patented *insert winking face emoji* to divulge the influences that occur underneath the level of awareness within ourselves.  Now, this happens unknowingly and unwillingly...dare I say it again, MAGIC!  The power of imagery for research purposes can be directly related to the great 1873 performance of J N Maskelyne, in which he reinvented stage illusions and traditional tricks with exotic imagery (Magic ;).  Just as Zaltman has used imagery to convey underlying ideas that could not have possibly been put into words.  Magic theory confirmed, cue x-files song.

E

The year is 1937, you are in the desert of New Mexico camping with your dog.  Suddenly a spark of light in the sky flashes before your eyes.  Yes, this is the moment you have been waiting for, your encounter with the fourth kind.  You have been chosen, you are the one to be brought to their home world and praised as an almighty traveller of the cosmos.  As the ball of light lands next to your Buick 60 series, a figure emerges.  There before you is a man, its Zaltman though ay here comes dat boi!  Zaltman approaches you an encourages you to acquire images that relate to how he interprets the question that is life.

This is the point in the story where I have to make this semi-educational and not a total sci-fi adventure including a flying bicycle, a cameo by Sigourney Weaver and David Bowie (RIP).  ZMET, the process that breaks down the truth and realization.  ZMET is a process so profound and out of this world that it is likely to be a form of extraterrestrial technology sent to Zaltman.  The process has been used to even understand the negative connotations that people associate with hearing aids.  The process that we used to grasp an understanding of what we seek for life after graduation was used to help with the realization of negative connotations of hearing aids?! (Science am I right?) Readers of the universe, this process is on a whole 'nother level.  

T

Rollercoaster Tycoon?! Are you going to drop the panda mascot in the lake?! No not that Tycoon you geeked out 90s kid getting hyphy off Nickelodeon slime.  Yeah I know it's All That, but its time to bring in the dancing lobsters and lets get down to business.  Handle all those references? Good, we are moving on to tycoon of the Wizard of Jah's interpretation of the ZMET process.

Gerald Zaltman, business extraordinaire. But is he a family man?  Zaltman was issued a patent on August 8th of the year 2000.  (Bird Law) This patent covered neuroimaging as a marketing tool.  Another patent was issued on November 13th of 2001 in regards to metaphor elicitation technique.  (Kitten Mittens)  Since Zaltman owns patents on something entirely intellectual, is he a tycoon enjoying life?  Or Should he have reached for an approach and just graced the world with this extraterrestrial knowledge? You decide!

Zebra Magician Extraterrestrial Tycoons

The acronym that changes lives is right above this sentence.  What more is there to say about the ZMET approach to market research other than it is basically too powerful.  It's like when Goku went super saiyan on Frieza, it's an extremely powerful research tool and be sure to use it when out in the real world.  Because we all know, that the ZMET power level is over 9000.

Who is the Wizard of Jah?

Great question! I have yet to figure this out, nor do I want to. During a discussion regarding the idea of selves, thus the question of "Who am I?" was brought to my attention. Whether it is who I am now, or who I want to be, I don't find it pertinent for me to discover me.  Rather I took the opportunity to reflect on the me's I portray to the world and how the world views me (yes this blog is all about me, get over it).  This may seem like a narcissistic preliminary blog post, but treat it as an introduction to who I am, and who I am displaying myself as to you.

The discussion that prompted this blog post talked about our true self, looking glass self, and self-self.  These being who we are with friends and families, how we perceive oneself through others eyes, and who we truly are when alone.  While the discussion took place, I sat and pondered about the various selfs that I put out in the world.  I act differently and portray myself differently while among friends than I do with my parents.  As well as the me I portray in person; I portray a different self online through social media.  Thus the existential crisis began of who am I?

Internet/Social Media Me: The Wizard of Jah
Social media is a platform where I am capable of mediating the person I portray to the public.  I am capable of altering people's views and putting myself in a position to instantly form an impression solely from the content I choose.  Case and point I do not successfully portray the ideal me.  I treat social media as a platform to entertain, and that results in content that is sarcastic and down right ridiculous.  This content ranges from videos, photos, and even to outlandish comments that are incomprehensible.  The main social media outlets that I portray this absurd me are Instagram and Snapchat.  Facebook I keep as a more family orientated platform, whereas Instagram has become an outlet of ridiculousness.

❌❗️🚫WARNING🚫❗️❌The following video will increase stoke levels to unfathomable heights. Watch with caution, and remember to always get pitted. #garybuseyswagonthatduttyswine #sponsor #sponsored #flylow #smithoptics #atomicski #dalbelloboots #hestra #arsenic #newschoolers #nsfamous

A video posted by @wizard_of_jah on Dec 25, 2015 at 6:32pm PST

Reflecting upon this me that I put out, it is clear that it is not a professional portrayal of myself.  Could this hinder me? Possible.  Am I going to alter the idea that is the Wizard of Jah? No.  It comes down to me finding it entertaining.  This persona I have created that produces a low level of insanity within the content is entertainment to myself.  If someone were to regard this content as who I truly am as an individual, they would be wrong.  People that know me, interact with me, and are within my presence are aware that this Wizard is not who I am as a person at all.  But be sure not to tell that to the sidesnacks!

Throwback tuesday to shralpin some cheddah and getting shacked on tasty swells, this May snow in Bozo has me and the kooks hungry for some late season pow surfing! Watch out sidesnacks, the Wizard is back! #garybuseyswagonthatduttyswine #surfsupbrodiacs #getshacked #powsurf #stopskiing #arsenicanywhere #nsfamous #newschoolers

A video posted by @wizard_of_jah on May 10, 2016 at 5:42pm PDT

Family and Friends Casey:
In contrast to the Wizard of Jah, the me I put out to friends and family is a much more pleasant adult.  While still maintaining a sense of humor that is random and slightly out of place, this me is a much more relaxed and casual me.  I would venture to say that some people see me as awkward but sociable, depending on the setting.  My family sees me as a proactive young adult, and I put that out to them for obvious reasons.  My language is altered when in front of friends and family as well, I attempt to speak with some degree of intelligence because that is the person I wish to be viewed as.

The family Casey is polite and engaging.  The friends Casey is similar but different only in regards to the level of humor.  People who are close to me know me the best.  They are aware of my strengths and who I am at the core.  These individuals that I allow into my life see the real self that is me.

Classroom Casey, Workplace Wizard:
Class Casey, an awkward, introverted individual that actively attempts not to be included in classroom discussion.  This classroom me is an observer and has grown not to be an active participant.  I am sure several classmates don't even acknowledge my presence in the classroom, which is how stealthy I am.  But in all seriousness, me in a classroom setting is most definitely a fly on the wall.  While this me is shy, outside of the classroom is a different story.  What about the classroom setting alters me so much?  Too many questions, not enough answers.

The workplace Wizard is somehow the opposite of the classroom Casey.  In a work environment, I tend to be engaging and motivated.  I enjoy social interactions and attempt to be a proactive worker.  Maybe this is to stimulate customers? A facade of who I am only to please the people I am ultimately working for?

The various types of selfs I put out to the world do not line up but are all different portions of myself.  I cannot explain as to why there is such a variance, but only I know the real me, I, myself?