Bridging the Say-Do Gap: Why Brands Need to See It, Not Just Hear It

What is the Say-Do Gap?

The Say-Do Gap refers to the disconnect between what people say they do and what they actually do. It's a challenge that has long undermined the reliability of traditional qualitative research methods. People often describe their behaviours through memory and perception, which are naturally shaped by bias, selective recall, and social desirability. As a result, what they tell researchers during interviews or surveys can diverge significantly from their real-world actions. Bridging this gap is essential for brands that want to understand authentic behaviours, not just verbal claims.

What is the Say-Do Gap For?

Understanding the Say-Do Gap helps brands:

  • Validate whether claimed behaviours actually occur in real life.

  • Discover unmet or unspoken needs.

  • Understand the real contexts in which decisions are made.

  • Observe behaviours over time, rather than relying on single-point recall.

This leads to insights that are more reliable, relevant, and actionable.

Who Uses the Say-Do Gap Framework?

Many professionals and industries use this concept to improve their understanding of consumers, including:

  • Insight and innovation teams testing new products or propositions.

  • Brand managers seeking to understand emotional or habitual drivers of brand interaction.

  • UX and design researchers exploring customer journeys and pain points.

  • Healthcare, finance, FMCG, and retail companies aiming to capture lived experiences in critical or habitual moments.

These professionals use the framework not only to highlight gaps in understanding, but to close them with behavioural evidence.

How Does the Say-Do Gap Work?

Traditionally, research has been based on asking people to reflect and report—often in settings far removed from everyday life. The Say-Do Gap highlights the limits of this method and instead promotes an observe-first approach:

  • Participants capture short videos, photos, and text entries as they go about their daily lives.

  • They respond to tasks and prompts asynchronously, across several days.

  • Insight is gathered in-the-moment and in-context, rather than via after-the-fact recall.

This approach creates a holistic and behavioural dataset across multiple real-life touchpoints, allowing brands to see trends unfold naturally, without filters or artificial environments.

Key Features: Show Me vs Tell Me

Mobile Ethnography ("Show Me")

Real-time, self-recorded moments

Natural behaviours captured as they happen

Continuous input across days in everyday contexts

Rich visual and narrative evidence

Organic, habitual behaviours recorded repeatedly

Traditional Research ("Tell Me")

Recall-based, often post-rationalised

Memory and bias influence responses

One-off interview in artificial settings

Verbal claims and generalisations

Minimal behavioural trace

This model prioritises depth through repetition, unfiltered environments, and authentic human context, all of which elevate the value of the insights uncovered.

How It Relates to Qualitative Research and Mobile Ethnography

The Say-Do Gap is why mobile ethnography matters. While qualitative research has always sought to uncover the “why” behind behaviour, mobile ethnography modernises this by embedding research into real-life contexts.

With mobile ethnography:

  • Research becomes a living, evolving process that unfolds over time.

  • Participants are empowered to self-record moments in their homes, stores, or commutes.

  • Insight teams gain access to organic behaviour without the filter of a lab or interview room.

It’s not just qualitative research—it’s qualitative with real-life texture, and a powerful antidote to over-reliance on what people merely say.

Indeemo and the Say-Do Gap

At Indeemo, bridging the Say-Do Gap is at the core of what we do. Our video research platform enables researchers to capture real-world behaviour at scale, directly from participants’ smartphones. Whether it's:

  • Snacking rituals

  • Budgeting habits

  • Product trial journeys

  • Home organisation or wellness routines

…we help brands observe behaviours in their natural habitat. Our asynchronous, mobile-first approach turns qualitative research into an ongoing window into people’s lives, offering unmatched context, richness, and behavioural depth.

Summary

Understanding what people say is useful. But observing what they do is transformative.

The Say-Do Gap challenges researchers to go beyond reported truths and into the realities of everyday life. With mobile ethnography and Indeemo, brands gain access to real people, real contexts, and ultimately, real insights that drive better decisions.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start observing, we’re here to help.

Ian Twohig