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Traditional methods of market research are, at best, problematic,” writes the Hartman Group’s Jerry Savage in this week’s HartBeat. “Most consumers don't fit into neat and tidy segments but rather have complex lifestyles that compel them to engage in patterns of consumption that are contradictory and difficult to predict. In a nutshell, our research has shown that consumer behavior is indeed "messy" and that the demographic of a given segment or population doesn't tell us anything about how consumers live, shop and buy.”

Okay, so there’s a conflict between what consumers say and what they do. There’s also an internal conflict with which consumers -- and researchers -- have to contend. “For many consumers, this internal conflict is compounded by the need to live and work in a variety of roles. Most of us can relate to the manager who has many roles, each of which has its own values, routines and patterns of consumption. Jane Consumer is not simply one consumer: She is Jane the employee, Jane the manager, Jane the mom, Jane the wife, Jane the friend, and so on.”

This edition of HartBeat looks at the moving target that is the modern consumer, exploring how these conflicts and shifting priorities affect and are affected by the wellness market.