We like to think of market research as a rational process. We design a study, field the data, run the analysis, and deliver the insight. Straight lines and clear outcomes. But if you’ve spent time on the inside of a project—whether as a client, researcher, or agency partner—you know that’s not how it feels. Even […]
In Brief Ethnography is a powerful method for understanding consumers in context—by observing their real lives rather than relying solely on what they say. While surveys and analytics show you the what, ethnography reveals the why. It uncovers unspoken needs, cultural cues, and innovation opportunities that drive meaningful strategy. What is Ethnography? It starts with […]
The Importance of Theory in Research When I was a grad student working on my doctoral dissertation on news media coverage of electoral politics, one of my professors pressed me to clarify the theory of democracy underlying my analysis. My research examined how news organizations shaped public discourse about elections, but she wanted me to […]
What do a legendary ad man, a Grammy-winning music producer, and a Nobel Prize-winning psychologist have in common? They all know the keys to innovation in market research. Our clients describe us as an innovative market research company. They come to us for custom studies to answer complex questions. Recently, I was asked, “How exactly […]
There’s a lot of bad reporting in market research. This has serious implications for corporate research buyers. The best designed and executed market research studies will have little impact if the reports don’t communicate new insights clearly and simply. For corporate research buyers, bad reports mean: Wasted time: Corporate research buyers waste time rewriting supplier […]
How do you turn complex market research studies into clear reports? Start by writing a note to a friend. The complexity of market research reporting If you’re a corporate or supplier-side insights person, you’ve likely had to write reports about market research studies that are complex. Maybe you’ve got an integrated study with multiple phases. […]
We recently recommended to a client that she consider an online qualitative study design for an upcoming project, to which she said, “I’m not a big fan of online boards.” We hear this sometimes when we talk about digital qualitative research. It seems many in the consumer insights world still refer to all forms of […]
Empathy has become a bit of a buzzword in marketing and market research in recent years. Many big corporate marketers – wanting to take the trend toward “consumer-centricity” to the next level – started talking about “empathy” several years ago. At the same time, the desire for empathy has been voiced in American culture as […]
The ability of AI platforms to synthesize and summarize data into written market research reports is remarkable. When ChatGPT came onto the scene about a year and a half ago, the internet was buzzing with examples of professionals in many areas using the platform to transform notes and rough drafts into finished written documents. In […]
I logged onto the Teams meeting early. My client, Amanda, was already there and admitted me. As soon as I saw her face, I knew something was wrong. “What’s up,” I said. After a heavy sigh, she said, “I just opened a report from one of my research suppliers and it’s a bit of a […]
