Our Approach

Ending Brand Narcissism

Traditional market research has focused too much on the brand’s perspective. Surveys ask questions that sound like “Have you heard of me?” or “How much do you like me?” and “Will you buy me again?” Your business needs actionable consumer insights, and those only come from research that’s focused on consumers.

Never, as a consumer, has anyone considered buying a product and thought “which brand is the most trustworthy?” Today’s consumer is focused on finding the product or service that meets their needs and priorities. They have higher expectations of products and the shopper experience. And they’re not as interested in a brand’s attributes so much as what that brand’s offering can do for them. Meeting customers’ needs is how a business succeeds.

So the old questions our industry has relied on just don’t cut it anymore. We take a different approach with our custom research:

  • Each project is tailored to each client and built from their consumers’ point of view
  • We strive to understand what motivates consumers, how they make their choices, and how your brand aligns with your consumer’s needs
  • Your insights come from a blend of innovative quantitative and qualitative techniques
  • The strategic action you build from the research is based in the consumer’s truth
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Understanding Shopper Promiscuity

Social, economic, and political forces are converging on consumers to encourage Shopper Promiscuity. The constant innovation, category disruption, expanding accessibility, and rising expectations all push shoppers to search for the new best thing, rather than rely entirely on past experience. When your customers shop, they assume there have been innovations since their last purchase and they check out the competition to see what’s happening. Brands can’t rely on customer loyalty, so they exist in a state of constant acquisition.

We understand these pressures and how they are influencing consumer behavior in your brand category. Focusing on brand loyalty is a losing battle in a world where consumers expect improvement with each purchase. So your research shouldn’t have brand loyalty or consumer advocacy as a sole focus, but seek to understand where your customers are coming from. Shoppers are always changing, and brands must be knowledgeable enough to embrace those changes to get ahead.

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Ground all research context

Brand category has a huge influence on the way people shop. Yet, research traditionally applies the same framework of brand metrics across categories. Does consideration mean the same thing to consumers when you’re talking about cars and ice cream? We’ve found that including category perceptions in our research gives you more robust and usable insights. This information clarifies marketing strategies, messaging, and even packaging and product development.

Your research project won't ever start from zero. We do our homework before kickoff so the people crafting your insights don't fly blind.

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Strategic consultancy

If you work with us, you’ll find that our most senior and experienced talent will work hands-on, in consultation with you so we ensure that your project yields actionable,valuable insights.

We don’t use the term consultancy to upsell clients. It’s just the most accurate descriptor of the services we offer. The company was born out of our desire to provide a premium level of client service that builds true partnerships to better serve your needs. Our team is full of passionate, senior researchers who provide strategic guidance from study design to report delivery.

Our pricing is a flat fee, no matter how many times you lean on our team for additional data runs, presenting delivered research, or discussing broader issues. Updating a new executive on the findings, running analysis on a newly identified target, and planning future projects are just a few of the things we do for you as part of our work. Our people work best when we are a part of the conversation and the team. Cutting off access to our services hurts everyone. So, we keep that door open. Always.