Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of leading my small but mighty team to deliver deep consumer intelligence to many of the world’s best brands. As I reflect on 20 years in consumer insights, a few things remain clear:
The numbers don’t actually speak for themselves. Brands are becoming increasingly reliant on data, but it’s impossible to take action based on the numbers without engaging customers to understand the ‘why’ behind them.
Recruitment is a superpower. It’s never been harder to find the right customers to learn from. Bots, fraud, and panel fatigue are huge obstacles to finding participants who truly reflect each brand’s target customer. A commitment to recruiting consumers who are exceptionally suited for each task is critical to delivering exceptional work.
The smartest thing you can do is listen. If you ask the right people the right questions in the right way, you will always learn. I am ever in awe of people’s willingness to open up, be vulnerable, and share what really matters to them. They allow us access into their homes, let us watch them put their makeup on, shop with us, and patiently answer even the most personal of questions. And yes - we pay them - but what they offer is worth infinitely more than what they earn.
What’s Next?
As we head into our third decade, we are offering new approaches to address the pain points we know our clients face. Check out our new website and stay tuned for updates or (even better) grab time to catch up!
❤️Huge thanks to our many valued clients for your trust and partnership over the years. There are too many of you to name (though I’m tempted to try) and we are deeply grateful for each of you.❤️
