Listen, we get it. We know there are a shit ton of brand consultancies and market research agencies out there to choose from. Which means you, as a client, need to be super choosy when it comes to selecting a supplier… for the sake of your brand and your business. We think it’s not only what we do but how we work with you that means you should choose us. Including our obsession with what you can do with what we deliver.
The people in our industry do a lot of talking.
They talk about the same services.
They talk about Qualitative Research; the art of interviewing people (asking ‘why’ a lot) and making sense of the responses. They talk about Quantitative Research; the science of surveying people (asking ‘what’ a lot) and making sense of “the numbers”. They talk about Consumer Exploration; uncovering the hidden motivations and values of people and how that transfers to their relationships with brands. They talk about the use of Artificial Intelligence in all of these things. They talk about Brand Communication; identifying the best way to communicate a message that will support the strategy and resonate with actual human beings. They talk about Product Innovation; creating inspirational fodder to workshop around and generate 100’s of ideas that may (or may not) see the light of day.
They use the same tools…
They use Remines to identify common themes and gaps in knowledge and deepen their understanding of the market context. They use Digital Diaries to explore people’s motivations, behaviors and attitudes toward a brand or category. They use In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) to get up close and personal with a target audience (whether virtually or IRL) to understand the context and texture of their lives. They use Focus Groups to generate dialogue amongst people, around a concept, brand or product, and witness the social dynamics that unfold. Once again they talk about the use of AI in all of these things. They use Semiotics to decipher the visual codes and cues of a category or brand. They use Jobs to be Done surveys to uncover the motivations of why people choose certain products and what those moments look like in real life.
They lean on the same buzzwords to get your attention…
They talk about Empathy as a way to acknowledge the ‘humanness’ of marketing research (and marketing in general) and how to never forget that consumers are people too. They talk about Foresight as a way of anticipating the category, consumer, and cultural changes that have the potential to derail or propel a brand forward. And they talk about Impact as a way to ensure that the work they do directly, inextricably, and undeniably informs next steps for the brand.
And quite frankly, we do ALL of this stuff.
But it’s how we work with you (and help you achieve your outcomes) that makes us different.
How we read a brief. How we plan an approach. How we talk to people. How we think. How we write. How we deliver. And how we create impact in your business. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about us. It’s about you. Well, technically it’s about using human intelligence to help you grow your brand.
And it all starts with people. Because understanding people is at the heart of everything we do. And we mean everything.
When we get a brief, literally everything we do from that point forward revolves around the people that brand serves. And we mean that, from the very depths of our consulting souls.
- From how we design our approach (e.g., In what environment will this group of people feel most comfortable talking to us?)
- To how we moderate fieldwork or create a survey (e.g., What questions can we ask them to ensure they’ll feel empowered to share the truth of their lives with us?)
- To how we analyze data (e.g., Who are they really beyond their relationship with the category and the brand? What makes them happy? What terrifies them? What do they really want out of life?)
- To how we deliver our narratives (e.g., How can we best represent the thoughts, feelings, and lived experiences of the people we spoke to?)
Ultimately, we don’t let ourselves get caught up in the marketing machine of it all. Because what good is there in that?
Don’t get us wrong. We care about brands… a lot. But we care more about the people those brands are being designed, manufactured, and marketed to because we know… what is good for people is ultimately good for brands.
So, how do we work with you? It looks something like this…
Smart interrogation: We love reading a good RFP, but often what’s not written is just as important. We have conversations with you and listen for the real issues to establish the right perspective.
Wild collaboration: Collaboration is how we do our best work. We know that different points of view always make the work stronger and we are dedicated to incorporating your thinking at every step of the process.
Fearless empathy: In our quest to uncover the truth, we choose the best tools to answer your questions – whether that’s qual, quant or any of the other ways to learn about people.
Inclusive approaches: We make sure diverse voices are represented in all of our research. From the consultants on your project, to the participants we talk to and the partners who find them, we aim to challenge clients’ assumptions about underrepresented groups.
Beautiful simplicity: We deliver inspiration and impact, telling simple but powerful stories that drive action long after the project is over.
Simplicity, inspiration and impact really matter because in the end, it’s action that matters. Your action. The things that YOU do next. Everything we do has to help create a result for you. More market share, more effective communications, happier customers, growth, profitability, retention, all the things.
So, what can we do for you?
