Welcome to twir — the weekly show delivering AI-powered summaries of market research news and insights. Each week, we scan and ingest media from top blogs, podcasts, articles, and reports, distilling the key trends shaping the industry. Best of all, twir episodes learn and get smarter over time, building a POV on an archive of past news and trends.
Episode Summary: AI, Innovation, and Market Research Trends (Feb 21-27, 2025)
Product News
- LiveRamp’s Cross-Media Intelligence Launch: Data collaboration platform LiveRamp introduced a new Cross-Media Intelligence solution to unify ad campaign measurement across devices and channels, offering deduplicated reporting and automated workflows.
- Discuss Debuts AI Research Agents: Insights platform Discuss unveiled three AI-driven virtual agents providing continuous qualitative consumer insights.
- Excellera Launches Insights Firm: Milan-based Excellera Advisory Group launched Excellera Intelligence, specializing in media intelligence, reputation analysis, and custom market research.
- Alida Expands CX/UX Platform: Alida added unmoderated usability testing features to its insights platform, enabling rapid, screen-recorded user feedback.
Mergers & Acquisitions
- DoubleVerify Acquires Rockerbox: DoubleVerify purchased marketing attribution firm Rockerbox for $85M to enhance advertising analytics.
- Dow Jones Buys Intelligence Firms: Dow Jones acquired geopolitical intelligence providers Dragonfly Intelligence and Oxford Analytica for $40M, expanding its risk analysis services.
- Ipsos Acquires Ipec: Ipsos acquired Brazilian polling firm Ipec to bolster public opinion research capabilities in Latin America.
- RealityMine Partners in APAC: RealityMine partnered with OnDemandIQ to launch streaming analytics solutions in the Asia-Pacific market.
Leadership Moves
- New ESOMAR President: ESOMAR elected Anne-Sophie Damelincourt as its new President for a three-year term.
- Clearview AI CEO Resigns: Hoan Ton-That stepped down as Clearview AI CEO; Hal Lambert and Richard Schwartz became co-CEOs.
- Ex-Amazon Exec Joins MR Startup: Simon Morris, former Amazon Chief Creative Officer, joined insights startup DiO as Chair.
- Verve’s Wave of Promotions: Verve announced 11 promotions, including new Directors Peter Latham, Sanne van der Steeg, and Jamie Lyle.
- NielsenIQ Taps APAC Leader: Dolly Jha joined NielsenIQ as Client Operations Leader for Asia Pacific, bringing significant audience measurement expertise.
Industry Trends & Insights
- AI Augmentation, Not Replacement: Industry experts at IIEX APAC emphasized AI as an amplifier of human insight rather than a replacement.
- Rethinking Consumer Segmentation: The industry is moving beyond generational labels to segmentation based on life stages and mindset.
- Nostalgia Marketing Resurgence: Authentic nostalgia marketing emerged as a powerful tool for emotional consumer engagement.
- Major Players Invest in Insights Tech: Firms like Ipsos and WPP significantly invested in AI and digital platforms to drive innovation and efficiency.
Notable Reports & Publications
- Ipsos FY2024 Earnings: Ipsos reported €2.44B revenue for 2024, highlighting growth in digital tools and new research services.
- WPP 2024 Results: WPP reported flat revenue but improved profitability, emphasizing AI-driven efficiencies through its Open AI platform.
AI Corner – Top AI Stories of the Week
- OpenAI Releases GPT-4.5: GPT-4.5 offers enhanced emotional intelligence and significantly fewer factual errors, improving AI reliability and usefulness.
- Musk’s xAI Launches Grok-3 Chatbot: Elon Musk’s xAI introduced Grok-3, intensifying competition among advanced chatbot technologies.
- Nvidia’s $700M AI Acquisition: Nvidia acquired Run:AI for optimized GPU resource management, indicating continued consolidation in AI infrastructure.
- Big Tech vs. EU AI Rules: Google and Meta criticized Europe's AI Act, highlighting tensions between regulation and AI innovation.