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 on an archive of past news and trends.

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Episode Summary: AI, Innovation, and Market Research Trends (Feb 8-14, 2025)

1. AI and Tech Innovations in Market Research

Kantar has introduced LaunchEvaluate, an agile solution designed to help brands assess and optimize the success of new product and service launches. By diagnosing key drivers of in-market performance, the tool provides tailored recommendations for course correction based on real consumer feedback. Integrated into Kantar Marketplace, LaunchEvaluate enables companies to iterate marketing strategies efficiently and maximize impact.

Meanwhile, Adverity has rolled out its Premium Scalability Suite, allowing organizations to standardize and expand data practices across multiple business units and regions. The suite includes Workspace Cloning for replicating data configurations and bulk actions for managing large data streams. By helping businesses scale data operations without compromising governance, Adverity aims to enhance data accessibility and control.

SurveyMonkey has also updated its Salesforce integration, making it easier for users to deploy surveys directly within Salesforce workflows. This enhancement streamlines feedback collection, enabling enterprise users to incorporate survey insights into their business decisions more efficiently.

Emporia Research, a B2B Audience Solutions company, has launched an automatic cost and feasibility tool for self-serve users conducting qualitative and quantitative research. This new feature delivers instant pricing and feasibility assessments based on research parameters, allowing users to plan projects more effectively. Emporia's latest innovation simplifies B2B research by offering real-time insights into respondent availability and budget considerations.

2. Partnerships & Alliances

Barb, the UK’s TV audience measurement body, has partnered with MediaSense and Snowflake to create the Barb Data Hub, a cloud-based system for storing, processing, and distributing TV viewing data. The initiative aims to streamline data access for Barb’s clients, reducing duplication in data storage while ensuring consistency across outputs.

Situm, a leading wayfinding technology company, has teamed up with HappyOrNot, a CX analytics firm, to enhance visitor experiences in large indoor spaces. By combining Situm’s indoor navigation capabilities with HappyOrNot’s real-time satisfaction feedback terminals, the partnership aims to help facility operators make data-driven improvements to visitor flow and customer experience.

The U.S. Insights Association has joined forces with over 230 organizations in urging Congress to restore funding for federal data collection programs. The coalition warns that budget cuts to federal data initiatives could negatively impact research quality and evidence-based policymaking.

3. Industry Initiatives

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has published a 10-point guide to support mental health initiatives within advertising agencies. Part of its People First agenda, the guide emphasizes mental health first aid training, flexible working policies, and access to professional therapy resources. Case studies from 13 agencies illustrate how companies can foster healthier, more supportive work environments.

4. Leadership Changes & Organizational Appointments

Symmetric, a Decision Analyst company, has appointed Arianne Larimer as its new President. Previously with PureSpectrum, Larimer brings deep experience in sample marketplaces and is expected to drive Symmetric’s growth while maintaining high data quality standards.

STRAT7 Incite has promoted Carolina Starkhammar and Madeline Phillips to Senior Principal, while Alex Owers and Kieran Collins have been elevated to Principal roles. These leadership moves reinforce STRAT7’s expertise across FMCG, healthcare, finance, and technology sectors.

Yonder Consulting has expanded its leadership team with the appointments of Stephen Palmer and Steve Coll as Directors, along with Lia James as a senior mixed-method researcher. The trio brings expertise spanning finance, government, sports, education, and professional services, bolstering Yonder’s capabilities in delivering high-impact insights.

Dig Insights has strengthened its technology leadership by promoting Joel Anderson to Chief Data Science Officer and Frank Beirne to Chief Technology Officer. Anderson will oversee AI and data science initiatives, while Beirne will lead the integration of Dig’s Upsiide platform into the company’s broader offerings.

Anthony Brodbin has joined Bilendi & respondi as Sales Director for Qualitative Solutions. With prior experience at Recollective and Zappi, Brodbin will focus on expanding Bilendi’s AI-powered qualitative research tools, including Bilendi Discuss and its virtual AI assistant for scaling qualitative insights.

Norstat has appointed Hans van Avendonk as Managing Director for its Netherlands operations. With more than 20 years of experience in business development, van Avendonk will oversee Norstat’s growth strategy in the Dutch market while maintaining its reputation for quality data collection.

Acutus AI, an India-based insights startup, has brought on Pravin Shekar as a strategic adviser. Shekar, known for his expertise in research technology, will support the company’s go-to-market strategy and the development of its AI-driven survey qualification and respondent-matching solutions.

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