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.

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Episode Summary: AI, Innovation, and Market Research Trends (Feb 14-20, 2025)

Academic Publications & Industry Reports

• New Research Studies: Chadwick Martin Bailey (CMB) launched a new consumer study examining the power of brand trust in driving consumer behavior. This study aims to quantify how much brand trust influences purchase decisions and loyalty, reflecting growing interest in consumer trust metrics among insights professionals. Industry media also reported on several sector-focused market reports released during the week – for example, Allied Market Research forecasted the global e-banking market to grow from $9.3 trillion in 2023 to $16.6 trillion by 2033 (a 5.6% CAGR), underscoring robust demand for forward-looking market data in the financial sector.
• Data Quality & Methodology Insights: Data quality remained a prominent theme in publications this week. A feature in Research Live noted that data quality is a “hot button topic” in market research right now, amid rising survey fraud, poor respondent experiences, and the emerging use of AI/synthetic data. Insight associations continue to address this issue – the Global Data Quality Partnership (spearheaded by MRS, ESOMAR, the Insights Association, and others) has been working to improve industry standards. A recent roundtable of senior researchers discussed solutions ranging from panel quality tiers to stricter fraud deterrence, highlighting that no single fix exists but multiple measures (like better identity verification and AI-based fraud detection) are needed in tandem.

Corporate Announcements

• Mergers & Acquisitions: The week saw notable consolidation in the insights sector. Vista Grande, LLC – a provider of shopper insights solutions – announced it has acquired GameChanger Products, a pioneer in real-world in-store testing. This strategic move expands Vista Grande’s capabilities in shopper research, adding GameChanger’s in-store testing expertise to complement Vista Grande’s virtual shelf-testing services. The company retained nearly all GameChanger staff (including co-founders) to ensure continuity, and touted the deal as a way to offer clients a more comprehensive suite of tools for understanding shopper behavior from initial insights to in-market validation.
• Funding Rounds: Investment in research-tech startups continues. Behavix, a behavioral data company founded in 2024, closed a $2.5 million seed funding round led by Nordic VCs Vendep Capital and Superhero Capital. The Helsinki-headquartered firm said it will use the funds to accelerate development of its AI-driven behavioral data tools and expand go-to-market efforts, particularly in the U.S. As part of the deal, partners from the venture firms will join Behavix’s board, reflecting investor confidence in its vision.
• New Agencies & Ventures: This week also saw the launch of new research consultancies. In London, former Foresight Factory executives Josh McBain and Pippa Goodman co-founded Next Up, a strategic foresight agency. Next Up aims to help businesses navigate market uncertainty by integrating futures thinking into their planning processes. The firm’s approach combines AI-led horizon scanning with input from a global network of “edge thinkers” (subject-matter experts and partners in economics/geopolitics) to flag emerging trends and uncertainties.
• Leadership Moves and Talent: Several personnel changes were announced in market research firms during the week. Notably, insight agency Verve hired Sophie Goddard (previously a senior director at Savanta) to lead development of a new collaborative model addressing respondent quality. Additionally, Emporia Research announced that Lauren Barattini has joined as Director of Client Solutions and Molly Riebau as Senior Manager of Client Solutions, reinforcing Emporia’s focus on expanding client partnerships.

Technological Advancements

• AI-Powered Research Tools: The integration of artificial intelligence into market research accelerated with new product launches this week. Mindstate Group (a U.S.-based behavioral science research firm) unveiled “Mindpath,” an AI-driven behavioral insights tool. Mindpath is described as a customizable AI research assistant that leverages behavioral science frameworks to streamline researchers’ workflows and deliver on-demand insights.
• Rebranding in Research Tech: Suzy, a leading market research platform, announced a rebrand, signaling its evolution in the insights space. The company aims to reposition itself with a sharper focus on AI-driven consumer insights and automation.
• Advanced Analytics & Platforms: Established research players are leveraging tech partnerships to enhance data analytics capabilities. Nielsen announced a measurement deal with India’s JioStar media company to provide analytics for the JioHotstar streaming platform.

Industry Events

• Insight Platforms hosted their first Demo Day of the year, featuring a number of platform companies showcasing cutting-edge research technologies and methodologies.

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