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 (March 7-14, 2025)
AI and Tech Innovations in Market Research
- AI Moderation & Qualitative Insights: Behavioral consultancy Protobrand introduced Convo, a voice-driven AI interview moderator grounded in behavioral science principles. Convo simulates human interviewers in real time, probing respondents via voice to gather emotional and symbolic insights, which the firm says improves data quality and reduces respondent fatigue.
- Ad Testing at Scale with AI: Ipsos expanded its Creative|Spark AI ad evaluation tool to 24 new global markets. The platform uses behavioral science, neuroscience, text analytics, and machine learning to predict how consumers will react to video ads (linear TV, YouTube skippable, social media) and delivers actionable feedback within minutes. It draws on five years of data (18,000+ human responses) via Ipsos’ GenAI-based Facto platform to help budget-conscious advertisers quickly optimize creative assets.
- New AI-Powered Insights Firm: Research tech veterans Raj Manocha and Jonathan Chavez launched Gydence Group (Toronto/Dallas), blending “time-tested” research methods with AI and machine learning for faster, reliable insights. Gydence offers services like advanced tracking, holistic segmentation, and AI-driven analytics aimed at combating fragmented data and declining quality in traditional MR. The founders emphasize fusing established techniques with cutting-edge tech to enable quicker, more confident decision-making for businesses.
B2B Market Research Developments
- Linking B2B and Consumer Data: Dun & Bradstreet unveiled D&B ID Graph Plus, an identity solution connecting consumer insight data with extensive B2B2C datasets and digital intent signals. The tool uses unique identifiers (the D-U-N-S® Number for businesses and a persistent person-level key for individuals) to accurately link offline and online identities, including mobile ad IDs and addresses. By tapping 50,000+ attributes and 83 million linked contacts, ID Graph Plus lets B2B marketers enrich their audience understanding (associating consumer attributes to business contacts, and vice versa) and drive more personalized omnichannel campaigns.
Partnerships, Mergers, and Acquisitions
- EX–CX Integration Partnership: Survey platform QuestionPro announced a partnership with MarketCulture to connect employee experience (EX) metrics with customer experience (CX) analytics. MarketCulture’s continuous employee feedback methodology will integrate into QuestionPro’s platform, creating a seamless solution to gather and act on staff input. QuestionPro’s CEO says this is “a significant leap forward in aligning employee engagement with customer satisfaction” by creating a positive feedback loop between engaged employees and loyal customers.
- Entertainment Analytics Acquisition: LA-based content intelligence firm Cinelytic acquired Jumpcut Media, a provider of AI-driven IP management and audience analysis software. Jumpcut’s flagship ScriptSense tool uses AI chats, version comparisons, and budgeting breakdowns to help entertainment professionals speedily evaluate scripts and projects. Cinelytic will integrate Jumpcut’s tools (including SocialSense) into its platform, enabling real-time insights into content development, audience alignment, and market potential for film/TV projects. The deal solidifies Cinelytic’s end-to-end AI offerings – from script evaluation to revenue forecasting – for major studio clients.
- Major Ownership Moves at Kantar: Industry reports suggest Kantar’s owners (Bain Capital with 60%, and WPP with 40%) are exploring strategic options for the insights giant. According to reports, one option under consideration is selling Kantar’s Worldpanel/Numerator division for over £5 billion ($6.5 billion); another is a broader break-up and sale of parts of Kantar. Kantar recently sold off its Media division in January and its public sector arm in 2022. The owners had previously weighed an IPO, and declined to comment on the sale rumors. Industry observers note a Worldpanel sale would leave Kantar’s core brand and consulting business as a standalone entity.
Industry Leadership & Organizational Changes
- Human8 Growth Hire: Communities-based insights consultancy Human8 (formerly InSites Consulting) appointed Alex Creed as Head of Business Development, US & Global Practice Lead. Creed brings 25+ years of experience at firms like Kantar, Morning Consult, and Hall & Partners; in his new role he will drive lead generation, revenue growth, and strategic collaboration worldwide. This hire follows Human8’s recent expansion (the firm has grown via nine acquisitions in six years) and a new US Managing Director appointed in January.
- Privacy & Compliance Leadership: Toronto-based Environics Analytics named Amanda Maltby as Chief Privacy Officer and promoted James P. Smith to Chief Compliance Officer, effective mid-April. The company says these appointments underscore its commitment to personal data protection and “best-in-class” risk practices. Maltby is a privacy veteran (former Canada Post CPO with public- and private-sector experience), while Smith has spearheaded Environics’ compliance and security efforts for nine years. Founder Jan Kestle noted that bringing in a recognized privacy expert allows Environics to expand thought leadership in privacy-by-design, while letting Smith focus on rigorous compliance as the firm grows its data collaboration services.
- EMEA Expansion at Hightouch: San Francisco-based marketing data platform Hightouch hired Lindsay McEwan as General Manager for EMEA, to lead its European expansion and enterprise offerings. McEwan, a former TIBCO, Oracle, Tealium, and CRO at Imagino, has deep experience in customer data and AI-driven marketing tech. At Hightouch, he will oversee rollout of a new AI “Decisioning” product that lets marketers set goals and have AI agents automatically deliver 1:1 optimized customer experiences. His appointment comes on the heels of Hightouch’s Databricks partnership in January and an $80 million Series C funding last month (valuing the company at $1.2 billion) to fuel product development and go-to-market hires.
Expert Insights & Thought Leadership
- AI, Data & Industry Future (GreenBook CEO Series): In a March 13 GreenBook interview, Leonard Murphy spoke with Bruce Haymes (co-founder of Stage 18 and Chairman of Toluna) about his unconventional career from satellites to market research. Haymes shared perspectives on the future of the MR industry, discussing how firms are leveraging AI, data monetization, and strategic acquisitions to drive growth. He noted that companies like Toluna are positioning for growth by adopting new tech and industry consolidation, and advised up-and-coming researchers to embrace continuous learning and be open to unexpected opportunities. (GreenBook “CEO Series”, published March 13, 2025)
- Insights from Quirk’s Event (Quirk’s Blog): Quirk’s Media News Editor Marlen Ramirez recapped lessons from the Quirk’s Event LA conference (blog post March 12). The piece highlights cross-generational insights and inclusive research practices – for example, Gen Z’s concept of the “American dream” now centers on financial security (77% of Gen Z seek stability to avoid living paycheck-to-paycheck, rather than fame), and researchers were urged to design surveys that accommodate adults 65+ (using mobile-friendly interfaces, larger text, and minimal personal questions to encourage participation). The blog underscores the value of industry events for networking and learning about emerging trends across tech, demographics, and methods.
- Podcast – Turning Data into Impact: On the Curiosity Current podcast (March 11 episode), hosts Stephanie Vance and Matt Mahan interviewed Karen Kraft, Associate Director of Consumer Insights at Johnsonville. Kraft discussed the “art and science” of making research insights impactful within a business. She shared strategies for speaking the language of different stakeholders (adapting how insights are communicated to executives, marketers, etc.) and for elevating the role of research in decision-making.