If the latest TMRE in Las Vegas taught us anything, it’s that the insights industry is in the middle of a major creative and cultural reboot.
Mostly in response to the advent of new technologies, more critical consumers and worldwide economic pressures, every insights department is preparing for a new future in how to approach research and drive value in our respective organizations.
After countless conversations on the show floor and sitting in on many speaking sessions, we wanted to take the time to break down the top 3 themes on the minds of insights leaders today.
1. AI is Augmenting, Not Replacing, Humans
Artificial intelligence was everywhere at TMRE, but the tone was refreshingly pragmatic. Instead of the typical AI vs. humans debate, leaders talked about how AI is expanding the scope of human creativity.
In Unilever’s session How AI Will Radically Transform the Insights Industry, Christina Habib says that AI now runs the entire engine behind the scenes.
“Most of the work that we do now is underlined by AI, but the human supersedes the AI”
– Christina Habib, Chief Insights Officer Beauty & Wellbeing, Unilever
Everything from scrubbing data from surveys and focus groups to generating prompts and discussion guides. Every long, manual task that once went to researchers is now handled automatically.
So what does that mean for professionals? Mundane, repetitive tasks no longer bog them down.
And they’re free to do what matters most, including:
- Interpreting results with context and meaning.
- Telling the critical stories hidden behind the data.
- Turning insights into actionable business decisions.
2. “Always-On” Insights Are Redefining Agility
Our industry is shifting from research moments to continuous listening.
In the session AI-Powered Human Insight at the Speed of Change: How Coke Stays Ahead in a Shifting World, Clodagh Forde explained that the demands on Insights have drastically changed.
Market dynamics have quickly become brutal, competition is fierce, and the pressure to make global decisions is measured in hours. The old rhythm of commissioning a study and waiting for results doesn’t keep up with consumer trends or the business anymore.
“It’s no longer weeks, it’s hours, and 24 hours is my new normal. It’s probably the new normal for many of you guys as well.”
– Clodagh Forde, Senior Director Human Insights, The Coca-Cola Company
To keep pace, Coca-Cola has built an always-on insights engine with the help of GetWhy.
Clodagh described how her team now runs near real-time insight loops, including:
- Early concept reactions
- Post-campaign feedback
- Continuous tracking of consumer sentiment
All within a 24-hour turnaround.
This means Coke is no longer limited to static, one-off research projects, but instead engages in a continuous conversation with their consumers around the globe.
3. Democratization Is Changing the Role of the Insights Function
Even the most emotionally resonant insight can’t drive impact if it stays trapped inside a research deck. That’s why so many brands at TMRE talked about breaking down silos and spreading access to empower smarter, faster decisions.
That means designing systems that extend beyond the insights function.
The panel discussion From Insight to Impact: Turning Human Truths into Organizational Outcomes demonstrated how that looks in action.
Mashu Sainz, VP of Consumer Shopper Insights & Brand Analytics at Newell Brands, described their approach, saying “we’re building a program that is going to run the whole year, that has ethnographies and empathy sessions, so that anybody who wants to jump in and go into them, they’re going to be ongoing for the whole year.”
“We did a live panel, customer focus group in front of the team, and unscripted… it was so powerful because it allowed them to ask questions, and their feedback was really positive”
– Natalie Watson, Director of Customer Experience Insights, Chick-fil-A
Meryl Debrosse, former Global Insights Analytics Manager at Enfamil, expanded on the importance of inclusion, saying, “maybe there are people in your organization that are so new that they haven’t been… even to a focus group or something like that, or maybe even online stuff, and to just invite them.”
Proactively inviting a wide range of colleagues into research sessions dismantles barriers, making sure insights aren’t kept within small circles.
Prepare for the new future of Insights
As this TMRE recap shows, the industry is shifting toward faster, democratized, and more actionable insights. And that’s exactly why we’ve built GetWhy.
We empower teams across your organization to get high-quality, customer-centric answers whenever they need them.
If you want to join the likes of Coca-Cola, Heineken and eBay and create insights that actually drive your business forward, book a demo with GetWhy and get closer to your customers than ever before.