Intellicast

The research world is never short on headlines, and this week’s Intellicast is proof. Brian and Gabby return to break down the latest headlines from around the market research industry. Topping the list is a deep dive into the new whitepaper from Strat7, which compares synthetic data providers using real-world testing methods. The whitepaper finds that while synthetic data performs well on individual questions, it falls apart when you examine the full respondent experience — consistency, internal logic, and key drivers simply don’t align with real human behavior. Meanwhile, ESOMAR has updated its Code of Standards in partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce. The revised code introduces major new guidance on: Use of AI and synthetic data Consent and notification protocols Biometric and immersive data collection Inclusivity and the “duty of care” to vulnerable respondents Other major topics in the episode include: Kantar Worldpanel rebranding under Numerator Norstat’s acquisi

What do car dealership surveys, goldfish, and chatbots have in common? They all come up in this episode of Intellicast, where Brian and Mary sit down with Lorin Drake, a Consumer Insights Strategist at Publix, to discuss all things respondent experience. It is a refreshingly honest discussion about what’s broken in the world of survey design—and how to potentially fix it. The episode begins with Lorin delving into his background, explaining how he got into market research and ultimately ended up at Publix. Lorin then shares highlights from his IIeX presentation, “Surveys are Dead, Long Live Surveys.” This leads into a larger conversation about how improving the respondent experience can improve data quality. Lorin lays out a path forward, including short LOIs, gamified surveys, more engaging question types, and additional features – all of which contribute to a more human-centric approach to data collection. A few key takeaways: Survey fatigue is real: Response rates are falling, especially for surve

In this news-packed episode, Brian and Gabby break down the biggest happenings shaking up the market research space. Ipsos is expanding its European footprint with the proposed acquisition of the BVA Group, and AckWest continues its M&A spree, this time adding healthcare research firm Reckner to its growing roster. The industry is also seeing a wave of rebrands—Toluna is consolidating under one name, and Sympler now goes by “Okay, Humans” in a nod to human-focused research amid rising AI tension. Speaking of AI, the hosts dig into Pulsar’s launch of Narratives AI—a public opinion search engine with promise (and bot-related pitfalls). Meanwhile, Numerator introduces a Tariff Risk Index to monitor price volatility, and EMI’s new Sample Landscape report tests synthetic data against real respondents, explores AI prompting tools, and dives deep into high-frequency survey takers. It’s a can’t-miss conversation for anyone watching the balance between innovation and insight. Thanks for listening! Want to downloa

Were you in Washington, DC, last week for IIeX? If not, our latest episode of Intellect has you covered! Brian Peterson and Matthew Alexander were in the nation’s capital for this year’s event and sat down to recap all the trends and topics. Let’s dive into what the guys discussed: Data Quality Takes Center Stage One of the most talked-about issues this year was data quality, spurred on by the recent industry indictment. Sessions addressing fraud detection, transparent sampling practices, and respondent experience were standing room only. It’s clear that researchers are demanding more transparency and layered approaches to improving data quality, from better survey design, better tools, and even improved respondent experience. AI and Synthetic Data: More Practical Applications and Progress AI continued to dominate the conversation, but the tone has shifted. This year, discussions focused on practical applications of how AI can assist in the research process, with a variety of presenters showing h

In this episode of Intellicast, host Brian Peterson is joined by Mary Draper and Aron Wilson for a timely and candid discussion about the state of data quality in market research. The team unpacks the recent indictment involving OP4G and Slice MR, accused of orchestrating a $10 million fraud scheme using fabricated survey data. They explore how this scandal highlights long-standing challenges around fraud detection, insider manipulation, and the limitations of current quality safeguards. The conversation also recaps key insights from the recent Insights Association Ignite Data Quality Conference, including the growing push for sample transparency, the nuanced role of ISO certifications, and the critical need for a respondent-first approach to survey design. With perspectives from both supplier and full-service backgrounds, this episode explores how the industry can work together to raise the bar for quality, combat fraud, and ultimately rebuild trust. Whether you’re a panel provider, research buyer, or full-

Welcome back to Intellicast! Joining Brian Peterson on today’s episode to give a recap of Quirks Chicago are Gabby Blados and, for the first time, Abby Snyder. The three jump right in with Gabby, who had attended four different Quirks Events, and Abby, who attended her first Quirks Event, giving their overall impression of Quirks. Gabby felt this one was the best one she had attended. Next, Gabby and Abby discuss the overall trend and themes from Quirks. In addition to AI (which was a given), Gabby discusses the focus on data quality, from new tools to help ensure it to how we as researchers can do things differently to help improve quality. Abby then discussed a few of her key takeaways from the conference, including how she felt it was important to connect with colleagues she normally communicates with on a daily basis but never met face-to-face. Gabby talked about her favorite session, which featured Hills Science, which she and her family used for their pets growing up. In the wrap-up, Abby and Ga

Welcome back to Intellicast! Joining Brian Peterson on this jam-packed episode is Gabby Blados. They talk about conferences, data quality, as well as discuss some recent headlines from around the research world. Kicking off the episode, Brian and Gabby talk about the upcoming conferences, including SampleCon and Quirks Chicago. With Gabby attending Quirks, she gives Brian a preview of some of the topics, sessions, and activities she most looks forward to while in Chicago in early April. Next, Brian and Gabby turn their sights to the latest market research news, starting with the launch of the Global Data Quality Initiative updated Data Quality Pledge. Brian and Gabby discuss how they feel this is a step in the right direction to improve overall data quality. They are hesitant, though, since it is a pledge, and there is no one to hold people accountable to its standard other than self-regulation. They both agree that the pledge is probably a step toward some sort of regulation around data quality. In the

Welcome back to Intellicast! Brian Peterson is joined in today's episode by Matthew Alexander to discuss mergers, people on the move, and AI. Starting the episode, the guys talk about some recent mergers and acquisitions from around the industry. First, they touch on OpinonRoute's acquisition of Jibunu and how this can impact OpinionRoute going forward. They then touch ACKWEST's purchase of Precision Sample. Next, the guys discuss some moves people in the industry have made. They touch on new additions at Morning Consult and Symmetric Sample. They hit on WIRe's executive structure changes and Ryan Barry departing Zappi. In the last segment, the guys touch on a few news stories around AI, specifically synthetic data. First, they discuss the new solution from PureSpectrum, called Training Data, and how that can impact synthetic data and improve existing models. This led to a more philosophical discussion triggered by comments from a panel at the MRS AI conference. Matthew breaks it down to show how biases im

Welcome to season 8 of Intellicast! Matthew Alexander joins Brian Peterson on today's episode to talk about the latest market research news. Before the guys discuss the news, they quickly touch on some of the conferences coming up over the next month. This includes the QCRA Annual Conference in Philadelphia on February 11-14. If you are interested in attending, use promo code EMIVIP to get a discount on your registration! Starting the news discussion, Brian and Matthew talk about a couple of friends of EMI who recently switched their roles and what that may mean for the industry's outlook in 2025. Next, the guys discuss the news of Radius Global acquiring Illuminas. They wonder if this could be the start of a more significant year of mergers and acquisitions due to a better economic outlook. This leads to a conversation about the new US panel that Bilendi & Respondi launched following its acquisition of Netquest in December. Both Brian and Matthew liked that Bilendi was investing in a new US panel and s

Welcome back to Intellicast! We are putting the final touches on season seven. We want to thank all of you who tuned in this year; we really appreciate it. In this year’s Best Of episode, we are going to revisit a few of our favorite interviews from 2024. [0:54 Seconds] First up is Roddy Knowles, who made his return to the podcast after several years. He, Brian, and Matthew touched on his journey to dtect, as well as taking a deep dive into the larger fraud issue, including a few dirty secrets around data quality. [30:15] Next up, we revisit Karin Pepin’s first appearance on the podcast this season, where we had a deep conversation about data quality. Karin explains that there is no single approach to solving data quality, but a multi-layered approach is needed. [1:10:44] Finally, let’s look back at our conversation with Jeremy Zogby prior to the 2024 election. Jeremy talks with Brian and Jason about potential adjustments pollsters have made coming into the 2024 election. Jeremy also breaks down what poll

Welcome back to Intellicast! In today's episode, Brian and Matthew are joined by two special guests to get all the details around a news story that was talked about several weeks back – the new strategic partnership between Brandtrust and Protobrand. Joining Brian and Matthew to discuss how this partnership came about are Alex Millet, the new CEO of Brandtrust, and Pal Afzelius, the CEO of Protobrand. Since this was Pal's first appearance on the podcast, Brian asked him how he ended up in the market research industry. Pal tells us how he attended the Swedish School, met the co-founder of Protobrand, and hit it off; the rest is history. (You can hear Alex's origin story here: https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=CSN6936360131) After learning about Pal, the guys turned to the strategic partnership between Brandtrust and Protobrand. Alex starts it by discussing the background of the relationship between the two companies and what led to their discussions and, ultimately, partnering. He and Pal then talk about how

Welcome back to Intellicast! Gabby Blados returns to talk Thanksgiving and the latest news from around the market research industry with Brian Peterson. Kicking off the episode, Brian and Gabby talk about their favorite Thanksgiving dishes and traditions. They touch on everything from stuffing and Jello salad to the time each usually sits down for Thanksgiving dinner (or, in Gabby's case – Thanksgiving lunch). After the Thanksgiving talk, Gabby and Brian turned their attention to the latest market research news, starting with the news of a new Board of Directors for Dynata and what it could mean for the future focus of Dynata. This episode had two big topics: data quality and artificial intelligence. On the data quality front, Brian and Gabby discuss the new funding for the Data Quality Co-Op, the new strategic partnership between Sample Ninja and Veriff, and the new standard endorsed by the Insights Association for transferring survey data between platforms. They also discuss some of the data quality com

Welcome back to Intellicast! We are back with a great episode. Joining Brian Peterson and Matthew Alexander to talk data quality is the COO of dtect, and friend of the podcast, Roddy Knowles. Kicking off the episode, Brian and Matthew catch up with Roddy on what he has been up to since the last time he was on the podcast, including what led him to move over to dtect, a new data quality platform. After getting the low down on dtect and learning what they are all about, the guys turned the conversation to data quality in the industry. As an industry, we have been talking about data quality for some time now. Roddy gives his thoughts about the industry's strides in tackling data quality issues and what hasn't been done well. Next, the guys turn their attention to the discussion of bots and how it seems to be a significant focus when people talk about data quality. Roddy gives some great insight into how bots make up a small fraction of overall data quality issues and how they are just a subset of the larger

Welcome back to Intellicast! Matthew Alexander joins Brian Peterson again to discuss the latest news from the market research industry. The episode kicks off with Brian and Matthews discussing the new partnership between BrandTrust and Protobrand. Matthew gives his perspective on what it could mean for the two organizations. Next, the guys talk about the new long-term stake that Lac1 took in Ipsos. They speculate on what Ipsos could be using these new investment funds on. The guys then get into a series of stories revolving around new AI tools launched across the industry. First, the guys discuss OpinionRoute's AI feature QC Flow. This leads to a deeper discussion about overall AI adoption among the general public. The guys compare it to the new Apple Intelligence and if that will increase the adoption of AI. The second story Matthew and Brian touched on was Toluna's new synthetic data suite called HarmonAIze. They then dive into new research from the World Federation of Advertisers that found that

Welcome back to Intellicast! On today's episode, Brian Peterson is joined again by EMI's Gabby Blados to discuss the latest news from around the market research industry. Kicking off the episode, Gabby and Brian discuss the recent rebrand of Directions Research, Aimpoint, and SEEK to the Directions Group. Next, they discuss the new emoji video feedback tool introduced by Jibunu and Forsta's recent announcement of server-to-server connections to tackle ghost completes. The Forsta story leads to a deeper discussion between Brian and Gabby about how this technique has been around for a while. Gabby and Brian switch gears and talk about some of the market research industry veterans who have changed roles, including Patrick Comer taking over as the CEO of Cint, and PureSpectrum adding Toluna vet Phil Ahad as their new Chief Innovation Officer. In the last segment of today's episode, Brian and Gabby tackle some of the latest AI news. First off, they discuss the newly proposed AI Consent Act. The discussion l

Welcome back to Intellicast! On today's episode, Brian Peterson and Jason Inderhees are joined by the Managing Partner of John Zogby Strategies and frequent Intellicast guest, Jeremy Zogby. Jeremy joins the guys to discuss the polling, the 2024 presidential election, third-party candidacies, and much more! Kicking off the episode, Jeremy talks with Brian and Jason about potential adjustments pollsters have made coming into the 2024 election. Jeremy also breaks down what pollsters and the media have learned from the past two election cycles and how it pertains to the 2024 election. This leads to a discussion around the impact the media, along with misinformation, has on polling. In the next segment, Brian gets Jeremy's perspective on the current election's seeming drama and plot twists and how it compares to previous elections. Jeremy, in his customary manner, brings the historical perspective and details how this election has similarities to the 1968 election, from an assassination (attempt this year), a si

Welcome back to Intellicast! On today's episode, Matthew Alexander joins Brian Peterson again to talk about the latest news-making waves in the market research industry. Kicking off the episode, Matthew and Brian analyze YouGov's acquisition of Yabble. The guys are both surprised by the low price, speculating on undisclosed deal details and reflecting on lower AI valuations until a market leader emerges. Next, they discuss the latest IPA Bellwether report that showed that marketing budgets in the UK grew by 3.2%, more than expected. The guys speculate whether this is real growth or cost inflation. SEMrush's investment into MFour is the next story Matthew and Brian discuss. They wonder what the investment will mean for both organizations. They touch on Rich Silva's promotion to President of Research For Good, PureSpectrum's expansion in the DACH region, and Google's decision not to eliminate third-party cookies from its Chrome browser. In the last story of the week, the guys discuss a recent story from

Welcome back to Intellicast! In today's episode, Brian Peterson is joined by Gabby Blados to talk about the latest news from the market research industry. Kicking off the episode, Brian and Gabby discuss the news that NIQ is integrating their panel data into their Discovery platform. Gabby highlights how this powerful combination promises to deliver richer, more actionable insights. In the following story, Brian and Gabby discuss how Ipsos is launching PersonaBots. This leads to a deeper discussion around the use of AI to create these synthetic personas and the impact they will have on research going forward. It is not without a warning as both Brian and Gabby talk about how the LLMs and AIs are only as good as the data that is used to train them. Next, Brian and Gabby jump into some of the highlights from part 1 of the recently released 2024 Insights & Analytics Market Report. They talk about the industry's growth and how the growth rate has declined. Gabby gives her perspective from a salesperson and ho

Welcome back to Intellicast! In today's episode, Brian Peterson is joined by EMI's Mary Draper and Karine Pepin, co-founder of The Research Heads, to give another talk about data quality. The focus of the conversation came from a recent LinkedIn post from Karine that started a lengthy debate in the comment section – specifically questioning the Quality Pledge that some organizations have signed. The questions included: Why is a corporation leading this effort rather than GDQ, CASE4Quality, or industry associations? How are "indicators" of quality defined? Are indicators measured pre or post-survey? Will suppliers be audited to ensure compliance? What does "sharing bad practices" entail, and with whom are they shared? I counted 27 signatories. With so many open questions, what exactly are they committing to? Brian starts the episode by getting Mary and Karine's perspectives on the pledge. Karine talks about her reaction when she found out about it, especially since she is part of the Global Data Quality

Welcome back to Intellicast! On today’s episode, we are joined by Ashley Le Blanc, Fieldwork’s Director of Communications, to talk about focus groups and the upcoming Global Focus Group Day on July 9th. Kicking off the episode, we talk about Ashley’s background. Ashley shares her fascinating journey from a marketing agency to her current role with Fieldwork, expressing her deep passion for the insights industry and its people. Brian and Ashley then discuss the shift to more in-person research that has taken place over the last couple of years as the pandemic ended. Ashley shares some observations about clients' preference for in-person meetings over online focus groups due to the benefits, such as nonverbals, side conversations, and more. The conversation then shifts to the upcoming Global Focus Group Day on July 9, 2024. Brian and Ashley discuss the evolution of this event from a week-long celebration to a single day aimed at honoring the industry's pioneers and their impactful contributions. Ashley encourag