Bringing Authenticity to Virtual Research

Prior to the pandemic, we were spoiled by in-store design research that gave us the depth to understand the “whys and hows” and deliver actionable consumer insights to our clients. We know the value and authenticity that being in-store provides, so when the pandemic hit and we needed to innovate, we had very high standards…

Research Reimagined for a New Normal

Register for the Insights Association's Y Conference, March 9-10, 2021!Luke will be participating in the Insights Association's Y Conference this year. On March 10 at 2:40 PM EST/1:40 PM CST, his presentation, "General Mills’ Quest for the First Moment of Truth: Novel qual methods to fuel effective innovation frameworks," will share how our partnership with…

I’ve Been Baking

Shortly after stay-at-home went into effect, I—and countless others—decided to take up bread baking. After searching for the “best bread recipe ever,” I followed the instructions the best I could, but the bread never rose: the yeast was expired. I spent weeks on a quest to find a store with yeast in-stock. Soon, my obsession…

Our take on research right now

This is certainly a unique time for Americans as we see bold steps being taken on a broad scale to curtail the spread of this virus. I have come to appreciate the prudent steps being taken and the unity that has emerged from people joining together to solve a shared problem. Our Leadership Team at REAL…

Scrappy, Not Crappy

AGILE! SPRINT! LEAN START-UP! SCRAPPY! We are in an age where many paradigms are shifting quickly. Brand equity isn’t functioning the way it used to. Consumers are demanding more transparency and authenticity from companies than ever before. Start-ups are taking on big companies and winning more than ever. Non-traditional success stories are becoming more of the norm for innovation…

Finding the Reality Amongst the Noise

In our modern world, the gap between in-person realities and online perceptions can feel vast.   Life, as seen on social media is filtered, perfected, and potentially polarized. These perspectives can feel exciting for those who have embraced this curated worldview and scary for those who would rather not.  Connecting with people IRL feels much more…

Looking for an Authentic Spark

As you know, perception is reality for shoppers. Relying on traditional concept evaluation tools presents a challenge; concepts are already fully explained before the consumer can share their thoughts even with more iterative, on-trend methodologies. Yet, concept understanding at-shelf is essentially a barometer of how much effort and cost will be required to gain traction.…