At its core, market research is a discipline designed to help us keep up with change. But at times, even market research itself must transform to keep up with the market.
The need for faster and more robust insights has been growing due to continued pressure on budgets and timelines. This urgency has driven the transformation of market research, with technology at its core. The average market research toolkit has now expanded to include everything from automated, do-it-yourself market research platforms to artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning and neuroscience.
These technologies have become an essential part of the global consumer insights machine, enabling brands to keep up with accelerating change in consumer behaviour.
Technology enhances what market research can already do
Technology has made it possible to accelerate traditional market research processes, making them more efficient and streamlining costs through innovative approaches that can be used as either an alternative or supplement to traditional methods. It also helps brands find new ways to answer one of the fundamental questions that market research seeks to answer: What do consumers really think?
Here are some of the key ways technology is shaping the future of insights.
DIY market research platforms
Demand for DIY market research continues to expand, contributing to the broader growth of the insights industry. According to ESOMAR’s Global Market Research 2024 report, the global insights industry is set to exceed US$150 billion by the end of 2024. The market research sector makes up US$54 billion, while the fast-growing research software sector has reached US$56 billion, growing at 12.4% in 2023.
DIY market research platforms like Kantar Marketplace are democratising insights, making it possible to get consumer feedback much more quickly and cost-effectively than in the past. 8 out of our 12 solutions are now self-serve, making DIY market research even more accessible. This includes expanded self-serve options for IdeaEvaluate, PackEvaluate, and ConceptEvaluate AI, allowing brands to validate ideas, optimise packaging, and refine product concepts with speed and accuracy.
DIY platforms also facilitate greater agility, allowing market research teams to bring smaller projects in-house and execute them as soon as needs emerge.
Simulated environments
When consumers make purchasing decisions, context matters. Simulated environments allow brands to test packaging, ads, and product placements in a realistic digital setting—without the cost and complexity of physical store testing.
Take packaging tests, for example. A great design on its own doesn’t guarantee standout appeal on a crowded shelf. With virtual shelving, brands can see how their packaging competes against real-world alternatives, helping them identify which designs will grab attention and drive sales. This method delivers faster, more cost-effective insights while ensuring packaging decisions are based on how consumers actually shop.
Consumer neuroscience
One of these growing-in-popularity approaches is the application of neuroscience to online market research, which enhances our understanding of consumers’ emotional responses. Within the neuroscience field, one of the key insight tools is facial coding. When applied to ad testing, facial coding technology allows marketers to observe how people react to their creative by analysing their facial expressions and eye movements—decoding these expressions to predict overall sentiment with a high degree of accuracy. The transformative power of this approach is that it overcomes implicit biases that are often found in self-reported measures of emotional response.
Artificial intelligence: The next frontier
AI has become a game-changer in market research, enabling brands to analyse vast datasets, predict trends, and generate insights with unprecedented speed and accuracy.
At Kantar Marketplace, we’re continuously investing in AI to make research smarter, faster, and more actionable. Our latest innovations—GenAI and KAiA—are designed to enhance the way we deliver value to our clients.
- GenAI accelerates the research process by generating high-quality insights in a fraction of the time, making it easier for brands to act quickly on consumer feedback
- KAiA, Kantar’s AI assistant,gives instant access to consumer and market insights in conversational language. It connects Kantar intelligence with brand and sales data to deliver clear, actionable answers anytime, anywhere
AI-powered solutions for better decision-making
- LINK AI: Advertising effectiveness is now measurable within minutes, not days. Our AI-powered ad testing solution, LINK AI, leverages the world’s largest ad database to predict ad performance with 80%+ accuracy. Whether you’re evaluating TV, digital, social, or static creatives, LINK AI provides instant insights, helping brands optimise their campaigns before launch
- ConceptEvaluate AI: Bringing AI into concept testing, ConceptEvaluate AI provides instant feedback on new product and service ideas. Built on Kantar’s extensive innovation knowledge, this solution helps businesses screen and refine concepts with predictive accuracy, reducing the risk of failure and increasing the chances of market success
- BrandDynamics: Understanding how your brand performs in the market has never been more crucial. BrandDynamics, our AI-enhanced brand tracking solution, provides real-time, always-on insights, helping marketers continuously measure brand performance, identify shifts in consumer perceptions, and optimise brand strategy with confidence
A future powered by AI
At Kantar Marketplace, we recognise that the future of market research is AI-driven. By continuously expanding our suite of AI-powered solutions, we enable brands to work smarter, learn faster, and build stronger brand strategies. Technology will continue to evolve, and so will our commitment to providing the most advanced, agile, and actionable insights in the industry.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in the research process, businesses that leverage these advancements will gain a significant competitive edge. With Kantar Marketplace, brands can confidently navigate an ever-changing landscape, armed with intelligent insights that drive growth.
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