One of our values at The Garage Group is Insatiable Curiosity, which results in our team seeking out as much external connection and inspiration as we can. Attending a handful of impactful conferences per year is on our priority list.
Conferences offer powerful growth opportunities for leaders committed to making ongoing learning intentional. The best ones deliver great content, networking opportunities, and lessons on navigating challenges. For our team, they stretch our thinking, keep us grounded and humble, and help us to keep a pulse on the latest application of tools and a variety of methodologies.
Last week, our team attended the Insights Association 2024 Corporate Researchers Conference in NYC – three action-packed days connecting Insights leaders from leading global companies to discuss the biggest challenges facing consumers today and tomorrow. As anticipated, AI was front and center but so was the importance of staying human with counterintuitive thinking, creativity, and storytelling.
The Garage Group’s growth lead, Paul Fisher captured his 5 Takeaways:
- The Market Remains in “Search Mode” with AI – While AI is the talk of the town, it is still in “proving” mode. TGG’s take has always been that AI serves as a supplemental tool to illuminate new possibilities, fuel efficiency, and enhance the inputs into human-led strategic decision making. The past week revealed that we’re all still in “search mode”. According to a Market Research Institute International study, only 25% of corporate researchers have adopted AI. As part of their ongoing learning journey, Mars Wrigley shared their partnerships with tools like Black Swan Data and Knit to help trend assessment and to streamline qualitative and quantitative consumer research.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Go Against The Grain – Counterintuitive thinking is critical for any Insights professional. We were all reminded that taking the commonly accepted path isn’t always best. For example, Nancy Harhut, Chief Creative Officer of HBT Marketing, shared her 5 Counterintuitive Marketing Tactics for Today. One tactic she championed was for companies to tell consumers they don’t have to buy their products. The more commonly accepted approach is for companies to continuously tell consumers to buy, buy, buy. However, according to Nancy, companies that use the “But you are free to accept or refuse” technique can see a 4x increase in compliance.
- Using AI to Fuel Data Visualization & Advanced Analytics – Anthony Jackel, Sr. Director of BI & Analytics at Ferraro, and Ed Keller, Executive Director of Market Research Institute International shared their “Love of Learning” report. The results told the story of progress made across a variety of factors from career satisfaction to learning & development and AI adoption. One thing was clear: the use of AI is still in its early stages. While it may seem like everyone is using AI at scale, that is not the case. Insights leaders expressed interest in Data Visualization, Advanced Analytics, and Generative AI tools. While Research Automation and Machine Learning are used less, we can expect more impact in the future. Check out the MRII’s full report here.
- The Importance of Being “Whole Brained” – By nature, Insights leaders are champions of the consumer. To hone that desire for ongoing connection, one must know people holistically, using their “whole mind”. Nikkia Reveillac is an Insights Executive, Storyteller, and podcast host who introduced the idea that a “whole brained” Insights pro must have three core skills: storytelling expertise, adaptability, and cross-functional collaboration. Plus, as a creative dancer, she encouraged Insights leaders to embrace the arts to become more whole brained. This can be as simple as exploring local arts events, consuming more artistic media, or taking a class.
- Challenge Assumptions & Think Emotionally, Like Magic – Too much focus on AI and technology can be a danger, as they may seem like shiny forces to unlock all problems. The harder, more courageous thing to believe in, is magic. David Corsaro is an Insights leader who brought his skills as a magician to convey three critical points: remove assumptions, create unlimited options, and think emotionally. Magic tricks work because people make assumptions, limit their thinking, and are very rational. When you flip the script, you can break down limiters and see the core of any magic trick. David connected this back to the importance of how we approach qual and quant research as Insight leaders, sharing “the unique way to problem solve is to step back and say everything is on the table, nothing is going to hold me in place.”
Interested in learning more? Tag Paul Fisher to trade thoughts!
The Garage Group is a boutique consulting firm on a mission to keep existing brands relevant and growing in today’s uncertain market. Learn more about our thinking and our work HERE!
