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Back to School is the perfect time to learn about all the new trends
The first few weeks of school have always felt like a giant, impromptu ethnography.

Ruth Behr
4 min read


People think in images, which is why your consumer research should too
Visual storytelling in a research context isn't about adding emojis or making a prettier slide deck at the end of a project.

Talk Shoppe Team
3 min read


I’ll gladly change that light bulb
We’ve convinced ourselves that “convenient” decisions are the same thing as “smart” ones. They’re not.

Alessandra Feio
4 min read


Alternatives to Traditional Focus Group Facilities for Consumer Research
There are better options that most consumer researchers never seriously consider. Let's fix that.

Talk Shoppe Team
4 min read


Back to Basics: 'The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life' by Erving Goffman
This book helps us understand why life is a stage in which consumers are constantly performing for others, for brands, and for themselves.

Tal Oren
6 min read


What renovating an old home taught me about being a better research partner
Hiring experts to help me make decisions about things I didn’t fully understand made me think about my own work as a research partner.

Lindsay Clark
5 min read


Why brands that invest in consumer insights outperform competitors
There is a belief that persists in a lot of boardrooms, particularly in leaner times, that market research and consumer insights are nice-to-haves. Something you do when budgets are flush and cut when they're not. A line item that feels optional compared to media spend, product development, or sales headcount. That belief is expensive. And the evidence against it has been piling up for years. The brands that consistently outperform their categories, grow through downturns,

Talk Shoppe Team
5 min read


Why I love the World Cup
What fascinates me is what the tournament reveals about people, culture and connection. Because the World Cup has never just been about football.

Ruth Behr
3 min read


My company is turning 16 and this is what I learned so far
If my company were a teenager living here in Los Angeles, it would be old enough to get its driver's permit. That that'll get you reflecting.

Liana Morgado
4 min read


Three cities, three stages, three firsts: on the value of uncertainty and the beauty of human interaction
Three cities. Three stages. Three firsts. What several weeks on the road reminded me about the beauty of human interaction.

Joyce Chuinkam
4 min read


Why every brand needs a brand health tracker and why you should start ASAP
Brand health trackers measure how your brand lives in the minds of consumers over time. You should have one, now.

Talk Shoppe Team
7 min read


Consumer diversity and cultural nuances in Los Angeles: why LA is the best city for qualitative brand research
True, Los Angeles is not the most representative city. But representative and valuable are two different things. Come to LA to explore what's next for your brand.

Talk Shoppe Team
5 min read


Is anger contagious? A reflection on Malcolm Gladwell’s 'The Power & Perils of Emotions'
On emotions and how anger is a force that hijacks judgment, distorts values, and leads people to act in ways misaligned with who they are.

Alessandra Feio
4 min read


From data to direction: how brands can turn research into confident decisions
Marketers don't need more data. They need clarity, guidance, and inspiration to turn the research they already have into strategy. Here's how we do it.

Talk Shoppe Team
3 min read


What most brands still get wrong about consumer-centricity
Consumer-centricity is a useful and well intentioned north star for brands. But it doesn't mean what you think it does.

Liana Morgado
3 min read


Back to Basics: 'Civilization and its Discontents' by Sigmund Freud
This book helps us understand why human beings are so bad at being happy even when they're given everything they (supposedly) want.

Tal Oren
6 min read


Why a listening tour might be the smartest move your brand makes to get better consumer insights
When brands are swimming in dashboards and sentiment scores, embarking on a listening tour can be surprisingly powerful.

Talk Shoppe Team
4 min read


The Oscars and the evolution of shared experiences
The Oscars still manage to gather us, perhaps at separate times and places, but enough to remind us that shared experiences still matter.

Ruth Behr
4 min read


Forget trust falls. Your company retreats should be fun.
Every year, at the very beginning of our calendar, we make a deliberate decision to press pause. Not on the business itself, but on the distance between us.

Ruth Behr
4 min read


How to choose the right consumer insights agency: a fit checklist
Hiring a consumer insights agency should not feel like a leap of faith. Here is an agency fit checklist for your next project.

Talk Shoppe Team
4 min read
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