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Episode Summary: AI, Innovation, and Market Research Trends (August 8 – August 14, 2025)
AI and Tech Innovations in Market Research
- Media Monitors Expands Tracking & Archive – In the US, Media Monitors has announced a major expansion of its radio ad tracking coverage from 106 to 250 markets, and will permanently archive every captured radio ad. The firm says this “forever” dataset will give advertisers and agencies precise, comprehensive proof of what aired, moving beyond reliance on traditional Gross Rating Points.
- Alida Unveils AI Insights Assistant – Toronto-based CX/UX firm Alida launched an AI-powered assistant that instantly summarizes themes in open-ends, identifies key insights, generates visualizations and recommended actions, and shares findings with stakeholders. Part of a broader AI toolkit, the assistant transforms complex data into actionable reports and streamlines content creation, aiming to free researchers for deeper analysis.
- Marchex Launches Healthcare AI Attribution Tool – Conversational analytics provider Marchex released an AI-driven solution to help health systems attribute patient leads to marketing efforts, prioritize high-value appointments, and optimize campaigns. The tool converts unstructured call data into structured insights on why patients book or don’t book, with features revealing factors like appointment availability and pricing to improve healthcare marketing ROI.
- Neurons Debuts ‘Creative Impact Score’ – Danish neuromarketing firm Neurons Inc. introduced the Neurons Impact Score (NIS), a simple pre-launch metric predicting the potential effectiveness of ads or other creative content. The new solution provides an easy-to-understand score with next-step recommendations and multiple data views, helping marketers gauge a creative’s likely impact and make improvements before full rollout.
B2B Market Research Developments
- Sago Sells Health Arm to Refocus on B2B – Research tech firm Sago has sold its one-year-old Health Division to medical education company MLGH. The move lets Sago sharpen its focus on core consumer and B2B research offerings. Launched last year under President Shannon Childs and CEO Isaac Rogers, the health unit’s sale underscores Sago’s strategy to concentrate on its primary insights business.
- Brandwatch Integrates Search Intelligence – Consumer intelligence platform Brandwatch partnered with search data provider Trajaan to blend online search behavior with social media listening in its insights platform. This integration allows clients to “combine what the world is saying with what the world is searching for,” enabling analysts to see consumer demand (search trends) alongside conversation (social trends) for more holistic B2B and B2C insights.
- Priceagent Offers MVNO Pricing Insights – Stockholm-based pricing strategy firm Priceagent teamed up with telecom tech company Telness Tech to give mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) direct access to real-time consumer pricing insights. The partnership will allow MVNOs to monitor market pricing dynamics and competitive offers instantly, helping them adjust plans and promotions on the fly in the highly competitive mobile communications market.
- OnDemandIQ Expands into Japan and Korea – Singapore-based streaming analytics provider OnDemandIQ is entering Japan and South Korea via a partnership with Tokyo-based MR firm INTAGE Inc.. The deal expands OnDemandIQ’s audience measurement coverage to two major APAC markets, leveraging INTAGE’s local panels. It comes as streaming services in Asia grow, and will help media companies and advertisers gauge viewing habits across the region.
Partnerships, Mergers, and Acquisitions
- S4 Capital and MSQ Explore Merger – Sir Martin Sorrell’s advertising group S4 Capital has confirmed it is in early-stage discussions about a possible merger with UK-based marketing network MSQ Partners. The talks, if they progress, could combine S4’s digital-focused agencies with MSQ’s multi-discipline marketing and research firms. Industry observers note this would be Sorrell’s first major M&A move since S4’s rapid expansion and might create a new global mid-sized player in the marketing insights and services space.
- HG Insights Acquires MadKudu, Launches AI Suite – B2B intelligence firm HG Insights (Santa Barbara, CA) acquired MadKudu, a Silicon Valley startup specializing in AI-driven lead scoring and go-to-market analytics, and simultaneously launched a range of AI-powered GTM solutions. The new suite combines market intelligence and sales data with real-time automation, effectively creating AI “agents” that identify high-potential B2B prospects and trigger marketing actions. HG Insights’ CEO says the move accelerates their roadmap by adding MadKudu’s predictive algorithms to serve revenue and marketing teams.
- Acutus AI & dtect Partner on Fraud Prevention – APAC-based research tech startup Acutus AI Insights announced a strategic partnership with data quality specialist dtect to bolster survey fraud detection in online research. The collaboration will integrate dtect’s real-time, privacy-safe fraud prevention tools into Acutus AI’s platform, helping insights teams identify fraudulent respondents and data in Asia-Pacific markets. The firms say this will improve data integrity for clients as the region sees growing online panel usage and more sophisticated response fraud.
- Shamrock Capital Buys Penta Group – Stakeholder intelligence and reputation research firm Penta Group has been acquired by LA-based private equity investor Shamrock Capital. Penta (formed via a 2022 merger of public affairs specialists) provides reputation insights and strategic advisory to corporations and policymakers. Shamrock’s investment will support Penta’s growth, with plans to expand its data-driven reputation monitoring services and possibly pursue further acquisitions in the communications analytics space.
Industry Leadership & Organizational Changes
- Medallia Hires Jagrit Malhotra as CRO – Customer and employee experience giant Medallia has appointed Jagrit Malhotra as Chief Revenue Officer to lead its global sales organization. Malhotra is an insights industry veteran who previously held leadership roles at Clarabridge and Qualtrics. His hiring suggests Medallia is doubling down on growth after its acquisition of Decibel, with Malhotra charged with driving enterprise client acquisition and partnerships worldwide.
- Reddit Appoints Insights Head for EMEA – Reddit has brought on former Twitter and Samsung Ads researcher Robert Turnbull as its Head of Insights for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (and Australia). In this newly created role, Turnbull will build out Reddit’s regional insights team to provide brands with data on Reddit’s audiences and ad products. The hire indicates Reddit’s focus on international expansion and better demonstrating its advertising effectiveness via local market research leadership.
- Crowd DNA Alum Launches ‘Magic Gold’ Consultancy – Former Crowd DNA APAC lead Stephanie Winkler has launched a new cultural insight and strategy consultancy called Magic Gold in Asia-Pacific. Based in Australia and Singapore, Magic Gold will help brands decode cultural trends and consumer behaviors across APAC markets. Winkler, who headed Crowd DNA’s Singapore office, is positioning the boutique firm as a go-to for nuanced qual research and strategy, tapping into rising demand for local cultural expertise in global marketing.
- Sparkminds Adds Ex-Lottery Insights Leader – UK-based insight agency Sparkminds has appointed Dan Murray to its senior leadership team. Murray was previously Lead Insight Business Partner at Allwyn, the operator of the UK National Lottery. In his new role, he’ll help lead Sparkminds’ client strategy and analytics projects. Sparkminds’ CEO says Murray’s experience delivering insights in a complex, high-stakes consumer business (lottery/gaming) will bolster the agency’s consultative offerings for its retail and media clients.
Expert Insights & Thought Leadership
- Insights Association Urges Census Funding – In response to former President Trump’s recent call for a “new and highly accurate” count of the U.S. population, the Insights Association (IA) is urging the White House to fully fund the already-planned 2030 Census. IA’s SVP of Advocacy Howard Fienberg noted that preparations for 2030 are well underway and a credible decennial count takes a decade of work. The association welcomed dialogue on modernizing the census but cautioned that any ad-hoc mid-decade census would face legal limits and resource shortfalls, emphasizing support for the existing Census process.
- Elevating Insight Teams’ Influence – Horst Feldhaeuser of Infotools penned an op-ed in Research Live arguing that without buy-in from key decision-makers, even the smartest research can remain underutilized. He urges insights teams to “position their work as indispensable” by actively engaging stakeholders, integrating findings into strategic conversations, and demonstrating clear business impact. By speaking the language of the C-suite and fostering cross-functional collaboration, researchers can transform their role from a support function into a business-critical partner, Feldhaeuser writes.
