Knowledge Share: Why is France different?
2025-01-07 16:00 - 16:45 (Europe/London)
This Knowledge Share has been generously sponsored by Norstat

Join ICG member Katherine Passerieu who’ll take us through some background information on the French market and the French consumer, therefore outlining some key considerations when conducting qualitative market research in France.
She’ll talk about cultural sensitivities, methodological considerations, analysis and interpretation, recruitment, timings, regulatory compliance.
Katherine Passerieu

A French National, Katherine had lived and worked in the UK for over 30 years.
Before setting up Passerieu Consulting in 2011, Katherine worked as a Director in international advertising and market research companies, e.g.:
– forward thinking, a boutique strategy consultancy
– GfK NOP – Director of Brand Strategy
– Censydiam UK – Managing Director
– CRAM International – Free lance Research Director for the French market
– TNS (now WPP) Director of Qualitative and International Research
– Landor & Associates – European Research Director
– Ted Bates France – Director of Research & Planning
Katherine has used an array of methodologies online and offline for projects in all industry sectors.
Her background is Sociology and Psychology.
She’s a member of the MRS, ESOMAR, ICG, IoD and BACP
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-passerieu-9054426/

Login in here for this session (no need to pre register)

B2B Insights, Simplified: LinkedIn-Verified Sampling for Small Businesses
2025-01-08 13:00 - 13:30
Discover how small businesses in insights can access affordable, expert network-quality B2B sample using Emporia’s LinkedIn-verified, programmatic platform.
This Lunch&Learn will explain why manual methods fall short and how a more automated approach ensures credibility, efficiency, and impactful research results. Learn how to leverage Emporia’s award-winning mrxCore platform for reliable data collection, reducing costs without compromising on quality.
A bit about Emporia
Emporia is a leading B2B research platform that delivers LinkedIn-verified respondents through a programmatic, scalable solution. The company’s approach reduces manual effort and improves data quality, allowing businesses to focus on insights that matter. By offering affordable, verified B2B sample, Emporia helps research agencies and independent consultants streamline their research with confidence.
Michael Hess

Michael Hess is the CEO and co-founder of Emporia Research. Prior to starting the company in 2020, Michael managed teams within global marketing at Marriott International and led large-scale database consolidation projects at Fortune 500 companies as an information systems consultant at Baker Tilly. Drawing from years of experience in both corporate and entrepreneurial settings, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge in leveraging innovative technology to improve data quality and research efficiency. Now leading Emporia, Michael is dedicated to helping businesses access high-quality, affordable insights to drive smarter business decisions.
www.emporiaresearch.com
Register for this session here

Insights Ignite: Cultivating a Growth Mindset
2025-01-09 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar has been generously sponsored by Norstat

Join ICG member Lara Meyer in this webinar designed to kick-start your new year.

In this session, we’ll dive into the power of a “Growth Mindset” and why it’s a game-changer for both work and life! Lara will reveal simple, actionable ways to nurture your growth mindset while uncovering those sneaky traps that can pull you back into a fixed mindset (without you even realising!). Get ready for inspiring case studies and real-world examples that will spark fresh ideas and show you exactly how to apply this mindset shift to supercharge your success.
Why you should attend:
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a loop of ‘I can’t’ or ‘I’m just not good at this,’ then it’s time to break free! Join this session to discover how you can transform obstacles into opportunities for learning and growth. It’s not magic – it’s science!
Lara Meyer
Lara is a researcher turned coach for leaders in the insights industry, helping them and their teams find the sweet spot between high performance and happiness. She offers 1:1 and team coaching, training and motivational talks to support positive wellbeing.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-biddiscombe-meyer/
Register for this session here

The Segmentation Playbook: From Analysis to Execution
2025-01-16 11:00 - 12:30
This training session has been generously sponsored by E-Tabs

A successful segmentation should be at the top of every Insights team’s list of priorities. But the landscape is littered with expensive, unloved & forgotten segmentation studies. How can you avoid this?
Paul Carney of ClearCut Insights will share his experience from over 25 years of analysing and implementing segmentations, including:

What makes a good segmentation?
How to work with segmentation data
Pros & cons of different segmentation approaches
Demystifying some of the terminology – Personas, Demand Spaces, Audiences, Needstates etc.
Top tips for successfully landing a segmentation with clients

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carneypaul/
Register for this training session here

How to "level up" with larger agencies by using data quality
2025-01-22 13:00 - 13:30
This Lunch & Learn will outline the development of online research over the past 20 years, including how respondents are increasingly seen as a “commodity”. The advent of “faster and cheaper” has led to exchanges where respondents may go through numerous pre-screeners/ routers to qualify for a survey. Even if they qualify, they then get paid a minimum amount for their time in a questionnaire which still doesn’t always consider their experience. This poor respondent experience has led to inattentive answers and therefore poor-quality data.
HOWEVER, there is a chance for a micro business to “level up” with some larger agencies by highlighting the importance of data quality, even having a checklist within their proposal.
Norstat will share their checklist in this session.
Andrew O’Connell, UK Managing Director, UK

Andrew has spent nearly 20 years working in online research, including 6 years as the UK Managing Director of Dynata. He has seen how it has evolved in that time with some developments which have worked well and some which haven’t. Prior to this he has worked client side in research roles.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-o-connell-36167433/
Register for this here

Award for Independent Consultants 2024: Finalists Share Their Submissions
2025-01-30 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar has been generously sponsored by Norstat

Come and hear from our 4 Award Finalists from last year about their submissions. Hear more about how they approached their work, the hurdles they overcame, what worked well and less well, and why they chose to enter the Award.
A great opportunity to learn from other consultants and ask them questions. Also an opportunity to find out more about the Award for 2025.
Our Finalists

AWARD WINNER: Futuresight: Rob Waddington:
Exploring experiences of communications services amongst consumers, citizens and microbusinesses in the UK.

Futuresight documented the experiences of these audiences in 3 ethnographic short films – from inner city estates to the wilds of the Shetland isles. The films helped the Communications Consumer Panel (CCP) connect the individuals and communities they represent more directly with industry, civil society and government, resulting in the CCP having to do less to initiate policy change.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-waddington-2348b04/

Citrine Research: Kate Turner and Julie Irwin:
Breakthrough Research Rapidly Enhances Customer Experience

Citrine Research undertook powerful, in-depth research that went viral across Legal & General. The results were actioned at unprecedented speed delivering an immediate positive impact on customer outcomes, as well as boosting the profile of the internal Legal & General insight team.
Kate Turner (CMRS) | LinkedIn Julie Irwin (FMRS) | LinkedIn

The Word Is Out: Dan Parker-Smith:
Customer Closeness Videos

Dan started working with Futures Housing Group (FHG) on a four-month customer closeness project, bringing to life existing segments of customers living in FHG properties. The project evolved into a near 20 month deep dive into peoples’ lives delivering our insight using a selection of short-films. The outcome was transformative for FHG, as the films got the emotion of living in social housing across, leading to positive change for their customers.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danparkersmith/
Wren Insight: Hannah Beech and Jude Terry:
The power of closeness-led insight to build influence in businesses

Wren use interactive experiences, events and customer story films to create big shifts in customer EQ, giving Insight teams wider reach and greater influence to create change. Their projects help clients give insights a louder voice, and have lead to greater investment in seasonal marketing and retail transformation at the John Lewis Partnership and changes to working culture at Penguin Random House.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-beech-9bb60752/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-terry-b68b6914/

Register for this webinar here

The ICG Northern Party - Say Goodbye To The January Blues
2025-01-31 16:30 - 22:00 | The Brewery Tap, Leeds LS15DL
Start 2025 as you mean to go on and join other ICG members at this party.
Tickets are free, just buy your drinks at the time.
Thanks to Explners for generously sponsoring the food.
Register your free place today
For more info, contact Dan Parker-Smith.

How to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator as a tool to get more contacts and sales leads
2025-02-04 16:00 - 16:45
Finding the right contacts and people to talk to in client businesses is a tough job. But you need to do it, if you are to engage with them about how you can help them, and win them as clients.
In this Knowledge Share webinar, Paul Griffiths and Richard Barron share tips and tricks for using LinkedIn Sales Navigator – the contact and lead-finding tool that sits as an “add-on” to LinkedIn. Understand why LSN is such a useful tool for finding the right people, in the right companies, that you want to want to talk to. See how you can use LSN as a way of identifying and then starting to engage and build relationships with the people you want to target. Ask questions about how to use the tool and to search for your ideal contacts.
Paul and Richard both use LSN in their respective businesses. They are both convinced that it is a highly effective tool in finding new contacts and sales leads. And they think it could help you too!
Paul Griffiths

I help owners of Market Research and Insight Agencies to grow revenues by implementing proven growth strategies.
For more than 20 years I’ve helped grow research and insight agencies. In that time, I’ve sold research projects, managed clients and spoken to many Heads of Insight. I understand the challenge of growing a research business while also being a practitioner within it.
I know what great client growth strategies look like and how to implement them in a way that is both effective and efficient. I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and how to engage with your clients and market to win work. I can help you grow your research business more effectively and more quickly.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulneilgriffiths/
Richard Barron

Passionate about uncovering hidden `truths’ driving human behaviour enabling organisations to make better decisions, products and services that meet real needs.
With over 30 years of professional experience, my core competencies lie in marketing communications, and strategic planning, all of which I bring to my current role at Aspect MR. My mission is to provide insightful market analysis that empowers businesses to make informed decisions. I am dedicated to fostering a culture that values data-driven strategies and innovative solutions, ensuring that our team’s diverse perspectives lead to superior market understanding.
At Aspect Market Research, I’ve been pioneering methods that enhance our understanding of consumer behavior and market trends. This has involved integrating my skills in strategy and marketing communications to lead our organization in delivering actionable insights. My tenure at Saatchi & Saatchi as a Global Planning Consultant, managing accounts like Toyota and Abbott Pharmaceuticals, has been instrumental in honing these abilities, allowing us to excel in multi-country projects and global product launches.
(1) Richard Barron | LinkedIn

No need to pre-register – login is https://zoom.us/j/96355976193

Useful information to run successful projects in Germany
2025-02-12 13:00 - 13:30
We welcome quotapoint for this Lunch&Learn, a half-hour lunchtime slot where members can informally hear about how organisations can help them in their work.

About quotapoint
quotapoint is a Germany based recruitment and data collection provider, with in-house recruitment from own panel, top-notch viewing facilities in Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne, a dedicated PM team for digital qual, excellent project management, as well as moderation- and translation-services.
quotapoint have been supporting their clients with professional market research services for more than 25 years for;

Qualitative & Quantitative
F2F & Digital
Facility & In-home

As a boutique style company, quotapoint provides first class service for competitive rates and value for money. Every project and every client counts. Project success and client satisfaction is quotapoint’s priority.

Specifically, what will you gain from attending this session?
In this Lunch and Learn, you will get useful information to run successful projects in Germany.
International projects can become challenging if you do not have reliable research partners. In this Lunch and Learn they will show you what is important when selecting a local research partner, what is specific if you conduct research projects in Germany and what the main drivers are for project success.
Our Presenter: Stephan Schmid

This Lunch and Learn will be led by Stephan Schmid, Director and Member of Management Board of quotapoint.
Stephan has more than 20 years of industry experience in the areas of client and business development, sales and marketing as well as national and international project management – online & offline, qualitative & quantitative. After holding positions as Managing Director at Schmiedl Marktforschung / Schlesinger Group Germany (now Sago), and as Unit Director at Schöttmer Research HUB, he joined quotapoint in January 2024 as Director and Member of the Management Board.
Special deal for ICG members
We are happy offering all ICG members a discount of 10%* on the first project commissioned with us (*except incentives).
Further links
– Website: www.quotapoint.de
– Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quotapoint-gmbh-teststudio-ffm/

Register for this session here

What are explainer videos and how can we use them to help activate insights?
2025-02-13 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar has been generously sponsored by Norstat

For researchers, it’s tempting to think that the project finishes with the debrief. But for our clients, the debrief is only the beginning. The hard work comes with getting the insights understood by the business and used to influence decision making. As a result, clients are looking for new and exciting ways to activate their insights – often asking agency or independent partners for help.
There’s a growing realisation that video is part of the solution – quallies will recognise how the energy increases in the room when clients see some group or vox pop footage of real consumers. But to date, that has been pretty much it for video content as part of the debrief – separate clips of qual research participants or, at best, a reel combining multiple respondents.
Outside of the market research sector, things are different. Explainer videos are everywhere – especially in journalism and marketing. For example, the Netflix series ‘Explained’ by Vox, or the short-form videos created by news outlets such as the BBC and The Guardian to help us understand complex news stories around politics, science and more.
In this webinar, the Explners team will explore the rise of the explainer video through some of our favourite examples, deconstruct what makes explainers so powerful, and share some case studies of how the market research sector can adopt the explainer video to help clients activate the research projects that they (and we) have put so much hard work and investment into.
After attending this webinar you will:

Understand the different types of explainers and how they differ from other video content
Be able to spot the types of projects that would benefit from this type of video output
Know what to propose when a client or a brief says “we are interested in innovative ways of activating the output of this project.

Judith Rose (formerly Staig):

Judith has worked in research for more than 25 years, initially agency side. For the last ten years she’s been a content consultant and insights storyteller, writing copy and long-form content to help researchers bring insights to life and get them to land effectively with stakeholders. In 2023 she co-founded EXPLNERS a business that helps brands, agencies and businesses activate insights using explainer videos.
Mark Whalley:

Mark is a food & drink strategist, specialising in long-term category vision and innovation. A former Head of Food & Drink at GlobalData Consumer, and Insight Controller at Greencore, he understands how things work on both the agency- and client-side. Mark also excels in insight delivery and impact. A huge believer in the value of storytelling, he runs presentation skills workshops and is a co-founder of EXPLNERS.
Dan Parker-Smith:

Dan is a specialist filmmaker with a research background who understands how to balance research project goals and high-quality, video production storytelling. He was recently shortlisted for the MRS ICG Award thanks to his video work. Dan is a co-founder of EXPLNERS which fuses his experience in market research with his skills in film making.
Register for this session here

EXPLNERS: Activate your insights

The ICG Quiz Night
2025-02-13 18:15 - 21:30
Back due to popular demand, we are proud to be hosting this year’s Quiz Night, open to all.
Hosted by our great quiz hosts, Deanne and Marc Gold (iPoint Research) and generously sponsored by Qualzy and Norstat, this promises to be another great night.

£140 for a table of 8, or £20 a ticket (plus VAT and Eventbrite fees). Includes food and drink.
Thanks to Smart Connect Research for buying our first drinks.
Buy your tickets here

Social Media Listening for Independent Consultants: Turning Online Conversations into Actionable Insights
2025-02-26 13:00 - 13:30
YouScan is an easy-to-use social media listening platform. It employs AI to help researchers, analysts, and insights professionals uncover consumer opinions and gain quick market insights from millions of online conversations. YouScan helps analyze consumer sentiment, track brand mentions, and identify emerging market opportunities in real-time. With its intuitive dashboards and customizable reports, YouScan simplifies complex data, allowing consultants to deliver actionable insights to their clients faster.
A bit more about the YouScan:
YouScan is an award-winning, AI-powered social media listening platform trusted by leading brands and agencies worldwide.
YouScan provides researchers and analysts with real-time insights from millions of online conversations, delivering a comprehensive understanding of consumer opinions, industry trends, the competitive landscape, and emerging market opportunities.
With YouScan, insight professionals gain a deeper understanding of consumers:

What consumers say – YouScan’s powerful text analysis, featuring the GPT-powered Insights Copilot, simplifies understanding consumer opinions about brands, competitors, and events.
What they do – Advanced visual analysis capabilities identify how people interact with brands and products in real life, detecting brand logos, scenes, objects, and activities in social media images.
Who they are – Audience Insights reveal the demographics, interests, and occupations of people discussing brands and topics on social media.

YouScan equips researchers and analysts with the tools to uncover valuable consumer insights, explore untapped market opportunities, and make informed, data-driven decisions that drive measurable results for clients.
Alex Orap:

Alex Orap is the Founder and Chief Growth Officer of YouScan. He is a tech entrepreneur with a successful track record in Software as a Service (SaaS), consumer internet applications, business intelligence, and the telecommunications sector. In 2024, Alex was named among Top 5 Tech Innovators in social intelligence in The Social Intelligence Lab’s Insider 50 nomination.
Anna Yanko

Anna Yanko is the Global Brand Marketing Manager at YouScan, where she drives initiatives to enhance the company’s brand recognition and awareness in both Global and Ukrainian markets.
Register for this session here

Inex One - B2B Market research, simplified
2025-03-12 13:00 - 13:30
You know how expert network interviews and B2B surveys are a pain to coordinate?
Instead of endless email threads and opaque “credit” pricing, we’ve combined the power of 20+ expert networks and survey firms in one platform.
This lets you access all experts faster, pay-per-use, and without the donkey work.
We call it Inex One.
About the platform:
Inex One is a digital platform where market research professionals, investors, and strategy consultants engage the best expert networks and survey providers worldwide. Trusted by more than 7,500 clients globally, Inex One makes it easy and affordable to get B2B insights.
Max Friberg

Max Friberg is the CEO and co-founder of Inex One, the marketplace for expert networks and B2B survey providers.
In his previous career at McKinsey & Company, Max did extensive B2B market research, including commercial due diligence, competitive landscape mapping and voice-of-the-customer studies.
Max is a CEMS MIM graduate from the Stockholm School of Economics and Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC).
You are welcome to reach him on max@inex.one
www.inex.one
Max Friberg | LinkedIn
Register for this session here

In the right ballpark
2025-03-13 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar has been generously sponsored by Choice Language Services Ltd. Unlock the power of global insights with Choice Language Services.

This webinar will be run by ICG member Dan Young and will focus on two things:
– how to be brave telling stories with incomplete commercial data
– how to engage a senior audience using a simple narrative arc
Car buying journeys have become less linear. The Close Brothers insight team wanted to engage its Executive Committee in new routes to market and help them understand how to reach new customers in the future. The team worked with Shed Research to make estimates and assumptions when synthesising a huge number of sources. We used Brent Dyke’s narrative arc to keep Exco engaged with the bigger picture rather than getting bogged down in micro details. And this put us in a strong position to have meaningful strategic conversations and drive decision making.
Dan Young

Dan runs Shed Research. As far as he’s aware, it’s the only customer insight agency focused solely on insight synthesis. Dan helps insight teams do more with their existing research – either synthesising their insight, or training them to do it themselves. In 2020, he was the proud winner of the MRS/ICG Independent Consultant award.
www.shedresearch.co.uk
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-young-shed/
Register for this webinar here
(Note that this session WON’T be recorded to attend it if you don’t want to miss out).

How to use the ICG's 'eGroup' (closed email group) more effectively
2025-03-21 11:00 - 11:30
Are you using the eGroup mailer properly, or is it anxiety-ridden to do so ?😊
This is a closed session for all ICG members, whether you’re active on the eGroup or less so.
Join us for this short webinar on what the eGroup is and how to use it more effectively.
More specifically, you’ll find out more about;

How to use it easily
What sort of questions to post
General rules (do’s and don’ts) – high level
Options of receiving the emails
Future recommendations.

You’ll also have the opportunity to tell us how you find it and ask us questions.
This session will be run by ICG committee member Paul Gebara, who’s responsible for helping members get the most out of the eGroup.
Register for this session here

AI in Qualitative Research & Business: A Year of Experimentation and Key Learnings
2025-04-01 16:00 - 16:45
This Knowledge Share will be run by ICG member Silvia Iranzo Ferrandis

Over the past year, Silvia has been on a journey exploring how AI can enhance both the way she runs her business and the way she conducts qualitative research. From MR-specific qualitative analysis tools to generative AI and productivity-enhancing applications, she’s tested various platforms and approaches to see what truly delivers value. In this session, she’ll share her experiences, practical insights, and honest reflections on what’s worked (and what hasn’t!)—giving you real-world takeaways to consider for your own practice.
Why Attend?
🚀 Gain Practical Insights – Understand how AI can support qualitative analysis helping you work more efficiently and ultimately improving your results.
🛠 Discover AI Tools – Get an overview of useful AI-powered tools to improve both your research and business operations, with real-world user feedback.
💡 Explore a Range of Platforms – Hear Silvia’s thoughts on tools like CoLoop, Condens, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, DALL·E, Midjourney, CapCut, HeyGen, Synthesia and Dola AI (time permitting!).
🤝 Ask Questions & Share Perspectives – This is a space to learn, discuss, and exchange experiences with fellow researchers.
About Silvia:

Silvia Iranzo Ferrandis is ‘Director & Consultant’ at ‘In Market Research’ in Spain. A senior expert qualitative research consultant who has been working in multi-country international studies for nearly two decades now. Silvia has managed projects for many international research agencies and consumer, B2B and pharmaceutical global brands. She is passionate about innovation and technology’s role in research and over the past year, she has been actively trying out and integrating AI tools into her workflow and is now excited to share her insights with the ICG community.
http://es.linkedin.com/in/silviairanzoferrandis
www.inmarketresearch.com
Login for this session is here (no need to pre register)

Clientside life in 2025: closing the empathy gap to work well together
2025-04-03 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar has been generously sponsored by Field Sauce

Consultation by AURA with insight clients, agencies and micro-businesses identified that lack of understanding for each others’ challenges can cause unnecessary pressure, waste and stress in research and insight work. Both clients and agencies referenced the ‘us and them’ culture as a barrier: partners on the supply-side don’t always have sight of clientside pressures; and clients often under estimate the impact on their research partners when projects change.
Following our webinar last year to introduce AURA’s Working Well Together campaign, AURA is returning to this topic, and this time focusing on understanding more about clientside life in 2025. Armed with this additional context, ICG members will be better placed to develop great relationships and collaborative approaches that truly support their clients.
Clients from AURA (the UK’s biggest community exclusively for clientside researchers) will share their experiences, plus the findings of a recent survey with AURA members – which can also give clues for when clients will or won’t be more open to working with independents; and ICG members will have the opportunity to ask questions or make suggestions. This discussion will feed into the Working Well Together Team, who continue to develop resources and content to support this campaign.
Our Speakers
Ruth Hinton – Group Head of Customer Experience & Insight

With a career in client-side consumer insight spanning over 20 years at a variety of major retail and hospitality brands, and a background in psychology, Ruth Hinton specialises in understanding the people behind the numbers and collaborating with colleagues to drive improvements for customers.
Ruth is currently Group Head of Customer Experience at Vue International, and also Chair of AURA, the UK’s biggest community exclusively for client-side researchers – providing content, events and peer-to-peer support, to inspire insight and drive impact within organisations.
Nick Bonney – Deep Blue Thinking (and ICG member).

Nick has been a member of the ICG since 2018 when he set up Deep Blue Thinking. As many of us can probably relate to, Nick has seen the research industry from many different angles. He has had roles as an interviewer, a field manager, an agency exec right through to MD and worked a client for nearly 20 years, serving on the AURA Council . Based on those experiences, he saw the AURA Charter as a chance to get the industry to work more effectively together and volunteered to get involved.

Register for this webinar here

Award for Independent Consultants - Your Questions Answered
2025-04-10 10:00 - 10:30
Come and join us to hear more about the MRS/ICG Award for Independent Consultants and how to submit a winning entry.
Find out what the judges are looking for, get tips to help you craft your paper and hear about the rewards of being a finalist or winner.
Ask us any question – no obligation to submit anything!
The submissions window is from 1st May to 26th June so it’s definitely time to start preparing!
No need to pre-register for this: just login to https://zoom.us/j/2071827436

Award 2024 for reference
MRS/ICG Award For Independent Consultants 2024 – OPEN FOR ENTRIES – The ICG
Award for Independent Consultants 2024: Finalists Share Their Submissions – The ICG
RECORDING: Award for Independent Consultants 2024 Finalists Share Submissions – The ICG

Book Group – Meet the author of StandOut Strategies
2025-04-30 12:00 - 12:45
Chantal Cornelius will chat about her newest book StandOut Strategies: Outshine Your Competitors, Win New Clients & Build Lasting Success, hosted by ICG Co-Chair Karen Elton.

By using this link you can buy a copy of the book, direct from Chantal, with an ICG member discount:
https://appletreeuk.com/products/stand-out-strategies-icg/
Everyone is welcome, whether you have read the book or not, as we’ll talk through the strategies and you can ask Chantal any questions you have about promoting your business.
Chantal has been in marketing since 1995 and in that time has gathered a wealth of experience in helping small businesses to promote their services. Chantal’s company Appletree helps small businesses to grow by helping in creating Marketing plans, websites, email newsletters, networking skills, online marketing, SEO, PR, book publishing and much more.
Join us at 12pm on Wednesday 30 April 2025.
Register for this session here
(2) Chantal Cornelius | LinkedIn

Reframing the role of automation in data storytelling
2025-05-01 11:00
This webinar has been generously sponsored by YouScan, social media listening with visual insights. Lunch&Learn from YouScan recording available here .

When we think about automation in quant reporting, we often picture it handling repeatable reports—trackers, multi-market studies, and templated solutions. But automation has evolved. Increasingly, it’s being introduced much earlier in the research workflow, not just as a reporting tool, but as a way to explore data, uncover insights, and shape narratives more efficiently.
Join us to discover how automation can enhance—not replace—your research expertise, and how you can integrate it into your workflow beyond templated outputs.
This session is led by Adam Baker, who brings nearly 15 years of Market Research experience and now leads Customer Success at Indico Labs, helps research agency leaders and consultants significantly reduce the time they spend on manual report automation, combining a “done with you” approach to reporting efficiency with self-service reporting software. Adam has a deep understanding of researchers’ needs and is driven to solve the toughest operational challenges.

Includes a special offer for ICG members.
Indico Labs
Offer for ICG members
Register for this session here

Beyond Z: Understanding the UK's young people
2025-05-06 16:00 - 17:00
This Knowledge Share has been generously sponsored by Yasna.ai, the AI-powered platform that helps independent researchers, consultants, and research agencies scale in-depth interviews. Claim your free 14 days Yasna PRO free trial today – conduct ±50 interviews (worth €100), sign up at yasna.ai

We welcome ICG member Konrad Collao, Craft, to run this 1-hour session about Gen Z in the UK today.
Konrad has a wealth of knowledge about this topic, based on several award-winning projects, thousands of people surveyed, hundreds of qualitative conversations, dozens of digital ethnographies and in-person visits – plus several significant literature reviews.
More specifically, Konrad will cover;

The problem with generational thinking
Busting commonly-held myths about young people
Discussing socio-economic and socio-cultural macro themes that condition the world young people are coming of age in
Exploring the 6 common mindsets among Gen Z
Exploring youth culture.

Konrad Collao, Founder, Craft

Konrad specialises in working with clients in media, entertainment and technology – providing them with cultural and behavioural insights to navigate digital transformation, develop content and marketing strategies, and inform wider business strategy. Much of his work focuses on the changes being wrought by young people coming of age in a very different landscape to that which shaped older generations. For Channel 4, Konrad is the architect of the award-winning Beyond Z series, as well as MRS/ICG award-winning work exploring young people’s relationships with factual content. Konrad has designed and delivered foundational youth-focused studies to imagine and develop The Hundred cricket competition for the England and Wales Cricket Board, and explored young people’s relationships with news for the Reuters Institute. He has also shone a light on Britain’s youth for the BBC, ITV, Premiership Rugby, and the Advertising Association. He has worked across continents for the likes of Netflix, the BBC World Service, Red Bull Media House, and Warner Bros Discovery, and is a regular speaker on matters of youth and media at international conferences.

Register for this session here

AI powered qual analysis: getting to the insight without losing human touch
2025-05-14 13:00 - 13:30
Join Marco Rovagnati from Quallie Ai where he’ll cover the latest advancements in AI enabled insights, best practices for using AI in your work, challenges that many researchers face, and a short demo of Quallie.Ai.
Quallie AI

Quallie.Ai is a tool to analyse in-depth interviews and focus groups using AI, it’s designed to automate the tedious tasks enabling you to focus on the craft of insights generation.
Marco Rovagnati

Marco is a qualitative researcher specialising in strategic insights for innovation who worked for global brands like Diageo, Nike and HP. After years as an insights practitioner he built Quallie.Ai to solve for his most telling pain points while keeping the craft of the strategist intact.
Register here

https://quallie.ai/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcorovagnati/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/quallie-ai

AI And The Future Of Research - An ICG Panel Debate
2025-05-15 11:00 - 12:30
This panel debate has been generously sponsored by Quallie AI, a tool to analyse interviews, discover themes and share clips from research.

The ICG is committed to helping its members stay ahead of the curve in relation to AI innovation in resarch; we believe there is great power in sharing our collective experiences and intelligence together. This ICG event ‘AI and the future of research’ has a dual purpose:

Sharing our experiences of using AI tools and visions of the future, so we learn from each other
Co-creating what we researchers need to do, so we help future-proof our roles post AI.

Attendees will leave with a stronger idea of how AI is being used in a range of research methods, its benefits and shortcomings, and more confidence in how we can secure our roles in this post-AI era.
It will be an interactive event with attendees sharing their thoughts via text chat.
We encourage all members to attend, whatever your thoughts and experiences of AI are. Please come and join in the debate. We will not be recording the session to encourage everyone to be open with their thoughts.
We will be launching a survey before this session to help shape our discussions – please look out for publicity about this and complete it. With special thanks to Aakanksha Haran for hosting this survey.
We would also like to thank Hugh Carling for hosting on his Liveminds platform some videos of thoughts from a few ICG members about the topic which we’ll be using during the debate.
Our Panel Chair and Panellists

Nadia Antropova
Hugh Carling
Chris Cook
Ramona Daniel
Sidi Lemine
Tom Woodnutt (Panel Chair)

Register for this session here

Discover an integrated qual platform that streamlines projects for everyone
2025-05-21 13:00 - 13:30
Most qualitative research platforms have a learning curve, require you to operate in a sandbox, and are often expensive. You like Zoom, your respondents like Zoom. But what about situations when clients need to observe? Do you have to jump through hoops to prevent contamination between client and participants or pay a small fortune to provide virtual backroom to clients?
What we will cover during this lunch and learn session is a ‘how-to’ – how to use your existing tech stack with platforms that enhance capabilities, not just replace them.
Our thinking is simple. Zoom is a world leader in enterprise class online meeting SaaS. Why not have a qual research specific layer added on top of Zoom to turn it into an online qual research hub?
Flowres is not just about a ‘Virtual Backroom’. Flowres has analysis layer that is well appreciated by researchers worldwide.
Why should you attend:
Discover how independent insight consultants can leverage tools like flowres.io to utilize the video capabilities of your Zoom or Teams subscription and streamline your online qual research without paying ‘bloated’ platform costs.
About flowres.io:
Flowres is the all-in-one qual research platform built by researchers, for researchers.
It seamlessly integrates with Zoom, Teams & Meet — no new logins needed for participants or clients. Includes a dedicated observer backroom, automated transcriptions, AI-assisted analysis, and real-time moment capture. flowres helps independents work smarter, deliver faster, and scale insight with confidence.
About the presenters:
Jiten Madia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jitenmadia/) (Founder & CEO)

Qualitative researcher at heart, Jiten has been a practitioner of qualitative research for 6 years early in his career. Jiten has spent time on both client and agency side working with consumer insights in different capacities.
Maniish Karve (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maniishkarve)

Maniish has extensive experience in running market research operations at scale for some of the largest agencies in the world. He has also been a data analytics practitioner on the latter part of his career.
Privacy you can trust
Flowres is GDPR-compliant, ISO 27001 certified, and aligned with MRS and ESOMAR standards. Your data stays within a secure, walled garden—never used for model training. We’ve signed data processor agreements with leading LLMs to ensure maximum confidentiality.
Exclusive for ICG members
Get preferred access, hands-on support, and a 20% discount on monthly subscription.
Start your free pilot: Register here – https://flowres.io/signup
Connect with us: hello@flowres.io
Further reading/viewing
Case Studies:

Speedy response to fast turn-around report using flowres, by Elizabeth Kasumi

https://youtu.be/-j1tNt8DuiM?si=KnJtVANW-BSb-O81
2. Driving cost efficiency in Online Qual fieldwork
https://flowres.io/blog/driving-72-percent-cost-efficiency-in-online-qualitative-fieldwork
Testimonial:
NRGMR: why Shannon adopted flowres, and the impact of flowres on NRGMR’s online qualitative workflow – https://youtu.be/ESVGkTb_Dno?si=ZJZDa3Gh45bvPw_u
Register for this session today

Commercial semiotics - IN ACTION!!!
2025-05-22 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar is generously sponsored by InsightX Research Solutions , specialists in designing custom fieldwork and data collection strategies to meet the unique needs of each client. Whether it’s B2B or B2C, Quant or Qual, CATI/Online/Mixed-Mode, Locally or Internationally, their omni-channel approach fosters authentic participation and ensure the collection of high-quality, representative data.

We welcome ICG member Ashley Mauritzen to present this webinar.
Commercial semiotics – IN ACTION!!!
A hands-on guide to integrating commercial semiotics and cultural analysis into your research practise.
Semiotics and cultural analysis have so much to offer – but if you’re struggling to get your head round them, how do clients stand a chance? This webinar gives you the practical grounding you need to integrate this powerful methodology – with its unique capability to surface hidden meanings and make sense of the cultural noise.
How? We will be going low on theory and big on application. Getting beyond how it works to how it’s used. With a total absence of jargon, some interactive decoding and plenty of case studies along the way.
Come along if you’re curious to know:
⁃ When could semiotics add most to your project?
⁃ How can you sell semiotics to clients?
⁃ How can semiotics work alongside qualitative and quantitative research?
… and plenty more.
Ashley Mauritzen

Ashley Mauritzen has been helping brands decode consumer culture and future-proof their place within it since 2010, working across brand positioning, product innovation and creative development for some of the world’s biggest brands.
With a background in journalism, her practice is distinct for its emphasis on demystifying semiotics, producing clear, provocative and actionable strategic insight with plenty of personality.
A seasoned independent consultant, Ashley partners with big agencies and boutique outfits – from proposal right through to client presentation.
(12) Ashley Mauritzen | LinkedIn
Register for this webinar here

AI made easy: helping small teams make a big impact
2025-05-22 13:00 - 13:30
Grab your lunch and join us for a fast-paced, insight-packed session designed just for independent market research consultants, from Bilendi – end-to-end experts in both qual and quant.

Unlock the next level of what you already do best. We will introduce you to BARI, our AI qual assistant, and show you how together, you can:

Launch projects faster
Work smarter with automated scripting, moderation, analysis & PowerPoint reports
Tap into large sample sizes for results you can confidently generalise #quantifiedqual
Extend your capabilities – not your overhead
Give you back space for creative, strategic thinking

We’ll also share case studies showing how independent consultants like you are delivering boardroom-ready insights without scaling their teams.

About Bilendi and the Discuss Platform:

One-stop-shop: Quant and qual expertise, with online access panels, online quant, an online qual platform, recruitment, incentives, and analysis — all under one roof
AI-powered efficiency: From scripting to moderation to final deliverables, get more done, faster
Online Qual platform: designed for your one-to-one and collaborative online communities, with end-to-end AI for speed, depth – and even breadth!
Your Partner All Around the World: Local teams, multilingual capabilities, and seamless market coordination
Designed for you: We regularly support independent consultants and small teams with right tools, expertise, and flexibility.

Speakers:
Melissa Short

Melissa is a skilled qualitative researcher who leads full-service projects for Bilendi’s clients in France. She is currently dedicated to enhancing the Bilendi Discuss platform, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of qualitative researchers in today’s market.
Anthony Brodbin

Anthony is focused on the sales side of Bilendi, specialising in the Qualitative offering. He has extensive experience in aligning technology with research needs, having worked for platforms like Recollective, Zappi, and Forsta. He is dedicated to helping clients unlock the full potential of Bilendi Discuss and its advanced AI features.

Register for this session here

Exploring the Potential of VR/AR in Consumer Insights
2025-06-03 12:00 - 12:45
This Knowledge Share has been generously sponsored by Yasna.ai, the AI-powered platform that helps independent researchers, consultants, and research agencies scale in-depth interviews. Claim your free 14 days Yasna PRO free trial today – conduct ±50 interviews (worth €100), sign up at yasna.ai

Please join ICG member (and committee member) Barbara Du Perron, Bric, who’ll talk to us about VR and AR
What members will gain from attending:

Understanding VR/AR & why it is relevant for Consumer Insight: What these technologies are, current trends, and why they matter for market research.
Opportunities for Research: Practical applications like early-stage innovation, pack testing, shopper research, virtual home testing, and usability research.
Collaboration Potential: Exploring ways we can work together. I am especially interested in quallies that are open to conducting interviews in VR/AR (either remote or in-person with augmented/mixed reality), recruiters specialized in street intercepts or hard to research sample (e.g. headset owners) , people that are great with video and that would be interested in creating immersive deliverables using VR/AR footage and industry/domain experts in relevant domains like automotive, pack/ shopper or usability research.

About Barbara

Barbara is an independent consultant with a focus on research technology and innovation (helping clients choose new tech/tools, running pilots, inspiration workshops, etc). She’s currently transitioning to building research solutions that leverage the potential of VR/AR in market research. Barbara sits on the ICG committee and is responsible for Advertising and Sponsorship.
No need to pre-register for this session.
Login is https://zoom.us/j/96355976193
Note that this Knowledge Share is at a different time to our usual Knowledge Shares.

Prompt Design for Independent Researchers – Foundations
2025-06-13 11:00 - 11:45
This Knowledge Share has been generously sponsored by Yasna.ai,the AI-powered platform that helps independent researchers, consultants, and research agencies scale in-depth interviews. Claim your free 14 days Yasna PRO free trial today – conduct ±50 interviews (worth €100), sign up at yasna.ai

Join ICG member Ramona Daniel, 23Insights, for this Knowledge Share
This 45-minute session will help you get more out of the AI tools you’re already using, without needing to become a tech expert. You’ll learn:

What different types of AI tools (like ChatGPT or Claude) can and can’t do, and how to pick the right one for the job
Simple, repeatable ways to write prompts that give you better, more relevant answers
How to fine-tune AI responses when they’re not quite right
Easy ways to keep track of the prompts you’ve written, so you can reuse and improve them over time

This is a hands-on, interactive session for independent researchers who want to work faster, think more creatively, and make AI a more useful everyday tool.
Ramona Daniel

I’m a cultural insights and research strategy consultant with over 25 years of experience at leading global agencies including Ipsos, Kantar, and across the WPP network. I now work independently, partnering with organisations that need senior-level expertise on a flexible, freelance basis. Clients value my ability to step into complex projects quickly. My work bridges strategic thinking and hands-on delivery, from designing multi-market research programmes to translating data into compelling cultural narratives. I specialise in helping businesses decode cultural shifts, optimise research processes for greater efficiencies, and upskill teams – particularly at the intersection of traditional research methodologies and AI-driven analytics tools.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramonadaniel/
https://www.23insights.co.uk/

NOTE UNUSUAL DAY AND TIME FOR THIS KNOWLEDGE SHARE.

Login is https://zoom.us/j/96355976193
No need to pre-register

ICG Member Census - Exploring The Results
2025-06-25 14:00 - 15:00
The ICG conducted a Member Census in February.
Thanks to the hard work and expertise of the team of members who ran and processed this*, we’d now like to invite members to come along and hear some of the results.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to explore ICG ideas for improvement.
Special thanks to the team who made the census happen:
Core Team:

Ramona Daniel: Project Lead
Nadia Antropova: Project Lead
Arthur Fletcher: Data Host
Tony Isaacs: Data Processor

Additional Help:

Rose Wray-Brown
Lucy Nicholls
Ange Taylor

Register your place at this now

Click, connect, engage! Using cyberpsychology to motivate participants online
2025-07-03 11:00 - 12:00
This webinar is generously sponsored by InsightX, specialists in designing custom fieldwork and data collection strategies to meet the unique needs of each client. Whether it’s B2B or B2C, Quant or Qual, CATI/Online/Mixed-Mode, Locally or Internationally, their omni-channel approach fosters authentic participation and ensure the collection of high-quality, representative data.

Do you want to know why participants in an online community won’t engage with each other? Why online focus groups feel so much harder to get going than face-to-face ones? Or why your participant happily videoed himself in the shower for a pre-task? Cyberpsychology has the answers – and more! In this webinar, Dr Jo Meredith – who previously worked as an academic in the field of cyberpsychology – will talk through the high level theories that explain online behaviour, and give insight, tips and tricks into how to make sure you can get the most out of your participants online.
Dr Jo Meredith

Dr Jo Meredith is Associate Director at Magenta Research. With a PhD in Social Psychology and a specialism in cyber and media psychology, Jo has focused predominantly on understanding online behaviour and communication. She has published peer-reviewed academic papers in the specialist journals, and worked in the highly regarded Cyberpsychology Research Unit at the University of Wolverhampton. Since joining Magenta, Jo has made good use of her background in cyberpsychology, working on projects on high media literacy and AI.
About Magenta

Magenta is a multi-award winning full-service global consumer insight agency. Magenta is a team of passionate senior researchers with diverse expertise, from anthropology to AI, cyber psychology, semiotics and discourse analysis, using innovative approaches to push boundaries and access how people truly think and feel. We foster an environment of curiosity, challenging norms and brave thinking. Our mission is to bring real voices to the forefront, unbound by methods, choosing approaches that get closer to the consumer. Our visual storytelling will share a story you’ve never heard before.
(3) Joanne Meredith | LinkedIn
Jo@magentaresearch.co.uk
Register for this session here
