Through the SIVO, Inc. "Modern Ways of Working" Mini Chat series, we spoke with a strategic consumer insights leader, Anna Estlund, Senior Director of Insights and Strategy at Pernod Ricard.
In this conversation with Natasha Weith, Anna discusses how she is working to the ways her team works to drive impact and efficiency. Examples include building more flexibility into her teams roles, spending more time focused on the front and end stages of projects and hiring on demand talent to extend the bandwidth of her team. All of these things allow Anna and her team to maximize their value and relevance to the organization. Check it out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhrIyqHooiM
Special thanks to Anna for generously sharing her experience and knowledge with our peers across the Insights industry!
By Julie Rose
"If you wish to influence an individual or a group… tell them a compelling story"
– Annette Simmons
Market Researchers cannot just be number-crunching analysts; they must be storytelling experts. We all must master the art of translating raw data into compelling narratives that instill confidence in company leaders, inform decisions, drive strategies, and shape the future. Yet, transforming vast amounts of data into illuminating narratives is time-consuming, complex, and unwieldy.
Artificial Intelligence or AI-powered tools offer immense potential to revolutionize the storytelling process, making it faster, more precise, and more impactful. However, while AI is an exceptional co-pilot, the human touch is the navigator. At SIVO, we combine cutting-edge AI with the nuanced understanding and creativity of human researchers to craft stories that resonate deeply and drive real impact.
The Power of Storytelling
Every great story follows a familiar arc. Whether it’s Toy Story, a pitch on Shark Tank, or your next big presentation to the Leadership Team, the best narratives unfold through exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. These elements build anticipation, deepen engagement, and ultimately, deliver a satisfying conclusion.
In business, these arcs guide decision-makers from uncertainty to clarity. The most powerful, action-inducing stories lead audiences from the business context to compelling insights to clear recommendations. Yet, creating a cohesive and captivating story often requires more than just technical precision—it demands emotional intelligence, contextual awareness, and strategic thinking. This is where the human element plays a vital role.
When paired with AI’s capabilities, insights professionals can more quickly create stories that are deeply meaningful and impactful. It’s important to note that SIVO always prioritizes data privacy by using secure, closed AI systems. This ensures we harness AI’s power while safeguarding our clients' sensitive information.
AI + Human Expertise at Every Stage of the Storytelling Process
Phase 1: Conducting Initial (or Supplemental) Research for a Topic
AI is an excellent tool for quickly gathering relevant data on a specific topic, whether you’re preparing for a project or looking to supplement your research.
AI co-pilot quickly gathers relevant data, scans vast sources, and identifies new insights or gaps. Example prompt: “Identify top consumer behavior trends influencing [topic] in 2024.”
Human navigator brings context and intuition to guide AI queries, ensuring the focus aligns with the client’s unique challenges and goals. Researchers combine trends with firsthand knowledge of industry dynamics to refine the research direction.
Phase 2: Summarizing & Simplifying the Long & Complex
Synthesizing data into a digestible format can be daunting. AI excels at summarizing lengthy reports or simplifying complex findings.
AI co-pilot synthesizes data into digestible formats, tailoring content for different audiences. Example prompt: “Condense this 50-page report into a 1-page executive summary.”
Human navigator applies judgment to ensure the summaries reflect nuance, tone, and the specific needs of stakeholders. Researchers review the summary to enhance clarity, add context, and emphasize key strategic points.
Phase 3: (Re)Analyzing Raw Data to Identify Incremental Insights
AI can offer valuable guidance in outlining the structure of a story.
AI co-pilot processes large datasets, uncovering hidden correlations and trends. Example prompt: “Analyze this survey data and identify the top three themes for [a specific audience segment].”
Human navigator interprets findings through the lens of cultural and business factors, translating raw data into actionable insights. Insights professionals validates themes against observed behaviors and industry expertise.
Phase 4: Providing Story Structure and Design Guidance
Even experienced storytellers face moments of writer’s block or struggle to find the right story flow.
AI co-pilot outlines story structures, identifies key takeaways, and suggests visuals. Example prompt: “Create a story outline for this research report with key takeaways and best supporting data.”
Human navigator refines the narrative flow, ensuring the narrative concisely covers the business teams’ priorities. Insights professionals enhance the outline with compelling metaphors, anecdotes, and watching for thematic cohesion.
Phase 5: Generating Story Content
Transitioning from analysis to storytelling can be a daunting process for some, to ensure the right information is included to support in the research and business objectives.
AI co-pilot drafts initial versions, refines the narrative, and speeds up iterations. Example prompt: “Draft a report summarizing the key insights aligned to the learning objectives.”
Human navigator injects tone, cultural relevance and business relevance into the content, making it truly focused on the business context, key questions and objectives. Insights professionals edit the draft to ensure the voice aligns with the brand and the audience’s expectations.
Phase 6: Preparing for “Presentation Day”
Storytelling doesn’t end with the final report—it extends into how insights are presented to stakeholders.
AI co-pilot anticipates audience questions, highlights potential gaps, and suggests alternative views. Example prompt: “Anticipate five critical questions a CMO might ask after reviewing this report.”
Human navigator uses empathy and presentation skills to adapt delivery, read the room, and build a connection with the audience. Insights professionals prepare nuanced responses that tie insights back to overarching business goals.
SIVO: Insights, Stories & Impact That Matter
At SIVO, we continue to explore AI’s potential to help our clients unearth and articulate insights that propel businesses forward. With AI, we’re enhancing our storytelling capabilities, turning data into insights faster, more accurately, and with greater depth (alongside a brilliant team of creative humans) to create stories that illuminate opportunity and inspire meaningful action.
If you’re ready to tell data-backed, insight-rich stories that spring your business forward, contact us at Contact@SIVOInsights.com or visit SIVOInsights.com today to schedule a discovery call.
By Kerry Juhl
Managing a business is non-stop, full-time leadership. Typically, 90% of a leader's workday is focused on the daily needs of employees, customers, supply chain, marketing, sales, financials... and the list goes on. However, it is also a leader's job to present their team with a vision for the future, a "north star" that provides direction and goals for the organization, allowing them to compete effectively and transform opportunities into growth.
A great step in looking toward the future is to take stock of the landscape that you operate within, especially when there are changing dynamics in the external environment. The future growth of your business requires you to have a point of view on how your business will be impacted by changing consumer behaviors and preferences, the actions of your competitive set and external partners, and possibly the impact of new technologies. In other words, you need to have a vision of what your category/industry will look like in 5+ years to remain relevant in that future state and capitalize on future growth opportunities.
Trending
Do customers want to ‘hire’ your product?
Our team at SIVO has experience with helping clients build their category vision of the future. In fact, we have developed a step-by-step process that results in a defined Future-State Category Map to inform the Category Vision and Key Strategies for growth. A Category Vision not only demonstrates category leadership and anticipates the future, but it allows clients to take control and literally create their own destiny…a future where the business can thrive.
Define Current State:
Clients need to define the space that they currently play in. For some it might be narrow, for example, Skin Care. For others it might be broad, for example, Beauty Products. (There are pros and cons for how narrow or broad your category definition is and SIVO can guide your team to get to a definition that is relevant and actionable through our consumer insights solutions).
This step requires the gathering of category, competitive and consumer intelligence from a variety of sources, to answer questions, like:
Articulate Future State:
SIVO facilitates the client team through a small series of assignments and working sessions to envision the Future State of the category and to prioritize where to “place bets” within the category to maximize growth.
Create a Vision & Strategies to build Future State:
With the future state of the category defined, SIVO facilitates client teams through the creation of a Category Vision that serves as the "North Star", and Growth Strategies that the organization can put into action to drive category and brand growth for years to come.
A solid process with proven success. Are you ready to help your business create a category vision for the future? Schedule a discovery call today or reach out at Contact@SIVOInsights.com to develop strategies and plans that not only anticipate the future but create it!
by Cindy Blackstock
In Part 1 of our Jobs Theory series, we described how uncovering the underlying needs and motivations of consumer decisions leads to new opportunities for product innovation, renovation and positioning/messaging. Now let’s dig into the keys to success for Consumer Job Mapping.
“Jobs to Be Done” mapping works for all industries and any products or service to create a competitive advantage for your company or brand. There are a few points to consider when embarking on jobs discovery:
There are multiple ways to understand your consumer: in-home observation, longitudinal diaries, one-on-one interviews, in-context intercepts, etc. The optimal approach should be customized for your objectives and your consumers.
Enlist an experienced researcher to listen and interpret your consumers’ words and behaviours to identify the Job. For example, consumers cannot answer the question “What job are you hiring this face cream for?” Asking the right questions in the right way is key to uncovering hidden motivations.
A jobs map will be comprised of multiple jobs ranging from functional to emotional. Ensure each job has been defined – or structured – with context, motivation, and desired outcome. For example, a consumer statement such as “When (the situation) … I want / need (the motivation) … so I can (outcome).
Go beyond just identifying the job. Use activation sessions to translate the Jobs to address your team’s business goals. For example, mapping competitors against your jobs map identifies “white space” opportunities for new product innovation.
At SIVO, we have successfully helped our clients identify opportunities with Job Mapping including white space and positioning opportunities to win in the market place. Here are a few examples to bring it to life.
Innovate in an existing category
OPPORTUNITY: A food manufacturer wanting to find white space in the hot snack category to grow sales and earn a bigger share of consumers’ wallets.
SIVO APPROACH: We used a multi-phased approach to get a comprehensive view into the lives of their consumers. This included mobile journals, in-home ethnographies, in-store intercepts and product user immersion.
RESULT: With the Jobs Map framework, the client was easily able to identify and prioritize jobs signalling white space opportunities, and that led to the launch of a new and unique product to the hot snacks category.
Communicate with your target
OPPORTUNITY: An apparel supplier needed to more fully understand a new consumer target to develop effective messaging.
SIVO APPROACH: We dug deep with both consumers and the sales team to uncover hidden motivations for apparel purchases. We designed an approach that used online boards to capture longitudinal learning (multiple days of apparel choice) followed with webcam focus groups to dig deeper on what was uncovered during the online board.
RESULT: We learned how the target consumer “hired” her apparel and accessories to convey her personal style. This discovery was then reflected in our client’s Facebook and Instagram posts with a focus on the finer details and accessories that are unique to this apparel brand.
Position your new product
OPPORTUNITY: A tech start-up had developed a training app for athletes and were preparing for their next wave of fundraising. They needed to demonstrate they knew their target consumer and how to communicate with them. The company had a hypothesis around what their target consumer was looking for but needed to be sure.
SIVO APPROACH: We needed to capture the First Moment of Truth when exposed to the app and the Second Moment of Truth after using the app. We combined one on one interviews capturing the immediate reaction to the app, followed by a 2-week diary using the app, then one-on-one interviews to learn about the experience.
RESULT: SIVO uncovered an new consumer job, “I want to train like a pro” which was more compelling than the client’s original positioning for the App. The client shifted the messaging, in their introductory video, to focus on this job.
Are you ready to uncover, activate and deliver on your consumers’ jobs through data-driven product evaluation services? Please reach out to SIVO and we will help you build a Consumer Job Map that is full of opportunities to grow your business!
By Natasha Weith
As someone who’s passionate about the power of insights to drive business growth, I was thrilled to host our recent SIVO Insights Forum, “Bridging the Gap: Translating Insights Into Meaningful Business Results.” It was an inspiring conversation with some of the best minds in the insights industry, and I’m excited to share the experience with you.
At SIVO, we believe consumer and marketplace insights are the foundation for business growth. But let’s be honest, while all insights professionals understand this, turning those insights into actionable business strategies can be a real challenge. That’s exactly why we brought together this incredible panel of leaders to share their expertise and experiences.
I had the honor of facilitating this discussion with:
• Eliana Wahnon (VP of Consumer & Market Insights, General Mills)
• Khary Campbell (VP of Consumer Research & Insights, Comcast)
• Elizabeth Oates (Book Author, Former VP of Consumer Insights, Ulta Beauty)
Together, we explored how to bridge the gap between data and meaningful outcomes. Whether you watch the session on-demand (linked here) or continue reading for some highlights, I think you’ll find this forum both interesting and actionable.
Aligning Market Research with Business Priorities
In a world filled with data, the ability to convert that data into actionable insights sets successful businesses apart from the rest. Insights professionals must not only translate data into insights, but also deliver those insights in a way that inspires ideas and guides business strategies.
Insights teams need to be strategic about where they focus their time and resources. More specifically, it is vital to align research projects with business priorities. Elizabeth Oates posed these questions to consider during The SIVO Insights Forum:
Navigating through the business questions and issues that arise and honing in on those with the highest business priority offers the greatest chance of making a meaningful impact with your research findings.
Navigating Leadership Reluctance
One common challenge that Insights teams face is leadership reluctance to act on the research findings. This hesitation may stem from personal biases or not understanding the potential benefits. Forming alliances with key stakeholders and truly understanding the business from their perspectives will help insights teams address real business needs and inspire colleagues to act. This can take the form of getting early buy-in on research objectives and designs or previewing the findings and recommendations with colleagues to ensure alignment with broader organizational goals.
To this point, Khary Campbell advised insights teams to “be consumer first, but not consumer only,” during our panel discussion. “Consider the research implications to all the functions. After all, every function is working in an orchestra to drive business growth.”
Making a Bigger Impact
Insights teams can expand their influence by highlighting the strategic value of their work. Sharing success stories, aligning insights with organizational goals, and fostering a culture of consumer-driven decision making are crucial steps toward amplifying the impact of insights.
Great storytelling with a clear narrative, executive summary, intuitive visual aids and consumer quotes can simplify complex data and enhance understanding. These tactics ensure that research results will grab attention, persuade, and motivate key stakeholders and drive action.
Eliana Wahnon shared a 3C’s framework for driving impact when reporting research results:
The Evolving Role of Insights
The SIVO Insights Forum also gathered perspectives on the rapidly evolving role of insights professionals, inspired by the advancements in AI and the increasing complexity of consumer behavior. Despite suggestions that automation may replace traditional roles, the leaders in the panel believe insights professionals will remain indispensable for managing AI, distinguishing truth, and uncovering the “why” behind consumer actions. As Eliana Wahnon emphasized, “While AI offers tools to streamline tasks like drafting questionnaires and analyzing unstructured data, it cannot replicate the nuanced understanding of human behavior, or the creative spark needed to inspire ideas.”
Elizabeth Oates underscored the importance of balancing historical insights (the rearview mirror) with a forward-looking perspective (the windshield) to navigate future challenges. The discussion highlighted “scenario thinking” as a vital skill for anticipating multiple possibilities in an uncertain world.
Ultimately, AI is a tool to enhance efficiency and free up time for strategic thinking, but the human role in connecting dots, navigating contradictions, and driving innovation remains irreplaceable. As Khary Campbell noted, “Insights professionals must stay curious and adaptable, leveraging technology while preserving the core skills that drive business impact.”
This balance ensures the field of insights not only survives but thrives, enabling businesses to navigate an ever-changing future with clarity and purpose.
Conclusion & The SIVO Insights Forum
As I reflect on the conversations we had during the SIVO Insights Forum, one thing is clear: insights professionals play such a critical role in shaping decisions that drive growth, via consumer insights, but our real challenge lies in ensuring those insights are acted upon.
The panelists shared so many practical strategies and thought-provoking ideas that I believe can truly help us build trust, credibility, and impact within our organizations. From navigating leadership reluctance to making a bigger organizational impact, these insights resonated with me—and I hope they will with you too.
If you want to dive deeper into these topics, I highly recommend watching The SIVO Insights Forum “Bridging The Gap: Translating Insights Into Meaningful Business Results”. You’ll hear directly from our incredible panelists about:
Let’s keep pushing forward, bridging the gap, and making an even bigger impact together.
About SIVO Insights
SIVO, Inc. is a market research and strategy firm specializing in helping businesses understand people. We partner with world-class brands to answer key questions and identify opportunities that unlock business growth. Our team of insights market research professionals are masters at designing custom research plans, executing with excellence, identifying strategic insights and then helping client teams translate those insights into action. Our On Demand Talent solution places fractional insights experts into client companies to temporarily fill open roles, complete projects or expand team capabilities.
Contact us at Contact@SIVOInsights.com or visit SIVOInsights.com to schedule a Research or On Demand Talent discovery call so we can help you make an impact!
SIVO Insights brings together research, talent, and intelligent technology to help organizations navigate complexity with confidence. Have a business challenge? Let's talk!
We bring together research, talent, and intelligent technology to help organizations navigate complexity with confidence
