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What a Year of Building an AI-Powered Video Library Taught Us About Scaling Empathy
At the end of 2025, I gave a keynote at a leading nonprofit’s AI summit on using AI to achieve more inclusive and meaningful segmentation. It was an…
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Research findings and field notes.
Perspectives on reaching diverse and hard-to-reach communities, from more than a decade of qualitative research.
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When Generosity Gets Complicated: What 223 Americans Taught Us About the Future of Giving
“I’m not opposed to donating, but there’s just too many stories of it being mishandled, and frankly, I don’t trust it.” The Hispanic man who shared this wasn’t…
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AI Trust Crisis: Why Users Draw the Line at News and Politics
While AI adoption surges across everyday tasks, a clear boundary emerges for serious information. Insights from the Social Lens Library reveal users across all generations share unified skepticism:…
Beyond the Recipe: How Food Becomes the Language of Modern Connection
Food has always been more than sustenance. It is identity, memory, and love served on a plate. Stories from our Social Lens Library highlight how diverse communities are…
Thrifting in Today’s Economy: Unpacking Consumer Motivators
From your grandmother’s thrift store to a glamorized sustainable shopping experience, secondhand shopping has transformed into a mainstream phenomenon. The global secondhand apparel market is on track to…
Reimagining Consumer Insights: When Ethnography Meets AI
At IIEX North America, our presentation with Riviter explored how combining ethnographic video research with AI-powered social visual analytics uncovers deeper insights about consumer behavior and decision-making. Bringing…
Seeing is Believing: How Video Ethnography Reveals the Home Comfort Paradox
The Modern Connection Dilemma A curious contradiction is emerging in how consumers live, socialize, and find fulfillment. Our latest research reveals that while people consistently report their most…
Digital Accessibility: How People with Disabilities Use Technology
In today’s digital-first world, technology serves as both a gateway and barrier for people with disabilities. Our recent Lens Library research reveals powerful insights into how individuals navigate…
Consumers Expect Value and Personalization From Discounts
Today’s consumers have evolved to see discounts as both a pricing strategy and a relationship builder, expecting genuine value and personalized offers. With customers becoming increasingly savvy about…
Social Lens Research on Pondering from the Perch Podcast: Bridging Research Gaps with AI and Ethnography
Our team recently joined Pondering from the Perch to discuss the evolving landscape of consumer research and how innovative methods are reshaping our understanding of diverse audiences. The…
From Inspiration to Action: How Guided Digital Pathways Drive Purchase Decisions
The most successful e-commerce experiences go beyond displaying products – they craft an intentional journey from inspiration to purchase. Our research, examining the online shopping habits of 300…
The Joy Economy: Why Consumers Are Trading Basics for Big-Ticket Purchases in 2025
Despite their plans to cut back, consumers aren’t tightening their belts – they’re strategically reallocating their spending. McKinsey’s latest ConsumerWise Research reveals a fascinating trend: while people say…
