Brand Research Agency for Brands People Choose
Brand market research for UK and global brands: positioning, identity, equity and tracking
What is brand research?
Brand research is the study of how people see, choose and feel about a brand, so decisions on positioning, identity and growth rest on evidence rather than opinion. Vision One is a UK brand research agency covering brand positioning, brand identity, brand equity and brand tracking, with offices in London, Liverpool and Leeds.
From a one-off positioning study to an always-on brand tracker: one agency, one evidence base, read by senior researchers.
Brand research services for every stage of the brand
Brand positioning research
Define and test your positioning, proposition and point of difference with the people who decide, before you commit budget to it.
Brand identity research
Evaluate names, logos, packaging and brand assets with real customers, so identity decisions are made on evidence rather than taste.
Brand equity measurement
Put a number on the value your brand adds, using the Brand Equity Wheel and a single Brand Equity Score your board can follow.
Brand tracking
Measure awareness, consideration, perception and momentum over time, against the competitors you choose, with BrandVision.
Brand archetypes
Find the archetype your brand already plays in people’s minds, and the one it should play to grow.
Advertising and message testing
Test creative, messaging and campaigns before and after launch with AdProbe, so communications land as intended.
Brand market research: the methods we use
Brand market research asks the market, not the boardroom. The method follows the question: a survey to size it, a focus group to understand it, a tracker to watch it move.
AtEvery brand research project at Vision One starts with the decision you need to make, then picks the method that answers it. Most projects combine two or three.
Quantitative work gives you the numbers: how many know you, consider you and prefer you. Qualitative work explains the numbers. Neuroscience-based and System1 techniques reach the reactions people cannot put into words.
The brand market research methods we run in-house:
- Online surveys (sized samples from the general public to the C-suite)
- Qualitative research (focus groups, depth interviews and co-creation workshops)
- Neuromarketing (implicit and emotional response, where stated answers fall short)
- Social listening (what is being said about you online, read against survey data)
- Customer segmentation (who your buyers are, what they value and how to reach them)
- Brand tracking (the same questions, wave after wave, so change is measurable)
Results are read against sales performance and competitor benchmarks, so the output is a decision, not a deck.
Our own approach to measuring and improving brand performance, BrandVision, builds Brand Momentum into every study. BrandVision
Brand positioning research: test and refine your positioning before you launch
Most positioning work fails for one reason: it was agreed inside the company and never tested outside it.
Brand positioning research puts the options in front of the market first. The output is a positioning you can defend in the boardroom: who it is for, why they should choose you, and the proof that they would.
Positioning built on evidence, not opinion
Repositioning an established brand
Which of your current associations to keep, which to drop, and how far the market will let you move.
Positioning for a launch or rebrand
Test two or three positioning routes with buyers before the creative work starts, then carry the winner into brand identity research so the name and look are grounded in evidence.
Positioning across markets
The same study run across the UK, Europe and other regions, so a global rollout keeps one position and respects local culture.
Hard-to-explain products
For B2B and technical brands, customer segmentation and depth interviews find the words your buyers already use.
Brand Research Specialists
Partnering with UK, European and Global Brands on branding research, including:
‘Clutch Champions 2025’ and Greenbook Recommended
How does brand research support brand strategy?
Brand strategy decides where the brand should go. Brand research tells you where it is, what is in the way and which route the market will accept. One without the other is guesswork.
From insight to a strategy the market will accept
A brand research and strategy project with Vision One runs in three parts: an evidence base (who knows you, who chooses you and why), the options (positioning routes, propositions, identity directions tested with buyers), and the measures that tell you whether the strategy is working once it is live.
What a brand strategy research company should give you
Clear answers to the four questions every brand strategy rests on: who is the brand for, what does it stand for, what makes it different, and what will make more people choose it. Then a way to measure the last one. Vision One has done this for hundreds of UK, European and international businesses.
How do you choose a brand research company?
Ask the same five questions of every brand research agency, firm or consultancy on your shortlist, then compare the answers. Ours:
- Independent and accredited: ISO 20252:2012 and MRS Company Partner. ISO 20252:2012
- Winners of The Drum’s Best Market Research Agency award; rated 9.4 out of 10 by UK research buyers.
- An Advanced Research Unit for the hardest questions, with neuroscience and System1 methods alongside surveys and qualitative work.
- A senior researcher on every project, from brief to presentation, not a dashboard.
- Based in London, Liverpool and Leeds, working with UK, European and global brands.
- Measures that link brand movement to sales, so the research pays for itself.
Innovators in research, our qualitative and quantitative brand research expertise has helped hundreds of UK, European and international businesses make better decisions.
Give your brand a Lift.
BrandVision in two minutes: how we measure and grow brands.
Latest client testimonials
They are methodical in their approach, always looking for the best way to approach a particular area, and genuinely go the extra mile for their clients. I have recommended them to other businesses seeking their expertise
Silentnight (Beds, Mattresses and Sleep)
Vision One’s BrandVision has given us new and powerful insights – helping us understand our brand health and shape our strategic decisions going forward.
I just want to say thank you so much for the brilliant presentation yesterday. The work you’ve done has really hit home, which will make a massive difference to our work. We’re really grateful!
Vision One were an absolute pleasure to work with and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a strategic thinking market research agency. They had great client relations, they bought creative ideas to the table, and delivered on the strategic insight we needed.
Salcombe Gin (Alcoholic Drinks)
Vision One were excellent to work with throughout the process. They understood our brand and its needs and took on feedback to make changes where necessary. We’re very happy with the level of insight gained.
From enquiring about our research project they sought to really understand our questions and needs. Results were delivered really quickly, managers were friendly, professional & always on hand.
I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Vision One. They are very helpful, knowledgeable and approachable. I would definitely recommend their services.
Research case studies
A range of our brand positioning and tracking research case studies
Recent Case Studies
Book an appointment
Would you like to have a quick chat about your brand, measuring brand awareness, and other important metrics to improve your brand health? If so, please feel free to book an appointment with us.
Alternatively, please call us on 0203 693 3150 or use the contact button below.
Q&A Vision One’s brand research solutions
Brand research is the study of how a market sees, chooses and feels about a brand. It covers awareness, perception, consideration, preference and loyalty, and it is used to decide positioning, identity, messaging and investment. A brand research agency runs it independently, so the answers reflect the market rather than the company’s own view.
Brand market research is brand research done with a representative sample of the market, usually by survey, so the findings can be sized. It tells you how many people know your brand, how many would consider it and what they believe about it, against competitors. It is the quantitative half of most brand research projects.
Market research covers any question about a market: products, prices, channels, customers. Brand research is the part that focuses on the brand itself: what it stands for, how it is perceived and how that perception drives choice. Vision One does both; brand research is where we specialise.
A single-market quantitative study typically reports within four to six weeks of sign-off. Qualitative work and multi-market projects take longer because of recruitment and fieldwork. A brand tracker runs continuously once it is set up. We agree the timeline in the proposal, with the dates fixed.
Yes. B2B brand research uses decision-maker panels, smaller samples and longer cycles, and leans more on depth interviews to understand complex buying groups. Vision One runs brand positioning, identity and tracking studies for B2B brands from owner-managers to the C-suite.
We start with the evidence: who knows you, who chooses you and why. Then we test two or three positioning routes with your buyers, measure which one moves consideration, and hand you a positioning with the proof behind it. See brand positioning research for the full approach. brand positioning research
Vision One’s own framework is BrandVision, built around the Brand Equity Wheel: awareness, salience, momentum, health, emotion, love, NPS and fame, combined into a Brand Equity Score. Brand Momentum is the measure we have found predicts future growth best. We also work with clients’ existing models where they have them. brand equity measurement
Yes. The UK is home, and Vision One runs brand research across Europe, APAC, the US and Latin America for brands that need the same study in more than one market. Questionnaires are translated and checked locally so results compare across countries.
It depends on the job. Full-service agencies such as Vision One design the study around your brand and read the results for you. Global networks such as Kantar and Ipsos suit large multi-country programmes. Panel-led firms such as YouGov suit standard syndicated measures. Ask each how the questionnaire is built and who interprets the data.
Independent, ISO 20252:2012 accredited and an MRS Company Partner, with The Drum’s Best Market Research Agency award and a 9.4 out of 10 rating from UK research buyers. A senior researcher on every project, an Advanced Research Unit for the hardest questions, and offices in London, Liverpool and Leeds.
For evidence on how brands grow, start with WARC and the IPA, both of which publish effectiveness case studies and research. The Museum of Brands in London is worth a visit for the history of brand identity. For measurement, Vision One’s own guide to brand tracking is free to download. brand tracking guide
Yes. Creative development research tests concepts, messages and executions with the audience before they are produced, using qualitative sessions and AdProbe advertising testing. It sits naturally after positioning research and before a campaign launch, and it is often run as a second phase of the same project. message testing
Contact Us
We are quick, responsive, and above all, our research is customised precisely to your needs, ensuring you get exactly what you need every time.
Email us at mail@visionone.co.uk
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