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Market Research Agency London

Market research news and blogs

Articles and whitepapers exploring research, trends and strategy.

How luxury brands warp markets

Why luxury brands influence markets and shape consumer behaviour worldwide Luxury brands don’t follow market rules; they rewrite them. By profiling and targeting high-value, elite niches, luxury brands create demand at the top of the pyramid. But what starts as exclusive often cascades downward, reshaping expectations for the entire category. This isn’t just about selling expensive products. It’s about influencing how consumers perceive value, quality, and status -whether they’re buying a £5 coffee or a £5,000 handbag. And it all starts with better customer profiling. How Elite Targeting Distorts the Market When luxury brands profile their audiences, they aren’t looking for broad appeal—they’re laser-focused on those who can afford to pay more, want to differentiate themselves, and have cultural influence. By targeting these groups first, they: Shift the competitive landscape, forcing mass brands to premiumise or risk irrelevance The Cascade Effect Here’s how the dynamic works: Example: Lululemon wasn’t always mainstream. It started by targeting affluent fitness communities with premium-priced athleisure. Now, the idea of paying £100+ for leggings has trickled into the mass market, reshaping how consumers perceive value in sportswear. The Research Behind Luxury Strategy Luxury brands don’t just guess who their elite audiences are—they profile them with precision. And they do it…

How Luxury Brands Warp Markets with Customer Profiling
Brand Tracking and Brand Growth

SECRETS TO BRAND GROWTH – START BRAND TRACKING TODAY Let’s be real — brand growth today isn’t for the faint-hearted. You’re juggling bold creative, sharp positioning, and ever-evolving customers… all while trying to stand out in a crowd of very loud competitors. So, how do the smartest brands rise above the noise? They don’t guess.They track. Welcome to Vision One, a specialist brand tracking agency offering UK and multi-country studies across the globe. Our brand trackers are designed to be your brand’s radar system for staying relevant, resonant, and ahead of the pack.  What Is Brand Tracking, Anyway? Think of a brand tracker as a regular health or brand reputation check-up — but for your brand’s brain and heart.  It tells you how people actually see and feel about your brand over time, answering critical questions like: In short: Is what you’re doing actually working?If you can’t answer that with confidence, you’re flying blind, and your competitors might be gaining the advantage. Why Brand Growth Tracking Isn’t Optional Anymore Here’s why top brands never skip it (and why you shouldn’t either): 1.  It Makes Brand Building Measurable Brand work isn’t fluff — it’s strategy. Tracking research lets you tie brand perception directly to campaigns, partnerships, and creative decisions. Real-world win: PlayStation’s “For…

? Brand Tracking: Your Secret Weapon for Brand Growth
Brand differentiation

Brand Differentiation and the Differentiation Paradox: “How to Fit In While Standing Out” We all know that markets are where demand meets supply. But in today’s crowded and fast-moving environment, the winners aren’t just those who meet demand; they’re the ones who shape it. Here’s the paradox: To win in any market, you need to belong enough to be relevant, but stand out enough to be chosen. Blend in too much, and you become invisible. Stand out too far, and you risk alienating the very audience you’re trying to reach. Growth lies in mastering this tension. Whether you’re operating in a B2C or B2B space, your growth strategy depends on how well you understand the forces within your market and how smartly you influence them. That’s not guesswork; it’s research, insight, and action. The real opportunity? Learning to play the market, not just participate in it. Let’s explore how markets are structured, what factors drive demand, and how you can leverage insight to shift the dynamics in your favour. Markets are a Living Ecosystem A market isn’t just a collection of customers; it’s a living ecosystem shaped by: And most importantly: it’s dynamic. Markets expand, contract, and evolve and profiles change.. Demand rises and falls. Preferences shift. When you’re winning,…

Brand Differentiation and the Differentiation Paradox
Team of Social Research Experts

What is B2B Research? Business-to-business (B2B) research comprises information-gathering techniques to gain valuable insights into the B2B market. It also includes systematic, tailored data analysis to inform sales strategies, marketing campaigns, and more. There are many ways to conduct B2B research, with common examples including surveys, focus groups, and interviews. B2B market research is a service in which Vision One has a wealth of experience, as we recognise it’s essential for modern business leaders to enhance their performance and achieve long-term goals. Why do B2B Market Research? There are many benefits to B2B research in your market, making it an essential tool for companies in today’s competitive business environment. Knowledge is power, and B2B market research provides insights into the sector, including information on customers, markets, and competitors. Oftentimes, conducting this research alongside regular operations is simply too draining on company resources, which is where a dedicated B2B market research agency steps in. By analysing B2B data, you will be able to make business decisions informed by relevant, up-to-date research. The result is that companies, both locally and globally, can make data-driven decisions, identify market opportunities, understand customer behaviour, gain a competitive edge, enhance product development, mitigate risks, and expand their market…

B2B Research – The benefits and methods
Behavioural Research Experts

Interested in behavioural research? Explore the forces shaping human behaviour and decision-making at the MRS Behavioural Science Summit 2025. Discover real-world case studies from commercial and public sector organisations that are placing human insight at the heart of strategic choices—designing powerful interventions that guide behaviour and influence outcomes. This year’s summit highlights both strategic and practical applications of behavioural research and behavioural science across innovation, proposition development, service design, customer experience, marketing communications, commercial performance, digital wellbeing, branding, and packaging. Learn how diverse sectors—from healthcare and FMCG research users to transport and financial services research buyers—are using behavioural insight to create real impact. Why attend the MRS Behavioural Research Summit We’re proud to share that Vision One will be attending and sponsoring this year’s event—supporting the advancement of behavioural science and sharing our own expertise in understanding and influencing decision-making. Secure your place to deepen your knowledge, build confidence in designing behavioural experiments, and explore innovative research methods, frameworks, and tools for shifting and evidencing behaviour change. Behavioural Research Summit Sponsored by Vision One It promises to be a great day, and here’s the agenda for anyone interested in behavioural research: 08.45 Registration & coffee09.25 Welcome – Dr. Nicki Morley, Kantar 09.35 AR: The Modern Word of Mouth Global research reveals how…

Behavioural Research Summit 2025
Invest in Customer Satisfaction Research for better insights

Why Now Is the Year to Invest in Customer Satisfaction Research In today’s digital-first world, customer expectations are moving faster than many organisations can keep up with. The result? A growing gap between the experience businesses deliver and the experience customers expect. Forrester reports that CX quality has fallen for the second consecutive year, and a staggering 57% of customers believe service has worsened. For brands that want to thrive – not just survive – customer satisfaction research is no longer optional. It’s your competitive advantage. So pull out your wallet and invest in customer satisfaction research for long-term growth. Customer satisfaction measurement is essential as it helps organisations uncover what truly drives customer loyalty, reduce churn, and design customer journeys that meet (and exceed) expectations. Here’s why online research is the cornerstone of CX success in 2025—and how you can use it to stay ahead. Loyalty Is Fragile—Experience Is Everything Customer loyalty is under unprecedented pressure. With more choice, easier switching, and higher expectations, consumers are quick to abandon brands that don’t deliver. Satisfaction research helps you spot the moments in your customer journey where loyalty is at risk. Whether it’s a slow response time, a confusing digital interface, or inconsistent service between channels, these…

Invest in Customer Satisfaction Research
Vision One are now ISO accredited

Following a recent audit, we are delighted to announce that we have retained our ISO 20252 certification, reasserting the high-quality services we provide our clients. What is ISO20252? ISO 20252:2012 is the only globally recognised quality standard for the market research industry, making us one of only around 100 research companies worldwide to have converted to this standard. This ISO accreditation is an integral part of our commitment to quality, continual improvement and our clients. The rigorous audit (delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic) was conducted by QMS International (now called Citation), and our ISO status is valid until 2027, when the next assessment is due. The certification covers all aspects of our business from the bid process to project delivery, training and GDPR, and it is a credit to all our staff who have made the ISO 20252:2012 accreditation possible. Alex Brown, Head of Operations, commented. “We are very proud of our recent achievements and quality standards. We will not be resting on our laurels and will continue to invest heavily in our Research Process Management System. Delivering the highest-quality, most effective research to our clients is the driving force behind everything we do. We are most grateful to our clients who…

ISO Update: Vision One’s ISO 20252 Certification renewed
Projective techniques to unlock the consumer

What are Projective Techniques? Projective techniques are essential qualitative research techniques for those looking to understand how consumers think, feel and behave. Vision One are experts in focus groups, depths and ethnography, and this article explains some of the things you need to know about the topic and the benefits to your business. Projective Techniques Explained Projective techniques have their roots in clinical psychology. They are creative exercises used by qualitative researchers to help simplify the nature of conversations, especially for those relating to more sensitive subjects. Implementing such enabling or projective techniques allows moderators to go beyond consumers’ immediate conscious awareness and discover their nonconscious thoughts, feelings and behaviours. The concept of nonconscious action has been underpinned by the development of brain scanning, neuroscience, and the rise of behavioural science – all of which lend validity to the existence of such a process.   Why are they necessary?There are numerous reasons why individuals may be unable or unwilling to reveal how they feel about a subject. One reason is that people generally want to be perceived as conforming to the norms of the group or society that they are in, regardless of whether they feel that way. This is a mechanism to avoid rejection from society or groups – one of the strongest drivers…

Projective Techniques for better insights
Benefits of Focus Groups Explained by Vision One

Benefits of Focus Groups and Group Discussions Explained When you’re building a business, one of the biggest questions you’ll face is: what do my customers really think? It’s not enough to just assume or rely on gut instinct—brands that last are the ones that listen carefully, test their ideas, and adapt. One of the most tried-and-tested ways of doing this is through focus groups (also known as group discussions or sometimes workshops). What exactly is a focus group? A focus group is a research technique where you bring together a small group of people—usually between 6 and 10 participants—who fit the profile of your target customer. They’re invited to share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences on a particular topic. This might be anything from testing reactions to a new product idea, to exploring how people feel about your latest ad campaign, to understanding everyday behaviours in a category like food, travel, or finance. These sessions are led by a trained moderator (or facilitator). Their job isn’t to lecture, but to guide the conversation in a way that keeps it relevant and insightful. Moderators use a discussion guide (a plan of topics and questions), but they also have the flexibility to dig deeper when something interesting comes up. That’s what…

Explaining The Benefits of Focus Groups
Vision One strengthens client team

Vision One strengthens the client team with new hire We are delighted to announce the appointment of Leah Doyle as Insight Manager who has now joined the Vision One team. Possessing both qualitative and quantitative skills, Leah brings extensive research experience having worked at Pion, The Beans Group and Rare Group, and since graduating from the University Bsc in Psychology at Liverpool Hope and an Msc in Consumer Behaviour at Goldsmiths University of London. ‘We’re thrilled to welcome Leah Doyle’ says Alex Brown, Director of Insight. “With a deep passion for youth, culture and all things insight-related, she brings fresh perspectives and invaluable expertise. We know her passion, energy, and curiosity will be a perfect fit and we couldn’t be more excited to have them on board.” We look forward to Leah working closely with our other research experts and creating actionable insights that shape brands for the better. To find out about the work Leah will be doing, navigate through some of the services where Leah’s input will be vital. Leah Doyle’s Expertise Holding a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Consumer Behaviour, she combines a deep understanding of human decision-making with practical industry knowledge. Leah is also a previous…

Leah Doyle joins Vision One team
How to win Market Share

Winning Market Share For challenger brands and businesses looking to grow and disrupt, market share is a go-to measure of success. Whether you’re a new entrant or you’ve been around the block but have developed something fresh and innovative, the key to winning market share is outperforming competitors and attracting more customers or purchases than your rivals. Acquiring new customers is key Acquiring new customers seems like the most obvious way to grow – but the reality is most marketers don’t see it that way. It’s time to rethink your brand strategy and start prioritising new customers. A Brand Momentum strategy—focusing on sustained, stronger growth than competitors with an eye on the future—can make all the difference. As a brand grows, there will inevitably be fewer and fewer new customers to target. At some point, the brand will reach a saturation point, where it is difficult to attract any further customers. Growth then becomes a matter of expanding the category, entering new countries or international expansion. However, it’s worth remembering that very few brands ever get this far, so don’t get too concerned unless your brand is Amazon or Google! Another important aspect of focusing on acquisition is that customers and market share gain will…

The Five Insights You Need to Win Market Share
How biggest brands use market research to fuel innovation and expansion

How market research helps companies innovate, reduce risk & grow In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business landscape, companies must make informed decisions to scale effectively. Growth is not just about increasing revenue but about sustainable expansion that aligns with market demand, customer needs, and competitive positioning. One of the most powerful tools for achieving this is market research to fuel innovation. Market research provides the data-driven insights businesses need to identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and develop strategies that drive long-term success. Whether a company is launching a new product, entering a new market, or optimising its customer experience, market research lays the foundation for confident, strategic decision-making. Understanding Market Research and Its Role in Growth Market research is the systematic process of collecting, analysing, and interpreting information about a market, its consumers, and its competition. It helps businesses: When companies integrate consumer market research into their decision-making processes, they reduce uncertainty, make better strategic choices, and position themselves for sustained growth. Leveraging Market Research to Fuel Innovation and Business Expansion 1. Identifying New Market Opportunities One of the primary ways market research drives growth is by identifying untapped opportunities. Businesses can conduct research to explore: Case Study: Netflix’s Global Expansion Netflix’s expansion…

How Big Brands Use Market Research to Fuel Innovation