What’s the key to turning research into lasting brand growth? In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with Heather O’Shea, Chief Research Officer at Alter Agents. With a career spanning Snapchat, Twitter, and Kantar, Heather shares her expertise on consumer insights, research methods, and how brands can better understand their audiences.
She explores how qualitative and quantitative research work together, how AI is transforming the speed of insights, and how neuroscience reveals subconscious behaviors. Heather also discusses shifting consumer values, particularly among Gen Zers, the pitfalls of obsessing over clicks, and why marketers should focus on long-term brand growth. She also reflects on her move from client-side to agency-side research and offers practical advice for marketers looking to get closer to their audiences.
What You'll Learn:
- How leading brands use insights to tackle tough business challenges
- The difference between qualitative and quantitative research, and when to use each
- Why AI is transforming qualitative analysis and speeding up research
- The role of neuroscience in uncovering subconscious consumer behaviors
- How platforms like Snapchat use research to guide marketers on effective activation
- The shift from client-side to agency-side research, and what that means for insights work
Heather’s Top 3 Tips for Effective Research
Give people space — During research, step back and let conversations flow naturally to reveal unexpected insights
Look past your assumptions — Keep an open mind to discover what you weren’t looking for.
Move beyond clicks — Prioritize meaningful metrics that show true impact and support long-term brand growth
The Ahead of the Game podcast is brought to you by the Digital Marketing Institute and is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms.
And if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review so others can find us. If you have other feedback for or would like to be a guest on the show, email the podcast team!
0:03:38 – What keeps brands up at night: premium, value, and video influence
0:07:09 – Why Gen Z expects brands to take a stand
0:09:32 – Research methods: qualitative, quantitative & mobile ethnographies
0:14:19 – Using neuroscience and immersion to uncover true behavior
0:16:55 – Strengths and drawbacks of qualitative vs. quantitative research
0:21:11 – How AI helps analyze unstructured qualitative data
0:25:50 – Partnering with platforms like Snapchat for trend insights
0:31:42 – Moving from client-side to agency-side research
0:35:16 – Heather’s career lessons & finding the right fit
0:44:14 – The future of market research & role of AI
0:47:40 – Practical tips to better understand your audience
0:50:22 – The one metric Heather would scrap: clicks
Ahead of the Game 
