MARKETRESEARCHTRy26SCRIVALReach3 angus reid groupRIVALGROUPCOMPANIES
QRMarketResearchTrends2026IntroductionA billion-dollarindustryat a crossroadsMarket research ishavingamoment-a big one. The global insights economyiust topped $150 billion USD, according toAnewchapterforinsightsEsomar's latest Global Market ResearchReport.The biggest driver of growth? TheThis combinationofrapid rise ofresearchsoftware.whichsurged1.5%yearoverveartoexceed$62and emotional expectationbillion USD.isreshapingwhat"goodresearch"lookslike.SomeGreenbook's2025GRITInsights PracticetraditionsarebeingReport tells asimilar story:full-servicereimagined.Othersareprovingfirms are finding their footing again. Thetheir stayingpower.realstandouts.though.are the onescombining technologyandhuman2026isnotjustaboutusingconnection todeliverinsightsthat ardmoreAlorcollectingmoredata.It's about redefiningquality:howinsightsareMeanwhile,WARC's2025Consumengenerated, shared and actedTrends Report and Reach3's Trade Winds,upon.both show a world of consumers caughtbetween caution and fatigue. People wantThefollowingseventrendsbrands that see and understand them.highlighthowleading insightteams arebalancinginnovation,Andmarketers?Thev'reaskingforwithintention, movingtheinsights that feel more human, moreindustryforwardwhilestayingemotional and more grounded in reallife,true to what makes researchvaluablein thefirst placePage2
MarketResearchTrends2026TREND1Al: Full steam ahead(with a healthy dose of skepticism;FromhvoetohabitAl has officially moved from an industry headline to an everyday habit. Accordingto Greenbook's2025GRITInsightsPracticeReport,high-performing suppliersnowautomateanaverageof5.1projectfunctionsusingAl.ResearchteamsareusingAltodraftreports, transcribeinterviews,clusterqualitativethemes,anduncoverpatternsthatwouldhavetakenweekstofindmanually.Butforothers,it'salsoastrategicthinkingoartner."As insighs leaders,we aimto talke aholstoview of the bushnes becauseour workunderpins the organization'skey objectives," explains Teresa Correa-Pavlat,Insights &AnalyticsLead and Al Agile Capabilities at Haleon, in The Next EraofInsights Report."This is why Al fits so naturally. It allows us to connect thedotsacrossawidersetofdata andevenilluminate theneedfordata ecosystems tohelpus. With it,wecanstretchourcuriosityfurther,move faster, and stillstaygroundedinthesignalsandtruthsthatmatter.'ResearchersarefindingwavstoletAlhandle"Alhasbroughtbackthethe heavy lifting while they focus onDIY culture.Anvonecaninterpretation, creativity and storytelling.go from anidea toaproofhours or davs. with littleConsumerInsights&ResearchatVovarisk.If there was ever aFinancial, seesthis evolution as anopportunitytomakeresearchmoreaccessibletime to design and build theproducts of the future, it isandactionableacrossorganizations.Shesays:"Artificial intelligenceistransformingthatmakesitpossible."data gathering-accelerating speed, reducingcostandreshapinghowdecisionsaremade.IGraemeFord,Founderbelieveit's going to help democratize data and& InnovationConsultant,analysis andhelpunlockthatmoreholisticPunkMRXview of the customer...
