2024 Year in Review – Key Trends to Unlocking Consumer Behavior

by Shelly Lundahl

2024 Year in Review – Key Trends to Unlocking Consumer Behavior

As we approach the end of 2024, we at InsightsNow want to take a moment to reflect on the past year and express our gratitude to our partners and to the visionary product leaders who put their trust in the InsightsNow team. This year has been one of growth, innovation, and exciting developments across the industry. 

The boundaries of consumer insights have been pushed further with innovative research techniques. Securing a patent on our Implicit/Explicit Test™ represents a phenomenal step forward, a breakthrough in understanding how people make decisions. We are so proud of the impact this is making on the industry. 

Now, let’s dive into the topics that have kept our team buzzing. 

Top Trends and Insights from 2024 

Brand breakthroughs powered by Implicit/Explicit Testing

Our patented Implicit/Explicit Test™ has been instrumental in understanding consumer behavior and driving product innovation. This testing method provides deep insights into both fast, intuitive thinking (System 1) and slow, deliberate thinking (System 2), leading to brand breakthroughs.  

By measuring both fast and slow thinking, we identify what percentage of decisions are driven by each system, allowing brands to tailor their strategies effectively. This approach fosters either subtle nudges or deep disruptions, depending on the desired outcome. 

Authentic, actionable and accurate fragrance testing

Traditional fragrance testing often focuses on how much people like a scent, using simple concept attribute descriptor-oriented scores. However, reimagined fragrance testing considers the context, implicit associations, and the actual impact on behavior to truly connect with the roles that the fragrance should fulfill.

ShapeThis approach ensures that fragrances not only appeal to consumers but also align with their emotional and contextual expectations, enhancing brand identity and emotional connection.

Exciting advancements in AI

This year, we’ve seen significant advancements in AI that have enabled our clients to innovate and develop products that resonate deeply with consumers. Co-creating with AI has opened new avenues for creativity and efficiency. We’ve seen how generative AI enhances creative capacity, allowing teams to brainstorm and develop new product ideas more effectively. In addition, we’ve leveraged AI to innovate in the food service industry, creating menus that cater to evolving consumer preferences and trends.

ShapeThese advancements in AI are not just about automation; they are about augmenting human creativity and decision-making. By integrating AI into the co-creation process, brands tap into a wealth of data and insights, leading to more informed and impactful product development.

Brand equity protection through fingerprinting

Brand fingerprinting has emerged as a crucial trend in maintaining brand equity and ensuring product consistency. This technique involves conducting sensory brand fingerprint audits to capture the unique sensory attributes that define a brand. By understanding these attributes, brands ensure that their products consistently deliver the expected sensory experience, which is vital for maintaining consumer trust and loyalty. 

By identifying and preserving the core sensory elements that make a brand unique, companies confidently innovate and expand their product lines without compromising their brand identity. 

Sensory profiling for competitive benchmarking

Sensory profiling has proven to be an essential tool for competitive benchmarking, allowing brands to assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the market. By reimagining sensory profiling, we have provided our clients with more relevant and actionable insights. This approach involves a detailed analysis of sensory attributes, helping brands understand how their products compare to competitors and identify areas for improvement.

ShapeEffective sensory profiling leads to significant growth by enabling brands to make data-driven decisions that enhance product quality and consumer satisfaction. The insights allow companies to refine products and better meet consumer expectations to stay ahead of the competition.

Looking Ahead to 2025

We have exciting plans for the coming year, including new webinars, events, and research capabilities. We encourage you to stay in the loop with InsightsNow by subscribing to our newsletter, following our social media channels, and participating in our upcoming events.

We are optimistic about the new year and remain committed to delivering valuable insights and innovative solutions. Here’s to a successful 2025!