In this conversation we go beyond buzzwords with Vinita, one of India’s most respected voices in marketing research. We break down how founders, D2C brands, and marketers can use research as a growth engine from packaging and pricing to influencer strategy and film testing. Real case studies, zero fluff, and frameworks you can apply tomorrow.
0:00 Cold Open & Episode Setup
2:50 Marketing vs Sales & Real Market Research
5:45 Brand Equity as a Growth Lever
10:00 Perception & Brand Stretch (Bata, Crocs, HUL)
18:00 Why SMBs & D2C Must Front-Load Research
25:46 Pricing Power Through B2B Research
27:50 Why Not All Feedback Should Be Implemented
29:15 Founder DIY Framework: From Unbranded to Brand
34:56 Word of Mouth vs Ads
36:08 Turning Research into Action
36:52 Legacy Brand Refresh & Expansion (MTT)
40:39 Informal vs Formal Market Research
45:38 Benefits vs Problems & UX vs UI Explained
51:19 Market Research Basics: Qual vs Quant
55:11 DIY Research Toolkit & Sample Sizes
58:27 Category Entry Strategy (Masala Example)
1:01:08 The Future of Market Research
1:03:58 Film Testing & Biometric Signals
1:05:51 Passive Nudges & Attention Design
1:07:03 Influencers to Users as Researchers
1:10:43 GenAI’s Impact on Market Research
1:16:37 Data Bias & Predictability Limits
1:23:07 Trend Spotting & Exploratory Research
1:26:10 Digital Self vs Real Self
1:31:17 Tools Deep Dive: Eye Tracking & Biomarkers
1:37:06 Multimodal Research in Large Organisations
1:38:27 Is Market Research Good for Society?
1:40:20 Humans vs AI — Final Take