Bonjour! On this week's episode, host Jess Gaedeke is joined by Julien Naggar, SVP of Client Partnerships at Dig Insights, to explore why ethnographic research surfaces the consumer truths that surveys will never capture, how the insights function is evolving from data aggregator to strategic decision influencer, and what French consumer culture can teach global brands about empathy, sustainability, and human connection. Aurevoir! 

On this week’s episode, Jess Gaedeke is joined by Amy Baer, Head of Strategic Insights North America at Bel Group, to explore why getting marketers into consumers’ homes still unlocks the most powerful insights, how ethnographic research is shaping a more consumer-first culture at Bel, and why human connection remains essential in the age of AI.

We’re doing a throwback episode this week! In the episode Jess was joined by Anna Estlund, Vice President of Insights & Strategy at Pernod Ricard, to explore how the team navigated the canned cocktail boom by rooting strategy in consumer behavior, the importance of cultivating empathy across global stakeholders, and why shopper insights is the most underrated (and sexiest) area in the insights world. 

On this week’s episode, Jess Gaedeke is joined by Betsy Pendergast, VP, Future Strategy & Innovation at Dig, to explore how community is reshaping the future of entertainment, why fragmentation is driving a renewed need for connection, and how insights teams can move beyond reporting to create real organizational impact.

On this week’s episode, host Jess Gaedeke is joined by Vera Chien, Executive Director of Global Corporate Strategy and Insights at Warner Bros. Discovery, to explore how rethinking segmentation can turn insights into real business impact, why “knowing is only half the battle” when it comes to research, and how stronger stakeholder collaboration makes insights actually stick.

On this week’s episode, host Jess Gaedeke is joined by Kelly Nielsen, SVP of Global Client Development at Dig Insights, to explore why great campaigns often fail in execution rather than strategy, how brands can better connect insight to shelf and win key consumer occasions, and what it takes to stay relevant with evolving audiences in a rapidly changing landscape.

On this week’s episode, host Jess Gaedeke is joined by Katie Curler, National Account Manager at Campari Group, to explore how insights and creativity come together to win the “first drink” at retail, what it takes to turn campaigns into in-store experiences that actually convert, and why brands must continuously engage consumers or risk losing them altogether.

On this week’s episode, host Jess Gaedeke is joined by Shelby Walsh, VP of Future Strategy & Innovation at Dig Insights, to explore how shifting consumer expectations—from instant gratification to AI-shaped education—are redefining wellness, and why brands must bridge immediate benefits with long-term value, show up in new ecosystems of influence, and build rituals to earn lasting loyalty.

On this week’s episode, host Jess Gaedeke is joined by Tracey Halama, CEO of Supergut and former CEO of Vital Proteins, to explore how a sales-driven mindset shapes CPG leadership, why aligning messaging to channel is critical for growth, and how personal consumer insight is fueling the next wave of “food as medicine” innovation.

On this week’s episode, Jess is joined by Paul Gaudette, CEO here at Dig Insights, to unpack the evolving role of the insights function, exploring why insights must move beyond being misframed as a data factory to become a true growth driver, how to balance speed with substance and rigor in an era of overpromised technology, and what it takes to translate “the what” into the “so what” that fuels smarter business decisions.