Is your marketing content speaking to your audience? Does it accurately showcase your expertise?

Lucy Davison, Founder & CEO of Keen as Mustard Marketing, shares essential steps to spicing up your communications by ensuring your content reinforces both your brand and matches up with your target audience.

From the very first steps of understanding your brand identity to choosing the right content channels, dive into the five key strategies for creating impactful content that supports your brand on Greenbook’s Grow your insights business expert channel.

When we take these steps to heart we can drive better engagement and stronger differentiation in the marketplace for better brand success.

Read the full article: Sealing the Deal: 5 Steps to the Perfect Brand-Content Match

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Do your clients really understand what sets you apart? If your message is muddled or blending into the noise, it’s time to rethink how you communicate. It’s not enough to just say what your insights company does and how it helps clients, your content and strategy must clearly communicate this. That’s where positioning comes in.

In the fourth and final instalment of the Marketing Applied series on Greenbook’s Grow Your Insights Businessexpert channel, Iosetta Santini cuts through the fluff to show you how sharp positioning can set your brand apart… And keep it memorable. You’ll learn how to craft a value proposition that speaks to your audience, align your message across every touchpoint, and internalise your positioning so that everyone in your team tells the same story.

If you want your brand to resonate rather than just exist, this is one you can’t miss.

Read the full article: Marketing Applied Part Four: Stop the Fluff, the Art of Positioning

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Without a clear strategy, marketing efforts can become scattered and ineffective, so how can you fight this?

In this third instalment of Marketing Applied series on Greenbook’s Grow your insights business expert channel, Iosetta Santini emphasises the importance of diagnosing challenges, setting objectives, understanding the market, and targeting the right audience before jumping into the implementation phase.

Strategic marketing requires intentional choices: deciding what to do and not do, anchored by a well-thought-out objective. By kicking off with diagnosing your product and market, you are ensuring you have defined the right goals so everyone can align their efforts to lead to real impact – not wasted resources.

Want to maximise your marketing success? Start with strategy.

Read the full article: Marketing Applied Part Three: Tactics Without Strategy Is the Noise Before Defeat

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Do your prospects know who you are, but forget you when it matters most? In the insights industry, awareness alone isn’t enough. What really counts is being remembered at the right time: when buying decisions are made.

In part two of her Marketing Applied series on Greenbook’s Grow your insights business channel, Iosetta Santini unpacks the concept of mental availability: why pairing it with brand awareness is like the ketchup to your mustard, and how you can build it into your marketing. From distinct branding to customer-focused messaging and being part of industry events, discover the steps to ensure your company stays top-of-mind.

Read the full article: Marketing Applied Part Two: What You Need to Know About Mental Availability.

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For the finale (well, it was after lunch) of two packed days at IIEX EU in Amsterdam, Colonel Mustard Lucy Davison brought together our expertise in insights communication with the hottest topic of the moment – AI. We teamed up with Hennieke Potman, Global Consumer and Market Insight Manager from Flora Food Group to share our research into a common question we hear when advocating for thoughtful, structured insights communication: “Why not just use AI?”

In true research fashion, we put AI to the test in a real-world experiment: could it help us communicate insights faster, better, cheaper, or more effectively? The answer: not yet. While tools like ChatGPT, Piktochart, and Synthesia showed promise, we learned that human input is still essential – for structure, storytelling, data safety – and sanity.

Our brief was to create materials that went beyond Powerpoint reports which could be shared in Flora and which should make a measurable impact.

Here’s what we found out…

Lesson 1: The short-list only gets shorter

We began by exploring the landscape of generative AI tools, testing a wide range from LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot to tools like Claude and NotebookLM. We wanted to see if they could meet key criteria: data secure, low-cost, easy-to-use, time-saving, and genuinely useful. We also explored visual content generators like Custom GPTs, Vyond, Pictory, and our current favourite, Gamma, to see how they handled video and infographic production.

To ensure a fair comparison, we used the same input each time – a dense, 48-slide insights deck filled with data, charts, and infographics, on gender equality. We asked them to create videos, infographics and summaries – the materials for Flora to share.

The results? Very mixed. The tools varied widely in output, usefulness, and quality – and some offered more headaches than help.

Yes, generative AI can produce content based on your input – but that’s where the optimism ends. When we fed our insights deck into popular tools like ChatGPT, the results were underwhelming (and occasionally laughable).

Even custom GPTs designed specifically for infographic creation for example, could barely manage a bar chart. The outputs were incorrect, cluttered, or just plain bizarre – a classic case of hallucination.

And animated videos? Let’s just say the chaos on screen earned a solid laugh from the IIEX audience – but not for the right reasons.

Most of the tools we tried did not make it through the first round of testing.

Lesson 2: Trust still matters – read that data security clause!

Amongst the dozens of tools we tested, a few stood out for producing semi-decent outputs – notably Gamma, Piktochart, and Synthesia. These made our initial shortlist thanks to their ease of use and relatively polished results.

But when we looked closer at their data policies, things got murky. Scrutinising legal clauses and privacy terms quickly became a task in itself. And while many in the insights world love Gamma, its data protection terms are vague at best – offering no clear commitment that your input or output won’t be used to train their models. For this experiment, where we were working with confidential Flora research, that was a dealbreaker. Gamma had to go.

Lesson 3: It’ll take (your) time… A lot of it

AI tools love to promise the same things: faster, better, more efficient outcomes. And yes, in some cases, they delivered. For example, ChatGPT-4o (with its latest image generation update) helped us create custom visuals for our infographic. But other tools? Across the board, we found that the tools required a lot of human editing, creative judgement, and iteration – more than without using them.

Take Synthesia. It’s a platform that lets you create talking head videos using stock avatars – or even one in your own likeness, complete with your voice. Sounds futuristic, right? And on the surface, it is. The editing interface is user-friendly, and generating an avatar version of Hennieke was eerily realistic.

But things got manual, fast. We still had to write the storyboard, script the content, and manually adjust everything from tone of voice to timing and animation. After seven iterations and over five days of tweaking tone, timing, and visuals, we finally got a version we liked. Ironically, doing it the ‘old-fashioned’ way and filming Hennieke presenting, would have taken us just three. So, while Synthesia automated the avatar, the rest still relied heavily on human creative direction.

The same was true with Piktochart. It gave us a decent starting point for our infographic, based on a storyboard we fed in – but missed key insights, context, and tone. We had to fill in the gaps ourselves, then redesign fonts, colours, and layout elements to align with Flora’s brand. What began as a “smart” AI quickly became a clunky design tool. In the end, using good ol’ Adobe design platforms – with a real human at the helm – proved quicker and better for the job.

In total, the Flora and Mustard team spent over 60 hours producing all the content.

What does this mean for insights communications?

The bottom line? These tools not plug-and-play. AI can support the process – if you’re prepared to invest more time editing, refining, and steering output than you would without them.  Above all they don’t replace the creative thinking and sharp eye that only humans bring.

What is important to know is that when we shared the final materials and measured impact at Flora, the content captured attention and sparked engagement across the board – proving again the value of thinking beyond the PowerPoint report and creating insight communication campaigns that resonate.

Final lesson: AI is promising but people make it meaningful

Of course, AI isn’t the problem – it’s the expectation that it can do it all. The creativity, context, and quality control still need to come from people – AI just gives us a new set of crayons to colour with.

Experimenting with these tools reminded us just how valuable we are.

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Research conferences are full of buzz – but sometimes it’s more noise than clarity. Amidst the AI talk and similar shiny promises at Quirk’s London, it was easy to lose sight of what really makes this industry tick.

That is why one session stood out for all the right reasons: Vodafone Business’ ‘Creating Authentic B2B Thought Leadership’. It was a timely reminder for strong thought leadership doesn’t just inform – it builds trust, proves value, and challenges decision-makers to look at their business problems in new ways – especially crucial in a progressively tech-driven market.

More than a message

What began as an internal trends report soon evolved into an outward-facing campaign, designed to offer real value to customers – not just the sales team. By addressing genuine business pain points, they transformed insight into impact.

But they didn’t always get it spot on. During their 2018–2019 ‘Future, Ready?’ campaign, Vodafone found one question kept surfacing: Who is ready? What does it actually mean to be future-ready? Businesses will always have follow-up questions, and you campaign needs to be ready to answer them. So back they went to the drawing board.

The outcome was their ‘Fit for the Future’ campaign – built on a robust framework that helps businesses assess their own readiness for what’s next. With just a short online assessment, companies can now find out how ‘fit for the future’ they are – directly addressing customer questions and creating ongoing value.

Why did it resonate? The key factor that made this work was because it didn’t just speak to customers – it supported them. The most impactful thought-leadership isn’t just about broadcasting ideas; it’s about solving real problems, offering clarity, backing it up with research, and showing up as a true partner.

Guiding principles for robust thought-leadership

So, how do you actually get started? Luckily, the team at Vodafone Business offered up some practical principles and not just theory:

• Secure internal buy-in.

Before you even begin, get your colleagues on board.  Make sure the value of the campaign is clear and aligned with your business objectives. Without internal support, it won’t gain traction.

• Offer something of real value.

Your story needs to be original, credible, and genuinely useful – something your audience won’t easily find elsewhere.

• Prove you know your stuff.

Build your narrative on research. Even small-scale desk research can go a long way in establishing authority and direction.

• Collaborate for credibility

Partner with trusted institutions to boost credibility, deepen your research and amplify your reach (Vodafone worked with the London School of Economics!).

• Get the delivery right.

Even a strong message can fall flat without strong execution. Work with the press and recognised industry voices to validate and broadcast your campaign (they worked with The Economist).

And remember: it’s not about commercialisation… yet. This is about brand positioning, building trust, and being recognised as an expert in your space. You’re playing the long game.

Vodafone Business has the stats to back that up:

• 88% of decision-makers say their respect for a business increases after engaging with thought-leadership.
• 41% of C-Suite execs have invited a company to pitch after encountering their thought-leadership.
• 45% say it directly led to choosing to work with a business.

So, the next time someone inevitably asks, “How do we commercialise this?” – that’s your answer.

Thought-leadership isn’t about the quick win. It’s about creating the kind of long-term impact that shapes how decision-makers see you, long after the campaign is done.

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In a sea of AI talk and industry buzz, Vodafone Business reminded us what real cut-through looks like. They reminded us that true impact comes from insight, integrity, and a commitment to supporting clients, not just selling to them. A big thank you to Quirk’s London for curating a programme where meaningful ideas like these could shine. It was a timely reminder that while technology may shape our future, it’s the strength of our thinking – and our ability to communicate it well – that truly drives the industry forward.

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The insights industry in London was buzzing last week as Quirk’s London took over the city on the 7th and 8th of May – right after the bank holiday Monday. As the newest member of Team Mustard, I had the chance to dive headfirst into the event on the first day, surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the world of insights.

Now that we’ve all had a moment to catch up on emails and come back down to earth, I wanted to take a moment to reflect. As a marketer who’s new to both the Quirk’s experience (my very first conference!) and the insights industry more broadly, I came in with fresh eyes and ears, ready to soak it all in.

Going all out

That morning, I headed to Quirk’s London expecting the usual corporate conference humdrum – grey suits, quiet nods, maybe a few branded pens. But to my surprise, I was met with an energetic crowd ready to learn, mingle, and – most importantly – have fun. The atmosphere was lively, the conversations buzzing, and the swag? Next level.

Of course, there were the expected sweet treats and branded notebooks (and more pens), but some exhibitors truly raised the bar. Personal highlights included:

• Kantar’s cappuccino booth printing your face on the foam
• PureSpectrum’s full-on Build-a-Bear station
• Reckitt turning attendees into fantasy-style Top Trump cards
• And Cambri, who were giving away an Oura Ring (yes, really!)

If there’s one thing I learned, it’s this: conferences are far from boring – and to stand out, you’ve got to go all in. Yes, people are there to learn, network, and talk business – but they’re also people who want to be surprised, delighted, and engaged. The best brands know how to do both.

And while the prizes, swag, and unlimited coffee were definite highlights, what stayed with me most were the bigger themes being explored – so let’s get into the serious stuff.

AI: The coolest toy on the playground

As anyone who went can testify, it was impossible to miss the overwhelming buzz around AI and emerging tech – it’s clearly the most talked-about new toy on the playground, and every company wants a turn. A huge chunk of the presentations focused on it – some a little, most a lot.

There’s no doubt that AI is proving to be a powerful tool for researchers on both the client and supply side – offering efficiencies we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. But after sitting through several talks, the presentations started to blur together – many sounding like a pitch with similar promises of faster turnarounds, higher accuracy, and leaner workflows.

That’s why Manny Rodriguez from Forsta made a point that cut through the noise: truth and accuracy are not the same thing. “Garbage in, garbage out,” he reminded the packed Room 5. The message was clear “The future is still human” – AI might be transforming research, but it’s still the people behind it who make the work matter.

This stuck with me throughout the event. As a marketer working in the market research space, it’s clear that the trust, transparency, and expertise you believe in – whether in a brand or a piece of work – doesn’t come from the tool itself, but from the people using it.

A Mustard favourite: thought-leadership

It’s no surprise that one of our favourite topics at Keen as Mustard is long-term brand building – and thought leadership is one of the most powerful ways for businesses to deliver on that. The team at Vodafone Business summed this up brilliantly during their presentation, ‘Creating Authentic B2B Thought Leadership’. They explained that great thought leadership builds trust, proves value, and nudges potential B2B buyers into action by challenging them to rethink their business problems – while also positioning you as an expert worth listening to.

For Vodafone Business, what started as an internal document tracking trends, quickly evolved into something much bigger. Once they realised it could offer genuine value to their customers – not just to internal sales team – they flipped it outward. The results? Transforming it into thought-leadership that is truly useful to businesses, built on a robust framework that assesses businesses for future-readiness. Businesses will always have follow-up questions, and your campaign needs to be ready to answer them.

So, what made it work?

The key is simple: great thought-leadership – backed by solid research – must offer real value and lasting credibility to keep your audience engaged. That means identifying pain points and offering meaningful, actionable solutions – directly addressing customer questions and creating ongoing value.

What really matters beyond the stage

As valuable as the sessions were, Quirk’s London wasn’t just about the talks and tech – it was about the people. For me, it was a chance to learn, laugh, and (yes) discover who’s surprisingly tall in real life – all part of a fascinating first step into this buzzing, brilliant insights community. From chatting between sessions and finally putting faces to familiar names, to sharing dinner and debriefing over drinks: it was a reminder that, at the end of the day, the insights industry is built on real human connections.

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Are you struggling to make your brand stand out in a crowded market? Are you focusing too much on hyped up consumer marketing mantras and not enough on getting long-term impact?

If your feeling lost on the way to the top of your buyers’ shortlists, then you need to rethink your approach to brand awareness. On Greenbook’s Grow your insights business expert channel, Iosetta Santini breaks down why the journey to being remembered is just as important as being found in part one of her Marketing Applied series. Learn how to stay top-of-mind with potential buyers, create lasting impressions, and ensure your brand is in the conversation before the search even begins.

Find out how your insights company can stay revenant on our Marketing applied part one: Why we’re obsessed with brand awareness.

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At AURA Insight’s Generational Insights: Exploring the Changing Consumer Landscape, our very own Colonel Mustard Lucy Davison and NED Danny Russell took the stage to debate whether it’s time to retire generational cohort labelling. After an in-depth discussion with fiery evidence from both sides, the audience of clients voted: generational cohorts are bad for research.

As insights professionals, we must always re-evaluate the way we understand consumers. This debate was not about winning, but all about questioning, learning, and finding better ways to make sense of the world.

Catch up on why we, Keen as Mustard, wanted to challenge the status quo on generational cohorts in this blog.

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Why generational cohorts are bad research – and even worse marketing.

Not so long ago, segmentations and targeting were tragically simplistic – resulting in sweeping stereotypes applied to large groups of people, like those classic ads assuming all women strive to please their husbands with spotless homes and by looking beautiful.

But marketing and insights has changed – thank goodness. We now use sophisticated methods to understand people’s nuanced attitudes and behaviours, we try very hard to reach and include diverse audiences and to understand them. We all have DE&I policies and do our best to overcome biases, not to discriminate, generalise or stereotype.

However, the concept of generational cohorts takes the opposite approach. Taking one single variable (birth year) to make sweeping generalisations about people is akin to basing your marketing strategy on astrology (birth month). However, no marketing professional would propose targeting Leos and Capricorns; the concept is ridiculous. Yet we actively encourage clients to think in terms of generational cohorts.

Attributing shared values or traits to entire generations risks reinforcing simplistic narratives that obscure the diversity within large populations. Consider this: in the U.S. alone, there are 72 million millennials¹ – the equivalent of the 19^th largest country in the world. Generational cohorts aren’t just inaccurate – they are massively reductive, undermining the complexity of human behaviour and promoting biases.

We all have our own examples of individuals who do not fit these stereotypes – but the arbitrary cut off dates are ridiculous. According to the concept of generational cohorts someone born in 1964 has more in common with another ‘Boomer’ born in 1945 than a close colleague born in 1965.

But just don’t take our word for it.

The scepticism around generational cohorts led 150 social scientists to sign an open letter to Pew Research – written by Philip N. Cohen from University of Maryland – asking them to stop using these classifications.  They argued it imposes “qualities on diverse populations without basis, resulting in the current widespread problem of crude stereotyping”². In 2023, Forbes reported that Pew would shift its focus to comparative research into age groups over different time³ (e.g. examining 20-year-olds in 1980 vs 2000 vs 2020).

We are not suggesting that we should not do research into different age groups, but supporting the view that they are different, diverse and changing – not that a set of attributes and behaviours is cast in stone at birth. The logical conclusion of that idea is that researchers could just pack up and go home –we already know all we need to know about people because of the cohort they are born into.

It perpetuates ‘cohortism’.

‘Cohortism’, a term we coined in the debate, is the sibling of ageism. A 2024 study by The Adaptavist Group surveyed 4,000 knowledge workers across the U.K., U.S., Canada, Australia, and Germany. 40% said using cohorts is a slippery slope towards colleague exclusion, while 45% reported that it fosters harmful stereotypes⁴.

What worse: it’s untrue!

The largest study into age cohorts we could find, (by Valuegraphics) cited by Forbes and involving 750,000 people in 180 countries – showed that generational cohorts have no more in common with each other than any other single demographic factor, like race, education, and income⁵. Similarly, a study by BBH Labs, illustrated that generational cohorts have an average cohesion index of only +1.3. In contrast, other groupings – like ‘daily nut eaters’ and ‘Orangina drinkers’ – scored significantly higher, with cohesion indexes of +3.8 and +4.5, respectively.

It’s actively harmful

According to the Centre for Ageing Better (2020), one in three people in the UK reports experiencing age discrimination.   The Equality and Human Rights Commission states people of all ages say they experience it more than any other form of discrimination⁶.

So, as insights professionals, this prompts the question: Why are we supporting generational cohorts by producing endless studies into different groups and how they supposedly think and feel?

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1 https://www.bbh-labs.com/puncturing-the-paradox-group-cohesion-and-the-generational-myth

2 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecsM1JavYMlNI-XlKDYngFKsEFBGFs_imv7R5KO8e15NYeCg/viewform

3 https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheilacallaham/2023/05/28/pew-research-center-new-stance-on-generational-labels-with-a-caveat/

4 https://www.pcma.org/its-time-to-ditch-tired-generational-stereotypes/

5 https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheilacallaham/2022/05/15/generational-labels-why-its-time-to-put-them-to-rest/

6 https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/22776/html/#:~:text=One%20in%20three%20people%20in,any%20other%20form%20of%20discrimination.

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