Clare Otridge – Research Hero
Clare Otridge, Director, Grounded Research
Clare Otridge spent over a decade in marketing before she fell in love with research’s potential to drive real-world impact and achieve a sense of purpose. A farmer’s daughter with a degree in geography and no traditional research background, she pursued MRS qualifications and a postgraduate degree in behavioural science from the University of Warwick, all while growing a purpose-led agency she now runs alongside her mother. Clare’s blend of lived experience, commercial awareness and behavioural expertise makes Grounded Research a natural home for participant-led research .
Clare was nominated because she "has championed access, inclusivity, and impact in a notoriously hard-to-reach sector... and has built a bridge between a complex industry and the people who need to understand it."
1. What is the biggest challenge you have faced during your career?
A major challenge has been breaking away from the high-speed, low-cost model of panel research that dominates much of the industry. That transactional approach focused on speed, volume and cost is fundamentally misaligned with the kind of work we do around sustainability, food safety, innovation and environmental protection. These are complex, values and behavioural-driven areas that demand thoughtful engagement and deeper understanding. We’ve chosen to build purpose-led panels that attract people who want to be part of the process. We have fought to defend that while they’re self-selecting, and they’re biased, it’s actually a strength when you’re trying to learn from those closest to change.
Insight doesn’t come from ticking boxes at speed; it comes from listening to people who care and having the guts to go against the grain and seek a different way of doing things. With more than 10,000 panellists signed up across three interconnected panels, I feel I can say that it was the right choice, and we look forward to experimenting with this new approach.
2. What will be the next big trend or development in the research industry, and why?
I believe we’re heading into a new era where survey data is no longer seen as the default gold standard. With synthetic data, digital twins and AI-generated responses becoming more prevalent, we’ll need to double down on transparency and authenticity. The race to the bottom — where speed and cost outweigh ethics and engagement — is unsustainable. We must value the people behind the data, reward thoughtful participation and move beyond transactional models. Lived experience and meaningful, validated responses will increasingly define high-quality research.
3. Who inspires you as a researcher?
Karine Pepin, a US-based researcher, has had a big influence on how I think about the future of quant research. I had a call with her a few years ago, and she really validated my belief in purpose-led panels and research that drives positive change, especially in food and environmental systems. I read everything she and the Research Heads publish — they challenge the status quo, call out unethical practice, and are always one step ahead in advocating for better standards and better data.
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