Rethinking ‘either/or’ in market research

Many insights teams feel forced into a choice: commit to long-term tracking or focus on fast-turn research. It can feel like you either invest in depth or keep up with the pace of change.

In reality, the strongest strategies blend both. Tracking gives you consistency and a steady view of brand health, while agile tools help you understand the moments that shift sentiment. This article walks through how teams can build a hybrid model that brings stability and speed together.

The enduring value of deep research

Long-term tracking still plays an essential role in modern research. It creates a reliable system for measuring brand health, audience perceptions and equity. It anchors your understanding of what’s changing and what isn’t, and it gives you year-over-year comparisons that guide long-term planning. When leadership wants to know whether strategy is working, tracking is usually the first stop.

But tracking can’t always tell you why perceptions shift, especially when something changes quickly. For example, we’ve seen consumer trust in insurance providers decline following major wildfires in the United States, when some carriers reduced coverage or increased premiums. A tracker can show the ‘what’, but you need additional research to unpack the ‘why’. Tracking offers stability, but timeliness can be a challenge. That’s where fast-turn studies come in.

Where fast-turn research enters the equation

Agile research becomes essential when the market moves faster than your tracking cadence. A new competitor launches, regulations shift or a cultural moment catches your audience’s attention. Internally, teams may also need ‘decision-ready’ answers in days rather than months. Fast-turn work fills those gaps by adding context to what your tracker is already picking up.

These quick waves can test product names, concepts, creatives, pricing or features. Many clients use them to supplement trackers with focused check-ins on offers, promotional messages, or early creative direction.

The Profiles team at Kantar supports this with flexible options – omnibus surveys for quick, shared-cost access to consumers and Accelerated Answers for custom work that still moves at speed.

Fast research in action: How ad hoc waves add value

Consider a retailer planning for major sale periods like Black Friday or Prime Day. Their tracker can show how the brand performs over time, but it won’t predict how much share of wallet they can expect during a specific event.

By running a short ad hoc wave in the lead-up to these sale moments, the team can measure planned spending, competing offers and what’s motivating shoppers that week. They can also test promotional messages to gauge effectiveness.

Because these quick waves build on established tracking data, the retailer isn’t reacting in isolation. They’re able to make decisions that fit into a larger story about their brand and audience.

Three ways to build a hybrid research framework

1. Map your research ecosystem
Outline which elements need ongoing measurement and which are better suited for ad hoc exploration – this helps you see where tracking delivers stability and where you need flexibility.

2. Define question types
Label each question as ‘evergreen’ or ‘emerging’. Evergreen items stay in your tracker. Emerging topics are explored as needed through fast-turn tools.

3. Plan for flexibility
Budget for unplanned moments. Tracking usually runs on a fixed cadence, but ad hoc work can be fielded anytime and delivered when decisions can’t wait. Align your timing with how quickly each issue needs answers.

Depth and agility go hand in hand

Tracking gives you the foundation for long-term strategy. Fast-turn research helps you respond to what is happening right now. Teams that design for both won’t be caught off guard by sudden shifts – they’ll be ready to learn from them and act with confidence.

Want to learn more?

Ready to build your hybrid research framework and see fast insights in action? Request your quick-turn survey and get answers quickly.

Stephanie Shikhris is research director at Kantar