How top brands use exploratory research to spot the next big trends

Consumer behavior isn’t just evolving, it’s changing at a dizzying pace. It’s #littletreatculture one month, and semaglutide-induced appetite shifts the next. 

Add economic pressures, channel fragmentation and algorithm changes, and it’s clear even legacy category leaders can’t wait months for lagging data.

So, what are savvy CPG and QSR leaders to do? 

They’re finding ways to shorten the product development and creative cycles for quicker wins. Exploratory research tools help these leaders engage and stay in conversation with their most valuable customers.

Exploratory research initiates a learning loop that feeds into descriptive and causal research, providing a 3D view of your consumers to find out what’s motivating your customer base right now…and what’s coming around the corner.  

Comparison table: Exploratory vs. descriptive vs. causal 

Once you know what to ask and how to spot patterns, you make faster, smarter decisions. Let’s start with the fundamentals.

Exploratory research is akin to scouting the terrain before embarking on a climb. It’s consumer first, not product-first. Spot what excites people and use that newfound knowledge to guide your next creation. 

Innovative brands use exploratory research to: 

• Spot cultural shifts early 

• Uncover white space in crowded markets

• Refine positioning 

• Pressure test concepts before a big media buy

Finding and using these principles helps you build stronger campaigns and reduce risk. 

When to use it 

With TikTok trends, algorithm shakeups and new ingredients, it’s all moving fast. Brands can’t afford to guess. Exploratory research helps you find new trends bubbling up before they become mainstream. Here are two examples where exploratory research helped brands spot the next big thing.

1. New product development 

When it comes to spotting new trends, PepsiCo’s recent launch of new plant-based Frito-Lay products made of lentils, chickpeas and other health-conscious ingredients, reflects the shifting market interest in healthier snack foods — which they took action on. 

The brand’s CEO shares:

“I think there’s a higher level of awareness in general of American consumers toward health and wellness, driven by conversations around obesity drugs, and other health-related topics. This increased awareness is influencing consumer behavior, which PepsiCo is addressing through its strategies.”

- Ramon Luis Laguarta, CEO, PepsiCo

2. Early-stage brand positioning 

Brands can also use it for early-stage brand positioning, such as Heinz’s acquisition of the German DTC spice startup Just Spices. The legacy brand could have treated Just Spices as a classic line extension, but instead, they took an exploratory approach to brand positioning. 

Heinz observed post-pandemic home cooking behaviors and the rise of TikTok food culture. They discovered that consumers wanted fast and flavorful meals that were easy to prepare, leading Heinz to position Just Spices as fun, tasty and confidence-boosting. Not sure what to do with that chicken? Try “Chicken Allrounder” for an easy flavor boost.

It’s a behavior-first positioning move that starts with asking better questions and paying attention to your consumer. 

Exploratory research isn’t one method. It’s a mindset for spotting what’s next, before your competitor beats you to market. Here are some ways to explore your consumer’s mindset: 

1. Qualitative interviews

These are one-to-one conversations in which people share their individual experiences, perceptions and preferences. They’re invaluable for understanding your consumer’s motivations. Advantage: Nuanced personal insights 

Disadvantage: Hard-to-scale and resource-intensive

2. Focus groups 

Structured focus groups can help explore collective attitudes, uncovering shared experiences and different viewpoints. Take Taco Bell: When their biggest fans told them they wanted to know more about future menu items,the fast food giant listened. They went way beyond traditional focus groups and hosted a live event for their fans called “Live Más Live,” a play on the brand’s “Live Más” tagline.

According to CMO Taylor Montgomery, “We are a brand that exists for our fans. They are the souls of our brand.” 

Advantage: Focus groups are an excellent way to observe group dynamics. 

Disadvantage: Resource-intensive.

3. Ethnography 

The word "ethnography" might conjure images of National Geographic scientists deep in the jungle somewhere, studying indigenous people. Those same skills are also helpful in trend spotting in the urban landscape. 

For example, Starbucks noticed Gen Z’s obsession with both iced drinks and energy drinks, resulting in the coffee brand developing a winning combo of iced energy drinks. 

Advantage: Reveals context and behavior you won’t hear in interviews.

Disadvantage: Typically limited to small sample sizes.

4. Social listening 

Social media isn’t just noise. It offers a front-row seat to your customer’s unfiltered language and viewpoints. 

Take McDonalds. The marketing team tracks TikTok to stay ahead of trending flavors and cultural moments. When McDonald’s launched a berry milkshake in honor of Grimace’s 52nd birthday, it took off, building a bizarre viral buzz as TikTokers created mini horror movies in honor of Grimace. 

Advantage: Real-time insight Challenge: It can be noisy and tough to find the right insights

All those insights have to come from somewhere. Let’s break down the types of data behind exploratory research. 

Unstructured data 

Unstructured data lives up to its name. It lacks a predefined format, which can be messy. Yet, it’s valuable in the same way that having honest conversations is valuable. Unstructured data includes interviews,TikTok comments and open-ended questions on surveys.  

It can get at why people do what they do. For example, if someone comments on a survey that they “love the new [product], it’s perfect for relaxing after work,” that’s emotional context that’s gold for shaping messaging. 

Semi-structured data 

Here’s where guardrails, in the form of tags or categories, provide some organization to the data. Think geo-targeting and sentiment scoring connected to geographical regions or specific times of day. 

The correct data depends on your goals. Yet, with the right exploratory research tools, you can have both. That way, you can know how your consumers feel and why they think that way. 

In the past, brands could do exploratory research with a few focus groups. But that approach took weeks. 

Today, such research is faster, smarter and more scalable. AI tools help you find gems in your research and find the why beyond consumer behavior. 

Here are three innovative ways successful brands stay ahead of the modern consumer. 

1. AI-assisted qualitative research (e.g., sentiment analysis, LLM-based text clustering)

This mouthful might sound like something a robot would say, so let’s break it down. 

Sentiment analysis 

AI tools can scan thousands of reviews, social media posts and survey responses to detect emotional tone. This can be used to discover whether people are happy, content or annoyed with your brand, for instance.

Text clustering with large language models (LLMs) 

AI tools can group these sentiments by theme, not just by keywords. This process identifies patterns in thousands of comments to provide context for that sentiment. 

For example, PepsiCo conducted early-stage testing on 37 different snack concepts. They used advanced analytical tools to interpret consumer feedback, identifying seven winning concepts in 60% less time than the company’s global average. 

"We were testing too late in the innovation process when ideas had been pared down. Marketing felt we could be leaving great ideas behind. With Prioritize It, we test early and often to gain deeper context about what ideas have breakthrough potential."

- Ryan Dirkmaat, Director of Consumer Insights, PepsiCo

We all know people say one thing and feel another. Decoding those discrepancies is where behavior and biometrics spill the tea. 

Learn more about PepsiCo's early-stage testing story here.

2. Behavioral and biometric inputs: Facial coding, implicit response

Sometimes, people aren’t able to articulate why they clicked 'skip,' but their face or hesitation gives clues. That’s where behavioral and biometric inputs come in; they capture your customer's behavior. Such clues deliver insight into your customer’s feelings.  Facial coding and eye tracking 

Facial coding is a technical term for tracking expressions, such as surprise or delight. For example, a raised eyebrow or a furrowed brow can convey confusion, while a smile signifies delight or humor. 

Cadbury put this to the test by partnering with facial tracking software Affectiva to test the ad’s effectiveness. 

Implicit response tests People like to give the “right” answers, especially for sensitive topics. But their hesitation gives another answer. That’s the purpose of the implicit response reveals subconscious bias by measuring hesitation through asking rapid-fire questions.

Coca Cola used implicit research to create positive associations with happiness in the minds of consumers.

Structured testing can share enlightening insights, yet, there can be a lot of value in less structured arenas. Sometimes, the juiciest insights show up in Reddit rants or remixing menu items on TikTok. That’s the genius of digital ethnography. 

3. Digital ethnography and social scraping tools: Reddit, TikTok and Discord are the new data mines

Formal focus groups still have value, but Reddit threads, TikTok comments and Discord servers offer 24/7 access to your most enthusiastic consumers. 

Reddit threads are unfiltered social media at its best…or worst. Love it or hate it, you’ll hear exactly what people think about your product, packaging, ads, all of it. 

TikTok on the other hand is packed with creators remixing and reviewing your products. Taking note of this, brands like Taco Bell and McDonald’s have created “secret menus” based on TikTok trends. 

Meanwhile, Discord servers are a crystal ball for future trends. Tune in to what are the sneakerheads are excited about this week? You’ll learn to spot micro-trends months before they reach the mainstream.  

Smart B2C marketers mine these spaces for real-time insights.  

Plus, big brands like PepsiCo did. They saw an opportunity after noticing younger consumers care more about authenticity than polish. PepsiCo decided to ditch the traditional playbook and launch something messier and of the moment. The answer was FLVR, a hybrid brand that straddles the world between legacy brands and more off-beat creator brands. PepsiCo partnered with some of these micro-creators to maintain a raw feeling and encourage younger consumers to incorporate their products into mealtime. 

Exploratory research offers paths into your customer’s mindset. Once you’ve captured raw data, you have plenty of stories and clues. Now, what do you do with it? 

You shape that open-ended exploration into commercially relevant outcomes. It starts with frameworks that help you synthesize scattered insights into something usable. 

Frameworks to synthesize loose insights (Thematic analysis, affinity mapping)

Loose insights are noise until you structure them. With themes, you begin to see patterns that lead you to take action. 

Thematic analysis is the backbone of qualitative insight work. And analysts or AI tools are able to tag concepts and emotions into themes.

In this Zappi case study, McDonald’s used concept testing to gather signals quickly and systematically, enabling prompt action. One emerging theme was that Gen Z likes healthier snacks. It’s this form of concept testing that helps McDonald’s shape new products that consumers will enjoy. 

Matt Cahill, Senior Director, Consumer Insights Activation at McDonald’s, shares, “We’ve started to do more iterations of tests on the same concept, to make it better. We can fit in a round of consumer input at almost any phase in the process now, which makes us much more in demand with our cross-functional partners.” 

Affinity mapping 

Affinity mapping is a more visual version of thematic analysis. Imagine Post-it walls but a digital version. When you group related statements or observations, you begin to see consumer patterns. 

It surfaces emotional overlaps or consistent unmet needs you won’t spot in isolation, but appear obvious when they’re side by side. 

Zappi’s consumer insights platform applies automated tagging and clustering so you know how to shape your next move (without the big Post-it wall). 

Real brand examples (CPG/QSR): Exploratory → brand/product breakthrough

Exploratory research is about more than finding quotes for your next deck. It goes deeper to help brands find their signal and build around it. 

Take these examples: 

Poppi tapped into the wellness zeitgeist by using consumer language around “gut health” and positioning Poppi as a fun, prebiotic soda that consumers could swap for traditional sodas. 

Liquid Death didn’t invent canned water. But it did give it a skull tattoo and a punk rock attitude, so it stands out in a sea of softer packaging, and bottles over cans. 

How exploratory research informs creative briefs, ad testing and segmentation

Exploratory research helps you find the signal. Once you’ve found the signal, it can shape everything else. 

• Sharper creative briefs: “Appeal to younger consumers” is broad and bland. Showing how your product helps people break their routine guilt-free is more specific. 

• Ad testing set up: Exploratory inputs shape what you test for. Are you looking for emotional triggers, cultural codes or visual cues? 

• Segmentation strategy: Health-conscious women between 30 and 35 is a starting point, adding an emotional layer to the demographics deepens them. Exploratory research can help you uncover the beliefs, habits or unspoken tensions that drive consumer behavior.

As you begin uncovering themes, your strategy can start to take shape. Maybe the signals hint that there’s an opportunity for launching a new #littletreatculture indulgence, or the realization that there’s room for an edgy attitude in a brand extension. 

With reams of information, your next challenge is turning them into team-aligned action. 

Here are two common scenarios:

1. Signal vs. noise: Filtering quality insights from exploratory chaos

Exploratory research can make people uncomfortable because it’s messy and has the potential to lead down countless rabbit holes. 

The challenge: You’re surrounded by consumer quotes and micro-insights. Without a structure, you might feel paralyzed by the possibilities.

The solution: Use a consistent framework, such as thematic tagging or mapping, to sort and prioritize group insights. For instance, when PepsiCo tested 37 snack concepts, they used Zappi to uncover the emotions behind the snacks consumers liked most by surfacing the why behind what consumers liked. They were able to narrow those 37 to seven products to find success.

2. Bias and representativeness: Getting past ‘the loudest voice in the room’

We’ve all been in meetings where one or two people hijack the narrative. Adding the influence of charismatic social media influencers makes it even more complicated. 

The challenge: Build your strategy around what’s true and represents your audience, rather than following the loudest voice. 

The solution: Combine qualitative insight with early quantitative validation. Zappi consumer insights platform enables brands to establish a rapid feedback loop for testing ideas quickly at scale. 

How modern SaaS tools make exploratory research repeatable and scalable

Zappi uses AI to organize and analyze qualitative data, transforming reams of unstructured or semi-structured data into actionable insights. 

Competitive brands are continually testing, exploring and experimenting with new ideas. Our consumer insights tool becomes smarter with each use. 

"For a new shake flavor, I analyze the drivers of interest and purchase in all the shakes we’ve tested before. I can see how consumers play those concepts back and what they want us to do differently. There’s a lot I can do easily with the dataset."

- Matt Cahill, Senior Director of Insights Activation, McDonald's

Keeping up with changing consumer behavior means developing a repeatable system for ongoing exploratory research. Insight alone doesn’t drive growth. It needs a seat at the decision-making table. That’s why the most forward-thinking CMOs don’t treat exploratory research as a one-off. Instead, they build it into the playbook. 

Exploratory research is no longer just for innovation teams or insights departments. It’s a strategic and cross-functional leadership tool to uncover emerging trends, shape positioning and pressure test creative early before the media spend. 

Why it’s essential for brand strategy and early-stage campaign planning

Today’s consumers have multi-layered reasons for their purchasing decisions. Gen Z, in particular, focuses on values and social purpose in their consumer habits. 

Emily Silver is Vice President of Innovation and Capabilities for PepsiCo. Her team set out to create a functional relaxation beverage that tasted good and provided science-backed stress relief. The story of Driftwell is one of listening to the consumer. 

Emily shares her perspective. “The core of my role is being consumer-centric,” she says. “I am always trying to understand what problems we can solve.”

Tying it to KPIs: Brand lift, creative resonance, white space mapping

Exploratory research typically doesn’t yield hard numbers, but it shapes the inputs that move them. Here’s a few examples of each: 

Brand lift

Dove’s Real Beauty campaign has run for twenty years. Initially created to expand the narrow beauty standards long imposed by society and the media, its success speaks for itself. 

The original campaign earned Dove 30 times the brand’s initial spend in free media coverage. It also drove 1.5 million visitors to the website. 

Creative resonance

Another long-running campaign with high creative resonance is the Snickers “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry.” This campaign was based on early exploratory research from BBDO and Mars. The research showed people’s personalities changed when they were hungry. 

The campaign grew sales by 15.9% in one year and captured market share in most of its markets. 

White space mapping 

Exploratory research can uncover unmet needs. Take Gatorade’s personalized hydration system. What started as a collaboration between Gatorade, Smart Design and the Brazilian World Cup Soccer Team to optimize hydration for each member’s needs led to a breakthrough in meeting the hydration needs of individual athletes. 

Use cases across the funnel and product lifecycle

Exploratory research extends beyond product development. It plays a role at every stage of the funnel. 

At the awareness stage, exploratory research can surface emotional triggers and cultural concepts to shape new products and top-of-funnel creative. 

At the consideration stage, it uncovers potential trust barriers and purchase intent. 

Finally, at the conversion stage, uncover value misalignment or last-minute hesitation. 

Smart marketing leaders aren’t waiting for perfect data. They’ve built a testing, iterating and learning process in real time. With AI-powered tools and always-on feedback, curiosity becomes your edge. And combined with insights from real consumers, it could be your secret weapon to identifying white space opportunities.