With no hurricanes threatening the proceedings this year, the only booming sounds in the air came from Mark Schulman’s drums as the rock personality fired up the crowd on day three. Days one and two were just as energetic, with “Shark” Daymond John opening the conference this year with his inspiring business journey story while Duncan Fisher of Cirque du Soleil and his performers gave an electric talk on how business’ should act like they are part of the circus—bringing to market research the high-performance teams, precision operations and visionary leadership that being part of the circus is really about.
All Things Insights was on hand to attend the sessions, and to report on the conference’s many highlights and key takeaways. Our coverage includes exclusive interviews as well as other articles inspired by the conference. This year, we also wanted to explore through social media the key findings inspired and discovered by the delegation—in their own words. So, we checked out LinkedIn under the show’s hashtag, #TMRE25. Here’s a selection of what we found.
Betting Big at TMRE 2025: The Takeaways
“Of the many great sessions at TMRE25, this is the one I would describe as mind-bending. Eugene Roytburg Ph.D. [CEO of Cloverpop] painted part-hilarious, part-terrifying but altogether convincing picture of insights obsolescence unless we transform as Decision Intelligence. Eugene’s deck should be mandatory reading for every insights professional and high-level decision maker.” — Oksana Sobol, Vice President of Insights, The Clorox Company
“We’re back from TMRE25, energized by the incredible conversations, debates and big ideas around AI’s role in shaping the future of consumer insights. If you joined Stan Sthanunathan and Christina Habib [of Unilever] for their session, ‘How AI will radically transform the insights industry,’ you know exactly what we mean. Where the insights function was charged with reporting the past, it will now be charged with predicting the future and providing inspiring ideas that will transform the business trajectory.” —Stan Sthanunathan, CEO, i-Genie.AI Inc.
“Very excited to be taking the stage at TMRE25 next week to talk about a subject I’ve been obsessed with for years: how to truly understand the next generation of consumers NOW. Gen Z and emerging Gen Alpha aren’t just growing up online, they are the online culture that can shape what brands rise or fall. And yet, the research industry is still asking them questions like it was 2005. Our new TeenVoice ‘The Teen Consumer: A Field Guide for Brands’ report reveals what’s really driving teen engagement and influence in 2025.” —Alan White, VP, Research and Data Analytics, TeenVoice
“Day 1 at TMRE25 kicked off — a recurring theme was the blend of human intelligence and AI. It came up again and again in sessions and panels, showing just how quickly our roles are evolving. Kendra Speed with LinkedIn reminded us that the future belongs to full-stack leaders and encouraged us to grow and stretch — because ‘the future needs all of you, whole’. Matt Klein from Reddit, Inc. closed the day with a nudge to stop chasing trends and start building what’s next.
Grateful for three days packed with learning, conversations, and meaningful connections that remind me why this community rocks. PINK Drummer Mark Schulman wrapped it up on the perfect note — reminding us that attitude is everything when it comes to driving extraordinary outcomes.” —Jocelyn Bayle, Managing Director, North American Sales & Operations, Research Corp.
“What happened in Vegas this past week will definitely not stay in Vegas. I’m so grateful to have been a part of TMRE25, amidst a consortium of brilliant and inspiring research and insights leaders from all over the globe. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on a panel focusing on turning insights into action, moderated by Michelle Poris (Smarty Pants) along with Tamar Rimmon (McAfee) and Rachel Lorraine (Yum! Brands). So much thought provoking and beautiful wisdom on managing through the massive change we are experiencing in the insights world.
David Boyle (Audience Strategies) shared something we all need to keep centered on: “The algorithm can find patterns but only humans can find meaning,” and the electric Mark Schulman left us with ‘life is a series of now’s,’ wisdom that we can all use no matter what our vocation in life.” —Jessica Lilie, Vice President, Research, Insights and Analytics, Sutter Health
“Drummers, Insights & AI: One line from Mark Schulman has stayed with me from TMRE25: A shift from ‘I have to’ to ‘I get to.’ He didn’t have to drum for Pink, Foreigner and Billy Idol—he got to. That nuance matters. And with AI accelerating the pace of our industry, this mindset is essential. It reframed how I think about our roles in insights: We get to be the voice of the consumer with true obsession. We get to influence decisions, not just report data. We get to embrace AI as a force multiplier for curiosity and creativity. We get to shape where the business is headed, not react to where it’s been. The future of insights isn’t backstage but rather keeping tempo and sensing when the beat needs to change. Grateful we get to do this work.” —Sarb Dhanjal-Brown, Ass. Director, Insights Lead, The Clorox Company
“True growth happens when we share, compare, and co-create with other teams to expand our capabilities and perspectives. We asked Nisreen Salka McConkie of PayPal about this at TMRE25, and her perspective was crucial. A multidisciplinary research team impacts organizations at all levels.” — Elana Marmorstein, Growth Operations Analyst, Aytm
“CMOs and insights leaders, Stacy Tholking from P&G shares her perspective on the future of insights and one thing stood out for me (and it’s not AI…I know shocking coming from me): ‘The greatest value comes when insights professionals are integrated into the business, enabled by scaled solutions for method innovation, platform development, and employee upskilling.’
Despite being in the industry for 20 years, I continue to see insights not having a seat at the table. AI won’t magically change this and in fact it could make it a bigger problem. But when insights is at the table and leveraging the best strategies and tools (AI or not), this is where the magic happens. Don’t let AI distract you from the core element of your growth, consumer centricity.” —Kristi Zuhlke, Strategy & Implementation Consultant
“In a world where the future of insights is unfolding before us, I was honored to join Pam Forbus and Christina Habib at TMRE25 to explore pivotal questions shaping our industry today. The discussion illuminated a few key themes:
What won’t change: Despite the rise of AI, understanding consumer needs remains paramount. It’s still a human connection that drives insights, enabled by technology.
AI’s influence: AI is transforming nearly every aspect of our workflows. Yet, its effectiveness relies on robust foundations, including data architecture and the quality, completeness, and harmonization of data sets.
Leaders’ skills: The hallmark skills of insight leaders balance commercial and technical expertise, enabling them to explore new opportunities, innovate solutions, and drive business impact.
The organization: The greatest value comes when insights professionals are integrated into the business, enabled by scaled solutions for method innovation, platform development, and employee upskilling.
As we embrace this transformative era, the need for insightful leadership has never been greater. Let’s leverage technology to enhance our impact in delivering smarter insights, but never lose sight of the human in the equation!” —Stacy Tholking, Vice President, Analytics & Insights, North America, Procter & Gamble
“TMRE 2025—where the future of insights actually felt real. This year hit different. I got to share the stage with Joahne Carter from Semaine Health, and honestly, she crushed it. We walked through how agentic models and synthetic data are changing the decision-making game. Joahne showed how she used synthetic data to shape brand concept direction—and then took it in market to deliver a double-digit CAC reduction. That’s not theory. That’s impact.
I also unveiled something close to my nerdy little heart: the Moments Engine. It’s a custom GPT agent I built over the summer that helps CMOs craft personalization strategies around category entry points. Basically, it turns ‘personalization’ from a buzzword into an actual GTM advantage.
What I loved most though? The energy. The mindset shift. More brands are experimenting. More people are open about what’s working, and what isn’t. That kind of honesty is gold, and it’s exactly what makes TMRE worth showing up for. And finally—the hugs, the laughs, and seeing old friends I hadn’t crossed paths with in 20+ years? Priceless. Huge thanks to the whole TMRE crew for pulling off another one that actually mattered.” —Yogesh Chavda, Y2S Consulting
“I’m truly excited for the ‘Coolest Brands for Gen Alpha!’ session at TMRE. Working with different generations is one of my favorite parts of research, and learning what speaks to younger audiences helps us create more meaningful and lasting connections for our clients.
Research is about understanding people, their motivations, and the little details that make a brand truly resonate across ages. Gen Alpha is full of creativity and curiosity, and I’m interested to hear how Ben Younie and Audrey Birner at Beano Studios are uncovering what matters most to them. Sessions like these remind me why I love research: every generation brings a new perspective, and listening closely helps us build strategies that feel relatable and authentic.” —Elvia De La Garza, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Qualitative Research, DLG Research
“This week, I went to TMRE25 for the first time. I gave a talk titled ‘Why we Killed Digital Twins and Bet on Conversational AI Instead’ which was a huge hit. People loved the honesty with which we shared our learnings — the combined outputs of two years of blood, sweat, and tears. Coincidentally, I discovered one of the key ways Keplar is different: We actually care about the problem… we care about enabling teams to collect high quality data they can bank on through an interface that’s ridiculously simple. Market research and storytelling are hard, and we care about helping our users become heroes for their brand.” —Dhruv Guliani, Co-Founder & CEO, Keplar
“My key takeaway from TMRE25: AI doesn’t lead transformation — people and courage still do. As AI technology continues to change how we work and the pace of work enters ‘ludicrous speed,’ insights professionals face a new challenge: to remain bold and courageous in the face of rapid change. The abundance of data doesn’t eliminate risk. It doesn’t replace the need for discernment, critical thinking, or the willingness to challenge assumptions. We need more of us to be our best.
Christina Habib of Unilever talked about this tension perfectly from stage, “We must push through the comfort of the illusion that comes with AI generated answers and have the courage to provoke transformation.”
Strategic execution still demands quality, thoughtfulness, and above all, a backbone. It requires people leaders not only to think smartly but to inspire others through insight and influence.” —Michael Forsberg, Associate Director, Brandtrust
“TMRE Day 1: A powerful start. Daymond John’s keynote set the tone — his journey from $40 to building FUBU into a global billion-dollar brand offered valuable perspective on what drives sustainable success. Key principles that stood out: Clarity of vision comes first; Preparation fuels execution; Customer insight drives strategy, data validates it; Strategic partnerships are non-negotiable; Resilience separates ambition from achievement. Looking forward to the insights ahead this week at TMRE.” —Michael Nevski, Director, Global Insights, Visa
“Highlight of TMRE25 day two: Duncan Fisher of Cirque du Soleil on why running your business like a circus is an excellent idea. And an impossibly high bar. Aside from the jaw-dropping performance we witnessed, lessons every business can use: Chemistry + Creativity + Customer Experience unlock magic.
Chemistry is about how the organization functions, the culture, how decisions are made, whether there is a psychological safety and shared language. Creativity is unlocked with continuous learning, clear direction and parameters, and respecting all ideas. The first rule of Customer Experience – don’t shoot yourself into the foot, get the simple things right.” — Oksana Sobol, Vice President of Insights, The Clorox Company
“Three incredible days at TMRE in Las Vegas with Kelly Zhou and Veronica Ma, and I’m leaving with a lot to think about. The most compelling theme I heard across sessions? Human intelligence + AI, not one replacing the other. We can now capture, synthesize, and act on qualitative feedback from thousands of people in ways that preserve nuance and context. That’s transformative. The breakthrough isn’t AI generating insights in isolation – it’s AI amplifying human voices at scale.
For those of us building in this space, the opportunity is clear: The companies that win won’t be the ones with the fanciest models. They’ll be the ones that use AI to make human insight more accessible, actionable, and impactful.” —Ashish D’sa, CTO, Arbor
“I just returned from the TMRE conferences in Las Vegas, where AI was the central theme of the event. The vast majority of vendors were presenting AI solutions focused specifically on qualitative research. Many of these vendors were highly technical profiles, with impressive AI development capabilities, but without real training in market research methodologies. The consistent message from everyone: “our work is going to change, but we’ll be more efficient and strategic.”
However, while we celebrated the capabilities of these new technologies, very few openly acknowledged the real and profound impact this could have on our industry. AI is not just going to “optimize” our work in research. It has the potential to radically transform it. And I believe that as professionals in the sector, we need more honest conversations about:
• Which current roles could be seriously affected?
• What human skills become more critical in this new scenario?
• How do we validate that these tools truly understand the nuances of research?
• How do we proactively reinvent ourselves rather than react when it’s too late?
This isn’t about technophobia, but professional realism. Only by acknowledging the magnitude of the change can we adequately prepare ourselves. Did anyone else feel this disconnect between the technological enthusiasm and the serious conversation about its real implications?” —Isabel Mut, Manager, Global Consumer Research & Insights, Capital Group
“AI + tech were big themes (no surprise), but as Matt Klein reminded us: “The future does not exist yet.” Things are changing fast, but no one knows exactly what tomorrow will look like. That’s why I appreciated the conversations around how our insights/MR community is navigating change—while staying grounded in what matters most: uncovering human truths to unlock growth, building stronger insights teams, and balancing new instruments with proven methods and principles.” —Adam Guiney, Vice President of Business Development, SIVO, Inc.
“Post-TMRE Reflection: The Critical Gap Between AI and ‘The Dream.’ Just back from an incredible week at TMRE in Las Vegas, and the central theme that keeps repeating in my head is the critical tension in modern insights: AI accelerates how we find answers, but it can’t tell us what questions to ask. Here are my top three takeaways that define the path forward for insights leaders:
1. From “Crossing Fingers” to “Confidence”: The PepsiCo talk hammered this home: We need to shift the innovation engine from being reactive (crossing our fingers and hoping ideas stick) to being proactive (moving with confidence). AI-generated trends must be immediately followed by human validation to eliminate rework and waste. People still drive change, not just technology.
2. The Daymond John Mandate: The keynote quote from Daymond John is the best summary of the year: “AI can teach the Wright brothers how to fly but it can’t teach them how to dream.” This is the ultimate mission for any research platform. Our job is to use AI for rigor (as Google stressed, avoiding hallucinations and bias) and scale, but ensure the “dream”—the strategic, game-changing decision—remains human-led and fueled by deep customer truth.
3. Finding the “Why” Beyond Demographics: McDonald’s reminded us to stop settling for surface-level consumer data. The real impact is found when we move past basic demographics and uncover the deep motivators and drivers—the ‘why’ behind behaviors. This requires moving beyond simple surveys into rich, mixed-method research at scale.
Excited to take these lessons back to Alida and continue helping our clients secure the confidence they need in their biggest bets. What was your biggest takeaway from TMRE?” —Lyle Rapp, Enterprise Account Executive, Alida
“TMRE25 is in the books, and it delivered in all the right ways! From a fun encounter with a real Shark Tank shark (missed opportunity to pitch the next big thing?) to a live Cirque du Soleil performance right there on the main stage, these were a memorable few days.
But forget about the entertainment, one of the best things about TMRE is the chance to connect with other research and analytics leaders who are wrestling with similar problems, trading ideas, and reminding each other why this work matters on the executive retreat and the conference itself. I also had the privilege of joining Rachel Lorraine, Jessica Lilie and Michelle Poris on stage to talk about something core to our industry: making insights not just interesting, but actionable. One theme that kept coming up: If you can’t say how action will be taken based on your insights, your work is simply not done yet.
Five months into my time at McAfee, this discussion hit close to home. I feel fortunate to be at a company that treats analytics as a driver of real business impact, not a reporting function. We’re building frameworks that translate analytics into decisions, into priorities, and ultimately into ROI outcomes we can point to. That rigor is shifting how we work. It pushes us to ask harder questions, to define the “so what” and the “now what” upfront, and to show up as true strategic partners, not just people who analyze data.
I came back energized and grateful for the conversations, the community, and the reminder that meaningful insight isn’t the end point—it’s the beginning.” —Tamar Rimmon, VP, Data Science & Analytics, McAfee
Editor’s Note: The next TMRE will take place on October 5-7, 2026, and will be co-located with Content Marketing World at the Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO.
