129: Who gets to decide what counts as an insight?

Can "insights" be pre-packaged? Should they be?

In this one, we wade into the murky distinction between polished agency deliverables and raw, messy data exposure. From a bank that knew what it wanted (and just needed to show due diligence) to clients who fundamentally changed direction after reading customer transcripts, we explore when different approaches can actually work.

Along the way we talk about how the iconic Rowan Atkinson Barclaycard campaign (UK only, we think) had absolutely nothing to do with the original brief – and how frequently that's the story of projects and innovation. We also mention AI because that's still a thing, and we reference "decision-based evidence-making" and how it's more common than you might think.

This one's for anyone who's sat through a glossy presentation questioning whether the conveniently self-serving story is justified, and for anyone who's tried to synthesise insights for others and been left wondering why it doesn't seem to make a dent.

Including but not limited to:

● How a beloved Barclaycard ad campaign was thrown together in a last minute panic after the pitched idea fell apart

● Gary Klein's chef's kiss definition of insight: "an unexpected jump to a new story you can't unsee"

● The cost of pre-packaged, pre-masticated insights – if it's too easy to swallow there's no chewing needed

● Why you can't know what counts as an insight in someone else's company

● Decision-based evidence-making vs. evidence-based decision-making

● The intense 7 hours of workshopping that "changed everything" for our client

● How we use AI to clean transcripts (take out the ums and ahs) but not to generate insights ... because it can't

● Why "disintermediation" might be the most important move in strategic research, though it's not an easy one to pull off

● When glossy agency work actually serves the purpose perfectly

● The opportunity cost that isn't about money, and why senior teams avoid the hard work

Links & references

• Book "Why Does the Pedlar Sing?" by Paul Feldwick (advertising/creativity)
• Gary Klein – insight definition
• Jonathan Korman – "decision-based evidence making" quip (though we think he credits someone else)
• Genchi Genbutsu – Toyota principle of "go and see"
• Pitch Provocations – our research method, message us for more!
• Multiverse Mapping – our mapping method
• 4U Framework – our meta-methodology

Questions, stories, or strongly-held opinions about research methods? Pop us a message: [e-mail]

Find out more about us and our work at crownandreach.com

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