As the call for greater D&I grows within the Market Research and Insights industries, it is imperative that companies reflect on the unique needs of their diverse teams. Women of Color are especially vulnerable to the negative impacts of companies who hire diversely but fail to adapt company culture to truly support the advancement of their employees. The mental and emotional toll demanded of Women of Color when navigating the professional world in this new and evolving ecosystem is a topic that is both urgently pressing and rarely discussed. Our panel will discuss the professional and personal experiences of Women of Color in the MR industry, the red flags to consider when evaluating professionals roles, and the opportunities we can take to advocate for ourselves and our mental health toward a more equitable and supportive industry.

Stick around after the panel for networking, snacks, and more. A BIG thank you to Kantar, Fuel + The Focus Room, NAIL BITER, and CMB for supporting this event.

San Francisco's waterfront is calling!

Join Wire and Esomar for a pre-show mix and mingle ahead of Greenbook's IIEX West, taking place on Fisherman's Wharf. Come reconnect with familiar faces, meet new ones, and kick off IIEX West with good company and gorgeous views.

Thank you to our sponsors, AYTM, Dynata, Listen Labs, Prodege, PSB Insights, and Rep Data, and to our event partner, Greenbook, for making this event possible!

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The momentum from Shenzhen continues this October 21 as the Esomar APAC Tour arrives in Singapore for Esomar Connect | Singapore.

Organised in collaboration with MRSS and Wire, this intimate gathering brings together local industry leaders, innovators and changemakers for an afternoon of fresh thinking, meaningful conversations and high-impact connections.

Expect ideas that challenge the brief

From rethinking ageing and Gen Z to uncovering new growth opportunities with AI, the programme is packed with presentations designed to spark new thinking:

• Not Another Gen Z Brief

Reframing Asia’s 50–75 population through The New Contract — exploring identity, purpose and connection beyond traditional expectations of ageing.

• Recontextualizing Mobility

See how AI is transforming 80+ internal insight documents into nine Growth Terrains and 31 opportunities, turning complexity into actionable possibilities.

Register on the Esomar website.

The Wire Exec Leadership Summit is an immersive, transformational retreat and networking opportunity for woman executive leaders within the data, research, and Insights space. Immerse yourself in this transformative gathering of the industry’s predominant woman leaders, all while engaging with the restorative and peaceful coastal setting. We'll meet in Italy at the historic Grand Hotel Palazzo Livorno where we've planned a whole new program of rich, curated content and restorative activities with the unique business goals and personal growth objectives of the executive in mind.

This year we are shaking things up with an impressive line-up of fresh speakers, from both within and outside of the research industry, on topics requested by you, with an agenda that allows plenty of time for networking and relaxation. We have 30 spots available for this one-of-a-kind experience — be sure to register as soon as possible to ensure your spot. Your ticket to the EU Summit includes your room and all group meals for the duration of the Summit agenda. We’re excited to see you!

Join Wire for a rooftop celebration during Insights Association's CRC 2026 in Chicago!

We're heading to a stunning rooftop spot in the South Loop on September 16th for skyline views, signature cocktails, and a photo booth, all after a day of sessions.

Thank you to Escalent for sponsoring this happy hour, and to our partners at Insights Association for making this event possible.

Whether you're attending CRC or just in town, come unwind, reconnect, and meet industry folks over drinks above the South Loop.

Join Wire for our annual luncheon at Esomar Congress, this year taking place in Valencia, Spain!

This is one of our largest and most well-attended global events, bringing together the insights community for a celebration of connection and community during Congress week.

Valencia sets the stage for something special this year. Beyond the historic charm and modern architecture that define the city, Valencia holds a special place as the true birthplace of paella, and we can't think of a better setting to gather, share a meal, and reconnect with friends and colleagues from across the industry.

A big thank you to our sponsors, Forsta, FUEL + Focus Room, G3 Translate, and Harmon Research, and to our conference partners at Esomar for making this event possible!

Still need your Esomar Congress ticket? Use code ESOMAR2026_WIRE_15 for a discount at checkout: events.esomar.org/congress-2026-registration

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Career Metamorphosis — The Power of Personal Reinvention

‍This year's Congress theme, Metamorphosis, is being explored through the transformation of research, methodology, and AI. At our Wire Luncheon, we turn that lens inward. Join us for a candid fireside conversation with women who've pivoted their careers not once, but as an ongoing practice. They'll share the moments that inspired career change, what nearly didn't work, and how community — not solo grit — made the difference.

GLP-1 medications are changing appetite, but appetite is only one part of why people eat. Habit, ritual, emotion, and sensory expectation don't just disappear when the hunger signal does. So what happens to the product experience when appetite is no longer the driver?

Curion studied consumers across two phases — a qualitative Digital Selfnography and a quantitative Central Location Test — to find out. We recruited current users, former users, and never-users of GLP-1 medications, studied side by side, across their real daily eating lives and product evaluations.

In this webinar, lead researchers Hudson Hausmann and Rachel Orona present what we found and what it means for the products being developed for this consumer right now.

What You'll Learn
- How GLP-1 usage impacts appetite, cravings, satiety, and the motivation to eat
- Where the physical and emotional experiences of eating align and where they don't
- Which product categories GLP-1 users are focused on now, and how product choice and occasions are changing
- Whether GLP-1 users are consciously seeking different textures, formats, and portion sizes, or whether the shift is happening before they've recognized it
- How the joy of eating differs across current, former, and never-users of GLP-1 medications

"Strength in numbers" takes on new meaning in today's AI-driven market research landscape. As tech reshapes the industry, organizations that understand the power of aggregated data, collaborative teams, and industry momentum will lead the way — especially women, who are both more hesitant to adopt AI and whose roles are three times more likely to be automated by it.

This year’s Wire Annual Webinar series, sponsored by FUEL + The Focus Room, attempts to communicate a cohesive message: success belongs to those who recognize that bigger thinking creates better results. For women in data, insights, and research, your strength isn't in standing alone; it's in being part of a growing community where your voice, expertise, and leadership are essential to reshaping the industry. Register for one session and we'll automatically register you for the whole series!

August Session: “Strength in Numbers: Women, AI, and the Competitive Edge” — Celebrated on Women's Equality Day, this panel brings together women at the forefront of AI adaption in research, data, and insights to explore what competitive advantage looks like in a rapidly evolving industry — and how contributing to that evolution is itself a strategy.

AI is transforming how research gets done, and synthetic data is emerging as one of the field's most exciting - and debated - developments. Join Wire and Sago for a thought-provoking conversation with Melanie Courtright, Chief Strategy Officer, as we explore the opportunities, challenges, and practical realities of synthetic data in research. Through real-world experiences and honest discussion, we'll examine where synthetic data can create value, how organizations are approaching adoption, and what it means for the future role of researchers. Whether you're exploring synthetic data for the first time or looking to sharpen your perspective, this session will leave you better equipped to navigate what's next.

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Melanie Courtright is an accomplished leader and strategist with 30 years of experience shaping the future of the insights and analytics industry. As Chief Strategy Officer at Sago, she leads enterprise-wide strategic initiatives focused on growth, innovation, and the advancement of research excellence.

Before joining Sago, Melanie served as Chief Executive Officer of the Insights Association, where she guided the U.S. insights and analytics community through a period of significant transformation—strengthening quality standards, championing data ethics, and advocating for the responsible use of emerging technologies.

Throughout her career, Melanie has been a trusted voice on topics including data integrity, methodological rigor, and the evolving relationship between technology and human understanding. She remains dedicated to ensuring that insights continue to empower organizations to make smarter, more ethical, and impactful decisions.

"Strength in numbers" takes on new meaning in today's AI-driven market research landscape. As tech reshapes the industry, organizations that understand the power of aggregated data, collaborative teams, and industry momentum will lead the way — especially women, who are both more hesitant to adopt AI and whose roles are three times more likely to be automated by it.

This year’s Wire Annual Webinar series, sponsored by FUEL + The Focus Room, attempts to communicate a cohesive message: success belongs to those who recognize that bigger thinking creates better results. For women in data, insights, and research, your strength isn't in standing alone; it's in being part of a growing community where your voice, expertise, and leadership are essential to reshaping the industry. Register for one session and we'll automatically register you for the whole series!

July Session: “Safety in Numbers: Building Stronger Teams & Workflows”— Discover how organizations are combining human expertise with AI capabilities to create more resilient, capable research teams. See how collaborative workflows and shared methodologies amplify individual strengths and reduce blind spots.

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Heather Fawson is Sr. Director, Sales Enablement at PureSpectrum, where she leads enablement for the company's global sales team. With 15 years of experience across enablement, sales, account management, and client development, she brings a rare mix of relationship instinct and technical depth, partnering closely with sales to turn industry and technical knowledge into practical solutions for the researchers and insights professionals PureSpectrum serves. Heather is driven by helping her team show up with the confidence and clarity PureSpectrum brings to the market research industry.

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Todd Myers is a 20-year industry executive with experience leading business and operational teams from prominent firms in the industry like Nielsen, Kantar, Harris Interactive, and Confirmit. His deep understanding of market research and extensive experience at leveraging technology help drive the continued growth of PureSpectrum. Todd holds a Bachelor of Arts Political Sciences from Moravian College and an MBA in Management from the Temple University Executive Program.

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Cecilia Engelking is Vice President of Client Development at PureSpectrum, where she leads a team focused on research automation and programmatic sampling for clients. Over her 10+ years in the industry, Cecilia has built her career on strong client relationships, exceptional service, and technical knowledge. She now channels that same energy into growing and mentoring her team. She's passionate about helping clients get the most value out of programmatic sample for their research needs/systems.

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AI is getting faster, cheaper, and more capable by the month. But better AI doesn't make human researchers redundant — it makes the distinctly human qualities they bring more valuable, not less. The researchers who will thrive are those who understand how to use AI as an accelerant while bringing something to the work that no model can replicate: judgment, interpretation, and the intelligence that comes from genuinely understanding people.

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This webinar explores what that actually looks like in practice. We'll dig into why human-centered skills — the ability to read a room, ask the right question at the right moment, build trust with respondents and clients, and make sense of data in context — sit at the heart of research quality, and why they remain the hardest thing to automate.

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Drawing on audience polling, we'll hear directly from researchers about how these skills shape their work, whether they're valued as highly as technical or analytical capabilities in their organizations, and what gets in the way of them being recognized as genuine strategic assets. From organizational culture and the absence of ROI metrics, to imposter syndrome and shifting client expectations, we'll map the real barriers, and start to dismantle them.

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We'll close by exploring what it would take to change the conversation: the frameworks, the language, the role models, and the evidence researchers need to advocate confidently for the human layer in an AI-driven environment.

Two days of insights and innovation

The Quirk’s Event is headed to you for Quirk’s Event – Virtual Global from November 4 to 5. While nothing can beat attending live events, 92% of the Quirk’s audience is unable to attend in-person events. This virtual event brings insight professionals together from around the world so they can learn from leading industry experts about the hottest topics in the industry.

Registration is now open and free for all at TheQuirksEvent.com/VirtualGlobal2026!

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Join us on November 4 for a virtual experience that brings together cybersecurity professionals for a day of shared learning, honest conversation, and practical insight.

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Live is a peer-led event designed to move past theory and hype, and into the realities of modern security leadership. This is where security leaders, practitioners, and emerging professionals come together to hear how challenges are being tackled in the field, from evolving threat landscapes and AI-driven risk, to building resilient security programs and communicating effectively with the business.

Across sessions led by experienced voices in cybersecurity, attendees will gain real-world perspectives, lessons learned, and actionable strategies that can be applied immediately, regardless of organization size or maturity.

One day. One community. Real-world cybersecurity leadership.

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If Esomar North America 2026: Unfiltered has been on your radar, now is a good time to take a closer look at the program. The conference is coming to Atlanta November 3-4, and standard pricing ends October 11.

Across two days, researchers will get into some of the issues showing up in research work right now: where AI fits into research workflows, what synthetic audiences can and can’t do, how teams are tackling data quality and what they’re learning as they test new methods.

The program also gets very practical. Researchers from Nike, Chick-fil-A, Kimberly-Clark and other organizations will share work from inside their teams, and a free, pre-conference Columbia Business School masterclass will look at how to think more sharply and make better decisions from data.

There’s plenty of time built in to meet other people working across insights as well, whether you’re on the brand side, at an agency or consultancy, or working in research technology.

Standard pricing is available through October 11. As an Esomar partner, we can also offer our community an additional 15% off registration with code UNFILTERED2026_WIRE.

Take a look at the full program and join us in Atlanta:https://esomar.org/events/north-america-2026

The future of insights is being shaped by the conversations happening at IIEX West 2026.

Hosted by Greenbook, IIEX West brings together leaders across insights, analytics, research, and innovation to explore the trends, technologies, and ideas redefining the industry.

From emerging AI applications to evolving consumer expectations, the event is designed to challenge perspectives, spark meaningful discussions, and connect the people moving insights forward.

Register now and use code WIRE15 for 15% off your general admission ticket!

Is your insights team shaping organizational strategy, or still reacting to it? That's the question driving this year's MRMW Europe (Oct 21–22, Berlin) — where leaders from KraftHeinz, Warner Bros. Discovery, AXA, and De'Longhi Group are among those confirmed to share how their functions are evolving. Across the industry, insight teams are moving closer to where decisions are made — not just validating or explaining, but helping define direction. Insights are increasingly expected to inform strategic bets earlier in the process, and connect customer understanding to commercial outcomes.
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MRMW Europe 2026 is built as a senior environment where every participant operates at the leadership level. The focus is on how insights functions influence strategic decisions, how AI is being integrated into real workflows, and how impact is defined and measured internally — allowing for direct exchange and honest comparison across organizations.
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For anyone working in market research or consumer insights, it's a useful look at where the industry is heading.

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Early bird registration is open until June 21.

Use code WIRE15 for an additional 15% off.

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