The coming qualitative renaissance with Deborah Mendez

Episode notes

In this episode of The Curiosity Current , consumer insights expert Deborah Mendez explains how to unlock growth by looking beneath surface level consumer claims. She argues that the common gap between what people say and what they actually buy is not a research failure. Instead, it indicates an unmet need where consumers are in conflict between their values and their options. Deborah shares her strategies for using agile research to find patterns across multiple data points, allowing researchers to move from simple validation to becoming strategic creators. The discussion also covers the practicalities of managing research under pressure. Deborah introduces the narrow and deep principle, showing how limited budgets can encourage surgical thinking and better risk mitigation. As artificial intelligence changes the landscape of data analysis, Deborah emphasizes the growing importance of human judgment and problem framing. She predicts a qualitative renaissance where deep contextual data becomes the primary way for brands to distinguish themselves.