Low-ken-uinely: What My Kids Are Teaching Me About Language, Culture and Better Insight
Richard Walker explores how evolving language is shaping market research and customer insight. As new phrases move from everyday life into qualitative research, they reveal emotion, intent and cultural nuance that add meaning to insight.
Travel decisions in uncertain times
Anthony Shephard-Williams reflects on how global uncertainty is reshaping travel decisions – and what this reveals about consumer behaviour. Drawing on personal experience and behavioural science, he explores how risk, ambiguity and real-time signals change how people choose, cancel or reroute, and what insight teams need to understand when “normal” decision-making breaks down.
From Houmous to Motorhomes: what the Inflation Basket really tells us about Britain
Every year, the UK inflation basket is quietly updated to reflect what people are actually buying. Andrew Wiseman explores why this overlooked dataset offers powerful clues about consumer behaviour, cultural change and the evolving role of market research
The Accidental Billboard Behind a 40p JD Sports Bag
A bright yellow 40p JD Sports bag has become an accidental branding masterstroke — a low-cost, high-visibility brand asset powered by real-world behaviour. Andrew Wiseman explores how it happened, and what it means for marketers and researchers.
TikTok: Beauty by Proxy
Beauty brands used to target adult women. But TikTok and Gen Alpha have changed the game. In this blog, Mustard’s Rebecca Dunn explores the growing power of children in shaping beauty routines — and what that means for brand research and strategy.