Search Results

IICs New 2022 Initiatives Saturday, January 1, 2022 Bringing the IIC community to life by coming to where you are Learn More We're excited to announce our new 2022 initiatives! This year, our #1 priority is building community by coming where you are. This is how we're doing it. 👇🏽 IIC & FRIENDS TOUR - We're going on the road in 2022 and meeting you for happy hour! This tour kicks off June 2022 and we won't be alone as we have surprise guests like Mimconnect , ThinkNow and AdThrill Inc. coming with us along the way. IIC INTERACTIVE LOUNGES - This year you can catch us at SampleCon in May and Quirk's Media NYC in July where we will be bringing you something truly unique, fun and special- our first ever interactive lounge. Not only will we be there to meet everyone but we are working to ensure BIPOC students & young professionals are able to attend for free. CONNECTED MENTORS SERIES - Coming this fall, a new way to create meaningful mentorships in the digital space. Watch our site for more details! Learn more about all of these opportunities here . ----- We're also continuing many of the popular initiatives from last year: ➡️ IIC Job Board ➡️ Hire a Freelance Researcher ➡️ What's the Story Behind That? ➡️ Data is Beautiful Back to Full Menu

Redefining Identity Tuesday, July 27, 2021 New Rules for Sampling in Market Research Learn More In this podcast, IIC’s Whitney Dunlap-Fowler , Talia Lipkind , Team Lead, Trust & Safety Ops and John “Tre” Rials , Associate Director of Partner Programs at Lucid , discuss a new collaboration focused on defining new parameters and standards around identity when conducting market research today and in the future. Back to Full Menu

IIC at The Quirks Event NYC + Free Tickets for BIPOC Professionals & College Students! Wednesday, July 20, 2022 A fun, interactive lounge session highlighting the need for diversity in our Field Learn More Thanks to our partnership with Quirks Media, we have secured free tickets for young BIPOC research professionals aged 30 and under and college students to attend the Quirks Event in NYC and Chicago. We hope that by doing so, we can create the opportunities for new researcher in our field. FOR BIPOC RESEARCHERS 30 & UNDER – WE HAVE UP TO 20 TICKETS FOR YOU (in each city)! If you are a multicultural researcher under the age of 30, or if you know of any who would like to attend the Quirks event in Chicago or NYC, get in touch with IIC’s Opportunity team for details. FOR BIPOC STUDENTS – WE HAVE UP TO 30 TICKETS FOR YOU (in each city)! For college students, we have secured a special timeslot for your attendance from 10am-2pm on day one, which includes lunch and fun interactive activities to meet some of the industry’s most well-known research companies. If you are an educational institution who like for some of your multicultural research/ marketing/ humanities students to experience a research conference event with other students, get in touch with IIC’s Opportunity team for more details. For other members of the industry- We will see you at the Quirks Event in NYC! Click here to be a sponsor for our interactive lounge ! Back to Full Menu

We’ve all seen and read the stories of our favorite celebrities who had dreams of making it and pursuing their love of acting, or being an athlete. While money was likely a key driver in some of those dreams, being well known, famous and popular was likely just as top of mind. Wanting to be famous is not a new dream, but today, the prevalence of that desire has reached an all time high. In a 2021 YPulse study, more than half of 13-20 year olds stated that their top ambitions and career choices resided in the possibility of becoming social media stars. According to an Influencive report, 58% of Gen Zers want to own a business eventually, and 14% currently do. Compared to previous generations, Gen Z is seeking the limelight at increased rates, and, given the earning potential for doing so, with good reason. Influencer Khaby Lame is a great example for how the future of our workforce hopes to be plucked from obscurity and into fame. The 22-year-old creator from Senegal gained notoriety through his comedy skits, and is now the most followed person on TikTok. Thanks to his newfound fame, he has become the new global brand ambassador for Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume, and will likely have many more opportunities to come. If today’s instant gratification-led young professionals are heavily considering fame-infused career trajectories, it should be no surprise that industries like market research and insights are struggling to find, attract and retain promising, diverse talent. Not only do people rarely know this industry exists, but the fundamental way we conduct business keeps us hidden and out of sync with how the incoming generation of young professionals desire to be seen and recognized throughout their career journeys. A career in marketing research and insights often results in practitioners being locked behind contractual NDAs and working across teams where your individual voice and contributions may or may not be heard and seen. Additionally, if we are rewarded for our inputs, it is often done internally or through a competitive lens with many others seeking the same accolades. Very rarely is there an opportunity to publicly highlight small wins in a way that effectively lands with our peers. In fact, unless we are established, senior thought leaders, rarely will anyone outside of our cohort be aware of the work we do, or the extent to which we are involved in some of today’s most culturally relevant brand activations; the very same activations that often build & inform the strategies for how influencers become brand ambassadors in the first place. For a generation that is increasingly enticed by fame and notoriety, the market research and insights field has failed to evolve for the new class of incoming professionals. This is ultimately putting our industry at risk of failing to attract the talent it needs to sustain itself. So how do we fix this? In a previous article, we addressed some key ways to fix our industry’s appeal to a wider audience, but there are other, larger elements that need to be considered. 1. Be realistic about the competition First, there is a need to recognize that we are not only competing against other industries for talent, but we are also competing against the idea of sustained wealth and fame. Even for those who are not into being “insta-famous,” social media still plays a role for individuals with traditional 9 to 5 occupations. For this newer, more entrepreneurial generation, creating a personal brand is no longer a novelty as having the right online persona can dramatically improve your digital presence and earning potential. Young professionals are not shy when it comes to bragging about the work they do, which is a stark contrast to most market research departments and agencies. Not only do they desire to be acknowledged by their friends and colleagues but they also have a goal of looking like the “bawse” their platforms proclaim them to be. Due to the legal implications of sharing work that’s still in the R&D phase, a clearer, less murky way needs to be mapped out for Millennials and Gen Zersto be able to talk about the end results of the work they spend half their days completing. 2. Create transparency When you search “careers in advertising” it is fairly easy to ascertain a type of “map” to guide new professionals into the space in a way that allows them to figure out where they belong. This is a fundamental step that the market research and insights field is missing. Knowledge is a leading form of currency with today’s generation, which means they need to be able to see a clear career path and trajectory in order to better understand their options and to inform their career choices. However, the market research and insights field is so large and multifaceted that this can feel like a monstrous task. Insights in Color highlighted some of this in its Data is Beautiful platform in the “The Hidden World of Market Research & Insights”, but there is still much more work to do. Understanding the different titles, departments, and levels of responsibility can feel overwhelming for young professionals just beginning their career journeys. Creating transparency around these roles, alongside the salary expectations at every level enables the incoming class of professionals to adequately equip themselves with the information they need to manage their expectations from beginning to end. 3. Neutralize our field Marketing research & insights does not have the best reputation. While in the past we were associated with telemarketing, mall intercepts, or even people who wore glasses and labcoats, today, we are often seen as invisible middlemen and third party leaches that track and invade the privacy of users. Even worse, we are increasingly being accused of implicit bias in just about every research study that we commission. Thanks to advancements in technology and critical thinking, none of this is inherently inaccurate- we still have a lot of work to do in our field. At the same time, we cannot deny how often we are overshadowed by large data companies like Google which, despite the downsides of its advancements (see above), is still seen as a highly desirable place to work. Tech companies have the benefit of offering generous salaries to their insights professionals which is not usually the case in market research agencies and departments. But not every prospective market researcher is meant for the highly advanced, data driven, competitive nature of the tech world, and that’s where we come in. There is a dire need to demystify market research on all levels. To assist with this, Insights in Color has created a few initiatives like the Market Researcher Gallery Wall, to change outdated perceptions of who a researcher is and what they may look like so that newcomers can more readily see themselves in this space. IIC also provides tools & resources to guide companies in ensuring more ethical, inclusive and unbiased research methods - but none of this is enough to change our industry's reputation. Shifting the market research & insights will truly be a group effort which will require that we all work to change the way our field is perceived by others, beginning at the middle school level. No one wants to work in a career field that has a zero cool factor or that others don’t know exists. 4. Reimagine How we Describe Ourselves Cultures from around the world have hailed storytellers as key members of society. From African Griots to Irish Seanchai or bearers of ‘old lore’ or 'old thoughts', storytelling is a fundamental part of being human. Utilizing research to highlight consumer truths is no different. At our core, market research and insights practitioners are storytellers, and should be seen as such. We gather information, observe with a sixth sense and use our magical abilities to come to conclusions that power some of the greatest inventions, tools and brands of our time. Because of the role that brands have in helping to shape culture, we have an opportunity to elevate the work we do in a way that demonstrates how our outputs can ultimately impact and sometimes even change lives. However, with this power comes great responsibility. In a time where misinformation, stereotypes, restrictions and shifting identity norms are commonplace, we have a duty to tell comprehensive consumer stories in fair, just and unbiased formats. The next generation of market researchers, who are currently living in the tensions and turmoil of today, will be needed to ensure we gather consumer truths carefully, thoughtfully and with considered intention. There are many great reasons to be a market researcher today, but unfortunately, most of those reasons are overshadowed by the lack of awareness & transparency of our industry. This can change, but more work needs to happen internally so that market research and insights can become a more attractive, desirable field to be a part of. This is not the time for the old guard to sit back with arms crossed expecting the new generation to conform to our expectations because “that’s how it’s always been done.” Today’s young professionals are more diverse and vocal than ever, and their loyalties are to themselves- not the companies seeking to hire them. If they aren’t happy, they quit, or worse, completely remove prospective industries off their radars, something that can very easily (and likely does) happen in our field. If we are truly going to be the voice of consumers today and tomorrow, we have to be willing to do the work to attract and retain the type of talent needed to represent those voices more effectively.

Insights in Color In partnership with Mimconnect Article originally posted on Medium It is no secret that the great resignation has been dominated by a new, vocal generation of workers and employees letting the world know what they will no longer tolerate in the workplace. From publicly listing red flags to describing key signs of toxic a workplace, consumers have had enough of a historically one-sided workplace paradigm which has typically favored the needs of employers. Today, due to an unprecedented global pandemic that has completely shifted the way we work, consumers are finding themselves holding more decision-making power than ever before, as employers navigate what may feel like an endless cycle recruitment and attrition. Making this even more complicated is a second cultural shift- a new generation of consumers desiring and expecting diversity, equity and inclusion measures in the workplace. The death of George Floyd, along with a barrage of unarmed killings of Black civilians over the past decade, have ushered in a new cultural moment of accountability where, more than ever, consumers are holding companies accountable for their DE&I efforts (or in many cases the lack of them). Today’s new consumer workplace expectations have companies rushing to fill seats with diverse talent in rapid rates with the hope of avoiding cultural backlash and receiving a “passing grade” from the incessantly watchful public eye. However, despite some of their best efforts, many companies are finding themselves struggling to attract diverse talent and are becoming frustrated in the process. This frustration is exacerbated by the fact that most companies still expect candidates come to them- including diverse candidates. When this does not happen at expected rates, the assumption is that qualified multicultural candidates do not exist which, depending on the industry, is a common misnomer. For organizations like Insights in Color and Mimconnect, which have teamed up to ensure employers find diverse candidates who fit their needs, the cycle of companies eagerly seeking diverse talent and finding disappointment shortly after isn’t new. This pattern is often something Whitney Dunlap-Fowler, Founder of Insights in Color, a diversity initiative for multicultural research and insights professionals, and Owner of brand strategy consultancy, Touch of Whit Creative, talks her clients through. “Often, when clients finally choose to put a concerted effort around their recruitment and retention efforts to ensure a more diverse pool of candidates, they are shocked that more Black and brown candidates don’t apply. What these companies fail to realize though is that multicultural candidates likely have no clue who they are because they don’t show up in the spaces where we exist and live our lives. If it’s the first time I’m hearing about you, I’m going to want to do the work to see how consistent you have been as a company of ensuring that people like me are treated well, rewarded and supported at your organization. This process can take time especially if a company is just now beginning to start the process of building an inclusion-positive reputation”. Getting the attention of diverse candidates is one thing but keeping them there is an entirely different feat. The traditional workplace “cultural fit” equation has typically been the source of key tensions in retaining diverse talent. This is often because the modern workplace norms of today have failed to evolve from being built and formulated around the needs of just one group: wealthy upper-class men. Shortly after the industrial revolution as factory work became less popular, office work became the new, safer industry to excel in and birthed what we know today as “corporate America”. With this shift came the onset of stricter perspectives around gender norms as women, especially wealthy women, were not expected or allowed to work in corporate spaces for quite some time. Once they finally did break that barrier, they knew to play by the rules set by the men who dominated those spaces. In doing so, they were able to uphold the cultural workplace norms that were originally predicated on the needs, wants and habits of men. Once different ethnicities were allowed in corporate workspaces minorities learned to assimilate to these mainstream workplace culture to succeed. While past generations did so out of necessity, in today’s increasingly diverse America, thanks to the impact of new cultural shifts, young professionals are choosing to be more of themselves and are actively rejecting overbearing workplace expectations that make them feel silenced or put into a box. This push back against antiquated office culture norms is something Netta Dobbins, CEO & Co-founder of Mimconnect, a diversity consultancy helping companies recruit, retain and develop diverse talent, knows first-hand. “With the pandemic causing all companies to become remote, multicultural candidates were able to finally take off the corporate mask and do the work that they excel at daily while not feeling the need to constantly codeswitch for 40 hrs a week. It’s tiring and has proven to be unnecessary when it comes to their ability to execute their work at an expert level. As companies begin urging employees to come back into the office, it’s important for them to think about how to create or expand their internal work culture to implement spaces where employees of color feel that they can be authentically them.” ____ So what are some guidelines for your organization when it comes to seeking diverse candidates and keeping them there? No one is getting it 100% right, but there are steps that can be taken to ensure your company is headed in the right direction. Start yesterday To build trust and appear authentic to prospective candidates, there is a need to start as soon as possible. The biggest tension most companies face is the fear of appearing inauthentic in their efforts which causes them to instead do nothing at all. While it is necessary to have a full, 360-degree DE&I strategy, waiting to get that strategy perfectly aligned before pursuing action only wastes time. As the strategy is being built, initiating cosmetic changes to the brand’s website that feature diverse employees, and the company’s commitment to DE&I are great placeholders (emphasis on placeholders). Again, candidates are looking for a history of commitment, not an overnight miracle. You have to start somewhere. Be loud & explicit about your DE&I Efforts Knowing that your organization is doing things to increase your DE&I efforts internally is great but if candidates outside of your organization can’t see this, then you’re doing it wrong. Multicultural candidates should be able to find your commitment to their unique needs within a few clicks of your website and/or social media pages. It should be prominent, easy to find, and it should evolve overtime as DE&I expectations evolve. Manage your expectations Just because you are ready to commit to diverse candidates, doesn’t mean they are ready to commit to you. There is a need to get on their radars first and then build trust in the process. While reputation building can feel like a fruitless endeavor, the ROI in doing so is often realized down the road after months of consistency. Once trust is built, word of mouth in Black and brown communities becomes the key driver of diverse candidate interest. Don’t expect them to come to you It is imperative that companies step outside of their comfort zones to find multicultural candidates where they are. This means disconnecting from traditional and/or longstanding referral methods and educational institutions that bring through the same, expected types of talent with similar backgrounds and pedigree. Think outside of the box and pursue less traditional roads and avenues to find your diverse talent base. Partnering with companies like Insights in Color and Mimconnect who are already tapped in to diverse communities can go a long way in supporting your search for diverse candidates. There is no overnight solution DE&I efforts require constant attention and strategizing. America’s history of inequality lasted centuries- so the process of undoing the resulting social constructs & structural barriers because of it will take some time. Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment requires dedication. Knowing this, Insights in Color developed an employer accountability pledge to ensure that brands seeking diverse talent can hold themselves accountable for staying along for the full journey. A company’s efforts in this space are only as strong as its people. Because people tend to come and go, to make this work, DE&I strategies that are monetized and built into the core of how an organization works will be key. Expand your perceptions of “culture fit” Given the origin history of how workplace culture came to be, perhaps it’s time to rethink what we perceive to be “good” company culture. Over the past decade, elements have been introduced to the office workspace to create a “Millennial funhouse” of activities to make work seem like fun, but most of these elements were not based on the inputs or desires of a multicultural workforce. Don’t be afraid to find ways to reinvent your company’s culture by speaking with the most marginalized groups first, to better understand their wants and needs. Using other corporate examples of equitable workplace culture as benchmarks and potentially even speaking with stakeholders at companies who appear to be getting certain aspects of it right could also be the key to inspiring new ways of thinking about company culture. Follow inclusive job description guidelines There have been several guidelines written on how to ensure inclusive, unbiased language is in your job descriptions. Be sure to examine them and determine these insights might impact the way your organization pushes out job specs. For employers seeking insights on how to attract and retain research & insights professionals, download IIC’s free guide of tips & suggestions. For more information visit Insights in Color and Mimconnect

Insights in Color, Lucid and ThinkNow Research Set New Standards on Identity in Research Sampling To keep up with the changing pace of identity, and to close the gap between how consumers see themselves and how they are forced to identify in qualitative and quantitative research, Insights in Color, Lucid and ThinkNow Research have created a new set of industry standards to mark a more inclusive way forward for the marketing research and insights field. These new standards are the beginning of a longer relationship with identity that we hope to to remain authentically connected with in order to ensure that our research methods and practices are representative in nature. To get this right, we’ve identified key changes that will be executed immediately, as well as shifts in this space that should become the norm in the near future. The new identity parameters, which can be downloaded here, are meant to be flexible and fluid, just like the state of identity- ready to adjust more quickly in order to evolve as the American population evolves. We hope that with this new industry standard, paired with IIC’s Diversity Sense Check Tool, that we the research industry can shift from being behind the times to being instep with, and aligned with change. To learn more, listen below or read more here, on Lucid’s Blog.