Nova

Our in-house research innovation team.

Pioneering new technology for forward thinking brands.

Exploring, interpreting and implementing new technologies and methods. This is the sole focus of Nova, our in-house innovation team.

They work hard to uncover the kind of tech that will make a tangible difference to the quality and depth of insight we deliver. And there's nothing they like more than hearing about client challenges and sharing their experiences and observations. If you’re inclined, they will also provide unbiased views on up and coming technologies that are driving (or not!) better insight.

Want to find out more? Sign up to the Nova Partnership Initiative to be the first to hear about our latest research, and for exclusive pilot opportunities.

Nova's focus is all about...

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What consumers say

In response to declining completion rates, lower research engagement, and a risk to data quality, Nova explores new, modern, and innovative approaches that bring the joy back to research engagement. Leveraging Generative AI and conversational design, we aim to deepen consumer closeness, capturing real stories from real people, in increasingly natural, engaging and less intrusive ways.

Chatbots | Modern survey design | Avatars in surveys | Voice engagement | Social listening | Natural language processing | AI Personas

What consumers do

Beyond what consumers may articulate lies the true product experience. Actual consumer behaviour offers a more concrete and unfiltered perspective. Nova explores a range of avenues to capture real-world consumer behaviour to uncover unconscious preferences, entrenched habits, unexpected uses, and pain points which may be overlooked in traditional feedback.

Ethnographic video and image analysis | Wearable trackers | Digital behavioural data | Smart labels | Smart coasters | Smart trays

What consumers do

Meet the Nova team.

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Ansie Collier

Global Innovation Director

Ansie is a self-confessed geeky researcher at heart. When she first came across research design in her undergrad years, it was love at first sight. It instantly connected with her deep curiosity about people. It is this passion to understand people better that has led her to aways find opportunities to explore and experiment with new ways of doing research.

Ansie counts herself very lucky to live surrounded by ocean, mountains, and vineyards – when not enjoying a fine glass of wine, she’s often found out on the trails!

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Alexandra Kuzmina

Associate Innovation Director

Alex is an award-winning, MRS-qualified mixed methods researcher, a futurist, and an early adopter of new technology. She holds an MA degree and has been trained in Behavioural Economics at MSc level.

Give her a stage, and she’s on fire, sharing a deep passion for all things future-focused!

Kim

Kim Govender

Innovation Analyst

Kim is a passionate investigator of the human psyche, especially in how it shapes consumer behaviour. Akin to Sherlock Holmes, she enjoys delving into complex data puzzles, uncovering hidden patterns and meanings.

Outside the world of market research, Kim is the master chef of her kitchen, fusing flavours into every culinary experiment. Her love for food fusion is only matched by her affection for her furry animal friends.

Building AI into Research

AI-washing: the new greenwashing

Engaging Gen Z

Chatbots for Consumer Closeness

The Best Framework for Generative AI by MRS Delphi Group

Want to know how and when to build AI into your research processes? Head over to page 22 in this MRS report to discover the power of conversational data, straight from Nova's Global Innovation Director Ansie Collier.

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Digital Snake Oil or Genuine AI? How to avoid AI-washing in Market Research

As AI’s impact across market research expands, so is the hype – risking casting a shadow over its true value. Just as so-called greenwashing has led to consumer scepticism over companies’ ecofriendly claims, AI-washing could do the same for the market industry. Read more from Nova's Associate Innovation Director, Alexandra Kuzmina.

Digital Snake Oil or Genuine AI 1

How private-label brands are tapping into TikTok trends to win over Gen Z consumers

Private-label brands are tapping into viral TikTok moments to resonate with Gen Z consumers, as many of these shoppers are willing to switch brands. How can brands fight back? Read more below from Ansie Collier, following MMR's recent Value Decoded webinar that looked into how Gen Z perceive value in CPG.

Tik Tok Value Article

Combining the art of conversation and the power of AI to unlock whole-hearted consumer closeness

For our Value Decoded event, we deployed chatbots to do some heavy lifting, actively ‘listening’ to what Gen Z had to say - and probing accordingly. The result is qualitative insight on a quantitative scale. Ansie Collier, Global Innovation Director, explains.

Chatbots AI Article
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Find Nova on LinkedIn

Want to get the latest tech updates from Nova? You're in the right place! Follow Nova on LinkedIn to hear about the latest events, MR technology developments and AI experiments on your LinkedIn feed.

News & Insights.

Take a look at the articles below for a quick recap of our latest news, insights and industry trends. You never know what you may find, and if you don't find what you're looking for then reach out. We love exploring.

Schedule a call with us

If you'd like to understand a bit more about us, or find out how we can help solve your challenges, check out our team's availability and book in a call at a time that suits you.

Get in touch

If you'd prefer to chat over email, fill out your details below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

News & Insights.

Take a look at the articles below for a quick recap of our latest news, insights and industry trends. You never know what you may find, and if you don't find what you're looking for then reach out. We love exploring.

Schedule a call with us

If you'd like to understand a bit more about us, or find out how we can help solve your challenges, check out our team's availability and book in a call at a time that suits you.

Get in touch

If you'd prefer to chat over email, fill out your details below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.