Kadence International is an agency with a lot of talent from all around the world. In this series, we honor some of our female colleagues leading up to International Women’s Day, asking them about their experience working within the market research industry and what the future holds for the industry.
Name: Corina Chan
Position: Senior Insight Executive
Kadence Office: Singapore
When did you join Kadence?
I joined the Kadence UK team in September 2018 before transitioning to the Kadence Singapore team in October 2020.
What does your role as Senior Insight Executive entail?
As a Senior Insight Executive, the main bulk of my role involves ensuring project deadlines are met, planning, and leading the development of quality deliverables, whether that’s from a screener, a discussion guide, or stimulus to the final report. It’s a lot about having a voice in front of the client and pre-empting and solving their problems.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Cliché, I know, but there really isn’t a ‘typical day’ in Kadence! Every day is different, and no one day is the same! That’s the beauty of market research; it could go from moderating or talking with Art Gurus in Singapore, facilitating a workshop on how to bring forward market research insights, to coming up with the report structure or storyboard with the team!
What was the very first job that you had (during school, college, or university)?
I interned at Time Out Hong Kong! It was a great stepping stone into the world of moderating and research, whether that was doing desk research on the latest food trends and writing an article about it or interviewing shop owners on their passion and background. It really formed the basis of my fascination with the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ in the society that we live in!
Did you earn any experience before joining Kadence that helped your MR career?
I worked up a Qualitative research study/dissertation during University, mainly about the experiences of Chinese students’ social integration on a multicultural, international University campus. Genuinely understanding the multiple facades and reasons stemming from their challenges in integrating was fascinating – it was about decoding what was said but also what was unsaid. That kickstarted my interest in the world of MR, which led to where I am today!
What is it about market research that excites you the most?
Definitely the dynamic nature of it! There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach – every client brief/problem requires a different approach. I personally really enjoy the process of joining the dots between a client’s objectives, analyzing market trends, and consumers’ needs/wants. There’s something really satisfying about delivering insights/recommendations that add value to their business!
Get regular insights
Keep up to date with the latest insights from our research as well as all our company news in our free monthly newsletter.
What is it about Kadence’s company culture that you like the most?
The collaborative nature! Not just within the team but across the different offices! Everyone’s always willing to help each other out, which is something I really appreciate 🙂
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I was always a foodie growing up, so I envisioned myself a food blogger of some sort. Fast forward to today, I would’ve never imagined myself working with FMCG clients amongst other global brands in the Media, Tech, Lifestyle, and Automotive space!
What qualities do you feel are “a must” for anyone exploring a career in market research?
Be curious! Having that innate ‘why’ instilled within will help you understand consumers’ unmet needs on a much deeper level. Look for the true hidden gems, especially those not anticipated! Of course, putting ourselves in the clients’ shoes and developing different points of view from the brief is also key!
What piece of advice would you give someone looking to start a career in market research?
Again, curiosity and hunger to learn are key! Because we work across various categories and sectors, spanning from Animal Healthcare, Media, Tech, FMCG, Automotive to Finance (the list goes on!), it’s important to understand key evolving trends around us. Having that curiosity to cut through superficial insights and uncover insights relevant to the client’s business/industry is a valuable trait for someone keen on giving market research a go. Regardless of whether you’re more interested in Qual or Quant, having that hunger to learn more about the client’s industry will benefit you in the long run as well!
How have you seen the field of market research change since you started your market research career?
There is increasing importance towards storytelling and communicating ideas in a simple yet compelling way. It’s not just about presenting data and insights but being creative about framing the story and convincing stakeholders of the power of the insights developed.
What is it about the field of market research you wish everyone knew?
It’s not just about surveys and interviews – it’s a whole lot more creative than you could imagine! It is creative in terms of the different methods used like eye tracking or Augmented Reality for product testing. It is also creative in how we think about a deliverable, not just a standard report, but perhaps a vox pop, or country guide book. Market Research can also tap into your creativity in terms of the way you could go about reporting and presenting your slide in a visually effective yet pleasing manner.
What is your favorite hero or movie of all time, and why?
Not really into superheroes but more of a chick flick, rom-com, reality show, K-Drama kind of gal. White Chicks is my absolute all-time favorite – I could recite every line from the movie!
What is your favorite quote, motto or favorite phrase?
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
If you could time travel into the future 10 years, how will market research evolve?
With mixed reality technologies and AI gaining traction in the MR world, it’s no doubt that it’ll broaden our horizons to new methodologies and more efficient ways of managing a project.
I’m a huge believer in the value of understanding emotional intellect and digging deeper into the ‘whys’. If tech advancements can assist research professionals in decoding the complexities, sentiment, and nuances, that would be amazing! I’m aware we’re moving towards AI (facial coding, eye tracking, voice AI, etc.) at the moment, but I’m hopeful that we’ll get to a point in the future where there’s an even greater synergy between AI and humans!
What do you like to do in your free time, when you are not working?
I love exploring hidden gems in the city and trying out new restaurants or coffee shops dotted around my neighborhood!
Senior Marketing Executive
Sales & Marketing
General Manager PR -Internal Communications & Government Affairs
Vital Strategies
Customer Intelligence Director