Market Research Agency Malaysia

From brand strategy to product development, Kadence provides full-service market research for organisations operating in Malaysia. Deep Southeast Asian expertise with global perspective.

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Malaysia is a strategically important market in Southeast Asia, with a diverse, multilingual population and a consumer economy shaped by rapid urbanisation, digital transformation and strong cultural identity. For brands looking to understand or grow in this market, Kadence brings the regional knowledge and research expertise needed to deliver reliable, actionable insight.

The Malaysia research landscape

Malaysia's consumer market is defined by diversity. The country's population of over 33 million includes Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous communities, each with distinct cultural norms, media consumption habits, language preferences and purchasing behaviours. Research that treats Malaysia as a single homogeneous market risks missing the dynamics that actually drive consumer decisions.

Kuala Lumpur dominates as the commercial centre, but cities like Penang, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Ipoh each present different consumer profiles. The urban-rural divide is significant, with digital adoption and brand awareness varying considerably between metropolitan and regional populations.

Malaysia's digital economy is growing quickly. Mobile-first behaviour, social commerce and the influence of platforms like TikTok, Shopee and Grab are reshaping how consumers discover, evaluate and purchase products. At the same time, traditional retail, wet markets and community-based purchasing patterns remain important in many segments.

Research in Malaysia requires sensitivity to language and culture. Studies may need to be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, Tamil or English depending on the target audience. Qualitative moderation benefits from researchers who understand the cultural dynamics of each community and can build the rapport needed for honest, productive conversations.

Our Global Expertise for Malaysia

Kadence operates from offices across Asia, with teams in Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Tokyo, New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. This deep Southeast Asian presence means Malaysian research projects benefit from regional context, practical fieldwork experience and cultural understanding.

Our Singapore office provides a particularly strong base for Malaysian research, given the geographical proximity and shared commercial connections between the two markets.

We’re consistently recognised as a leading market research agency across multiple markets.

AURA Innovation of the Year award

Innovation of the Year

Finalist

— The AURAs, 2021
Agency of the Year Awards, 2021

Market Research Agency of the Year

Winner – Gold

— Agency of the Year Awards, 2021
Marketing Interactive Agency of the Year, Winner - Gold, 2021

Consultant of the Year

Winner – Gold

— Agency of the Year Awards, 2021
Kadence team collecting Agency of the Year award

Consultant of the Year

Winner

— Agency of the Year Awards, 2020
Agency of the Year Awards, 2020

Market Research Agency of the Year

Finalist

— Agency of the Year Awards, 2020
Quirks Supplier of the Year Kadence International

Market Research Supplier of the Year

Winner

— Marketing Research & Insight Excellence Awards – 2019
Kadence International Market Research Agency of the Year Singapore

Market Research Agency of the Year

Winner

— Agency of the Year Awards, 2019
Kadence International is Highly Commended for Global Agency of The Year

Global Agency of the Year

Highly Commended

— Market Research Society Awards, 2019
Market Research Society's Operations Awards, 2019

Best Data Collection (face-to-face)

Finalist

— Market Research Society's Operations Awards – 2019
Best Data Collection, Finalist — Market Research Society's Operations Awards, 2019

Best Data Collection (telephone)

Finalist

— Market Research Society's Operations Awards, 2019
MRS Opperations Awards Trophy

Best Training and Development

Highly Commended

— Market Research Society's Operations Awards, 2019
MRS Young Researcher of the Year

MRS Young Researcher of the Year

Finalist

— MRS, 2023
ESOMAR Best Congress Paper

ESOMAR Best Congress Paper

Winner

— ESOMAR, 2023

Malaysia Market Research

Kadence brings over 30 years of experience conducting research across Southeast Asia, including deep expertise in markets that share cultural and commercial connections with Malaysia. Our researchers understand the methodological and cultural considerations that shape research quality in this region.

We work with brands across sectors including FMCG, financial services, telecommunications, technology, retail and healthcare. Our research for the Malaysian market spans consumer segmentation, brand health tracking, concept testing, product development research, communications evaluation and market entry assessments.

For multi-market studies across ASEAN or broader Asia, Kadence coordinates seamlessly through our regional office network. This ensures consistent methodology and comparable data across markets, while preserving the local nuance that makes research meaningful in each.

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FAQs

How diverse is Asia Pacific culturally?

The short answer is that Asia is incredibly rich and nuanced from a cultural standpoint: the multitude of religious beliefs, histories, languages, and other cultural markers means that each market is more different than similar. This can make Asia Pacific market research challenging without the right partner to help you understand the intricacies of each country. That said, though, the ‘urban Asia’ experience is similar to some extent, and popular culture does form the basis to link up a couple of the Asian markets, so there can be ways to seek out common threads amidst the vibrancy of difference.

Do I need to do all my market research in Asia in local / vernacular languages?

As a rule yes. By conducting research in the local language, consumers will have the capability and confidence to express their thoughts and feelings toward the brands, products or services in question. Unlike some market research agencies in Asia, Kadence has a range of languages in-house thanks to our network of Asian offices, so local language moderation is a service we can provide. That said, it is possible to carry out research in English in some markets (e.g. Singapore, India, Philippines), depending on the subject matter and education level of the respondents you want to reach.

For large Asian markets like China and India, how many cities do we need to cover with our research?

We recommend at least a combination of 1st tier and 2nd tier cities, as well as 3rd tier and rural locations, if possible. On top of getting a read on geographic and demographic differences in the reactions to your products and services, lifestyle / intra-market attitudinal variations exist, so the wider you are able to carry out your research, the more comprehensive your resulting understanding of the market will be.

Are there certain research approaches or methodologies that work better in one Asian market, compared to another?

Yes. Cultural differences between Asian markets mean that you need to carefully consider your methodology. For instance, we find that in-depth interviews, rather than group-based discussions, can work better for some topics in markets like Japan, where there can be a tendency to ‘self-censor’. In contrast, the one-on-one format lends itself better to building trust and establishing bonds between interviewer and respondent, often leading to more productive conversations. 

You’ll also need to consider the technological infrastructure of the markets you’re researching. In India, for instance, you’ll need to take a mobile first approach for reaching those outside metros and tier 1 cities. This is also true of mobile-first markets like Indonesia and China. Whilst cultural considerations can be diverse and numerous, we’re on hand to help, based on our long history of conducting market research in Asia.

Does the sequence of which markets I do my research first in Asia matter?

Unless there are specific roll-out plans that have strategic importance for your product or service across markets, our experience has taught us that any order comes back down to organizational preference. Your internal stakeholders may want to start the research in a market that is a stronghold for the brand to establish ground understanding, then venture into unfamiliar grounds to gather ‘new news’, or vice versa. Ultimately, Kadence is flexible in terms of how / when / where to start a piece of research, and in the absence of real preference, is willing to provide our suggestions and justifications for any arrangements.

Our Customers

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Bloomberg
Unilever
Samsung
Panasonic
Mitsubishi
Mars
Arla
Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
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FAQs

What languages does Kadence use for research in Malaysia?

Malaysia's multilingual population means research may need to be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, Tamil or English depending on the target audience. Kadence ensures all materials are culturally adapted and moderated by researchers who understand the cultural dynamics of each community.

How does Kadence's Southeast Asian presence support Malaysian research?

Our offices in Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City give us deep regional context and practical fieldwork experience across Southeast Asia. Our Singapore office is particularly well positioned for Malaysian research given the geographical proximity and shared commercial connections between the two markets.

Which sectors does Kadence research in Malaysia?

We work with brands in FMCG, financial services, telecommunications, technology, retail and healthcare across Malaysia. Our researchers understand the competitive dynamics and consumer behaviour specific to each sector in the Malaysian market, including the influence of digital platforms like Shopee, Grab and TikTok on purchasing decisions.

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