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Market research in Vancouver – our capabilities

Market Research Agency Vancouver

Canada's Pacific gateway. Kadence delivers rigorous market research from Vancouver to help brands understand audiences and grow. We bring over 30 years of global research experience to one of North America's most diverse and Asia-connected cities.

Photo of market researchers conducting work on a wooden table with laptops

Vancouver sits at the crossroads of North America and Asia-Pacific, giving it a commercial and cultural character distinct from any other Canadian city. For brands looking to understand this market or use it as a bridge between continents, Kadence provides research that is locally grounded and globally informed.

Understanding Vancouver's market

Vancouver's consumer landscape is shaped by geography, immigration and lifestyle. The city's population is among the most ethnically diverse in the world, with large Chinese, South Asian, Filipino, Korean and Iranian communities. Nearly half of Metro Vancouver residents speak a language other than English at home. For brands, this means audience research must account for cultural and linguistic diversity at a level that most Canadian cities do not require.

The city's economy is driven by technology, film and media production, real estate, natural resources, tourism and port logistics. Vancouver's tech sector in particular has grown rapidly, creating a digitally sophisticated consumer base with high expectations for brand experience and innovation.

Housing affordability pressures influence spending priorities across nearly every demographic. Lifestyle values, including sustainability, outdoor recreation and wellness, carry more weight in purchasing decisions here than in many North American markets. These factors create a consumer profile that differs meaningfully from Toronto or Edmonton.

Kadence helps brands navigate this complexity. Our research spans consumer segmentation, brand strategy, product development, communications testing and market entry assessments. Every study is designed around the business question, with methodology adapted to Vancouver's unique market dynamics.

Our Global Expertise for Vancouver

Kadence operates from offices across Asia, Europe and the Americas, with teams in New York, San Francisco, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Jakarta, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City. For Vancouver-based organisations, our Asia-Pacific network is particularly relevant given the city's strong commercial and cultural ties to the region.

Our global footprint means every Vancouver project benefits from cross-market perspective and proven methodology. Whether the research is focused solely on British Columbia or spans multiple international markets, we deliver consistent, comparable insight.

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

Innovation of the Year

Finalist
— The AURAs, 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

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

Best Training and Development

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

MRS Young Researcher of the Year

Finalist
— MRS, 2023

ESOMAR Best Congress Paper

Winner
— ESOMAR, 2023

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 1^st tier and 2^nd tier cities, as well as 3^rd 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

View all case studies

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Developing a future-focused digital product strategy for Wall Street Journal

A mixed methodology approach helped Wall Street Journal understand how to position the brand for success in a rapidly changing world.

Find out more

Creating an education and career exploration tool to wow teens with American Student Assistance

Kadence partnered with American Student Assistance (ASA) to create a research program to inform the development of their exploration tool, Futurescape.

Find out more

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Harnessing blockchain technology in market research with Unilever Food Solutions

We took part in a first of its kind pilot to test the technology and assess what it could bring to market research.

Find out more

FAQs

How does Kadence handle Vancouver's multilingual, multicultural population in research?

Vancouver's diversity means research often needs to reach audiences in Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Korean or Farsi alongside English. Kadence designs studies with culturally appropriate recruitment, multilingual fieldwork options and research frameworks that account for the distinct attitudes and purchasing behaviours within each community.

Can Kadence support Vancouver brands expanding into Asia?

Yes. With offices across Asia including Shanghai, Tokyo, Singapore, Jakarta, Mumbai and Bangkok, Kadence provides seamless coordination for Vancouver-based organisations entering Asian markets. The city's strong Asia-Pacific connections make this a common research pathway, and our regional presence ensures genuine local expertise in each market.

What industries does Kadence research in Vancouver?

We work with brands across Vancouver's key sectors, including technology, film and media, real estate, natural resources, tourism and retail. Our researchers understand the competitive dynamics and consumer behaviour patterns specific to the British Columbia market.