Market Research Agency Seattle

Looking for a market research agency with expertise in Seattle? Kadence helps organisations understand audiences, test concepts and build strategy in one of the most influential technology and consumer markets in the United States. Over 30 years of global experience, applied to the Pacific Northwest's commercial powerhouse.

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Seattle's combination of world-leading technology companies, a highly educated workforce, strong environmental consciousness and distinctive cultural identity creates a consumer market with outsized influence on national trends. For brands operating in the Puget Sound region, Kadence delivers research designed for this market's specific character.

Why Seattle matters for brands

Kadence runs research in Seattle for brands that need a proper read of how this market moves rather than a summary lifted from a national study. Work is shaped around how Seattle decisions actually get made, from category and product calls through to positioning questions that have to land across downtown Seattle, South Lake Union and the Eastside at the same time.

Most Seattle briefs span customer and market understanding, product and innovation work, brand and communications studies and activation alongside the broader Kadence research offer. The shape of any study is set by what the decision needs, whether that is a Seattle-focused call, a national US program with Seattle as one of several markets, or international work led out of a Seattle headquarters. Decisions usually sit with teams in downtown Seattle, on the Eastside, or split across both, and study design reflects that reality.

Our Seattle work supports clients across sectors ranging from cloud, software and enterprise technology through to aerospace and advanced manufacturing, retail, consumer goods, life sciences and logistics, with full-service projects and specialist fieldwork sitting side by side. Audiences span King County and the wider Puget Sound, from downtown Seattle and South Lake Union out to Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland on the Eastside, and through to Everett, Tacoma and the surrounding communities. Recruitment and sample design account for how different these sub-markets actually are.

Across more than 30 years, Kadence has worked with many of the world's best-known brands, including programs in enterprise technology, consumer categories and commercial aviation that intersect directly with Seattle's core industries. Seattle's particular mix of technical, commercial and engineering audiences rewards research built to pick up nuance the first time around rather than chase it later.

Our Global Expertise for Seattle

Kadence operates from offices across Asia, Europe and the Americas, with our US presence anchored by teams in New York and San Francisco. Our global network spans London, Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai, Jakarta, Mumbai, Bangalore and beyond.

For Seattle-based organisations expanding internationally, particularly in technology, aerospace and consumer brands, our network provides seamless coordination and genuine local expertise in each market.

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

Seattle Market Research

Our US team delivers end-to-end market research for organizations operating in Seattle and across the United States. Projects cover the full research lifecycle, from early exploration and market sizing through concept and product development, brand and advertising work, and into launch tracking and longer-term measurement. Some studies are tight sprints built around a single decision; others are multi-wave programs tracking a market over several years. Across both, the aim is the same: research that moves decisions forward, built in whatever format fits how the team actually works.

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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

View all case studies
Bloomberg
Unilever
Samsung
Panasonic
Mitsubishi
Mars
Arla
Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
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FAQs

Can Kadence run research across both urban Seattle and the Eastside?

Yes. Downtown Seattle, South Lake Union, Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland behave differently as commercial and consumer markets. Recruitment and fieldwork design account for that from the start, so the Eastside is never treated as an extension of Seattle proper.

What industries does Kadence research in Seattle?

We work with organisations across Seattle's key sectors, including technology, aerospace, retail, healthcare, outdoor recreation, food and beverage and consumer goods. Our researchers understand the competitive dynamics specific to the Pacific Northwest market.

How does Seattle's technology workforce shape the consumer market?

The presence of Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing and hundreds of technology companies creates a substantial high-income, digitally sophisticated consumer segment. These consumers have high expectations for innovation, convenience and brand experience, and their behaviour influences the broader market.

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