We’re back from IIEX North America feeling re-energized and more convinced than ever that the insights industry is undergoing a massive shift.
The biggest theme we heard: the demand for real-world relevance. Whether it’s the influence of TikTok, the constraints of attention spans, or the evolving role of AI, brands are looking for insight strategies that reflect how people really make decisions.
Karen Lynch of Greenbook kicked off the conference by reminding us that D.C. is the “city of discourse”—a fitting metaphor for the insights world. Our industry is shaped by debates, experimentation, and pushing ourselves to get better. That energy echoed from bold mainstage presentations to casual conversations in the halls.
One of the most thought-provoking sessions came from StarKist’s Raina Rusnak in “Shaping the Future of Protein.” She revealed that 61% of Gen Z turn to TikTok for dietary advice. As Raina put it, “If it’s not on TikTok, it’s not real.”
She also highlighted the rise of tinned fish as a convenient luxury, a trend born not in the boardroom, but on social platforms. It’s a reminder that if you’re still relying on surveys or focus groups to understand consumer behavior, you’re missing the moment.
Elizabeth Clinard from Capital One made a case for ditching the boardroom echo chamber and bringing customers into the process early and often in her session, “The Power of Co-Creation in Driving Innovation.” As she put it, "human behavior is always core. AI is the direct report.”
Meanwhile, in a standout stat from Lorin Drake (Publix Super Markets), we were reminded that the average human attention span is now just 8 seconds — a ~40% drop from the pre-digital era. That’s shorter than the average TikTok.
This isn’t just an advertising and marketing challenge. It’s an insights challenge. It’s a strategy challenge.
How do you test and communicate messages in a world that’s scrolling faster than ever?
We tackled that very question in our presentation at IIEX with Eggland’s Best, in partnership with their Director of Digital Marketing, Matthew Seubert.
Eggs are nutritious. Versatile. High in protein. Delicious. But with only a few seconds to win attention in eRetail, you can’t say everything — you have to say the right thing to the right person.
Using Orchard’s platform, Eggland's Best tested in the wild and uncovered which visuals, benefits, and segments actually made people stop scrolling.
The result?
The takeaway
Say less, but say it smarter. Especially for brands with layered benefits (from functional foods to GLP-1-friendly snacks), the key isn’t stacking claims. It’s testing in real-world contexts to learn what hooks.
(And that’s why a 45-minute survey just doesn’t work anymore. Even if it is AI enabled!)
In “Game Changers: How Disruptive Brands Win,” Washington Nationals CMO Kimberly Bolt shared how they leaned into an unexpected insight: their racing mascots were as beloved, and their star players, even outside the ballpark.
So they wrapped D.C. metro buses with the mascots’ images and it worked. Big time.
“If you asked me two years ago if I ever thought I'd put the racing presidents on some of our most prominent and valuable out-of-home assets I would have said no way,” Kimberly said. “But we did it and it's really resonating.”
The broader message is that growth comes from rethinking what makes your brand distinctive and doubling down on it, even if it’s unconventional.
AI was everywhere at IIEX, but not in a buzzword-y way. Sessions like “Actual AI Use Cases (No Really, These Work)” with Brett Roddis (Chubbies) and Listen Labs highlighted how researchers are using AI to save time and elevate insights, from auto-summarizing interviews to analyzing open-ends.
The consensus? The best use of AI is in support of human insight, helping teams move faster so they can focus on the thinking that really matters.
But the underlying driver wasn’t tech. It was curiosity.
From the stage to the expo floor, the throughline was clear: AI is the tool. Curiosity is the driver. In Seth Minsk’s (Perrigo) session, “The Modern Insights Toolkit to Better Serve Women's Health,” we were reminded that in an AI-driven world, empathy and critical thinking are still the core of strong insights.
The future of insights will still be powered by human instinct, empathy, and the desire to understand real behavior in the real world.
If you’re leading marketing or insights right now, here’s what we think IIEX take aways confirmed:
From main stage moments to hallway conversations, one message came through loud and clear: it’s time to close the “say-do gap” and embrace tools that reflect how consumers actually behave.
At Orchard, that message hit home.
We were honored to win the 2025 Insight Innovation Competition, against 4 other formidable finalists, and voted on by the IIEX attendees! It was indeed a proud moment for our team. But beyond the fun, it validated something deeper: the industry is hungry for change. Traditional surveys aren’t keeping pace with real-world behavior, and the brands that win will be those who meet consumers where they are, not where a survey hopes they’ll be.
Our behavioral test-and-learn platform is built for this moment. No surveys. No incentives. No synthetic environments. Just real behavior, tested directly in the digital feeds where decisions happen every day.
If you're ready to understand how your message, offer, or content performs in the real world—no surveys, no bias—let’s talk. We’d love to show you what’s possible.