098 | Paul Thomas | Good vs. Bad Market Research: From Bars to Boardrooms | Suntory Global Spirits

The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries worldwide with 125+ episodes. Honest conversations about how the industry actually works, from the bar and what it means for the boardroom.This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS.In this return appearance on the Maffeo Drinks podcast, Paul Thomas, whom host Chris Maffeo dubs "the king of insights," shares wisdom on how to escape the marketing "ivory tower" and understand real consumer behavior.Paul advocates for marketers to personally observe products in various venues rather than relying solely on data. The conversation examines how brands should adopt occasion-based marketing over demographic targeting, striking a balance between aspirational positioning and pragmatic distribution strategies. Paul critiques the research industry's shift toward "faster and cheaper" methodologies at the expense of quality, encouraging brands to conduct fewer but better studies.The episode concludes with advice on creating an "insight ecosystem" that balances qualitative observations with quantitative data, emphasizing the value of curiosity in understanding how consumers interact with drink brands in different contexts.Timestamps:0:00 Introduction to Maffeo Drinks Podcast00:19 Welcoming Back a Special Guest01:00 Diving into Key Topics02:00 Understanding Consumer Insights05:46 The Reality of Market Segmentation07:57 Strategies for Brand Placement14:09 The Importance of Research31:56 Balancing Qualitative and Quantitative Data36:18 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up Wanna know what the conversation above means for your team? It's in the paid section.For €100 a year you get access to Maffeo Confidential (Private Podcast) and get this analysis and access to the full archive of 125 episodes, each one translated from industry conversation into the commercial decisions underneath it. Find out more at maffeodrinks.com