davies+mckerr was founded in 2005 by two leading creative-agency Planning Directors with a hunger to make research work harder for client and agency teams

After many years in agency planning our vision for d+m was to assemble a team of brilliant strategists to collaborate on high profile strategic projects for important brands. To explore widely, focus on what matters, then join the dots to shape fresh and energising strategy and ideas. I’m massively proud of our team, work and the relationships we’ve built with the very best clients and creative agencies across the globe.

Unearthing fresh insights is the lifeblood of new strategies and ideas. I just love working things out so the pieces fall into place in clear new ways. It’s the reason Andy and I switched out of planning and into strategic research in 2005. Working on many of the world’s most iconic brands remains incredibly fulfilling, as does helping the d+m team grow in talent and capability.

I know from my time across research and creative agencies, that brands need provocative insights to unlock big ideas – not flat observations. Since joining d+m in 2014, I’ve had the pleasure of hunting for those kind of insights in all sorts of worlds from Russian truckers, to Pakistani Gen Z, to Scouse super-clubs. I’m proud of the culture we’ve created here and the ideas we shape.

There’s always a moment in a project when excitement levels rise, when everyone senses that you’re close to unlocking the problem. That’s the bit I love. Which is why I’m delighted to be part of a d+m team who always seek out that energy, whether hanging out with fashion loving millennials in Shanghai and Tokyo, chatting soft drinks in Guatemala City or crisps in Slough.

I believe the key to exceptional recruitment is communication, a great eye for detail and a tenacious attitude. In 10 years heading up recruit and field at d+m, I’m proud to have built up a first-rate network of trusted recruiters and an intricate knowledge of the different requirements of clients across a wide range of sectors, that ensures we find the right people for every project.

I have always been drawn to problem solving - looking for answers and insights in hard to reach places; and that led me to a career in research and insight, doing the thing I'm most interested in. But solving the problem was never enough - I wanted to tell the story, reveal the answers in interesting ways, and unlock bigger and better challenges; and that's what led me to a career at d+m.

Great insight is a catalyst. It makes a room get noisy. It inspires new ways of thinking. It energises brands and powers action. It is this commitment to never accepting the obvious which fuels the great creative insight we at d+m deliver, whether that be redefining the role of snacking in France to helping connect with Gen Z social packs in the Philippines.

Great research doesn’t have to be particularly flash or fancy. It’s about finding excitement in the mundane, shining a light on what’s right in front of you. The best part is unearthing these little nuggets and applying them to brands in way that’s useful. The ethos at d+m does just that - accelerating ideas and exposing insights that really matter.

Match-making the right insights with the client’s business challenge is a thrill. I love getting close to the problem through immersing myself in the wider context of people’s lives and the client’s business to pinpoint what matters. Since joining d+m I’ve plunged into the tastes of consumers across three continents, explored cars across Europe and unpicked the emotion of winning here at home in the UK.

For me, insight is a mix of art, science, even serendipity! And getting there is a fundamentally creative process- from truly ‘seeing’ the challenge, to designing approach and eliciting rich response, to the final outputs, when divergent ideas collide, combine and are then re-shaped into something new and illuminating. It’s more than an act of discovery, it’s a creative synthesis. I love the dynamic nature of the work we do, and the energy it inspires to make things happen.

People are complex, and culture is dynamic. I love mixing sharp approaches such as ethnography, semiotics and behavioural science to dig into what’s really meaningful, and to map what’s coming next on the horizon. Great insight comes from joining these data dots into something fresh and directive, enabling brands to take bold and imaginative steps forward.

Being able to immerse yourself in the milieu of people’s lives is a privilege that never gets old. Every project will inevitably reveal something you wouldn’t have expected: people and their worlds are, after all, complex. Uncovering and exploring these rich insights to get to something directive which fuels clients’ businesses is the culmination of this and I’m excited by the opportunity to do this with the team at d+m

For me, research should be at the very heart of strategic decision making. I like to meld innovative qual with robust quant to paint the full picture for clients, informing key decisions across the business lifecycle.
It’s the storytelling that most excites me; synthesising the data to bring clarity from complexity.

Our work encourages us to never let go of our imaginations. I love that you never really know where a project will take you. That's why we work hard to develop a true understanding of the world by exploring different cultures, communities, brands and categories through the eyes of real people. Great work is about remaining curious, never settling and looking forward to what comes next.

Understanding consumers feels more important than ever at the moment, and I love that unpicking people’s mindsets, needs and behaviour is at the heart of any research project. Unearthing surprising patterns in data, and presenting it in a creative, impactful way are my favourite parts of the journey. At d+m there’s a palpable passion for delivering fresh, directive insight that is inspiring and contagious!

During my career I’ve developed a keen interest in people and brands. Uncovering what makes consumers tick is what I thrive on, from soft drink consumers in Mexico City to truck drivers in New Delhi. Together with the great team at d+m I’ve learned how to take these insights a step further, helping brands develop fresh ideas and powerful strategies. I’m proud of what we do.

Uncovering helpful insights for clients is a joy as each one is as valuable as the next, from the broad findings that vary per segment to the complex person-specific insights. Whether this is for major global tech companies investigating how customers shop in-store or testing new, unreleased products, d+m provides genuine insights that always help companies arrive at perfect strategic decisions.

One of the joys of being a researcher is you never quite know where a project will take you. This means learning to adapt as you go and constantly being open to new ideas and ways of thinking. The fact that d+m fuse research, strategy and creativity throughout everything, means we can do work that’s the most interesting and stimulating for us and the most valuable for our clients.

Great insight is actionable. It should excite us and our clients. To do this I believe we need understand the wider context in which people live their lives. Zooming out of the category and looking at people as people, not just consumers. It allows us to see the problems we are trying to solve in a new light. I enjoy embracing the messiness of culture, drawing upon disparate data sources, and finding patterns amongst the noise to unearth culturally led insight that can help future-proof the brands we work with.

A streamlined, organised and well-oiled back office operation is fundamental to the smooth running of a business. My organisational skills and strong attention to detail together with my unsurpassed worth ethic, and love of processes and spreadsheets ensures that d+m runs smoothly and efficiently at all times.

Unlocking key insight starts with recruiting the best possible people for the project. Working diligently with our great team of researchers, our recruiters and respondents ensures we have the right people in the right place for successful research. Every day is made interesting by our wealth of exciting clients and their fascinating briefs.

In my career in market research, I've learned that a key component of any research project is ensuring that you are speaking with the right people.
In my role at d+m, I help to deliver the best people, and locations and ensure projects run smoothly from proposal to debrief. Servicing our wide and varied clients and assisting our researchers in energising insights.

As a newcomer to the dynamic world of market research and project support, I’ve quickly become immersed in the process of witnessing a project from inception to completion. With a curiosity for uncovering insights, I’m excited to contribute to the success of each project by working alongside our researchers and clients and providing valuable support where needed.

I have over 20 years experience working in the market research industry for strategic insight agencies. I have worked for many years as a senior project manager and more recently focussing on resource management. A resource manager plays an key role in the successful planning of projects and my strength is to adopt a proactive and pragmatic approach to find win/win solutions and to work collaboratively to find the best possible solution.