Fresh Squeezed Ideas

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the brand manager at Bayer Consumer Health, a global healthcare company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We needed help with market research and branding.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas is a market research and consulting firm. At the start, they did focus groups for us. They moderated the groups and provided the research recommendations and data presentation. 

After, they led a workshop to brainstorm how we can leverage the results from the groups for some internal tools that we could update based on the learnings from the workshop. The workshop involved the brand, the team, and the creative agency team. 

What is the team composition?

There were two people from their side.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

I worked with Fresh Squeezed Ideas at a previous company. They were on the list of approved suppliers. At the time, we used them to do some foundational work trying to understand a key consumer segment.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June-August 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas is an impactful strategic partner. They bring good depth of thinking and strategic thinking. The team has the ability to understand the business question, and to have the right type of conversations with cross-functional partners to use those results to drive action or decision making. 

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet deadlines and their communication is strong.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They provide strategic thinking and their senior people are involved. They do a good job in drawing in the cultural perspective as well. The greater cultural narrative helps to make it a more robust strategic approach.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve been happy with their work. Their internal project management team was transitioning a little bit. We had a couple of minor challenges with upfront approval but that was about it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The kind of thinking and expertise they bring to the table should be leveraged for foundational work or high-level strategic work. I haven’t used them for smaller projects or more tactical projects because I find their price tag tends to be on the higher side.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief innovation officer of Fasken, a large corporate law firm in Canada.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We’d been releasing a lot of innovation initiatives and roadmaps for some time, and we wanted to step back and better understand our clients and their needs. In addition, we wanted to segment them, rather than thinking of them as a block, so that we could target them accordingly in our initiatives and communication. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas took us through a 6–8-week exercise in which they conducted a market scan to determine the trends in the law industry. They also spoke to some of our internal constituents — partners and associates — to understand what kind of behaviors they were seeing from our clients. They also spoke to our clients themselves.

Afterward, they published a summary report that included what segmentation would look like for our firm, along with the different behavioral needs of each segment. 

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Nadine (VP, Strategy & Innovation), but we also worked with about 4–5 teammates.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

After receiving a recommendation from a colleague who had worked with them, I met with Fresh Squeezed Ideas. I was impressed and decided to work with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from April–July 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We ended up stopping after phase one of what could’ve been a larger project, but it really did improve our understanding of our clients. It’s hard to provide any metrics yet because we haven’t formalized how we’re applying the findings. Nevertheless, we have received a lot of good feedback from the groups Fresh Squeezed Ideas presented to. 

The benefit of the project for me was obtaining a better understanding of the different segments and layering our thinking a little better. We used to think of clients as one homogenous group, and now that’s changed.

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was great, and they always kept us apprised of what they were doing. Their written deliverables were good and so were their presentations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas has a nice methodology of how to uncover segments. They call it “pulling needs apart.” They have expertise in various fields, not just statistical analysis, which is their competitive advantage. In addition, the team knows how to keep their focus on the important aspects of segmentation. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was one piece where I thought they did a little too much. They gave me feedback on how innovation was being perceived internally, which was valuable, but not what we signed up for. So, there was some refocusing that we needed to do. Other than, everything else was good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand why segmentation is important to you and what you’re looking to get out of the exercise. If you go in with that mindset, you’ll be thrilled with what they can provide because they’re good at determining client segments. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a consultant on the market research team for an insurance company. We offer a wide range of insurance products.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We brought on Fresh Squeezed Ideas to do a consumer segmentation of our clients so we can better understand their needs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a multi-phase research project and the first phase was qualitative interviews. We did about a dozen interviews to get some understanding of how our clients perceive insurance companies, what they thought of our products, and how they did their approach. These findings helped us to select what content we wanted to do in the follow-up online study. In that study, we did a conjoint analysis to help us decide which offers our clients would be more likely to purchase.

What is the team composition?

Our daily interactions were with Elizabeth (COO), Amy (Project Manager), and Sergey. Amy conducted the qualitative interviews while Sergey did the segmentation and conjoint analysis. Everyone did an excellent job.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

It was a competitive bid situation, so we went to a few suppliers with an RFP. Fresh Squeezed Ideas was brought on by my recommendation because I had worked with them before with another company. I really enjoyed working with them and thought they had great insight, so we brought them on.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from September–December 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

After reviewing the interviews and segments in the follow-up for us that they did, we plan to apply the segmentation to our database of clients as well as in future research as well as use the conjoint analysis to inform future offerings. We were really happy with the work they did.

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great communicators and always able to meet deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise and knowledge of the subject really stood out. They were really good to work with and they partnered with us, which was great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more information you give them and the more open you are with them, the better insights they’ll be able to provide.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior head of membership products at a professional association for investment management professionals.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We wanted to design a professional learning platform for our members.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas did qualitative research of our members using a representative sample. They kept track of the participants’ feelings towards professional learning through daily video diaries with prompted questions. Their team then conducted a round of more in-depth interviews to follow up. 

After the study, they compiled the information and came up with some ways that we could meet the needs of our members. The last step in their process was performing a predictive market, where they got feedback on which concepts were most likely to be successful among our membership. 

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact during the project who has since left the company. Now, our main contact is Elizabeth (COO). 

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We found them online when searching for a vendor for a previous project. We were attracted to them because they employ a combination of psychology and design in their work. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $487,000 on this project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from November 2018-April 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I don’t have specific success metrics because we haven’t developed the product itself yet. However, we got a good understanding of our members, both in general and towards professional learning. Fresh Squeezed Idea’s work gave us insight into our members which has informed our strategy as a whole. 

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication abilities are really good and their presentations to our staff and the broader community were also good. However, project management is not their forte. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They go deep in understanding the customer, more so than other design firms we’ve engaged. Additionally, their predictive market model was really helpful and isn’t a service that other firms typically offer. 

They have a depth of knowledge in several different areas. This makes the end product more valuable and richer. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their project management skills. They tend to go deep, but that causes the process to take longer than anticipated. If they kept a tighter rein on their timeline, that would be helpful. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

If I was doing the project over again, I would ask them to do the customer research and concept development, but not go as far as product design. I don’t think product design is one of their strong suits.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a strategy insight manager for Nestlé Canada. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas leads market research to help us understand our consumers and brands and to gain strong strategic insights.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with Fresh Squeezed Ideas over several years. The team assists us with leading qualitative market research using in-person focus groups and online interviews. They’ve also conducted informal consumer interviews in their own offices.

In one project, we’d identified a new consumer target for the Nescafe brand, but we knew very little about them. We needed foundational research to help us understand their perceptions and engagement with our brand. Fresh Squeezed Ideas created that foundational piece of research to guide our plans.

We first had several meetings upfront with their team led by Karen (CEO, Fresh Squeezed Ideas). We clarified our objectives, narrowed our scope, and planned the research process. Once we identified who we wanted to research, we led a few focus groups and online interviews. Fresh Squeezed Ideas put together a report that segmented the market and defined our target audience. They helped us understand how this consumer group interacts with our product category and how our brand, product portfolio, and creative materials could appeal to them. 

From there, we built upon that research. We looked into opportunities for innovation within the category. Fresh Squeezed Ideas helped us identify a product that we could develop and appeal to our targeted consumer group.

The team also helps inform our creative communications research to optimize our advertising in global markets. They guide how we understand why a message works or doesn’t work and how to strike the right tone for each of our brands. 

What is the team composition?

Karen is consistently involved with our projects. She typically assigns a strategist or senior strategist to a project, and then she serves as an account person to provide continuity.
 
How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

One of our colleagues had worked with their team in the past and had been really impressed.
 
How much have you invested with them?

We spend around $40,000 per project with them, and we have about four projects per year.
 
What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Fresh Squeezed Ideas around ten years ago, and the collaboration is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas adds a tremendous amount of value through their work. In our Nescafe project, the insights gained from their research drove us to innovate and launch a new product. We use their presentations over and over again as references for planning and as onboarding materials for new managers. 
 
How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas acts as a part of our core team, serving as part researchers and part strategic planners. They regularly deliver a high level of performance.
 
What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to use research to inform strategy stands out the most from other research firms we’ve worked with. Fresh Squeezed Ideas identifies issues and opportunities and makes their implications to the Nestlé brand as clear as possible. The team is made up of powerful storytellers and strategists.
 
Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they deliver what we need.
 
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Let Fresh Squeezed Ideas be creative. Listen to their perspective—informed by their breadth of experience—and lean on them for strategic insights. Use them for more than disseminating research.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president and general manager of a healthcare services company. I run our retail innovation initiative.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We wanted to better understand our target customers and identify their unmet needs so that we could design a new patient experience within the pharmacy sector that would appeal to them.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fresh Squeezed Ideas created a methodology that combined both market research techniques as well as concepts within behavioral sciences and anthropology. The goal was to get at the underlying needs of our consumers. The project had multiple phases, starting with scanning the market to understand what made a great retail experience. From there, it moved to understanding the psyche of our core customers through a week-long online ethnography and an offline ethnography where researchers went into people’s homes and interviewed them. Next was a traditional marketing segmentation where we took everything we’d learned and determined how to apply that to a broader population. The final stage was an ideation experience, taking all of our information and trying to design what the new experience would look like.

What is the team composition? 

The team size depended on the phase of the project. We interfaced with two main people throughout the engagement, though.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

I researched anthropology-based market research and came across their name. We had a good meeting, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $600,000 CAD (approximately $451,200 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership lasted from April–December 2018.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their work generated insights that are unique compared to many other service providers in our industry. We now have a clear picture of our core customers’ needs, which allowed us to design a series of experiments and propositions that we can test. We’re confident in their results and are in the process of implementing them within our organization to see if it leads to a better business.

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

They had excellent project management skills. We mainly communicated via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approach to our problems was unique, and their customization of a methodology to meet our specific needs is something I’ve never seen any other firm do. Usually, you get a cookie cutter answer, but Fresh Squeezed Ideas customized the solution to our unique needs. They were constantly adjusting their methodology based on what they were learning.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.
 
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Have your internal resources spend time with their team throughout the entire project. It’s helpful to stay engaged because then you understand the results better and can optimize the partnership.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work on the consumer insights team at a large confectionery manufacturer. We support the marketing team to better know our consumers and create tailored products and marketing campaigns.

What challenges were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We were looking to do an overhaul of one of our brand’s positioning, which would guide the development of our advertisements and campaigns. We really wanted to understand our consumers, and speak to them in a relevant and motivating way. To do this we need to know how consumers were talking about our brands, what the brands meant to them in their day-to-day lives, and how we can make the brands mean even more.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We scoped out the specific research we wanted Fresh Squeezed to conduct and gave them a written research brief outlining our objectives. They then came back with a proposal that outlined the different phases of the research, the specific respondents they were going to speak with, and what questions they were going to ask. After meeting with consumers and conducting focus groups they produced a report summarizing their insights that included videos of consumers using our products and our strategic positioning moving forward.

What is the team composition?

We had one primary point of contact, two project leads, and a team of two to three people who supported them.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

My boss had worked with one of their team leaders at a previous job and recommended them when we began looking for a research firm. We also reached out to a second company, but felt that Fresh Squeezed had more experience and brought back the best proposal.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000-$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from February–April 2018.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The Fresh Squeezed team did a great job of distilling a number of different questions into their simplest form to make the research as impactful as possible. They then put together an 80-slide report that my marketing stakeholders told me was perhaps the best research report they had ever seen. They also really helped me shine in my role by guiding me in how best to present the report. Additionally, the report was prepared in such a way that anyone who reads it in the future will be able to understand it with supporting text hidden in the notes section. Overall, it was a fantastic experience working with them from start to finish.

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive throughout the project and connected with us on a daily basis during the key project phase to talk through any issues that might have arisen. There were a few instances where they needed a bit more time than anticipated to go through the research and mine the insights, but they warned us of this at the outset of the project so that we were not surprised by it. They were transparent about what they would need in order to deliver their best work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was really impressed by their ability to keep our team within the initial scope of the research. Sometimes things would come up that the team would want to add to the project and they able to draw a line between expanding the research and asking unnecessary questions.That said, when a situation arose that impacted the direction of the research they were great at pivoting to get us the answers we needed to complete the project. In general I was really happy with the balance they struck between pulling things back while also remaining flexible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was very happy with their work overall.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a durable packaged goods company that sells product through major retailers and online. I primarily lead market research, including processes and new products.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We wanted to build a better product roadmap for emerging technology that was based on consumer research and needs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to focus on emerging technologies and wanted to get information from customers on what they were unmet needs or gaps in the market so that we could potentially fill that with new product. We liked Fresh Squeezed’s pitch and worked with them to gather qualitative research. They reached out to customers through online consumer discussion boards and in-home interviews to get different angles from the consumer’s viewpoint.

Then Fresh Squeezed took that data and analyzed some of the key insights, building springboards for internal ideation sessions, which led to an off-site meeting. Twenty people from internal cross-functional teams were included so that we could get a variety of opinions. That meeting ended with Fresh Squeezed and the participants generating hundreds of ideas and really solid product concepts.

They took those ideas and concepts to the final phase of the study, which was screening and testing to identify what had the highest potential. Fresh Squeezed took those and provided a product roadmap for the future.

What is the team composition?

Our lead contacts were the Vice President of Insight and Strategy and an Associate Strategist. They were both great to work with.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

I did online research for research companies that specialize in innovation or ideation research. I looked at Google, GreenBook, recommendations, and reviews. I limited the selection down to four companies but ultimately went with Fresh Squeezed because they take a very creative approach to research projects. Since they don’t rely on templates, they pitched us a process that was built to fit our unique needs and market.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,00.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had a multi-phased project that lasted approximately 4 months. We began working together in 2017, and the project finished that fall.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Everyone who went to the off-site session really enjoyed it, including our director of marketing. The results they provided us with were received well but unfortunately, I can’t really provide metrics on the impact of their research.

This project coincided with a few internal initiatives that changed the direction of our product roadmap, which made it very difficult to add anything new. However, we are revisiting the project and working on a proposal for the management team to see the results better implemented.

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always really organized and stuck to everything they initially laid out in their proposal. There were no problems with communication or deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood our business really well, which was especially impressive for a new vendor. It’s difficult to learn a new business and strategies that go with it, but they had a good grasp on all the project aspects and were able to tailor it to our needs.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open and upfront with what you’re looking for and be collaborative. I would recommend being as clear as possible about what your objectives are and what you’re hoping to get from the study. Once they have that information, they will really work at understanding your business and tailoring their processes to your needs.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the global strategic brand manager of a pharmaceutical company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

We were about to do some market research. We wanted to do something different but weren’t sure of how to start.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with them on one specific project. Our industry is very scientific and physicians make final decisions on patient treatments. The assumption is that those physicians make rational decisions, but Fresh Squeezed Ideas proposed that there were other contributing factors in the choices physicians make. We tried to understand the irrational part of their decision making and how that impacted our market share.

We consulted with their team and came up with solutions. If we had new requirements or adjustments, they addressed them quickly. We originally wanted to design an algorithm of risk factors. We approached the design from a rational perspective and our methodology evolved as we got further in.

What is the team composition?

I worked closely with three people from their team. They consulted with another group for different hurdles.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

Our Canadian affiliate worked with them and recommended them. They presented their philosophy of behavioral science and their past work. They had some interesting points and good ideas. They were more flexible than other companies and we felt they were the best solution.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent close to €130,000 ($153,369 USD). We set the process up so we could choose to move forward or redo sections at different intervals. They built a flexible cost structure as we went along and were very considerate of my budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2017–March 2018.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We were very pleased with their work. The project required a high level of creativity on both sides. They felt like part of the company and their insights gave us new ways to tell our story. They’ve helped us improve our marketing skills.

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a very collaborative and evolving process and they were excellent. They hadn’t worked in the pharmaceutical space before, but they responded quickly and were willing to change their methodology. They were occasionally too fast for us to keep up with. They showed an academic curiosity and an eagerness to complete the project that went beyond just earning money.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are easygoing, interested, and curious. They have people from all over the world and strong female representation. It was fun to work with such a culturally diverse team. We had some really fruitful discussions thanks to that diversity.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It took time to get to know each other. They needed to understand our goals fully before they found a solution. It was a bit frustrating until we got into their mindset. Once we worked out our differences, it was a very constructive way to work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director of insights and analytics for global snacks at a large food manufacturing company.

What challenges were you trying to address with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

I wasn’t initially looking for help but met Fresh Squeezed at a conference and liked their approach. We wanted to take a behavioral science-type approach to our consumer research. I wanted to get some ideas on unique, customizable research questions I had, and how to approach them. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first project involved trying to understand our consumers in some of our more emergent markets. We wanted to know if we could take similar approaches in these markets, if we could cluster them all together, or if they each needed their own unique positioning for the brand and communication strategy.

They visited multiple locations around the globe and integrated a multi-methodological approach. They did some in-store observations, some in-store shop alongs, and some in-person interviewing. They designed some activities to help get underneath customers’ motivations and behaviors.

The second project was more custom. I was really trying to understand non-conscious cues for behavior; some nudges toward choosing a product. We used a pre-post for when customers saw a stimulus to understand how people’s desire for a product was cued by imagery. We could then understand which images we should be thinking about including in our communications because they were mostly on a non-conscious level.

That project involved figuring out what we were really trying to understand, how to cue it, what type of stimulus we needed, and how we were going to evaluate it. I appreciated the new, fresh thinking that they brought to the table, including the latest in research in academia.

What is the team composition?

Mikayla (Behavioral Strategist, Fresh Squeezed Ideas) and Raj (Behavioral Scientist, Fresh Squeezed Ideas) were super helpful. They’re always my first point of contact. They’re my main contacts, then they go back to the organization and talk with some of their other counterparts. I know they brought in cultural anthropologists too, but I don’t have direct contact with them.

How did you come to work with Fresh Squeezed Ideas?

I went to some conferences on understanding how to apply behavioral science methodology and thinking to consumer research. I really appreciated the fact that they’re literally behavioral scientists first.

There are a number of research houses that could have done this work for me, but they talked with me to really understand what I wanted to understand. They then designed some activities that were rather unique to foster qualitative discussion and observation, so that we would get the right information to make some decisions.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together during summer 2017 until the end of 2017.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

My overall satisfaction is very high. It’s been influential, not just in what we learn, but in how they present the deliverables. They might create a deck or a video to bring the different pieces together, including details, pictures, and images depending on the research. They’re so immersive in nature and always very well received.

When it comes to the emerging markets project, that was a strategy piece of work. We’re still using that information and working through how to apply it to all. We continually go back to it, and the story is always told in a way that makes really good intuitive sense to my regional partners.

How did Fresh Squeezed Ideas perform from a project management standpoint?

There haven’t been any issues with project management. They’re fantastic at staying on top of it. When I’m trying to manage participation across different regions, they’re wonderful at helping me. They even take the lead on it. If my partners choose to ignore me, they won’t ignore them.

They always respond in a very timely manner and are really open to discussions. They’re good thought partners to help me think through what my research challenge is, what type of information would be most helpful, and methodologically how to achieve it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Being in a global role, I have to sample different countries and regions to give all of my partners' confidence in the findings, but I can’t afford to physically go to 20 countries. They help me figure out the sampling so that I get enough confidence, but am not oversampling.

They’re thoughtful and have the ability to think outside the box. They customize an approach to really get underneath my research question, which is what I most appreciate them for.