Kevin Randall

One thing I NEVER understood when I was a client-side researcher, was the hoarding and protection of information...FROM OTHERS INSIDE THE BUSINESS! Sounds wild, right?!...but it happens so much. Insights were often deemed to be approved for dissemination on a "need to know" basis...but shouldn't the entire business have access to information that helps them become smarter about their consumer? Efforts to more broadly send out insights were met with barriers and carefully curated distribution lists, and focus was placed ONLY on those in the direct circles of those who requested it. But I firmly believe that successful organizations are informed organizations. When more people understand the consumer, better decisions get made at every level. Businesses talk about being "consumer-first", but this doesn't happen in silos, it happens as a collective. Information and insights should be treated like a catalyst for the collective instead of like currency for the c-suite!

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Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows From Cost Center to Strategic Partner: Proving the Value of Competitive Intelligence Thursday Webinar: March 19 | 1100am EDT/US, 1600 UK,1700 DEU,1800 ISR Competitive intelligence teams rarely struggle because their work lacks quality or insights. They struggle because their impact is often unmeasured, unclaimed, or misunderstood. I will facilitate this session featuring David Kalinowski, a CI expert with more than 35 years of experience. He will discuss why CI functions are too often viewed as cost centers rather than strategic partners, and why it is essential to consistently demonstrate business impact, especially in today's market. Drawing from his proven ROCI® (Return on Competitive Intelligence) framework, built on Jan Herring's foundational thinking and refined through real-world executive application, David will discuss: * Why insight alone is not enough and why CI leaders must proactively defend and demonstrate value. * Why defining “benefits” of CI is where most teams fall short in calculating ROI. * How to shift from activity reporting to decision accountability. * The critical questions to ask stakeholders BEFORE and AFTER delivering intelligence. * The four core elements of the ROCI® framework and how they work together. If you want your CI function to move upstream into strategic conversations and remain there, this discussion will provide the structure, language, and leadership mindset required. If you do not clearly demonstrate the value CI creates, who will? REGISTRATION below! #acme #cifellows #roci #competitiveintelligence

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I agree with Prior that the reading crisis is worse for the book trade than AI. AI is a threat to the environment and humanity in general, but in terms of specific, proximate industry threats, the downswing in reading for pleasure among kids is a more urgent problem. That is, on an industry level. In terms of AI's effect on individual creatives and other workers, it IS a threat. I see so many people using AI illustration to promote book events or stories - including bookish organisations. Anyone remember when Bradford litfest used an AI illustration, for eg? But there are many others. If AI genuinely DOES make things more efficient in terms of process, that could also lead to in-house job losses. Still, the reading crisis is more urgent on the macro scale, yes. But if AI is to be part of the solution....I would like more clarity on HOW. From the article: "Prior added that the industry should think beyond just “using AI to trim costs and speed up workflows”, but should “use its scale and power as an engine for growth… Instead of waiting for someone to walk into a bookshop, we can use these tools to bridge the gap, turning a fleeting digital moment into a lifelong love of books”. Knowing what that means in practice would be useful! Does it mean using AI to game algorithms in terms of promotion on, say, youtube? Does it mean analysing consumer behaviour? Or insert other thing? VERY glad she's shouting about comics! Let's focus on comics not AI, eh? https://lnkd.in/evhytk59

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Our survey reveals the sinkholes are uneven and deep within a firm. And they’re gender and partner classification specific. Here are the details: https://lnkd.in/e_s6B8vE #TheMADClientist

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#Anthropic’s resistance to #Pentagon pressure reflects a growing #trend of corporate defiance. From #AI #researchers rejecting #military mandates to #retailers winning #legal battles against the #TrumpAdministration, private enterprises are increasingly asserting their independence from #government overreach. #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology #DonaldTrump #Corporations #CEOs #Executives #Leadership #Backbone #Defense #DOD #PeteHegseth #Claude #Surveillance #Targeting #Blacklisting #AutonomousWeapons #FederalGovernment #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #USA #Americans #CorporateAmerica #SupremeCourt #SCOTUS #Tariffs #Costco #FedEx #Hasbro #Kohls #LOreal #Minnesota #3M #BestBuy #GeneralMills #Medtronic #Target #UnitedHealthGroup #OpenLetter #ICE #ImmigrationEnforcement #DHS #CBP #Deescalation #Fatalities #OperationMetroSurge #Minneapolis #TwinCities #Policy #Policies #CommunicationBreakdown #OpenAI #Apple #PublicRelations #PR #AILabs #Refunds #Boycotts #LocalCommunities #Employees #Politics #Shareholders #Reputation #Trends #Trending #Trendspotting #Business #Axios https://lnkd.in/gm9RF2HE

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Sovereignty in #LEO sounds powerful, but is it practical? 🚀 As nations pursue sovereign low-Earth orbit (LEO) ambitions, history offers a strategic blueprint: coalition-building, not isolation, drives viability. The latest Analysys Mason #NCAT5 simulation reveals that multilateral LEO constellations (modeled in this instance across Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia) can outperform sovereign-only deployments in both cost and coverage. 🔹 Coalitions cut costs: Breakeven bandwidth dropped below $27/Mbps/month... a tenfold improvement over single-nation models. 🔹 Scale unlocks sustainability: Cross-border demand boosts asset utilization to 26%, compared to just 3–4% in sovereign-only scenarios. 🔹 Strategic solidarity matters: Emerging economies with shared digital goals can leapfrog access gaps through joint LEO infrastructure. Intelsat’s legacy reminds us: sovereignty in space doesn’t necessarily mean going it alone. In today’s LEO race, strategic interdependence may be the key to inclusive, resilient connectivity. #LEO #SpaceStrategy #DigitalInclusion #SatelliteConnectivity #EmergingMarkets #Geopolitics #CoalitionModel #AnalysysMason #SpaceTech https://lnkd.in/eb463RFy

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Rise Above Research forecasts that the annual number of photos captured globally will approach 2.5 trillion by 2030 - 300 photos/year/person, and the cumulative number of photos that are saved is estimated to reach 20 trillion images. https://ow.ly/ne6y50YnORy

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💋 Why Real People Still Matter (and How AI Can Help, Not Hurt) If you’re in research and feeling like you’re supposed to swap your sample panel for a synthetic respondent built in a lab... you're not alone. The Sample Landscape 2025 (link below) by EMI - Research Solutions dropped, and it’s full of what I’d call “optimistic side-eye” moments, especially around synthetic data. Yes, it's fast. Yes, it's cheap. However, fast and cheap don’t always go hand in hand with insight. And not with nuance. At 10k Humans, we're about real people. Not click-farmers. Not botnets. Not AI hallucinations in a trench coat. And you know what? This report backed us up. Open-ended questions still offer the clearest window into what people think and feel. However, what surprised me is that when you pair those questions with AI prompting, the quality improves. People elaborate more. They feel like they're being heard. It feels less like a form and more like a conversation. But synthetic respondents? That’s a different story. Inconsistencies. Contradictions. Stuff like “married with kids, household size: 1.” This isn’t ready for prime time when what you need is depth, authenticity, and clarity. There's a place for it, just not in the driver’s seat. ‼️ So here’s what we’re doing. We’ll continue to recruit high-integrity, high-context individuals. And we’re experimenting with creating AI-based "echoes" of our actual respondents. Think of it like a warm-up act: something clients can use to refine ideas, test concepts, and get a jump before the real qual begins. It’s not about hype. It’s about staying grounded while we build smarter. Real people are still the heart of great research. AI can help, but it doesn’t replace the pulse. https://lnkd.in/gfV88Zwq #QualitativeResearch #MRX #10kHumans #AIinResearch #SampleQuality #RealPeopleRealInsights

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NEW POST: SNJ’s Matt Keer has dug behind DfE research data into #EHCP creation times. He’s found some “deranged” numbers that can’t be real—but does the government really care as long as it gets what it wants? https://lnkd.in/exMy3WZT #SaveOurChildrensRights

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Episode 159 of the Dan Rayburn Podcast is here, and this week’s episode was packed with "unvarnished" analysis on the latest streaming news, separating factual data from industry noise. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/giR-sFCF From the realities of the Netflix/WBD rumors to the technical breakdown of Amazon’s NFL stream, here is what you need to know: 🎬 M&A and Content Strategy -Netflix & Theatrical Windows: Rumors that Netflix demanded a 17-day theatrical window for WBD movies are false. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos confirmed they would keep the current 45-day window to maximize box office revenue. -Sony Pictures Deal: Netflix and Sony struck a multi-year deal bringing Sony films to Netflix globally starting later this year, with full global availability by 2029. -Amazon in Europe: Prime Video is expanding its live footprint, adding M6 Group channels in France and RTVE live channels in Spain at no additional cost. 📊 The Data Reality Check -Amazon NFL Stream: While the Wildcard game looked great (averaging ~7 Mbps with low latency for many users). Reporting on viewership has been lazy. -Correction: The 31.6 million AMA reported by Nielsen includes broadcast TV, out-of-home, and NFL digital properties—it is not just Prime Video streaming numbers. -BBC vs. YouTube: Headlines claiming YouTube has surpassed the BBC in the UK are comparing apples to oranges. You cannot compare 30-second YouTube Shorts to the BBC’s long-form 15-minute engagement metric. 📉 Tech Trends & Strategy -Metaverse Decline: Meta is laying off ~1,000 employees in its Reality Labs division and closing three VR gaming studios. The shift is moving away from the "Metaverse" fantasy toward wearables. -Ultra Latency: Stats Perform has acquired the assets of Phoenix (ultra-low latency tech). This confirms that ultra-low latency is a feature of a larger platform (like betting), not a standalone business model. 📢 NAB Show Update: If you have been laid off recently, reach out to Dan directly for a free ticket to the NAB Show. This year, there will be special badging to help job seekers network more effectively. #media #streamingmedia #videostreaming #video #broadcast Listen>>> https://lnkd.in/giR-sFCF

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