Why Marketing Needs To Own Market Research With Molly Strawn-Carreño, Director of Brand Growth at AYTM | Ep. 429

Market research serves as the essential antidote to the flawed assumptions marketers often hold about their customers. True customer obsession requires moving beyond gut instinct to understand the nuanced, often irrational realities of daily life that drive purchasing decisions. The "Say-Do Gap"—the chasm between what consumers claim to value and their actual behavior—demonstrates why qualitative and quantitative research must be carefully designed to avoid bias. While AI excels at data warehousing and synthesizing historical trends, it cannot predict future human behavior or replace the need for proprietary, first-party data. To remain effective, marketers must align with sales teams, taking responsibility for the entire customer lifecycle rather than just top-of-funnel lead generation. By focusing on specific, actionable research questions, brands can avoid data bloat and build trust through authentic, human-centered insights.