MRX Lab

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May 2026

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The MRX Lab from FlexMR explores new and novel conversations from the fringes of the market research & consumer insights industry in 10 minutes or less.

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May 27, 2026Episode 432 min

#75 - How Memorable Marketing Strategies Can Build Customer Centricity

Do you actively brand your insight projects? This month, we invite you to consider how the implementation of marketing strategies can reach decision-makers and leave a lasting impression, resulting in an increase in Customer Centricity within your organisation.In our latest episode, Rupesh Patel joins Paul to discuss the importance of remaining top of mind for business questions and share tips on how insights can be promoted memorably. Over the course of 30 minutes, the pair touch on competitive internal promotion strategies, the application of marketing academia and more.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Rupesh Patel, Head of Insights (Large Tech Brand)For more info on FlexMR, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / X / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

May 4, 2026Episode 526 min

#76 - A Seat at the Table: How Engaging Insights Lead to Customer Centricity

Customers need to always have a seat at the table. Insight teams need to be in the room, even when not physically present. But during a time where information is in abundance and budgets are squeezed, how can this be achieved?In our latest episode, Natalie Delahunty, Head of Brand Insight at Trainline, joins Paul to discuss how long-term engagement of decision-makers through strategies such as infographics can aid in maintaining customer centricity. Over the course of 30 minutes, the pair touch on tailoring insights based on internal target audiences, distinctively naming projects that are crucial to the trajectory of a business, utilising MaxDiff and more.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Natalie Delahunty, Head of Brand Insight at TrainlineFor more info on FlexMR, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / X / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

March 19, 2026Episode 331 min

#74 - Customer Centricity Starts at Your Own Two Feet

Customer centricity starts at your own two feet. But it also needs to go further. Could having a programme that ties in all levels of an organisation be the key to success?In our latest episode, Paul Thomas, Global Consumer & Shopper Insight Director, joins Paul to discuss how customer centricity programmes and direct conversations with customers are crucial to organisations. Over the course of 30 minutes, the pair discuss examples of successful customer-centric strategies, anecdotes, the importance of the involvement of key decision-makers and more.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Paul Thomas, Global Consumer & Shopper Insight DirectorFor more info on FlexMR, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

February 11, 2026Episode 226 min

#73 - Speed Dating Without the Romance: A Path to Customer Centricity

During a time where technology and artificial intelligence are becoming more prominent, there are challenges in moving beyond traditional research methods to consistently humanise the customer in the minds of key decision-makers.In our latest episode, Ellie Osborne, Senior Insight Lead at Saga, joins Paul to discuss how customer centricity can engage decision-makers and ensure Customer Salience is interwoven consistently throughout an organisation. Over the course of 25 minutes, the pair discuss successfully positioning key decision-makers in front of real customers through 'speed dating', how researchers can drive customer centric decisions and much more.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Ellie Osborne, Senior Insight Lead at SagaFor more info on FlexMR, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

January 14, 2026Episode 125 min

#72 - The Future of Customer Salience

In a world where habits within an organisation are often built on financialisaton, it can be hard to overcome existing culture and consistently humanise the customer in the minds of key decision-makers.In our latest episode, Chris Martin, FlexMR's Chief Marketing Officer, joins Paul to discuss how Customer Salience can be used to flip the script and ensure decision-makers are always thinking about customers. Over the course of 25 minutes, the pair discuss how decisions are currently being made within organisations, the impact of cultural habits, how researchers can drive change and much more.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Chris Martin, Chief Marketing Officer at FlexMRFor more info on FlexMR, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

December 10, 2025Episode 1229 min

#71 - From Numbers to Narratives: What it Means to Make Data Land

Research isn't just about gathering data. It's about helping people make better decisions. That's what Head of Client and Adviser Insights at M&G, Olubunmi Stüber, challenges us to do in this episode of the MRX Lab.Recorded the day after the 2025 Customer Salience Summit, she joins Paul Hudson in reflecting on what it means to put customers at the heart of decisions. Over the course of 40 minutes, the pair discuss the strategic use of qual and quant, how insight communities bring connection and camaraderie to research, the importance of crafting stories that are written for a particular audience, and much more.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Olubunmi Stüber, Head of Client and Adviser Insights at M&GFor more info on FlexMR, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

November 12, 2025Episode 1126 min

#70 - How to Build an Audience Centric Brand

When Lord Reith founded the BBC in the radio age, it embodied an ethos of public service. That spirit remains at its core to this day. And, as Brand Director Jane Callingham explains, creates a uniquely challenging dynamic for the institutions researchers. Rather than define a narrow target market, the BBC charter demands that it serve the public - which means it must deliver value to all.Understanding audiences, not as a homogenous whole, but as a diverse set of segments is crucial not to narrow targeting - but to evaluate how each and all are served. Discover how the BBC Brand team approach this monumental task, and have build an audience-centric brand in this episode of the MRX Lab.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Jane Callingham, Brand Director @ BBCFor more info on FlexMR, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

October 15, 2025Episode 1026 min

#69 - Addressing the Bad Habits of Market Research

In an analysis of recent market research conference agendas, Nick Rich found that only 6% of sessions focus on impact and a fraction of that reaching the C-Suite. That stands in stark contrast to recommendations from the recent Client Sight report. Nick puts forward the case that, as a sector, our focus is in the wrong place - and more attention needs to be given to the relationship between insight and growth.This conversation challenges researchers to re-think the role of research, the language that's used to describe it and the procedural aspects of the insight function that often detract from creative solutions.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Nick Rich, Partner @ Growth ConstructorsFor more info on FlexMR, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

September 16, 2025Episode 928 min

#68 - Embedding Customer Voices in Strategic Decisions

In this episode of the MRX Lab podcast, Claire Rainey, Head of Insights at Virgin Media O2, shares how customer insight teams can move beyond data collection to become powerful agents of influence. Drawing on experiences from brand tracking to campaign design, Claire illustrates the importance of keeping the “customer on your shoulder” in every decision, even when insight professionals aren’t in the room. She explains how her team balances process with influence, builds a culture of customer centricity, and develops the communication skills needed to resonate with diverse stakeholders. From surprising findings about channel preferences to shaping sensitive national campaigns, Claire highlights the long-term impact of rigorous, well-communicated insights. This conversation challenges researchers to embrace resilience, focus on influence, and take pride in their role as catalysts of organisational change.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Claire Rainey, Head of Insight @ VMO2For more info on FlexMR, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

August 20, 2025Episode 820 min

#67 - Applying Behavioural Science to Market Research

What drives behaviour, and how can understanding it make research more impactful? How do we bridge the gap between what people say and what they actually do? And what practical steps can researchers take to embed behavioural insights into the heart of market research practice? Those are the questions we put to Chris Harvey, CEO of Activate Research.With a background at the intersection of behavioural science and applied research, Chris shares how small shifts in framing, context, and design can lead to powerful improvements in data quality and decision-making. Tune into this thought-provoking episode to discover why behavioural science is more than a theoretical toolkit, it’s a lens for re-imagining how market research uncovers truth and drives change.---Presented by: Paul Hudson, CEO @ FlexMRFeaturing: Chris Harvey, CEO of Activate ResearchFor more info on FlexMR, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.flexmr.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or connect via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠