Alter Agents
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Alter Agents does
Alter Agents is a privately held, full-service strategic market research consultancy headquartered in Los Angeles and founded in 2010 by Rebecca Brooks. The firm serves enterprise clients across consumer brands (Hyundai, Viking Cruises, Nespresso), technology platforms (Snap, Google, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok), adtech (Smartly), audio media (Audacy), delivery platforms (Uber), and select nonprofits. It employs 11-50 senior researchers (with average 15 years of industry experience) who execute each project end-to-end, deliberately operating without junior staffing layers. The firm operates as a 100% remote workforce.
The company's core technology stack is a multimodal research methodology that combines quantitative surveys, qualitative in-depth interviews, mobile ethnography, behavioral data, trend mapping, agile neuroscience (biometrics measuring emotional engagement via immersion scores), and In-Context Testing that replicates digital platform environments. Proprietary frameworks include Muraling (cultural-immersion discovery), the Brand Health Score (a combined-metric tracking framework developed for Smartly), Shopper DIAL with the 'Defectors' switching-behavior framework, and a longitudinal consumer sentiment tracking study running since 2019. Thought leadership outputs include a published book by the CEO and CSO, an active podcast ('Change Agents'), and recurring articles in Forbes, Quirk's, Research World, and MarketingProfs.
Alter Agents generates revenue through bespoke, project-based consulting engagements priced via custom quotes, with multi-year contracts on flagship accounts and senior partners directly executing every deliverable. There are no public pricing tiers, no self-serve channels, no resellers, and no disclosed external funding; the firm has been entirely founder-financed since 2010. Customer acquisition relies on thought leadership, industry award recognition (Quirk's 2023 Marketing Research Supplier of the Year, Inc. 2026 Best Workplaces), and direct senior-led outreach. Geographic coverage extends across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East via multi-market studies, though delivery remains U.S.-anchored.
Alter Agents firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alter Agents
- Legal name
- Alter Agents
- Website
- https://alteragents.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Alter Agents is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alter Agents business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Custom Research Projects: Alter Agents generates revenue through bespoke research consulting engagements for enterprise and brand clients. Projects include custom quantitative and qualitative studies, brand tracking, shopper influence research, ad insights, and advanced analytics. Revenue is project-based, with senior-level partners executing each project end-to-end.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based consulting engagements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Alter Agents product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alter Agents is a full-service strategic market research consultancy that designs and executes bespoke consumer and brand research projects for enterprise clients. Its portfolio includes shopper influence studies, B2B ad insights, custom quantitative and qualitative research, advanced analytics, ongoing brand tracking, and agile neuroscience (biometric) research, delivered by senior-level researchers who run each project end-to-end.
Product overview
Alter Agents is a full-service strategic market research consultancy offering a portfolio of specialized research services centered around understanding consumer behavior and brand performance. Their core service offerings include Shopper Influence (understanding purchase decision drivers), Ad Insights (B2B advertising effectiveness), Custom Quant and Qual (tailored research solutions), Advanced Analytics (data-driven insights), Human-Driven Brand Tracking (brand health monitoring), and Agile Neuroscience (physiological/emotional measurement). Supporting these are proprietary methodologies such as the Brand Health Score (a combined metric framework for brand evaluation), Muraling (a cultural immersion discovery process), and In-Context Testing (platform-simulation behavioral research). The company also publishes thought leadership through eBooks including 'Influencing Shopper Decisions,' case studies, webinars, and the 'Change Agents: Inside Modern Insights' podcast. The integrated approach combines quantitative surveys, qualitative research, neuroscience, and advanced analytics to deliver holistic audience insights.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shopper Influence Research methodology focused on understanding how shoppers make purchasing decisions and what influences their choices at various touchpoints, including the proprietary 'Defectors' framework for consumer switching behavior.
- Ad Insights B2B advertising effectiveness research providing insights into ad performance and campaign optimization for marketing decision-makers.
- Custom Quant and Qual Custom quantitative and qualitative research solutions tailored to specific client research needs, including surveys, in-depth interviews, mobile ethnographies, and in-context testing.
- Advanced Analytics Data analytics services leveraging statistical methods and analytical frameworks to derive actionable insights from research data.
- Human-Driven Brand Tracking Ongoing brand perception and health monitoring research designed to track brand performance over time using structured, repeatable frameworks.
- Agile Neuroscience Neuroscience-based research approach that measures physiological processes related to emotions, actions, and decisions, including 'immersion scores' to uncover subconscious consumer responses.
Quantifiable outcome
- Snapchat is 1.7x more immersive than platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok (measured via agile neuroscience immersion score)
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Alter Agents
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Alter Agents technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Alter Agents partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- SmartlycoreAlter Agents partnered with Smartly (an AI-powered advertising technology company supporting 800+ brands and $7+ billion in ad spend) to conduct global brand health tracking among marketing and advertising decision-makers. Alter Agents designed a customized Brand Health Score methodology that combines key brand metrics into a single framework, providing Smartly with a consistent framework for evaluating and tracking brand perception across audiences and markets.
- Snap (Snapchat)flagshipAlter Agents has conducted multiple major research studies with Snap examining teen digital habits (90% of teens question online information), Gen Z telecom purchasing decisions (55% purchased after seeing a Snapchat ad), Gen Z car buying behavior (half purchased last vehicle online), and augmented reality's impact on sustainability (AR can reduce carbon emissions by up to 46%). Studies involved in-depth interviews, mobile ethnographies, quantitative surveys across multiple markets (up to 19,000 respondents across 16 markets), and agile neuroscience. Snap's Head of Global Research & Insights described Alter Agents as one of their preferred research partners.
- UbercoreJoint research presented at IIEX North America 2026 exploring how restaurant decisions are changing in a world shaped by delivery platforms, compressed decision timelines, and endless consumer choice. The session ('The $100B Delivery Funnel: How Uber Eats Shapes Choice') was co-presented by Alter Agents Chief Research Officer Heather O'Shea and Uber's David Iudica.
- Havas Media NetworkcoreJoint study with Snap and Havas Media Network on Gen Z car buying, finding that half of Gen Z buyers completed their last vehicle purchase online. The research highlighted the growing role of social media, creators, and augmented reality in influencing car buying decisions across multiple countries.
- TinuitiminorJoint study with Snap examining how augmented reality is transforming word-of-mouth marketing, exploring the digital evolution of consumer decision-making driven by AR and social media content.
- UpworthyminorJoint study on the power of positivity in brand content, finding that consumers seek uplifting content amid growing digital negativity and that brands can foster loyalty and drive purchase behavior by sharing positive content.
- Brady / Gun Safety AllianceminorResearch partnership to reframe gun safety in America, published as a white paper entitled 'Responsibility as Common Ground.' The study found that over 9 in 10 gun owners and non-gun owners agree on key gun safety issues, and explored how brands and organizations can foster unity on divisive topics.
- TikTokcoreAlter Agents conducted in-context testing research with TikTok to understand what TikTok users want from advertisers. The study surveyed 2,400 TikTok users in the U.S. using a mock TikTok 'For You' page to observe user behaviors. Key finding: 64% of TikTok users prefer brands that offer a diverse range of content.
- AudacycoreJoint study on podcast advertising brand safety, finding that 8 in 10 consumers find branded podcast messages suitable when contextually relevant. The study surveyed 6,000 respondents and included both marketer interviews and consumer surveys. Research revealed that podcasts provide a safe advertising environment across genres including true crime and news.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Alter Agents competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Savanta: Savanta is a mid-sized full-service market research agency offering brand tracking, ad effectiveness, and consumer research to enterprise clients. Comparable in custom research service breadth and enterprise buyer focus.
- Kelton Global: Kelton Global is a boutique insights and strategy consultancy working with major brands on brand health, comms testing, and shopper research. Highly comparable in service mix, senior-researcher model, and enterprise client base.
- C+R Research: C+R Research is a full-service custom market research firm serving consumer brands and platforms with qualitative, quantitative, and community-based insights. Comparable custom-research, multimodal methodology positioning targeting similar enterprise buyers.
- Material+: Material+ (formerly Material Strategies) is a strategy and insights consultancy pairing research with strategic recommendations for major consumer brands. Comparable as a mid-sized, custom insights + strategy shop serving enterprise marketers.
- HawkPartners: HawkPartners is a boutique marketing research and insights consultancy serving enterprise brand and ad-tech clients with custom qualitative, quantitative, and brand strategy work. Closely comparable in size, B2B enterprise focus, and senior-led delivery model.
- Sequent Partners: Sequent Partners is a brand strategy and market research consultancy serving B2B and consumer brands with custom research and positioning work. Directly comparable boutique scale and senior-led engagement model.
Broad incumbents
- Kantar: Kantar is a global research and insights leader spanning brand, media, and shopper research with proprietary syndicated assets (BrandZ, Worldpanel). Competes for enterprise brand-tracking and ad-effectiveness mandates that Alter Agents also targets.
- Ipsos: Ipsos is one of the world's largest market research and consulting firms with global panels, syndicated products, and custom research across brand, advertising, and shopper. Competes with Alter Agents for the same enterprise buyers but at much greater scale and with broader portfolio offerings.
- NielsenIQ: NielsenIQ is a global consumer intelligence firm combining panel data, retail measurement, and custom research. Overlaps with Alter Agents on shopper and consumer-behavior insights for major CPG, retail, and platform clients.
- Morning Consult: Morning Consult is a tech-forward research and polling firm combining a large proprietary panel with custom research for brands, platforms, and media. Comparable in serving tech-platform and brand clients with rapid, data-rich consumer research, but at significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alter Agents social profiles
Digital presenceAlter Agents financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alter Agents leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Alter Agents funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alter Agents M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alter Agents
What does Alter Agents do?
Alter Agents is a full-service strategic market research consultancy that designs and executes bespoke consumer and brand research projects for enterprise clients. Its portfolio includes shopper influence studies, B2B ad insights, custom quantitative and qualitative research, advanced analytics, ongoing brand tracking, and agile neuroscience (biometric) research, delivered by senior-level researchers who run each project end-to-end.
Is Alter Agents a public or private company?
Alter Agents is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Alter Agents founded?
Alter Agents was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Alter Agents based?
Alter Agents is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Alter Agents make money?
One revenue line is on record: custom Research Projects.
Who are Alter Agents's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Savanta, Kelton Global, C+R Research, Material+, HawkPartners and Sequent Partners. Broad incumbents are Kantar, Ipsos, NielsenIQ and Morning Consult.
Does Alter Agents have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alter Agents.